Methods and computer readable storage media for hyperspectral or multispectral imaging of multiple wavelengths
First Claim
1. A method for directing one of a hyperspectral and a multispectral imager to acquire one of a hyperspectral and a multispectral image of a tissue of a subject, each of the hyperspectral and multispectral images comprising a plurality of sub-images of the tissue of the subject, each respective sub-image in the plurality of sub-images acquired at a corresponding wavelength or wavelength band in a plurality of wavelengths or wavelength bands, the one of the hyperspectral and multispectral imager comprising:
- i.) a housing having an exterior and an interior;
ii.) at least one incoherent light source disposed on the exterior of the housing;
iii.) at least one objective lens attached to or within the housing, the at least one objective lens disposed in an optical communication path, the optical communication path comprising an originating end and a terminating end, wherein light from the at least one incoherent light source is (i) first backscattered by a tissue of a subject and (ii) then passed from the originating end of the optical communication path, through the at least one objective lens, and to the terminating end of the optical communication path;
iv.) a beam steering element within the interior of the housing, the beam steering element in optical communication with the terminating end of the optical communication path, the beam steering element characterized by a plurality of operating modes, the beam steering element comprising a minor or an array of mirrors;
v.) a plurality of optical detectors offset from the optical communication path, each respective optical detector in the plurality of optical detectors in optical communication with a corresponding operating mode of the beam steering element; and
vi.) a plurality of detector filters within the housing, each respective detector filter in the plurality of detector filters covering a corresponding optical detector in the plurality of optical detectors thereby filtering light received by the corresponding optical detector from the beam steering element so that each optical detector in the plurality of optical detectors is configured for recording a respective sub-image in the plurality of sub-images at the wavelength or wavelength band of the respective sub-image, the method comprising;
a.) identifying a plurality of baseline exposure times, each respective baseline exposure time in the plurality of baseline exposure times representing an exposure time for resolving a respective sub-image, in the plurality of sub-images, of the tissue of the subject at the wavelength or wavelength band of the respective sub-image, wherein a first baseline exposure time for a first sub-image is different than a second baseline exposure time of a second sub-image in the plurality of sub-images; and
b.) cycling the beam steering element through the plurality of operating modes, wherein the beam steering element is retained in each respective operating mode for the baseline exposure time corresponding to the wavelength or wavelength band collected by the detector filter corresponding to the respective operating mode so that a sub-image is recorded on the optical detector corresponding to the respective operating mode, thereby collecting the hyperspectral or multispectral image of the tissue.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hyperspectral/multispectral imager comprising a housing is provided. At least one light source is attached to the housing. An objective lens, in an optical communication path comprising originating and terminating ends, is further attached to the housing and causes light to (i) be backscattered by the tissue of a subject at the originating end and then (ii) pass through the objective lens to a beam steering element at the terminating end of the communication path inside the housing. The beam steering element has a plurality of operating modes each of which causes the element to be in optical communication with a different optical detector in a plurality of optical detectors offset from the optical communication path. Each respective detector filter in a plurality of detector filters covers a corresponding optical detector in the plurality of optical detectors thereby filtering light received by the corresponding detector from the beam steering element.
