Mini-scope for multi-directional imaging

• US 20080304143A1
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SARCOS LC (Sarcos Technology & Robotics Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sterling LC
• Inventors: Jacobsen, Stephen C., Smith, Fraser, Marceau, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,835,074 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/371
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00181 for multiple fixed viewing angles A61B1/00193 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00183 for variable viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 of the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2484 Arrangements in relation to a camera or imaging device processing or control of video signals generated by an endoscope H04N23/60, H04N23/70
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/141 using dichroic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 used for beam splitting or combining
• 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

Abstract

A mini-scope for multi-directional imaging is disclosed. The mini-scope includes an elongated mini-scoped body. An emissions aperture is disposed on the distal end of the elongated mini-scope body, which can be configured to emit a beam of optical energy propagating through a flexible optical conductor. A selective mirror is also positioned at the distal end of the elongated mini-scope body and is configured to selectively pass or reflect the beam of optical energy based on the optical characteristics of the beam. A SSID is further disposed on the distal end of the elongated mini-scope body for imaging illumination reflected by an external object in response to the beam of optical energy. This illumination is directed to pass through or reflect from the selective mirror to the camera based on optical characteristics of the beam.

Claims

1. A mini-scope for multi-directional imaging, comprising:

an elongated mini-scope body having a distal end and a proximal end;

an emissions aperture, disposed at the distal end of the elongated mini-scope body and configured to emit a beam of optical energy for illuminating an object;

a selective mirror, disposed at the distal end of the elongated mini-scope body and along an optical path of the beam, and configured to selectively and differentially pass and reflect the beam of optical energy based on optical characteristics of the beam of optical energy; and

an SSID, disposed at the distal end of the elongated mini-scope body, for imaging illumination reflected by an external object in response to the beam of optical energy, the illumination having passed through or reflected from the selective mirror to the SSID based on the optical characteristics of the illumination.

2. The mini-scope of claim 1, wherein the selective mirror is a dichroic mirror.

3. The mini-scope of claim 1, wherein the optical characteristics of the beam include frequency characteristics.

4. The mini-scope of claim 1, wherein the selective mirror is a polarizing beam splitter plate.

5. The mini-scope of claim 4, further comprising a flexible optical conductor which comprises a polarization maintaining optical fiber.

6. The mini-scope of claim 4, wherein the polarizing beam splitter plate further comprises:

a one-way mirror portion, having opposing reflecting and nonreflecting faces, configured to pass or reflect the illumination towards the SSID, based on directional characteristics of the illumination.

7. The mini-scope of claim 1, wherein the optical characteristics of the beam include polarization characteristics.

8. The mini-scope of claim 1, wherein the SSID is selected from the group consisting of a charge coupled device camera with a gradient index lens and a NCI camera.

9. The mini-scope of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one light source disposed at the proximal end of the elongated mini-scope body for transmitting the beam of optical energy down a flexible optical conductor;

a processing system, in communication with the SSID, having imaging software for processing and displaying images recorded by the SSID; and

at least one display for displaying the images recorded by the SSID.

10. The mini-scope of claim 9, wherein:

the at least one light source is configured to alternately transmit a first beam of optical energy having a first predefined optical characteristic, and a second beam of optical energy having a second predefined optical characteristic, wherein the second predefined optical characteristic is different from the first predefined optical characteristic; and

the imaging software being configured to display images illuminated with the first beam of optical energy on a first display and to display images illuminated with the second beam of optical energy on a second display.

11. The mini-scope of claim 9, wherein the at least one light source is configured to simultaneously transmit a first beam of optical energy having a first predefined optical characteristic and a second beam of optical energy having a second predefined optical characteristic, wherein the second predefined optical characteristic is different from the first predefined optical characteristic.

12. The mini-scope of claim 11, wherein the imaging software is configured to selectively filter and display images illuminated with the first beam of optical energy on a first display and images illuminated with the second beam of optical energy on a second display.

13. The mini-scope of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of selective mirrors configured to selectively pass or reflect the beam of optical energy based on optical characteristics of the beam.

14. The mini-scope of claim 13, wherein the plurality of selective mirrors includes at least two mirrors having different directional orientations, to reflect the beam of optical energy in at least two different directions, based on the optical characteristics of the beam.

15. The mini-scope of claim 1 further comprising a rotating device coupled to the elongated mini-scope body and the selective mirror for rotating the selective mirror.

16. A mini-scope having multi-directional imaging capabilities, comprising

means for optically conducting a beam of optical energy, having a distal end and a proximal end;

means for emitting the beam of optical energy from the distal end of the means for optically conducting;

means for selectively directing the beam of optical energy, disposed at the distal end of the means for optically conducting, to selectively and differentially pass or reflect the beam of optical energy based on optical characteristics of the beam; and

means for imaging disposed at the distal end of the means for optically conducting, said means for imaging illumination reflected by an external object in response to the beam of optical energy, the illumination having passed through or reflected from the means for selectively directing to the means for imaging based on optical characteristics of the illumination.

17. The mini-scope of claim 16, wherein the means for selectively directing is chosen from the group consisting of a dichroic mirror, a polarizing beam splitter plate, a polarizing beam cube, and a prism.

18. The mini-scope of claim 16, further comprising:

at least one light source disposed at the proximal end of the means for optically conducting for transmitting the beam of optical energy down a flexible optical conductor;

a processing system, in communication with the means for imaging, having imaging software for processing and displaying images recorded by the means for imaging; and

at least one display for displaying the images recorded by the means for imaging.

19. The mini-scope of claim 18, wherein:

the at least one light source is configured to alternately transmit a first beam of optical energy having a first predefined optical characteristic and a second beam of optical energy having a second predefined optical characteristic wherein the second predefined optical characteristic is different from the first predefined optical characteristic; and

the imaging software being configured to display images illuminated with the first beam of optical energy on a first display and to images illuminated with the second beam of optical energy on a second display.

20. A method for multi-directional imaging with a mini-scope, the method comprising:

transmitting a beam of optical energy to a selective mirror;

passing in a first direction a first beam of optical energy through the selective mirror, based on optical characteristics of the first beam;

reflecting in a second direction a second beam of optical energy by the selective mirror, based on optical characteristics of the second beam, wherein the second predefined optical characteristic is different from the first predefined optical characteristic;

imaging, with an imaging device, illumination reflected by an external object in a reverse direction, in response to the first beam passed through the selective mirror to the imaging device, to produce a first recorded image; and

imaging, with the imaging device, the illumination reflected by an external object in a reverse direction, in response to the second beam of optical energy reflected by the selective mirror to the imaging device, to produce a second recorded image.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of transmitting further includes alternatively transmitting the first beam of optical energy having the first predefined optical characteristic and the second beam of optical energy having the second predefined optical characteristic.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

processing the first and second recorded images recorded by the imaging device; and

displaying the first and second recorded images recorded by the imaging device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein

the processing step comprises:

processing the first recorded image for display on a first display screen, and processing the second recorded image for display on a second display screen; and

the displaying step comprises;

displaying the first recorded image on a first screen and the second recorded image on a second screen.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of passing in a first direction and the step of reflecting in a lateral direction can be concurrent, and wherein the step of imaging illumination reflected by an external object in a reverse direction in response to the first beam of optical energy passed through the selective mirror and the step of imaging the illumination reflected by an external object in a reverse direction in response to the second beam of optical energy reflected by the selective mirror can be concurrent.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the first direction is non-parallel to the second direction.