Image Capture and Video Processing Systems and Methods for Multiple Viewing Element Endoscopes

• US 20170214832A1
• Filed: 02/03/2017
• Published: 07/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EndoChoice Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EndoChoice Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Sidar, Itay
• Granted Patent: US 10,412,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00011 characterised by signal transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00177 for 90 degrees side-viewing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00181 for multiple fixed viewing angles A61B1/00193 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/051 Details of CCD assembly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0615 for radial illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0625 for multiple fixed illumination angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/128 provided with means for regulating temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 of the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2461 Illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2484 Arrangements in relation to a camera or imaging device processing or control of video signals generated by an endoscope H04N23/60, H04N23/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means

Abstract

A multiple sensor endoscope system and a video processing method, wherein the system includes an endoscope having a plurality of daisy chained image sensors and a central control unit, is described. At least one daisy-chained image sensor includes a sensor array for capturing images and generating video packets from the captured images, a video compression unit configured to compress the video packets, a self-packet buffer configured to store the video packets, a serial-to-parallel de-serializer input unit configured to convert serialized input video packets to parallel data, a chain packet buffer configured to store the video packets received from previous-in-chain image sensors, an arbitration unit configured to interleave the stored video packets, and a serial output unit configured to output serially the interleaved video packets. The central control unit is configured to de-interleave the video packets and regenerate separated images as captured by the plurality of daisy chain image sensors.

Claims

1. A video processing method for use in an endoscopy system, said endoscopy system having a plurality of daisy chained image sensors and a central control unit in data communication with said plurality of daisy chained image sensors, the method comprising:

in a first of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, generating video packets from images captured by a sensor array of the first of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors and storing said video packets in a self-packet buffer; and

in said first of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, interleaving video packets of said self-packet buffer and at least one void packet of a chained packet buffer and transmitting the interleaved video packets to another of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors.

2. The video processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:

in a second of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, generating video packets from images captured by a sensor array of the second of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors and storing said video packets in a self-packet buffer;

in said second of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, storing in a chain packet buffer video packets received from another of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors; and

in said second of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, interleaving video packets of said self-packet buffer and said chained packet buffer and transmitting the interleaved video packets to another of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors.

3. The video processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:

in a second of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, generating video packets from images captured by a sensor array of the second of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors and storing said video packets in a self-packet buffer; and

in said second of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, interleaving video packets of said self-packet buffer and at least one void packet of a chained packet buffer and transmitting the interleaved video packets to another of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors.

4. The video processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:

in a third of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, generating video packets from images captured by a sensor array of the third of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors and storing said video packets in a self-packet buffer;

in said third of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, storing in a chain packet buffer video packets received from another of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors;

in said third of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, interleaving video packets of said self-packet buffer and said chained packet buffer and transmitting the interleaved video packets to a central control unit; and

in said central control unit, de-interleaving said interleaved video packets and outputting de-interleaved and separated image frames captured by said plurality of daisy chained image sensors.

5. The video processing method according to claim 4, wherein the central control unit generates three separate and distinct video images from the interleaved video packets and transmits the three separate and distinct video images to three separate displays.

6. The video processing method according to claim 1, wherein said step of generating video packets from images further comprises compressing said video packets.

7. The video processing method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting of the interleaved packets is performed with identical gross bitrate that does not depend on a position of the image sensors in said plurality of daisy chained image sensors.

8. The video processing method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting of the interleaved packets is performed with variable bitrates that depends on a position of the image sensors in said plurality of daisy chained image sensors, and wherein a data transfer rate of an image sensor is n+1 times the data transfer rate of a previous-in-chain image sensor, where n is the number of preceding image sensors in said plurality of daisy chained image sensors.

9. The video processing method according to claim 1, wherein an image capture frame rate of said plurality of daisy chained image sensors depends on a position of the image sensors in said plurality of daisy chained image sensors.

10. The video processing method according to claim 1, wherein an image capture frame rate of said plurality of daisy chained image sensors varies dynamically.

11. A video processing method for use in an endoscopy system, said endoscopy system having a plurality of daisy chained image sensors and a central control unit in data communication with said plurality of daisy chained image sensors, the method comprising:

in a first of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, generating video packets from images captured by a sensor array of the first of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors and storing said video packets in a self-packet buffer;

in said first of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, interleaving video packets of said self-packet buffer and at least one void packet of a chained packet buffer and transmitting the interleaved video packets to a second of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors;

in the second of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, generating video packets from images captured by a sensor array of the second of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors and storing said video packets in a self-packet buffer;

in said second of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, storing in a chain packet buffer video packets received from the first of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors; and

in said second of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors, interleaving video packets of said self-packet buffer and at least one of said chained packet buffer and a void packet and transmitting the interleaved video packets to a third of the plurality of daisy chained image sensors.

12. The video processing method according to claim 11, wherein the central control unit generates three separate and distinct video images from the interleaved video packets and transmits the three separate and distinct video images to three separate displays.

13. The video processing method according to claim 11, wherein said steps of generating video packets from images further comprises compressing said video packets.

14. The video processing method according to claim 11, wherein said transmitting of the interleaved packets is performed with identical gross bitrate that does not depend on a position of the image sensors in said plurality of daisy chained image sensors.

15. The video processing method according to claim 11, wherein said transmitting of the interleaved packets is performed with variable bitrates that depends on a position of the image sensors in said plurality of daisy chained image sensors, and wherein a data transfer rate of an image sensor is n+1 times the data transfer rate of a previous-in-chain image sensor, where n is the number of preceding image sensors in said plurality of daisy chained image sensors.

16. The video processing method according to claim 11, wherein an image capture frame rate of said plurality of daisy chained image sensors depends on a position of the image sensors in said plurality of daisy chained image sensors.

17. The video processing method according to claim 11, wherein an image capture frame rate of said plurality of daisy chained image sensors varies dynamically.