ENDOSCOPIC MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for use in a lumen is provided, including a light source, configured to illuminate a vicinity of an object of interest of a wall of the lumen, and an optical system (20), which is configured to generate a plurality of images of the vicinity. The apparatus further includes a control unit, which configured to measure a first brightness of a portion of a first one of the plurality of images generated while the optical system (20) is positioned at a first position with respect to the vicinity, measure a second brightness of a portion of a second one of the plurality of images generated while the optical system (20) is positioned at a second position with respect to the vicinity, the second position different from the first position, wherein the portion of the second one of the images generally corresponds to the portion of the first one of the images, and calculate a distance to the vicinity, responsively to the first and second brightnesses. Other embodiments are also described.
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Citations
124 Claims
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1-13. -13. (canceled)
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14. Apparatus for use in a lumen, comprising:
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a light source, configured to illuminate a vicinity of an object of interest of a wall of the lumen; an optical system, configured to enable forward and omnidirectional lateral viewing and to generate an image of the vicinity; and a control unit, configured to; assess a distortion of the image, and calculate a distance to the vicinity responsively to the assessment. - View Dependent Claims (15, 18, 19, 21, 22)
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16-17. -17. (canceled)
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20. (canceled)
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23. Apparatus for use in a lumen, comprising:
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a light source, configured to illuminate a vicinity of an object of interest of a wall of the lumen; an optical system having a variable focal length, the optical system configured to enable forward and omnidirectional lateral viewing and to generate an image of the vicinity; and a control unit, configured to; set the optical system to have a first focal length, and measure a first magnification of a portion of the image generated while the optical system has the first focal length, set the optical system to have a second focal length, different from the first focal length, and measure a second magnification of the portion of the image generated while the optical system has the second focal length, compare the first and second magnifications, and calculate a distance to the vicinity, responsively to the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (26, 29)
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24-25. -25. (canceled)
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27-28. -28. (canceled)
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30-33. -33. (canceled)
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34. Apparatus for use in a lumen, comprising:
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a light source, configured to illuminate a vicinity of an object of interest of a wall of the lumen; an optical system having a variable focal length, the optical system configured to enable forward and omnidirectional lateral viewing and to generate an image of the vicinity; and a control unit, configured to; set the optical system to have a first focal length, and drive the optical system to generate a first image of a portion of the vicinity, while the optical system has the first focal length, set the optical system to have a second focal length, different from the first focal length, and drive the optical system to generate a second image of the portion, while the optical system has the second focal length, compare respective apparent sizes of the first and second images of the portion generated while the optical system has the first and second focal lengths, respectively, and calculate a distance to the vicinity, responsively to the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. Apparatus for use in a lumen, comprising:
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a projecting device, configured to project a projected pattern onto an imaging area within the lumen; an optical system, configured to enable forward and omnidirectional lateral viewing and to generate an image of the imaging area; and a control unit, configured to; detect a pattern in the generated image, analyze the detected pattern, and responsively to the analysis, calculate a parameter selected from the group consisting of;
a distance to a vicinity of an object of interest of the lumen within the imaging area, and a size of the object of interest. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 46)
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38-39. -39. (canceled)
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43-45. -45. (canceled)
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47-48. -48. (canceled)
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49. Apparatus for use in a lumen, comprising:
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a projecting device, configured to project a beam onto an imaging area within the lumen, the beam having a known size at its point of origin, and a known divergence; an optical system, configured to enable forward and omnidirectional lateral viewing and to generate an image of the imaging area; and a control unit, configured to; detect a spot of light generated by the beam in the generated image, and responsively to an apparent size of the spot, the known beam size, and the known divergence, calculate a distance to a vicinity of an object of interest of the lumen within the imaging area. - View Dependent Claims (52, 54)
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50-51. -51. (canceled)
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53. (canceled)
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55-115. -115. (canceled)
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116. Apparatus for use in a lumen, comprising:
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a light source, configured to illuminate a vicinity of an object of interest of a wall of the lumen; an optical system, configured to enable forward and omnidirectional lateral viewing and to generate a plurality of images of the vicinity; and a control unit, configured to; measure a first brightness of a portion of a first one of the plurality of images generated while the optical system is positioned at a first position with respect to the vicinity, measure a second brightness of a portion of a second one of the plurality of images generated while the optical system is positioned at a second position with respect to the vicinity, the second position different from the first position, wherein the portion of the second one of the images generally corresponds to the portion of the first one of the images, and calculate a distance to the vicinity, responsively to the first and second brightnesses.
