Imaging system with independent processing of visible an infrared light energy
First Claim
1. A method of protecting body members from damage during surgery or other invasive body procedures from accidental trauma by producing images of the body members in the surgical site in a first spectrum and producing images in the surgical field of the body members to be protected that are not physically in the surgical field and are hidden therefrom in a second spectrum and processing the images of one of said spectra differently from the images of the other of said spectra comprising the steps ofilluminating the surgical site to produce visible images in a first spectrum,causing images in a spectrum not visible to the human eye to be emitted by the body member to be protected and to appear in the surgical site,producing images in both spectra along a common optical path,separating the images of the two spectra,producing signals each developed from the images of a different spectrum,processing the signals produced by the signals of at least one of the spectra to enhance its image, andselectively displaying the images representative of the two spectra.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In order to protect body members adjacent an invasive procedure on a body, the member to be protected is illuminated preferably with infrared light energy and the entire site of the invasive procedure is viewed through an optical system that conducts both infrared and visible light energy to one or more video cameras. Various structures may be employed to separate the visible and infrared light energies so that the signals representing such light energies may be processed separately and differently if desired and then recombined for display or separately displayed on a video color monitor.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method of protecting body members from damage during surgery or other invasive body procedures from accidental trauma by producing images of the body members in the surgical site in a first spectrum and producing images in the surgical field of the body members to be protected that are not physically in the surgical field and are hidden therefrom in a second spectrum and processing the images of one of said spectra differently from the images of the other of said spectra comprising the steps of
illuminating the surgical site to produce visible images in a first spectrum, causing images in a spectrum not visible to the human eye to be emitted by the body member to be protected and to appear in the surgical site, producing images in both spectra along a common optical path, separating the images of the two spectra, producing signals each developed from the images of a different spectrum, processing the signals produced by the signals of at least one of the spectra to enhance its image, and selectively displaying the images representative of the two spectra.
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18. A system for preventing damage to body members adjacent to but not visible in or located at a site of a body invasive procedure due to intervening tissue, said system comprising
an imaging system with independent visual and infrared display, means for transmitting an image of said body members into the site of the procedure by transmitting infrared light energy through the intervening tissue, and a prism having a filter lying at an angle to a light path containing visible and infrared light energy, said filter transmitting visible light energy and reflecting infrared light energy, a first video camera sensitive to and positioned to receive said visible light energy and rendered insensitive to infrared light energy, a second video camera sensitive to and positioned to receive infrared light energy substantially only, each said video camera producing signals indicative of the light energy directed thereto, different means for processing each of said signals, and means capable of visually displaying said signals together after processing.
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35. A system for protecting body members from damage during surgery or other invasive body procedures from accidental trauma by producing images of the body members in the surgical site in a first spectrum and producing images in the surgical field of the body members to be protected that are not physically in the surgical field and are hidden therefrom in a second spectrum and processing the images of one of said spectra differently from the images of the other said spectra comprising,
means for illuminating a surgical site, said means including a source of broad spectrum light energy, means for introducing the light into the surgical site, a filter located between said source and said means for introducing, means for viewing the site, said filter removing infrared light energy from the light introduced into the surgical site and providing color compensation to provide color corrected light to the means for viewing.
Specification