Single-chip sensor multi-function imaging

• US 10,531,017 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2019
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Zhao, Wenyi, DiCarlo, Jeffrey M., McDowall, Ian E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Anand S
• Application Number:
  US16/264,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20190166316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 348 36- 61, 348 77
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00006 of control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0005 combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00193 adapted for stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/043 for fluorescence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/06 with illuminating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0646 with illumination filters
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4015 Image demosaicing, e.g. colour filter arrays [CFA] or Bayer patterns
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/10 for generating image signals from different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing

Abstract

Mixed mode imaging is implemented using a single-chip image capture sensor with a color filter array. The single-chip image capture sensor captures a frame including a first set of pixel data and a second set of pixel data. The first set of pixel data includes a first combined scene, and the second set of pixel data includes a second combined scene. The first combined scene is a first weighted combination of a fluorescence scene component and a visible scene component due to the leakage of a color filter array. The second combined scene includes a second weighted combination of the fluorescence scene component and the visible scene component. Two display scene components are extracted from the captured pixel data in the frame and presented on a display unit.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a scene processing module configured to;

receive a single frame captured by a single-chip image capture sensor having a color filter array,

wherein the single frame comprises

a first set of pixel data captured by a first set of pixels of the single-chip image capture sensor that are associated with a first color filter included in the color filter array, the first color filter configured to allow light having a first color and fluorescence excitation illumination to pass through the first color filter to the first set of pixels, and

a second set of pixel data captured by a second set of pixels of the single-chip image capture sensor that are associated with a second color filter included in the color filter array, the second color filter configured to allow light having a second color and the fluorescence excitation illumination to pass through the second color filter to the second set of pixels,

wherein the first set of pixel data comprises a first combined scene including a fluorescence scene component, and

wherein the second set of pixel data comprises a second combined scene including a combination of a visible color component scene and the fluorescence scene component,

extract a display fluorescence scene component from the first combined scene, and

extract a display visible scene component from the second combined scene; and

a display unit connected to the scene processing module and configured to generate, based on the display fluorescence scene component and the display visible scene component, a displayed scene.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an illuminator configured to provide at least two illumination components;

wherein one of the illumination components is a fluorescence excitation illumination component;

wherein other illumination components include less than all visible color components of white light; and

wherein the at least two illumination components are provided at the same time.

3. The system of claim 2, the illuminator further comprising:

a fluorescence excitation illumination source; and

a visible color component illumination source.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a power level and power supply controller connected to the illuminator; and

a mode changer, coupled to the power level and power supply controller, having a first state and a second state,

wherein, when the mode changer has the first state, the power level and power supply controller (a) provides power to the visible color component illumination source, and not to the fluorescence excitation illumination source, and (b) the visible color component illumination source has a first level of illumination; and

wherein, when the mode changer has the second state, the power level and power supply controller (a) provides power to the visible color component illumination source and to the fluorescence excitation illumination source, and (b) reduces the level of illumination of the visible color component illumination source relative to a level of illumination of the visible color component illumination source in the first state.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the visible color component scene is captured as green color pixels in the single-chip image capture sensor.

6. The system of claim 1, the scene processing module further comprising:

a demosaic module configured to receive, in a first color channel, the first set of pixel data comprising the first combined scene, wherein the demosaic module is configured to demosaic the first set of pixel data to obtain a first set of image pixel data comprising the first combined scene.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the demosaic module is further configured to receive, in a second color channel, the second set of pixel data comprising the second combined scene, and wherein the demosaic module is configured to demosaic the second set of pixel data to obtain a second set of image pixel data comprising the second combined scene.

8. The system of claim 1, the scene processing module further comprising:

a demosaic module configured to receive, in a first color channel, the first set of pixel data comprising the first combined scene, and to receive, in a third color channel, a third set of pixel data comprising a third combined scene including the fluorescence scene component, wherein the demosaic module is configured to demosaic the first and third sets of pixel data as a single color channel to obtain a first set of image pixel data comprising a fourth combined scene component including the fluorescence scene component.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the demosaic module is configured to receive, in a second color channel, the second set of pixel data comprising the second combined scene, and wherein the demosaic module is further configured to demosaic the second set of pixel data representing the second combined scene to obtain a second set of image pixel data comprising the second combined scene.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the scene processing module further comprises:

a scene component generator configured to;

receive a first set of image pixel data comprising the first combined scene and a second set of image pixel data comprising the second combined scene,

perform the extraction of the display fluorescence scene component, wherein the display fluorescence scene component comprises a first linear weighted combination of the first set of image pixel data and the second set of image pixel data, and

perform the extraction of the display visible scene component, wherein the display visible scene component comprises a second linear weighted combination of the first set of image pixel data and the second set of image pixel data.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the scene processing module is further configured to generate a plurality of weighted combinations of the display fluorescence scene component and the display visible scene component.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the display unit is further configured to:

receive the plurality of weighted combinations; and

generate the display scene from the plurality of weighted combinations.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the display scene includes a highlighted scene component corresponding to the fluorescence scene component and a reduced color scene component.