METHOD OF MEASURING DISTANCE BY AN ENDOSCOPE, AND ENDOSCOPE SYSTEM

• US 20160302653A1
• Filed: 06/24/2016
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Inoue, Shintaro
• Granted Patent: US 10,441,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00006 of control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/000095 for image enhancement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00147 Holding or positioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00172 with means for scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00194 adapted for three-dimensional imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/3132 for laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/347 Locking means, e.g. for locking instrument in cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/061 for measuring dimensions, e.g. length
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/062 penetration depth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1079 using optical or photographic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6847 : mounted on an invasive device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 : Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 : Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 : Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 : Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/593 : from stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/207 : using a single 2D image sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/211 : using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/221 : using the relative movement between cameras and objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 : Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals

Abstract

A method of measuring distance by an endoscope includes a step of imaging and a step of measuring distance. the step of imaging includes a step of producing out an image taken by an imaging unit. The step of measuring distance includes a step of moving the axis of sighting of the imaging unit and a step of computing a distance to a subject of interest on the basis of a first image taken before the step of moving, a second image taken during the step of moving and the amount of distance-measurement control.

Claims

1. A method of measuring distance by an endoscope comprising the step of:

imaging, measuring distance, and changing the step of imaging and the step of measuring distance,

wherein the step of imaging comprises

moving the axis of sighting of the imaging unit by controlling the moving joint on the basis of an direction instruction from an input unit

and

producing out an image taken by the imaging unit, and

wherein the step of measuring distance comprises

moving the axis of sighting of the imaging unit by controlling the moving joint on the basis of an amount of distance-measurement control,

acquiring a first image taken before the step of moving on the basis of an amount of distance-measurement control and a second image taken during the step of moving on the basis of an amount of distance-measurement control, and

computing a distance to a subject of interest on the basis of the first image, the second image and the amount of distance-measurement control.

2. The method of measuring distance by an endoscope according to claim 1,

wherein the step of measuring distance comprises restoring the moving joint back to a state before the step of moving on the basis of an amount of distance-measurement after the step of moving on the basis of an amount of distance-measurement control.

3. The method of measuring distance by an endoscope according to claim 1,

wherein the step of measuring distance comprises changing an angle of the axis of sighting on the basis of the amount of distance-measurement control.

4. The method of measuring distance by an endoscope according to claim 1,

wherein the step of measuring distance comprises moving the axes of sighting of the imaging unit parallel on the basis of the amount of distance-measurement control.

5. The method of measuring distance by an endoscope according to claim 1,

wherein the step of measuring distance comprises determining the second image from a plurality of images taken during the step of moving on the basis of an amount of distance-measurement.

6. The method of measuring distance by an endoscope according to claim 1,

wherein the step of measuring distance comprises making use of an amount of distance-measurement control depending on a distance that is computed by distance-measurement trial processing which computes a rough distance to the subject of interest.

7. The method of measuring distance by an endoscope according to claim 1,

wherein the step of measuring distance comprises making use of, in addition to the first image, the second image and the amount of distance-measurement control, an amount of movement of the endoscope detected by a sensor to compute a distance to a subject of interest.

9. The method of measuring distance by an endoscope according to claim 1,

wherein the moving joint is movable in a plurality of positions.

8. A method of measuring distance by an endoscope comprising the step of:

imaging by following-up and measuring distance, wherein the step of imaging by following-up comprises

controlling the moving joint such that the axis of sighting of the imaging unit has a given angle with respect to a preset follow-up reference surface,

producing out an image taken by the imaging unit, and

wherein the step of measuring distance comprises

computing a distance to a subject of interest by making use of a first image and a second image taken during the step of imaging by following-up, and an amount of movement of the endoscope between a point of time when the first image is taken and a point of time when the second image is taken.

10. An endoscope system comprising:

an imaging unit configured to be capable of acquiring an image;

a moving joint configured to make an axis of sighting of the imaging unit movable;

an input unit configured to be capable of entering an instruction about a direction of the moving joint; and

a control unit configured to be capable of changeably implementing an imaging processing and a distance-measurement processing;

wherein the imaging processing configured to controls the moving joint on the basis of the direction instruction from the input unit to move the axis of sighting of the imaging unit and produce out an image taken by the imaging unit;

wherein the distance-measurement processing configured to control the moving joint on the basis of an amount of distance-measurement control to implement a movement processing for moving the axis of sighting of the imaging unit, and acquire a first image taken before implementation of the movement processing and a second image taken during implementation of the movement processing so that a distance to a subject of interest is computed on the basis of the first image, the second image and the amount of distance-measurement control.

11. The endoscope system according to claim 10,

wherein the moving joint is movable in a plurality of positions.