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117. Apparatus for use in a lumen, comprising:
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a projecting device, comprising two non-overlapping light sources at a known distance from one another, the projecting device configured to project, from the respective light sources, two non-parallel beams at an angle with respect to one another, onto an imaging area within the lumen; an optical system, configured to enable forward and omnidirectional lateral viewing and to generate an image of the imaging area; and a control unit, configured to; detect respective spots of light generated by the beams in the generated image, and responsively to the known distance, an apparent distance between the spots, and the angle, calculate a distance to a vicinity of an object of interest of the lumen within the imaging area.
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118. A method for use in a lumen, comprising:
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illuminating a vicinity of an object of interest of a wall of the lumen; generating a first omnidirectional image and a second omnidirectional image of the vicinity from a first position and a second position, respectively, the second position different from the first position; measuring a first brightness of a portion of the first image, and a second brightness of a portion of the second image, the portion of the second image generally corresponding to the portion of the first image; and calculating a distance to the vicinity, responsively to the first and second brightnesses.
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119. A method for use in a lumen, comprising:
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illuminating a vicinity of an object of interest of a wall of the lumen; generating an omnidirectional image of the vicinity; assessing a distortion of the image; and calculating a distance to the vicinity responsively to the assessing.
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120. A method for use in a lumen, comprising:
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inserting into the lumen an optical system configured to enable forward and omnidirectional lateral viewing; illuminating a vicinity of an object of interest of a wall of the lumen; using the optical system, generating a first omnidirectional image of the vicinity while the optical system has a first focal length, and a second omnidirectional image of the vicinity while the optical system has a second focal length, different from the first focal length; measuring a first magnification of a portion of the first image generated while the optical system has the first focal length, and a second magnification of a portion of the second image generated while the optical system has the second focal length, the portion of the second image generally corresponding to the portion of the first image; comparing the first and second magnifications; and calculating a distance to the vicinity, responsively to the comparison.
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121. A method for use in a lumen, comprising:
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inserting into the lumen an optical system configured to enable forward and omnidirectional lateral viewing; illuminating a vicinity of an object of interest of a wall of the lumen; using the optical system, generating a first omnidirectional image of a portion of the vicinity while the optical system has a first focal length, and a second omnidirectional image of the portion while the optical system has a second focal length; comparing respective apparent sizes of the first and second images of the portion generated while the optical system has the first and second focal lengths, respectively; and calculating a distance to the vicinity, responsively to the comparison.
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122. A method for use in a lumen, comprising:
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projecting a projected pattern onto an imaging area within the lumen; generating an omnidirectional image of the imaging area; detecting a pattern in the generated image; analyzing the detected pattern; responsively to the analysis, calculating a parameter selected from the group consisting of;
a distance to a vicinity of an object of interest of the lumen within the imaging area, and a size of the object of interest.
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123. A method for use in a lumen, comprising:
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projecting a beam onto an imaging area within the lumen, the beam having a known size at its point of origin, and a known divergence; generating an omnidirectional image of the imaging area; detecting a spot of light generated by the beam in the generated image; and responsively to an apparent size of the spot, the known beam size, and the known divergence, calculating a distance to a vicinity of an object of interest of the lumen within the imaging area.
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124. A method for use in a lumen, comprising:
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projecting, from two non-overlapping positions within the lumen at a known distance from one another, two respective non-parallel beams at an angle with respect to one another, onto an imaging area within the lumen; generating an omnidirectional image of the imaging area; detecting respective spots of light generated by the beams in the generated image; and responsively to the known distance, an apparent distance between the spots, and the angle, calculating a distance to a vicinity of an object of interest of the lumen within the imaging area.
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Specification