Operation lamp with camera system for 3D referencing

• US 7,224,472 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brainlab AG
• Original Assignee: Brainlab AG
• Inventors: Vilsmeier, Stefan, Bauch, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Toatley, Jr.; Gregory J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stock, Jr.; Gordon J.
• Application Number:
  US10/134,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20030164953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,856 Days
• Field of Search: 356/611, 600426-429
• US Class Current: 356/611
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/205 for operating theatres
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/804 Surgical or dental spotlight

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for the combined shadow-free illumination of a pre-definable area and for referencing three-dimensional spatial co-ordinates, and to an active or passive referencing system, each in particular for referencing surgical or medical instruments. The system is characterized in that at least two cameras and the light source (operation lamp) are held together such that the optical signals detected by the cameras, for referencing three-dimensional spatial co-ordinates in the area illuminated by the light source, can be evaluated. Since the field of view of the light source, in its conventional use, is not obscured or only negligibly obscured, this field of view can simultaneously be used for optical navigation by the cameras held together with the light source. In accordance with the invention, the cameras are automatically aligned optimally for optical navigation.

The cameras can be rigidly or flexibly connected to the light source. The position and/or orientation of the cameras can be adjustable.

Claims

1. A system for the combined illumination of a medical workspace and referencing of three-dimensional spatial coordinates of surgical or medical instruments, comprising:

an operation lamp producing shadow-free illumination in the visible spectrum for the shadow-free illumination of said medical workspace; and

at least two cameras for detecting optical signals, wherein said operation lamp and said at least two cameras are mounted with respect to one another such that when the operation lamp is moved the cameras are correspondingly moved to retain the same positional relationship, for referencing three-dimensional spatial coordinates in said illuminated medical workspace.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the orientation and/or position of the at least two cameras may be adjusted relative to said operation lamp.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least two cameras are arranged substantially point-symmetrically with respect to said center of said operation lamp.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a radiation source for emitting infrared radiation, and the at least two cameras detect the infrared radiation.

5. A system for the combined illumination of a medical workspace and referencing of three-dimensional spatial coordinates of surgical or medical instruments, comprising:

an operation lamp producing shadow-free illumination in the visible spectrum for the shadow-free illumination of said medical workspace; and

at least two cameras for detecting optical signals, wherein said operation lamp and said at least two cameras are mounted together for common movement such that said optical signals may be evaluated, for referencing three-dimensional spatial coordinates in said illuminated medical workspace, wherein the at least two cameras are arranged outside a casing of the operation lamp and near a circumferential edge of said casing, such that the sight of said at least two cameras onto said illuminated area is not obstructed by sections of said casing.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the at least two cameras are integrated in said casing of said operation lamp, viewing windows being respectively provided for said at least two cameras on sections of said casing where no illuminating means of said operation lamp are arranged.

7. The system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the at least two cameras are external to said casing of said operation lamp.

8. A system for the combined illumination of a medical workspace and referencing of three-dimensional spatial coordinates of surgical or medical instruments, comprising:

an operation lamp producing shadow-free illumination in the visible spectrum for the shadow-free illumination of said medical workspace; and

at least two cameras for detecting optical signals, wherein said operation lamp and said at least two cameras are held together such that said optical signals may be evaluated, for referencing three-dimensional spatial coordinates in said illuminated medical workspace, wherein said operation lamp and the at least two cameras are rigidly connected to each other such that said operation lamp and said cameras may be moved together.

9. A system for the combined, shadow-free illumination of a medical workspace and referencing of three-dimensional spatial coordinates of surgical or medical instruments, comprising:

an operation lamp producing shadow-free illumination in the visible spectrum for the shadow-free illumination of said medical workspace; and

at least two cameras operable to detect non-visible light signals, wherein the orientation and/or position of at least two cameras may be adjusted relative to said operation lamp, wherein the at least two cameras arranged respectively on opposite sides of said operation lamp may be moved together, an inclination angle of said at least two cameras being adjustable, in the opposite direction, with respect to the center of said operation lamp.

10. A system for the combined illumination of an area and referencing of three-dimensional spatial coordinates of surgical or medical instruments, comprising:

an operating light source producing light in the visible spectrum for illumination of said area; and

at least two cameras for detecting optical signals, wherein said operating light source and said at least two cameras are held together such that movement of the operating light source produces a corresponding movement in the at least two cameras to enable evaluation of said optical signals, for referencing three-dimensional spatial coordinates in said illuminated area, wherein said at least two cameras are provided with infrared transmission filters in order to detect infrared radiation reflected by reflectors or emitted by light sources, the infrared portion of said light emitted from said operating light source being at least in part filtered out.

11. A system for the combined, shadow-free illumination of an area and referencing of three-dimensional spatial coordinates of surgical or medical instruments, comprising:

an operation lamp for the shadow-free illumination of said area; and

at least three cameras operative to detect non-visible light signals, wherein an evaluation circuit is provided to evaluate the signals detected by said at least three cameras, in order to detect when the field of view of at least one camera is obstructed, and in order—

for referencing—

to change from said respective camera with the obstructed field of view to another camera of said at least three cameras, whose field of view is not obstructed.

12. A reflector referencing system for surgical or medical instruments and for apparatus for treatment, comprising:

at least two cameras;

a computational unit connected to said at least two cameras, for evaluating camera signals and for referencing three-dimensional spatial coordinates;

a radiation source for infrared radiation; and

a group of reflectors comprising at least two reflectors for said infrared radiation;

wherein said at least two cameras detect said infrared radiation reflected by said group of reflectors, wherein said at least two cameras and an operating light source producing light in the visible spectrum for the illumination of an area are mounted with respect to one another such that when the operating light source is moved the at least two cameras are correspondingly moved to retain the same positional relationship, for referencing three-dimensional spatial coordinates in said illuminated area.

13. A referencing system for surgical or medical nstruments and for apparatus for treatment, comprising:

at least two cameras;

a computational unit connected to said cameras, for evaluating camera signals and for referencing three-dimensional spatial coordinates;

a group of radiation sources comprising at least two radiation sources for producing infrared radiation;

wherein said at least two cameras detect said infrared radiation emitted by said group of radiation sources; and

wherein said at least two cameras and an operating light source producing light in the visible spectrum for the illumination of an area are mounted with respect to one another such that when the light source is moved the at least two cameras are correspondingly moved to retain the same positional relationship, for referencing three-dimensional spatial coordinates in said illuminated area.

14. A system for the combined illumination of a medical workspace and referencing of three-dimensional spatial coordinates of surgical or medical instruments, comprising:

an operation lamp producing shadow-free illumination in the visible spectrum for the shadow-free illumination of said medical workspace;

a radiation source for emitting infrared radiation; and

at least two cameras for detecting optical infrared signals, wherein said operation lamp and said at least two cameras are held together such that movement of the operating lamp produces a corresponding movement in the at least two cameras to enable evaluation of said infrared signals, for referencing three-dimensional spatial coordinates in said illuminated medical workspace.

15. A method for positioning at least two cameras so as to monitor a medical workspace, said at least two cameras being operable to detect non-visible light, comprising:

moving an operation lamp so as to provide shadow free illumination of the medical work space; and

automatically moving the at least two cameras to correspond to the movement of the operation lamp.