SYSTEM, A METHOD AND A COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR INSPECTION OF A THREE-DIMENSIONAL ENVIRONMENT BY A USER

• US 20110193938A1
• Filed: 07/17/2009
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Original Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Inventors: Wieringa, Fokko Pieter, Oderwald, Michiel Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,138,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00045 Display arrangement
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for inspection of a three-dimensional environment by a user, comprising a tool (3) arranged to be introduced in a vicinity of the three-dimensional environment (1), said tool comprising one or more cameras (4) arranged at or near a distal end of the tool, said one or more cameras being arranged to generate respective images of the three-dimensional environment; a display unit (8) arranged to receive said respective images; a motion tracking system (11) arranged to determine a position of at least a portion of the user for selecting an image generated by said cameras or for causing the one or more cameras to generate the image on demand and for displaying the image (9) on the display (8). The invention further relates to a method, a tool, a display unit for enabling inspection of an object by a user as well as to use of a tool comprising at least one camera in the system as set forth in the foregoing.

Claims

1. A system for inspection of a three-dimensional environment by a user, comprising:

a tool arranged to be introduced in a vicinity of the three-dimensional environment, said tool comprising at least one camera chip arranged to generate a plurality of images of objects present in the three-dimensional environment, said plurality of images having respective viewpoints;

a display unit arranged to receive at least one image from said plurality of images; and

a motion tracking system arranged to determine a viewing position of the user for selecting or for generating an image from the said at least one camera chip for displaying said image on the display, wherein said image has a viewpoint corresponding to the said viewing position,

wherein the at least one camera chip is displaceable for generating the plurality of images having respective viewpoints.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one camera chip is motorized for enabling displacement with respect to the tool.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one camera chip is arranged on a support, the support being displaceable with respect to the tool.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the motion tracking system is further arranged to control a displacement of the at least one camera chip for generating said image having said viewpoint.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one camera chip comprises an array or a matrix of camera chips.

7. A system according to claim 6, comprising a sole camera chip divided into sub-regions, each sub-region being capable of generating an individual image.

8. A system according to claim 6, further comprising a multi-lens structure for cooperating with said sub-regions.

9. A system according to claim 6, further comprising a light barrier for optically separating said camera chips or said sub-regions.

10. A system according to claim 6, wherein the array or the matrix of camera chips is arranged concentrically.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the array or a matrix of camera chips is arranged on a concentric line or on a concentric area.

12. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit arranged to select two images of the said plurality of images for displaying a stereoscopic image with parallax on the display for a viewing position of the user, said stereoscopic image corresponding to said viewing position.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the display is arranged to enable a three-dimensional view.

14. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a processing unit for reconstructing intermediate images interpolating between the said plurality of images.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein the tool comprises an endoscope.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein said camera chip is arranged at or near a distal end of the endoscope.

2. (canceled)

17. A method for enabling inspection of a three-dimensional environment by a user, comprising:

generating a plurality of images of the three-dimensional environment from a plurality of different viewpoints;

tracking motion of a viewing position of the user for selecting an image from said plurality of images or for generating an image, said image having a viewpoint corresponding to said viewing position;

displaying the image having said viewpoint on a display.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said plurality of different viewpoints is enabled by at least one camera chip.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the at least one camera chip is displaceable, the method comprising the step of displacing the at least one camera chip for generating at least said image having said viewpoint.

20. A method according to claim 19, further comprising a step of using data on said motion tracking for displacing the at least one camera chip.

21. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

reconstructing intermediate images by interpolating between the images from the said plurality of images;

displaying said intermediate images and said plurality of images.

22. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

selecting two images from said plurality of images corresponding to a position of the user;

displaying said two images for enabling stereoscopic viewing.

23. A computer program product for enabling inspection of a three-dimensional environment by a user, said computer program product comprising instructions for causing a processor to carry out steps of the method as claimed in claim 17.

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)