MULTI-VIEW ENDOSCOPIC IMAGING SYSTEM

• US 20110196200A1
• Filed: 10/26/2008
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TECHNION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, LTD.
• Original Assignee: TECHNION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, LTD.
• Inventors: Glozman, Daniel, Hassidov, Noam, Shoham, Moshe
• Granted Patent: US 8,317,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/109
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00177 for 90 degrees side-viewing
• 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: A61B 1/0615 for radial illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0623 for off-axis illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2461 Illumination
• 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

Endoscopic illumination and imaging systems for enabling observation of both the forward and rearward directions in a lumen using only a single imaging device. According to one implementation, the system utilizes the effects of a partially reflective mirror to respectively transmit and reflect light from the different portions of the lumen or cavity, and uses separate groups of illumination sources to illuminate one or the other section of the lumen, such that the illuminated section is preferentially imaged by virtue of its increased light level. In a second implementation, electrically switched mirrors are used, having properties switched between a transmissive and a partially reflective state, such that the mirror can be switched between imaging the regions forward of the camera when in a transmissive state, and imaging the regions rearward of the camera when in a reflective state. A mechanically swiveled mirror is described for the same purpose.

Claims

1. A system for viewing the inside surface of a lumen, said system comprising:

an imaging device directed along said lumen;

a partially reflective mirror disposed distal to said imaging device such that it reflects into said imaging device light from said inside surface of said lumen proximal to said mirror, and transmits into said imaging device light from said inside surface of said lumen distal to said mirror;

a first illuminating system for illuminating said inside surface of said lumen proximally to said partially reflecting mirror; and

a second illuminating system for illuminating said inside surface of said lumen distally to said partially reflecting mirror,

wherein said first illuminating system and said second illuminating system can be separately activated, such that images of said inside surface of said lumen proximally and distally to said mirror can be obtained with said imaging device.

2. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said imaging device is synchronized with the activation of said illuminating systems such that the inside surface of said lumen can be viewed both distally and proximally to said partially reflecting mirror.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising an image processing unit which subtracts a processed first image of said inside surface of said lumen proximal to said mirror obtained when said first illuminating system is activated, from a second image of said inside surface of said lumen distal to said mirror obtained when said second illuminating system is activated, such that spurious effects in said second image arising from illumination of said lumen proximal to said mirror by light from said second illumination system, is reduced.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising an image processing unit which subtracts a processed first image of said inside surface of said lumen distal to said mirror obtained when said second illuminating system is activated, from a second image of said inside surface of said lumen proximal to said mirror obtained when said first illuminating system is activated, such that spurious effects in said second image arising from illumination of said lumen distal to said mirror by light from said first illumination system, is reduced.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said first illuminating system and said second illuminating system are activated alternately at such a rate that a composite image of the inside surfaces of said lumen proximal and distal to said mirror may be obtained.

6. (canceled)

7. A system for viewing the inside surface of a lumen, said system comprising:

an imaging device directed along said lumen; and

a mirror, constructive and operative to have either a reflective or a transmissive status, said mirror being disposed distal to said imaging device such when in its reflective status, it reflects into said imaging device light from said inside surface of said lumen proximal to said mirror, and when in its transmissive status, it transmits into said imaging device light from said inside surface of said lumen distal to said mirror.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said mirror is switchable between said reflective and transmissive statuses either electrically or by virtue of its mechanical position relative to said imaging device.

10. A system according to claim 7, wherein said mirror has a hollow internal cavity, said mirror being switchable between said reflective and transmissive statuses by virtue of the introduction of a reflective fluid into said cavity.

9. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. A system for viewing the inside surface of a lumen, said system comprising:

an imaging device directed along said lumen; and

a mirror disposed distal to said imaging device, said mirror comprising a central aperture, and being mutually movable in a direction along said lumen, such that when said imaging device is disposed at a predetermined distance from said mirror, said imaging device images said inside surface of said lumen proximal to said mirror, and when said imaging device is disposed close to said mirror, said imaging device images, through said aperture, said inside surface of said lumen distal to said mirror.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said imaging device and said mirror are moveable relative to the other.

14-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A system for viewing the inside surface of a lumen, said system comprising:

an imaging device directed along said lumen;

a first mirror disposed distal to said imaging device, such that it reflects into said imaging device light from said inside surface of said lumen proximal to said first mirror; and

a second mirror having a ring shape, disposed proximal to said first mirror, and with its reflecting surface directed in a distal direction such that it reflects into said first mirror light from said inside surface of said lumen proximal to said first mirror, which light said first mirror then reflects into said imaging device.

18. A system according to claim 17, and wherein said second mirror having a ring shape ring has either one of a concave, planar or convex surface.

19. A system according to claim 17, and wherein the diameter of said first mirror is sufficiently small that said first mirror does not obstruct light which it is desired to image coming from the furthest sections of said inside surface of said lumen distal to said system, from impinging on said second ring mirror.

20. A system according to claim 17, and wherein said first mirror has two concentric regions of different radii of curvature, such that said first mirror can separately direct into said imaging device, said light coming directly from said inside surface of said lumen proximal to said first mirror, and said light coming from said inside surface of said lumen distal to said first mirror after reflection in said second mirror.

21. A system according to claim 17 wherein said first mirror has a convex surface.

22. A head for illuminating the inside surfaces of a lumen, said head comprising a plurality of illumination sources directed towards said inside surfaces of said lumen, said sources being arranged around said head at different angular locations, wherein the power supplied to at least some of said sources can be varied in accordance with the radial position of said head within said lumen, such that the uniformity of illumination on said inside surfaces of said lumen can be maintained independently of the radial position of said head within said lumen.

23. A head for illuminating the inside surfaces of a lumen according to claim 22, wherein said power supplied to at least some of said sources is varied in accordance with the angular distribution of the illumination intensity obtained on an image of said inside surfaces of said lumen.

24. A head for illuminating the inside surfaces of a lumen according to claim 22, further comprising a plurality of luminous intensity detectors also arranged around said head at different angular locations, said luminous intensity detectors providing an indication of the angular distribution of the illumination on said inside surfaces of said lumen.

25. A head for illuminating the inside surfaces of a lumen according to claim 22, further comprising a control system which varies said power supplied to at least some of said sources in accordance with the angular distribution of the illumination intensity on said inside surfaces of said lumen.

26. A head for illuminating the inside surfaces of a lumen according to claim 25, and wherein said control system is adapted to receive information from said luminous intensity detectors regarding the angular distribution of the illumination intensity on said inside surfaces of said lumen.

27. An endoscopic head for viewing the internal walls of a lumen, said head comprising:

an imaging device and a working channel adjacent thereto; and

an inflatable balloon attached to an inflation tube threaded through said working channel,

wherein said inflatable balloon is constructed of an optically reflective material, such that when said balloon is projected from the distal end of said working channel and inflated, it reflects images of said internal walls of said lumen proximal to said balloon into said imaging device.

28. An endoscopic head according to claim 27, and wherein images of said internal walls of said lumen distal to said endoscopic head are imaged directly by said imaging device.