Method and devices for inspecting and calibrating of stereoscopic endoscopes
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of calibrating a first channel and a second channel of a stereoscopic imaging device, the method comprising:
- comparing an angle of a straight line segment of a fringe pattern obtained from the first channel with an angle of a straight line segment of a fringe pattern obtained from the second channel to determine an angle difference between the first channel and second channel; and
using the angle difference to calculate a diopter difference between the first and second channel.
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Abstract
Methods and devices for inspecting and calibrating a stereoscopic imaging device, such as a binocular endoscope. In one exemplary embodiment, the method of the present invention measures a fringe pattern from light emitted through two channels of the device. An angle of each of the fringe pattern can be measured so as to allow a diopter difference between the channels to be calculated.
10 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method of calibrating a first channel and a second channel of a stereoscopic imaging device, the method comprising:
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comparing an angle of a straight line segment of a fringe pattern obtained from the first channel with an angle of a straight line segment of a fringe pattern obtained from the second channel to determine an angle difference between the first channel and second channel; and
using the angle difference to calculate a diopter difference between the first and second channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for calibrating a stereoscopic endoscope, the endoscope comprising a first channel and a second channel, wherein the first channel and second channel each comprise a first end and a second end, the method comprising:
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delivering a laser beam into at least one of the first ends of the of the first and second channel so as to emit light through at least one of the second ends of the first channel and second channel;
reflecting the light that exits the second end of the first channel and the second channel off of a shear plate, wherein the shear plate create two beams of light that create a fringe pattern comprising straight line segments;
measuring an angle of the straight line segments for the first channel and second channel; and
comparing the measured angle of the first channel and the second channel to determine a diopter difference between the first channel and the second channel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of calibrating a stereoscopic imaging device, the stereoscopic imaging device comprising a first imaging channel and a second imaging channel, the method comprising:
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obtaining a fringe pattern for the first imaging channel;
calculating an angle of a straight line segment of the fringe pattern for the first imaging channel;
obtaining a fringe pattern for the second imaging channel;
calculating an angle for a straight line segment of the fringe pattern for the second imaging channel;
comparing the angles of the first imaging channel and second imaging channel; and
calculating a diopter difference between the first imaging channel and the second imaging channel from the comparison of the angles. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24)
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22. A method of focusing a stereoscopic endoscope, the method comprising:
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providing a stereoscopic endoscope comprising a left channel and a right channel;
delivering a laser beam comprising a cross-section large enough to enter both the left channel and right channel, wherein an optical assembly of the first channel and second channel causes the laser beam to diverge;
compensating light that exits the left channel and right channel to collimate the light;
creating a fringe pattern for the left channel and right channel by reflecting the collimated light off of a shear plate, wherein the fringe pattern comprises straight line segments that define angles which varies with a diopter of the light; and
comparing the angles of the left channel and right channel, wherein a difference in the angles of the straight line segments of the left channel and right channel are used to calculate a diopter mismatch between the left channel and right channel.
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25. A system for calibrating a stereoscopic imaging device, the imaging devices comprising a first channel comprising a first end, a second end, and an optical assembly between the first end and the second end, and a second channel comprising a first end, a second end, and an optical assembly between the first end and the second end, the system comprising:
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a laser that generates a laser beam along an optical axis, the laser beam enters at least one of the first ends of the first channel and second channel and through the optical assemblies;
at least one compensator lens positioned adjacent the second end of the first channel and right channel, wherein the compensator lens collimates diverging light that exits the second ends;
at least one shear plate positioned to receive the collimated light after it exits the compensator lens, wherein the shear plate creates for the first channel and second channel an interference fringe pattern comprising straight line segments that define an angle that varies with a diopter of the optical assemblies of the first channel and second channel, wherein a difference in the angles of the straight line segments of the first channel and second channel is used to calculate a diopter mismatch between the first channel and second channel. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A device for calibrating a stereoscopic endoscope, having a first channel and a second channel, the device comprising:
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a laser source that delivers a laser beam along an optical axis and into at least one of the first channel and second channel;
a fringe pattern device that generates a fringe pattern from light that exits the first channel and second channel;
an image device that captures at least one image of the fringe patterns; and
a controller assembly that is configured to calculate an angle of the fringe pattern, determine an angle difference of the fringe patterns, and determine a diopter difference between the first channel and second channel using the angle difference. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A kit for focus matching a first channel and a second channel of a stereoscopic imaging device, the kit comprising:
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a laser source that generates a laser beam;
a shear plate that reflects light exiting at least one of the first channel and second channel and creates a fringe pattern from the reflected light from the first channel and second channel;
a camera that obtains an image of the fringe patterns for the first channel and second channel; and
a computer system that compares angles of the fringe patterns of the first channel and second channel and calculates a diopter difference between the first channel and the second channel. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification