Apparatus and methods relating to color imaging endoscope systems

• US 20090012361A1
• Filed: 02/25/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tidal Photonics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tidal Photonics Incorporated
• Inventors: Stange, Ulrich, MacKinnon, Nicholas B.
• Application Number:
  US12/072,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20090012361A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/118
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00186 with imaging filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/043 for fluorescence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 of the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2446 of the image relay G02B23/26 takes precedence

Abstract

Color endoscopes, light sources and endoscopy systems, etc., that have good dynamic range and/or resolution while reducing the size and cost of the endoscopes. The endoscopes achieve this, in part, by using a black and white (grayscale or monochromatic) sensor at the tip of the endoscope instead of a color sensor. The endoscope uses a light system that precisely and specifically illuminates the tissue one color at time, captures the image in grayscale, then uses a computer to associate the image with the color. Certain aspects of the invention apply to imaging systems in addition to endoscopes.

Claims

1. A color imaging endoscope system comprising:

a) an endoscope body including a proximal end and a distal end, the body configured to position the distal end proximate to a target tissue;

b) a tunable light source configured to emit from the distal end an illumination light comprising a selectively variable selected spectral output and a selectively variable wavelength dependent intensity distribution;

c) a substantially monochromatic sensor disposed at the distal end and configured to detect light emanating from the target tissue and to transmit a signal representing an intensity of the light to a processor; and

,

d) a controller operably connected to the light source, the monochromatic sensor and the processor, the controller containing computer-implemented programming configured to coordinate the light source, sensor and processor such that the light source provides over time a plurality of different desired wavelength bands of illumination light each having a selected, substantially pure, variable distribution and intensity, the monochromatic sensor detects light intensity emanating from the target tissue to provide a detected light intensity for each of the desired wavelength bands, and the processor associates the detected light intensity for each of the bands with a selected color suitable for display on a display devices

wherein the tunable light source comprises;

a) a source of light,

b) a tunable filter comprising;

a spectrum former able to provide a spectrum from a light beam traveling along a light path from the source of light,

a pixelated spatial light modulator (SLM) located downstream from and optically connected to the spectrum former, the pixelated SLM configured to pass, over time, substantially only the desired wavelength bands of illumination light each having a selected, substantially pure, variable distribution and intensity, the pixelated SLM operably connected to the controller, which contains computer-implemented programming that controls an on/off pattern of pixels in the pixelated SLM to pass substantially only the desired wavelength bands of illumination light.

10. The endoscope system of claim 1 wherein the different desired wavelength bands comprise at least four different wavelength bands.

14. The endoscope system of claim 1 wherein the substantially monochromatic sensor is configured to substantially only sense images.

15. The endoscope system of claim 1 wherein the distal end contains a pixel sensor having at least 512×

512 pixels having full intensity sensitivity and has a diameter less than about 4 mm.

16. The endoscope system of claim 1 wherein the distal end contains a pixel sensor having at least 256×

256 pixels having full intensity sensitivity and has a diameter less than about 3 mm.

17. The endoscope system of claim 1 wherein the endoscope is configured such that a distal portion of the endoscope is detachable and disposable.

18. The endoscope system of claim 1 wherein the body of the endoscope is non-flexible.

30. The endoscope system of claim 1 wherein the system further comprises the display device.

32. The endoscope system of claim 1 wherein the system is configured to provide different intensities for the plurality of different desired wavelength bands of illumination light by attenuating the amount of light emitted for the different desired wavelength bands.

2-9. -9. (canceled)

11-13. -13. (canceled)

19-29. -29. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

33-68. -68. (canceled)

69. A color imaging system comprising:

a) a tunable light source configured to emit to a target an illumination light comprising a selectively variable selected spectral output and a selectively variable wavelength dependent intensity distribution;

b) a substantially monochromatic sensor configured to detect light emanating from the target and to transmit a signal representing an intensity of the light to a processor; and

,

c) a controller operably connected to the light source, the monochromatic sensor and the processor, the controller containing computer-implemented programming configured to coordinate the light source, sensor and processor such that the light source provides over time a plurality of different desired wavelength bands of illumination light each having a selected, substantially pure, variable distribution and intensity, the monochromatic sensor detects light intensity emanating from the target to provide a detected light intensity for each of the desired wavelength bands, and the processor associates the detected light intensity for each of the bands with a selected color suitable for display on a display device,

wherein the tunable light source comprises;

a) a source of light,

b) a tunable filter comprising;

a spectrum former able to provide a spectrum from a light beam traveling along a light path from the source of light,

a pixelated spatial light modulator (SLM) located downstream from and optically connected to the spectrum former the pixelated SLM configured to pass, over time, substantial only the desired wavelength bands of illumination light each having a selected, substantially pure, variable distribution and intensity, the pixelated SLM operably connected to the controller, which contains computer-implemented programming that controls an on/off pattern of pixels in the pixelated SLM to pass substantially only the desired wavelength bands of illumination light.

70-131. -131. (canceled)