ENDOSCOPE DEVICE AND METHOD AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING BENDING OF ENDOSCOPE DEVICE

• US 20170374292A1
• Filed: 08/25/2017
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evident Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: MOTOKI, Ryoji
• Granted Patent: US 10,447,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00101 the distal tip features being detachable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/009 with bending or curvature detection of the insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 of the distal end
• 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: G03B 13/36 Autofocus systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/28 involving image processing hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10068 Endoscopic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/74 involving reference images or patches
• 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 23/56 : provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 : Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 : Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 : Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits

Abstract

An endoscope device having one or more processors configured to perform a control process including: processing an imaging signal to generate image data of a display image of a subject, wherein the image signal is generated by an image sensor, wherein the image sensor is arranged at a distal end of an insertion portion, and wherein a bending actuator is configured to bend the distal end; setting a first measurement point and a second measurement point on the display image; calculating a first subject distance from the first measurement point to a reference point of the image sensor, and a second subject distance from the second measurement point to the reference point; calculating a difference value between the first subject distance and the second subject distance; and controlling the bending actuator to bend the distal end of the insertion portion such that the difference value is decreased.

Claims

1. An endoscope device comprising:

an insertion portion comprising a distal end;

an image sensor arranged at the distal end of the insertion portion, wherein the image sensor is configured to generate an imaging signal based on a subject image of a subject formed on the image sensor;

a bending actuator configured to bend the distal end of the insertion portion so as to change an imaging visual field of the image sensor; and

one or more processors comprising hardware, wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform a control process comprising;

processing the imaging signal to generate image data of a display image of the subject to be displayed on a display;

setting a first measurement point and a second measurement point on the display image of the subject;

calculating a first subject distance from the first measurement point to a reference point of the image sensor, and a second subject distance from the second measurement point to the reference point of the image sensor;

calculating a difference value between the first subject distance and the second subject distance; and

controlling the bending actuator to bend the distal end of the insertion portion such that the difference value is decreased.

2. The endoscope device according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to set the first measurement point and the second measurement point such that an extending direction of a line connecting the first measurement point and the second measurement point is parallel to a direction in which the bending actuator is configured to bend the distal end of the insertion portion.

3. The endoscope device according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to control a display to display the display image and the first measurement point and the second measurement point superimposed on the display image.

4. The endoscope device according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to control a display to display:

the display image; and

a targeting mark superimposed on the display image.

5. The endoscope device according to claim 4,

wherein the targeting mark is a circle or a polygon, and

wherein the one or more processors are configured to set the first measurement point and the second measurement point on a line of the circle or the polygon.

6. The endoscope device according to claim 5,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to set the first measurement point and the second measurement point such that a distance from the center of the targeting mark to the first measurement point is equal to a distance from the center of the targeting mark to the second measurement point.

7. The endoscope device according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to repeat the control process until the difference value is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

8. The endoscope device according to claim 7,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

control a display to display the display image; and

control the display to display a notification until the difference value equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

9. The endoscope device according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to display:

the display image; and

the first subject distance and the second subject distance.

10. The endoscope device according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

calculate a spatial coordinate of the first measurement point, and a spatial coordinate of the second measurement point; and

calculate the first subject distance based on the spatial coordinate of the first measurement point and the reference point, and the second subject distance based on the spatial coordinate of the second measurement point and the reference point.

11. A method comprising:

performing a control process comprising;

processing an imaging signal to generate image data of a display image of a subject to be displayed on a display,

wherein the image signal is generated by an image sensor based on a subject image of the subject formed on the image sensor,

wherein the image sensor is arranged at a distal end of an insertion portion, and

wherein a bending actuator is configured to bend the distal end of the insertion portion so as to change an imaging visual field of the image sensor;

setting a first measurement point and a second measurement point on the display image of the subject;

calculating a first subject distance from the first measurement point to a reference point of the image sensor, and a second subject distance from the second measurement point to the reference point of the image sensor;

calculating a difference value between the first subject distance and the second subject distance; and

controlling the bending actuator to bend the distal end of the insertion portion such that the difference value is decreased.

12. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that cause one or more processors to:

perform a control process comprising;

processing an imaging signal to generate image data of a display image of a subject to be displayed on a display,

wherein the image signal is generated by an image sensor based on a subject image of the subject formed on the image sensor,

wherein the image sensor is arranged at a distal end of an insertion portion, and

wherein a bending actuator is configured to bend the distal end of the insertion portion so as to change an imaging visual field of the image sensor;

setting a first measurement point and a second measurement point on the display image of the subject;

calculating a first subject distance from the first measurement point to a reference point of the image sensor, and a second subject distance from the second measurement point to the reference point of the image sensor;

calculating a difference value between the first subject distance and the second subject distance; and

controlling the bending actuator to bend the distal end of the insertion portion such that the difference value is decreased.

13. The computer-readable storage device according to claim 12,

wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to set the first measurement point and the second measurement point such that an extending direction of a line connecting the first measurement point and the second measurement point is parallel to a direction in which the bending actuator is configured to bend the distal end of the insertion portion.

14. The computer-readable storage device according to claim 12,

wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to control a display to display the display image and the first measurement point and the second measurement point superimposed on the display image.

15. The computer-readable storage device according to claim 12,

wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to control a display to display:

the display image; and

a targeting mark superimposed on the display image.

16. The computer-readable storage device according to claim 15,

wherein the targeting mark is a circle or a polygon, and

wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to set the first measurement point and the second measurement point on a line of the circle or the polygon.

17. The computer-readable storage device according to claim 16,

wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to set the first measurement point and the second measurement point such that a distance from the center of the targeting mark to the first measurement point is equal to a distance from the center of the targeting mark to the second measurement point.

18. The computer-readable storage device according to claim 12,

wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to repeat the control process until the difference value is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

19. The computer-readable storage device according to claim 18,

wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to:

control a display to display the display image; and

control the display to display a notification until the difference value equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

20. The computer-readable storage device according to claim 12,

wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to display:

the display image; and

the first subject distance and the second subject distance.

21. The computer-readable storage device according to claim 12,

wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to:

calculate a spatial coordinate of the first measurement point, and a spatial coordinate of the second measurement point; and

calculate the first subject distance based on the spatial coordinate of the first measurement point and the reference point, and the second subject distance based on the spatial coordinate of the second measurement point and the reference point.