CAMERA MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CALIBRATING A CAMERA MONITORING SYSTEM FOR MONITORING A PATIENT IN A BORE BASED MEDICAL SYSTEM

• US 20190321657A1
• Filed: 04/17/2019
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vision RT Limited
• Original Assignee: Vision RT Limited
• Inventors: HALE, Gideon M.
• Granted Patent: US 11,612,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3618 with a mirror
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/527 using data from a motion artifact sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1059 using cameras imaging the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1075 for testing, calibrating, or quality assurance of the radiation treatment apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0014 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/236 using varifocal lenses or mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/246 Calibration of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/25 using two or more image sensors with different characteristics other than in their location or field of view, e.g. having different resolutions or colour pickup characteristics; using image signals from one sensor to control the characteristics of another sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/275 from 3D object models, e.g. computer-generated stereoscopic image signals

Abstract

A camera monitoring system for a bore based medical apparatus is described, wherein the camera monitoring system comprises a first and a second image sensor mounted on opposing surfaces of a circuit board. The first image sensor is arranged to view an object from a first viewpoint via a first lens arrangement and a first mirror and the second image sensor is arranged to view the object from a second viewpoint via a second lens arrangement and a second mirror. By having the image sensors view an object via the mirrors, via the lens arrangements, the lens arrangements contribute to the effective separation of the first and second viewpoints enabling the size of the housing of the camera to be reduced. Furthermore, a method for calibrating a camera monitoring system in a bore based setup is described and also a configuration of arranging a camera monitoring system in connection with a bore based medical apparatus.

Claims

1. A 3D camera comprising:

a first and a second image sensor mounted on a circuit board, wherein the first and second image sensors are mounted on opposing surfaces of the circuit board, the circuit board is contained within a housing which also contains a first and a second mirror positioned within the housing so that the first image sensor is presented with a first view of an object to be imaged via the first mirror and second image sensor is presented with a second view of an object to be imaged via the second mirror, and wherein the camera furthermore comprises a projector operable to project light on the surface of an object to be imaged by the first and second image sensors.

2. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a first lens arrangement positioned between the first image sensor and the first mirror, wherein the first image sensor is presented with a first view of an object to be imaged via the first lens arrangement and the first mirror.

3. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

a second lens arrangement positioned between the second image sensor and the second mirror, wherein the second image sensor is presented with a second view of an object to be imaged via the second lens arrangement and the second mirror.

4. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 3 wherein the first and second lens arrangements extend along an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the circuit board.

5. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 4 wherein the circuit board, image sensors, lens arrangements and mirrors are contained within the housing.

6. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 5 wherein the first and second views of an object to be imaged correspond to image planes viewing the object to be imaged which lie outside of the housing containing the circuit board, image sensors, lens arrangements and mirrors.

7. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first and second mirrors are angled relative to the surface of the circuit board at an angle of approximately 45°

, preferably the first and second mirrors are angled relative to the surface of the circuit board at an angle of approximately 43.5°

.

8. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 1 wherein the 3D camera is configured to be inserted in a bore of the bore based medical apparatus along an inside top surface of the bore in such manner that a top portion of the camera is substantially aligned with the inside top surface of the bore, wherein the camera is configured with the first mirror and the second mirror being angled in a direction downwards from the top portion of the camera towards the bottom portion of the camera, and wherein further the first and second mirror is angled inwards toward the center of the camera, wherein further, the first and second sensor are arranged in relation to the first and second mirror, so as to provide a substantially perpendicular view plane from the first and second mirror.

9. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a third and a fourth image sensor wherein the third and fourth image sensors are mounted on opposing surfaces of the circuit board, the camera further comprising a third and a fourth mirror positioned within the housing so that the third image sensor is presented with a third view of an object to be imaged via the third mirror and fourth image sensor is presented with a fourth view of an object to be imaged via the fourth mirror.

10. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

a third lens arrangement positioned between the third image sensor and the third mirror, and a fourth lens arrangement positioned between the fourth image sensor and the fourth mirror, wherein the third image sensor is presented with a third view of an object to be imaged via the third lens arrangement and the third mirror and the fourth image sensor is presented with a fourth view of an object to be imaged via the fourth lens arrangement and the fourth mirror.

11. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 10 wherein the third and fourth mirrors are angled relative to the first and second mirrors.

12. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 11 wherein the first and third mirrors and the second and fourth mirrors are provided on the surface of a rhomboidal trapezium.

13. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 1 wherein the projector is a speckle projector and comprises a light source, a collimator and a lens arrangement.

14. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 13 wherein the light source, the collimator and the lens arrangement are aligned along an axis which lies within a plane containing the circuit board.

15. A camera monitoring system for a bore based medical apparatus having

an imaging apparatus operable to record diagnostic images of a patient

a treatment apparatus integrated into the bore based medical apparatus, and operable to apply radiation to a patient;

a mechanical couch operable to position a patient relative to a bore of the bore based medical apparatus;

the camera monitoring system comprising;

one or more 3D cameras in accordance with claim 1; and

a processor operable to process images obtained by the image sensors of the one or more 3D cameras and to generate a 3D model of the surface of an imaged object, and wherein at least one of the more or more 3D cameras are configured to be integrated and/or to at least extends into the bore of the bore based medical apparatus, such as to have a camera field of view covering an internal part of the bore of the medical apparatus.

16. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 2 wherein the first and second mirrors are angled relative to the surface of the circuit board at an angle of approximately 45°

, preferably the first and second mirrors are angled relative to the surface of the circuit board at an angle of approximately 43.5°

.

17. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 3 wherein the first and second mirrors are angled relative to the surface of the circuit board at an angle of approximately 45°

, preferably the first and second mirrors are angled relative to the surface of the circuit board at an angle of approximately 43.5°

.

18. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 4 wherein the first and second mirrors are angled relative to the surface of the circuit board at an angle of approximately 45°

, preferably the first and second mirrors are angled relative to the surface of the circuit board at an angle of approximately 43.5°

.

19. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 5 wherein the first and second mirrors are angled relative to the surface of the circuit board at an angle of approximately 45°

, preferably the first and second mirrors are angled relative to the surface of the circuit board at an angle of approximately 43.5°

.

20. A 3D camera in accordance with claim 6 wherein the first and second mirrors are angled relative to the surface of the circuit board at an angle of approximately 45°

, preferably the first and second mirrors are angled relative to the surface of the circuit board at an angle of approximately 43.5°

.