ENDOSCOPE WITH WIDE ANGLE LENS AND ADJUSTABLE VIEW

• US 20160345802A1
• Filed: 08/10/2016
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asensus Surgical Europe SARL (Asensus Surgical, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: M.S.T. Medical Surgery Technologies Ltd (Asensus Surgical, Inc.)
• Inventors: PFEFFER, Yehuda, NIR, Tal
• Granted Patent: US 10,932,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/000094 extracting biological structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00045 Display arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0005 combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00183 for variable viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00188 with focusing or zooming features
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/243 Objectives for endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2484 Arrangements in relation to a camera or imaging device processing or control of video signals generated by an endoscope H04N23/60, H04N23/70
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for altering the field of view of an endoscope image, comprising: at least one endoscope having a wide-angle lens in said endoscope'"'"'s distal end; at least one camera located in said endoscope'"'"'s proximal end, adapted to image a field of view of said endoscope image by means of said wide-angle lens; and a computer program which, when executed by data processing apparatus, is configured to select at least a portion of said field of view; wherein said portion of said field of view is selectable without physically maneuvering said endoscope or said wide-angle lens such that a virtual maneuvering of said field of view is provided.

Claims

1. A system for altering the field of view of an endoscope image, comprising:

at least one endoscope comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one wide-angle lens in said distal end;

at least one camera located in said endoscope'"'"'s proximal end, configured to image a field of view of said endoscope image by means of said wide-angle lens;

at least one computer program configured to be executed by data processing apparatus; and

,

optionally, at least one component selected from the group consisting of endoscope maneuvering means configured to physically maneuver said endoscope;

a display configured to show at least a portion of said selected portion of said field of view; and

, a database configured to be accessed by said at least one computer program;

wherein said computer program is configured to select at least a portion of said field of view without physically maneuvering said endoscope or said wide-angle lens.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said system comprises digital zoom means selected from the group consisting of straight enlargement, interpolating zoom, and any combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said image of said at least a portion of said field of view is substantially undistorted.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one computer program is configured to identify an occurrence of at least one predetermined item of interest from said at least one said image of said field of view.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said item of interest is selected from the group consisting of:

an article entering said field of view;

an article moving;

a likely collision between two articles;

an occurrence of bleeding;

motion of edges of an incision;

activation of a tool;

deactivation of a tool;

articulation of a tool; and

any combination thereof.

6. The system of claim 4, comprising at least one means selected from the group consisting of:

warning means configured to provide a warning upon identification of at least one predetermined item of interest; and

,

field of view encompassing means configured to provide a field of view encompassing said item of interest upon identification of at least one predetermined item of interest.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one computer program comprises at least one means selected from the group consisting of:

apparent size altering means configured to alter an apparent size of said portion of said field of view;

partial field of view displaying means configured to show said portion of said field of view on said display; and

,

automatic digital maneuvering means configured to perform automatic digital maneuvering.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said automatic digital maneuvering is configured to achieve a predetermined goal selected from the group consisting of:

maintaining a predetermined object at the center of said portion of said field of view, maintaining a predetermined object at a predetermined apparent size;

maintaining a predetermined horizon, and any combination thereof.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one camera generates a plurality of images.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said plurality of images is combinable to form a display selected from a group consisting of:

a unitary two dimensional display;

a unitary three dimensional display;

a stereoscopic display and any combination thereof.

11. The system of claim 1, additionally comprising at least one illumination controlling computer program configured, when executed, to control at least one aspect of illumination of said field of view.

12. A method for altering the field of view of an endoscope image, comprising:

providing a system for altering the field of view of an endoscope image, comprising;

at least one endoscope comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one wide-angle lens in said distal end;

at least one camera located in said endoscope'"'"'s proximal end, configured to image a field of view of said endoscope image by means of said wide-angle lens;

at least one computer program configured to be executed by data processing apparatus;

optionally, endoscope maneuvering means configured physically maneuver said endoscope;

optionally, a display configured to show at least a portion of said selected portion of said field of view; and

,

optionally, a database configured be accessed by said at least one computer program;

imaging said field of view of said endoscope; and

,

selecting a portion of said field of view;

wherein said step of selecting a portion of said field of view comprises selecting a portion of said field of view without physically maneuvering said endoscope or said wide-angle lens.

13. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising at least one step selected from the group consisting of:

showing at least a portion of said selected portion of said field of view on a display;

identifying an occurrence of at least one predetermined item of interest from said image of said field of view and optionally activating a warning if a predetermined item of interest is identified;

performing a digital zoom;

altering an apparent size of said portion of said field of view; and

,

controlling at least one aspect of illumination of said field of view.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said method comprises identifying an occurrence of at least one predetermined item of interest from said image of said field of view, and additionally comprising at least one step selected from the group consisting of:

selecting an item of interest from the group consisting of an article entering the field of view of the lens;

an article moving;

a likely collision between two articles;

an occurrence of bleeding;

edges of an incision moving;

activation of a tool;

deactivation of a tool;

articulation of a tool; and

any combination thereof; and

,

providing a field of view encompassing said item of interest.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said method comprises performing a digital zoom, and said step of performing a digital zoom comprises comprising selecting a digital zoom from the group consisting of:

straight enlargement, interpolating zoom, and any combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising providing said image of said at least a portion of said field of view substantially undistorted.

17. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising performing said digital maneuvering automatically.

18. The method of claim 17, additionally comprising performing said automatic digital maneuvering in order to achieve a predetermined goal, said goal selected from a group consisting of:

maintaining a predetermined object at the center of said portion of said field of view, maintaining a predetermined object at a predetermined apparent size;

maintaining a predetermined horizon, and any combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising generating a plurality of images from said at least one camera.

20. The method of claim 19, additionally comprising:

combining said plurality of images to form a display; and

,

selecting said display from the group consisting of a unitary two dimensional display;

a unitary three dimensional display;

a stereoscopic display; and

any combination thereof.