26 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for directing one of a hyperspectral and a multispectral imager to acquire one of a hyperspectral and a multispectral image of a tissue of a subject, each of the hyperspectral and multispectral images comprising a plurality of sub-images of the tissue of the subject, each respective sub-image in the plurality of sub-images acquired at a corresponding wavelength or wavelength band in a plurality of wavelengths or wavelength bands, the one of the hyperspectral and multispectral imager comprising:
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i.) a housing having an exterior and an interior; ii.) at least one incoherent light source disposed on the exterior of the housing; iii.) at least one objective lens attached to or within the housing, the at least one objective lens disposed in an optical communication path, the optical communication path comprising an originating end and a terminating end, wherein light from the at least one incoherent light source is (i) first backscattered by a tissue of a subject and (ii) then passed from the originating end of the optical communication path, through the at least one objective lens, and to the terminating end of the optical communication path; iv.) a beam steering element within the interior of the housing, the beam steering element in optical communication with the terminating end of the optical communication path, the beam steering element characterized by a plurality of operating modes, the beam steering element comprising a minor or an array of mirrors; v.) a plurality of optical detectors offset from the optical communication path, each respective optical detector in the plurality of optical detectors in optical communication with a corresponding operating mode of the beam steering element; and vi.) a plurality of detector filters within the housing, each respective detector filter in the plurality of detector filters covering a corresponding optical detector in the plurality of optical detectors thereby filtering light received by the corresponding optical detector from the beam steering element so that each optical detector in the plurality of optical detectors is configured for recording a respective sub-image in the plurality of sub-images at the wavelength or wavelength band of the respective sub-image, the method comprising; a.) identifying a plurality of baseline exposure times, each respective baseline exposure time in the plurality of baseline exposure times representing an exposure time for resolving a respective sub-image, in the plurality of sub-images, of the tissue of the subject at the wavelength or wavelength band of the respective sub-image, wherein a first baseline exposure time for a first sub-image is different than a second baseline exposure time of a second sub-image in the plurality of sub-images; and b.) cycling the beam steering element through the plurality of operating modes, wherein the beam steering element is retained in each respective operating mode for the baseline exposure time corresponding to the wavelength or wavelength band collected by the detector filter corresponding to the respective operating mode so that a sub-image is recorded on the optical detector corresponding to the respective operating mode, thereby collecting the hyperspectral or multispectral image of the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs executable by one of a hyperspectral and multispectral imaging device, with a central processing unit configured to execute the one or more programs and an optical acquisition camera configured to acquire one of a hyperspectral and a multispectral image of a tissue of a subject, the one of the hyperspectral and multispectral imaging device comprising:
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i.) a housing having an exterior and an interior; ii.) at least one incoherent light source disposed on the exterior of the housing; iii.) at least one objective lens attached to or within the housing, the at least one objective lens disposed in an optical communication path, the optical communication path comprising an originating end and a terminating end, wherein light from the at least one incoherent light source is (i) first backscattered by a tissue of a subject and (ii) then passed from the originating end of the optical communication path, through the at least one objective lens, and to the terminating end of the optical communication path; iv.) a beam steering element within the interior of the housing, the beam steering element in optical communication with the terminating end of the optical communication path, the beam steering element characterized by a plurality of operating modes, the beam steering element comprising a minor or an array of minors; v.) a plurality of optical detectors offset from the optical communication path, each respective optical detector in the plurality of optical detectors in optical communication with a corresponding operating mode of the beam steering element; and vi.) a plurality of detector filters within the housing, each respective detector filter in the plurality of detector filters covering a corresponding optical detector in the plurality of optical detectors thereby filtering light received by the corresponding optical detector from the beam steering element so that each optical detector in the plurality of optical detectors is configured for recording a respective sub-image in a plurality of sub-images at a wavelength or wavelength band of the respective sub-image, the one or more programs comprising instructions for a.) identifying a plurality of baseline exposure times, each respective baseline exposure time in the plurality of baseline exposure times representing an exposure time for resolving the respective sub-image, in the plurality of sub-images, of the tissue of the subject at the wavelength or wavelength band of the respective sub-image, wherein a first baseline exposure time for a first sub-image is different than a second baseline exposure time of a second sub-image in the plurality of sub-images; and b.) cycling the beam steering element through the plurality of operating modes, wherein the beam steering element is retained in each respective operating mode for the baseline exposure time corresponding to the wavelength or wavelength band collected by the detector filter corresponding to the respective operating mode so that a sub-image is recorded on the optical detector corresponding to the respective operating mode, thereby collecting the hyperspectral or multispectral image of the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification