Head-worn image display apparatus for stereoscopic microsurgery

• US 10,222,619 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2016
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven Sounyoung Yu
• Original Assignee: Steven Sounyoung Yu
• Inventors: Yu, Steven Sounyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Ritchie, Darlene M
• Application Number:
  US15/208,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20170007351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3616 Magnifying glass
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/371 with simultaneous use of two cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/372 Details of monitor hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/502 Headgear, e.g. helmet, spectacles
• 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: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0134 of stereoscopic type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0012 Surgical microscopes counterbalanced structures for surgical microscopes G02B7/001
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/204 using stereoscopic image cameras stereoscopic photography G03B35/00
• 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 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays

Abstract

A head-worn image display apparatus that comprises a non-immersive image display assembly that receives images from a stereoscopic video camera module. The image display assembly comprises a miniature display component for generating the images for display. The image display assembly may work by an optical relay system. The head-worn image display apparatus could be used in a variety of different settings. One particular application is for performing medical procedures such as microsurgery. The stereoscopic video camera module may have optical magnification capability (e.g. such as in a surgical microscope) to provide a magnified view of the surgical field.

Claims

1. A method of performing a medical procedure in a patient by a clinician, comprising:

(a) directing a stereoscopic video camera module to a site of the medical procedure to capture left and right-side images;

(b) wearing a head-worn image display apparatus that comprises;

(i) a support frame;

(ii) a non-immersive image display assembly that is in communication with and receives video images from the stereoscopic video camera module, the display assembly comprising;

a first display component that generates the left-side images for display;

a second display component that generates the right-side images for display;

a left-side optical image surface or interface to provide the left-side image for viewing by the user'"'"'s left eye, wherein the image surface or interface is at least partially transparent;

a right-side optical image surface or interface to provide the right-side image for viewing by the user'"'"'s right eye, wherein the image surface or interface is at least partially transparent;

one or more light occlusion elements that can change the amount of light transmitted through each image surface or interface;

(c) performing the medical procedure while viewing the video images provided by the head-worn display apparatus;

(d) using a controller to cause the head-worn image display apparatus to select between two or more stages that comprise;

(i) displaying the left-side and right-side images with the light occlusion element(s) in opaque mode; and

(ii) deactivating display of the left-side and right-side images with the light occlusion element(s) in transparent mode;

wherein the head-worn display apparatus is physically separate from the stereoscopic video camera module; and

wherein the head-worn display apparatus lacks the ability to track a clinician'"'"'s head position or movement so that the displayed images do not change based on tracking.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the center of each image is located in a medial lower quadrant of each of the user eye'"'"'s visual field.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the clinician who wears the head-worn image display apparatus is the same clinician who performs the medical procedure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the left-side image and the right-side image occupies less than 40°

horizontally in the user'"'"'s visual field.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller is a foot-operated controller.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising directly viewing an external environment around a periphery of the left-side image or the right-side image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the center of each image is located in a lower or medial half of each of the user eye'"'"'s visual field.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the controller is a foot-operated controller.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the stereoscopic camera module has optical magnification capability, and the images provided are magnified views of the medical procedure site.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising adjusting the amount of magnification in the view of the medical procedure site.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the image display assembly simultaneously provides both a magnified view of the medical procedure site as well as a direct view of the medical procedure site.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first display component is located on the left side and comprises a display panel, and the left-side image surface or interface is the display panel of the first display component;

and

the second display component is located on the right side and comprises a display panel, and the right-side image surface or interface is the display panel of the second display component.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the distance between the center of the left display panel and the center of the right display panel is 10 cm or less.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the display assembly comprises an optical relay system in which the left-side image surface or interface is a left-side projection surface with the image from the first display component being relayed to the projection surface for viewing by the user'"'"'s left eye;

and

in which the right-side image surface or interface is a right-side projection surface with the image from the second display component being relayed to the projection surface for viewing by the user'"'"'s right eye.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the distance between the center of the left-side projection surface and the center of the right-side projection surface is 10 cm or less.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the stereoscopic video camera module comprises two lens assemblies set at an angle that is convergent at a working distance in the range of 10-100 cm.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the stereoscopic video camera module is set at a distance of 15-70 cm from the medical procedure site.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the light occlusion element(s) are limited to the area of the image surface of interface.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the stereoscopic camera module has optical magnification capability, and the images provided are magnified views of the medical procedure site;

wherein the image display assembly simultaneously provides both a magnified view of the medical procedure site as well as a direct view of the medical procedure site.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein each of the left-side image and the right-side image occupies less than 40°

horizontally in the user'"'"'s visual field.