Stereoscopic imaging system for retinal examination with remote examination unit
First Claim
1. A system for examining the retina of an eye, comprisingan image acquisition unit including an ophthalmic viewing instrument and an electronic imaging camera coupled to said instrument for generating true color digital stereoscopic video image frames representative of a retina of an eye,a computer network interfaced to said image acquisition unit for sending and receiving said stereoscopic video image frames, said computer network including storage for storing said stereoscopic video image frames, anda display coupled to said computer network for displaying said stereoscopic video image frames for examination.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image acquisition unit provides true color high resolution digital images of the retina of the eye to a computer network (14, 16, 18) which interfaces with a central record library and displays the images at a remote work station (20A and 20B) for diagnostic examination. The computer network (14, 16, 18) is also interfaced with a unit for entering medical history information, and the diagnostic data, stereo images and medical records are linked in a relational database allowing all text and image records of the patient to reside on a work station/display (20A and 20B) for review or consultation. A telecommunications link (22) interconnects the computer network and image examination stations with the image acquisition station where the patient is actually examined, so that stereo fundus images may be made available through the computer without degradation for viewing on the examination displays remotely from the room, building, or city where the images are acquired from the patient. By introducing digital true-color normalization at the image acquisition source (34,32), applicant avoids the problem of spurious color artifacts arising when the images are viewed subsequently, or on other monitors.
167 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system for examining the retina of an eye, comprising
an image acquisition unit including an ophthalmic viewing instrument and an electronic imaging camera coupled to said instrument for generating true color digital stereoscopic video image frames representative of a retina of an eye, a computer network interfaced to said image acquisition unit for sending and receiving said stereoscopic video image frames, said computer network including storage for storing said stereoscopic video image frames, and a display coupled to said computer network for displaying said stereoscopic video image frames for examination.
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16. A system for retinal imaging comprising
an image acquisition unit including an ophthalmic viewing instrument and an electronic imaging camera for capturing true color digital images through said instrument a continuous light source which is adjustable to vary color of the digital images, an image processor for controlling said continuous light source; - and
a computer network, connected to said image processor, for storing the true color digital images taken by said camera. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A system for examining the retina of an eye, comprising:
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an image acquisition unit including an ophthalmic viewing instrument and an electronic imaging camera coupled to said instrument for generating true color digital image signal frames representative of a retina of an eye, an image examination unit, located remotely from said image acquisition unit, said image examination unit generating control signals for controlling said image acquisition unit, and a computer network interfaced to said image acquisition unit and image examination unit for sending and receiving said image signal frames from said image acquisition unit and for transmitting said image signal frames to said image examination unit, said computer network including storage within which said image frames are stored. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification