Temperature measuring endoscope

Abstract

The temperature measuring endoscope comprises a tube body, a first channel and a second channel which are through are formed in the tube body in the axis direction, and a camera shooting assembly and an illumination assembly are arranged at the front end of the second channel; the camera shooting assembly comprises a heat conduction shell arranged in the second channel, an imaging sensor arranged in the heat conduction shell and a camera objective lens arranged on the imaging sensor, and the shooting end of the camera objective lens penetrates through the heat conduction shell and is exposed outside. The external environment temperature is conducted to the imaging sensor through the heat conduction shell, the external environment temperature can be speculated according to the corresponding relation between the average dark field intensity of the imaging sensor and the temperature, and therefore the temperature measurement function is achieved, and compared with a traditional temperature measurement method, the scheme can achieve temperature measurement on the basis that high-cost temperature measurement hardware is not additionally arranged; the cost is saved, and the practicability of the temperature measurement method is greatly enhanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of medical devices, and particularly relates to a temperature-measuring endoscope. Background Art

[0002] An endoscope is an important tool for medical diagnosis and is applied in various fields such as medical diagnosis and treatment and industrial inspection. Laser lithotripsy and radiofrequency ablation are common surgical operations for endoscopes, especially ureteroscopes and pyeloscopes. During such surgical procedures, detecting temperature and pressure information in the detection scene is a key factor in avoiding patient injury and improving the success rate of the surgery. Therefore, during the application of such endoscopes, temperature measurement or warning of temperatures and pressures exceeding the limit values based on clinical application requirements has become a rigid demand for such products. However, in order to achieve the temperature-measuring function, commercially available endoscopes usually need to be equipped with additional hardware such as temperature sensors, resulting in increased costs. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Based on this, the object of the present invention is to provide a temperature-measuring endoscope to solve the technical problems mentioned in the above background art.

[0004] The present invention provides a temperature-measuring endoscope, including a tube body. A first channel and a second channel penetrating along the axial direction are provided in the tube body. A camera assembly and an illumination assembly are provided at the front end of the second channel. The camera assembly includes a heat-conducting housing provided in the second channel, an imaging sensor provided in the heat-conducting housing, and a camera objective provided on the imaging sensor. The shooting end of the camera objective penetrates through the heat-conducting housing and is exposed outside.

[0005] Further, in the temperature-measuring endoscope, the dark field intensity collected by the camera assembly and the ambient temperature satisfy the following relational expression:

[0006] T E = f(V BL )

[0007] In the formula, V BL represents the average pixel gray value in the dark field image of the effective area of the image; T E represents the measured ambient temperature; f is a function obtained by recording the dark field intensity of the imaging sensor at different temperatures and then fitting the obtained experimental data.

[0008] Further, in the temperature-measuring endoscope, a temperature-variable coating is provided on the shooting end surface of the camera objective.

[0009] Further, in the temperature-measuring endoscope, the temperature-variable coating is coated at the diagonal of the shooting end surface of the camera objective.

[0010] Further, for the temperature-measuring endoscope, the coating thickness of the temperature-variable coating is 0.1-0.5 mm.

[0011] Further, for the temperature-measuring endoscope, a signal transmission line connecting the imaging sensor and a power supply line connecting the lighting component are provided in the second channel. One end of the signal transmission line away from the imaging sensor is connected to a processing platform, and one end of the power supply line away from the lighting component is connected to a light source control module.

[0012] Further, for the temperature-measuring endoscope, the imaging component acquires images at a frequency of n Hz, and the light source control module controls the lighting component to be turned on at a frequency of n-1 Hz.

[0013] Further, for the temperature-measuring endoscope, the material for making the heat-conducting housing includes copper or aluminum.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0015] The external environment temperature is conducted to the imaging sensor through the heat-conducting housing, and then according to the corresponding relationship between the average dark field intensity of the imaging sensor and the temperature, the external environment temperature can be inferred, so as to realize the temperature-measuring function. Compared with the traditional temperature-measuring method, this solution can realize temperature measurement without adding high-cost temperature-measuring hardware, saving costs and greatly enhancing the practicability of the temperature-measuring method. Description of the Drawings

[0016] Figure 1 It is a cross-sectional view of the temperature-measuring endoscope in the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the end of the tube body in the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 It is a schematic connection diagram of the temperature-measuring endoscope and the processing platform in the present invention;

[0019] Main Element Symbol Description:

[0020] 10. Tube body; 11. First channel; 12. Second channel; 20. Imaging component; 21. Heat-conducting housing; 22. Imaging sensor; 23. Camera objective; 30. Lighting component; 40. Temperature-variable coating; 50. Processing platform; 60. Light source control module.

[0021] The following specific embodiments will further illustrate the present invention in conjunction with the above-mentioned drawings. Specific Embodiments

[0022] To facilitate the understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be described more comprehensively below with reference to the relevant drawings. Several embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided to make the disclosure of the present invention more thorough and comprehensive.

[0023] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixedly provided on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there can also be an intermediate element. When an element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element at the same time. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are only for the purpose of illustration.

[0024] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the technical field to which the present invention belongs. The terms used in the description of the present invention herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0025] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 , the temperature-measuring endoscope in the present invention includes a tube body 10. A first channel 11 and a second channel 12 are provided axially through the tube body 10. A camera assembly 20 and a lighting assembly 30 are provided at the front end of the second channel 12. The camera assembly 20 includes a heat-conducting housing 21 provided in the second channel 12, an imaging sensor 22 provided in the heat-conducting housing 21, and a camera objective 23 provided on the imaging sensor 22. The shooting end of the camera objective 23 penetrates through the heat-conducting housing 21 and is exposed outside. The heat-conducting housing 21 wraps the imaging sensor 22.

[0026] The external environmental temperature is conducted to the imaging sensor 22 through the heat-conducting housing 21. Then, according to the correspondence between the average dark field intensity of the imaging sensor 22 and the temperature, the external environmental temperature can be inferred, thereby realizing the temperature-measuring function. Compared with the traditional temperature-measuring method, this solution can realize temperature measurement without adding high-cost temperature-measuring hardware. While saving costs, the practicability of the temperature-measuring method is greatly enhanced.

[0027] It should be noted that the dark field intensity refers to the output signal intensity of the imaging sensor 22 in the absence of external light (i.e., a completely dark environment). In practical applications, when the endoscope is inserted into the patient's body cavity, since there is only one light source, the front lighting component 30 of the tube body 10, in the body cavity, the dark field image required for temperature measurement can be achieved by turning off the lighting component 30. In a completely dark environment, the imaging sensor 22 still outputs a certain signal, which is caused by the dark current inside the imaging sensor 22. The magnitude of the dark current is closely related to the temperature of the imaging sensor 22.

[0028] In addition, it should be noted that before actual temperature measurement, the imaging sensor 22 needs to be temperature calibrated. The specific steps are as follows:

[0029] 1. Place the imaging sensor in an environment with a known temperature and record the dark field intensity at different temperatures;

[0030] 2. Through experimental data fitting, establish a corresponding relationship curve or look-up table between the dark field intensity and temperature;

[0031] 3. This corresponding relationship can be expressed as:

[0032] T E =f(V BL );

[0033] In the formula, V RL represents the average pixel gray value in the dark field image of the effective area of the image; T R represents the measured environmental temperature; f is a function obtained by recording the dark field intensity of the imaging sensor at different temperatures and then fitting the obtained experimental data, that is, the relationship curve or look-up table established in the above steps.

[0034] Exemplarily, in the application scenario of a cystoureteroscope, the doctor can insert devices such as optical fibers and stone baskets through the first channel 11 to achieve the function of lithotripsy. Since the application scenario of the cystoureter is generally filled with liquid, the part of the first channel 11 in contact with the heat-conducting housing 21 can also transfer the scene temperature to the imaging sensor 22, so that it senses the environmental temperature.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the material of the heat-conducting housing 21 is a high thermal conductivity metal, preferably copper or aluminum, to ensure that the environmental temperature can be quickly conducted to the imaging sensor 22.

[0036] Furthermore, referring to Figure 2, a temperature-variable coating 40 is provided on the surface of the shooting end of the camera objective 23. In this embodiment, the temperature-variable coating 40 is coated at the diagonal of the surface of the shooting end and can respond to the temperature and pressure changes in the detection environment. When the environmental temperature or pressure exceeds the preset warning threshold, the temperature-variable coating 40 will undergo specific optical property changes, such as changing from a specified color to transparent. This change will cause the reflected light of the illumination light source in the scene to form specific image features on the imaging sensor 22 through the coated area of the coating. The processing platform connected to the endoscope can collect and analyze the image features in real time, so as to realize the warning of over-temperature or over-pressure situations. The specific material selection of the temperature-variable coating 40 is based on its temperature sensitivity and optical properties, and can realize the real-time monitoring and warning of environmental parameters without significantly affecting the imaging quality of the camera.

[0037] Through this design, the present invention can not only realize the temperature measurement function, but also warn of abnormal pressure or temperature changes in the detection environment, further improving the functionality and practicality of the endoscope. The specific composition and preparation method of the temperature-variable coating 40 belong to the conventional technical means that those skilled in the art can select according to actual needs, so no further detailed description is given in this specification.

[0038] In this embodiment, the coating thickness of the temperature-variable coating 40 is 0.1-0.5 mm. To ensure that its color-changing effect is obvious and does not affect the imaging quality of the imaging component 20.

[0039] Furthermore, the temperature and pressure warning function realized by the endoscope system can be achieved through the following relationship:

[0040] GV ROI >GV th ;

[0041] Wherein, GV ROI represents the gray value of the image of the coated area of the warning substance, and GV th represents the gray threshold for alarm.

[0042] That is, when the gray value of the image of the coated area of the temperature-variable coating 40 is greater than the alarm threshold, the over-temperature and over-pressure warning function takes effect. Among them, the value of can be set according to actual needs, and this embodiment is not limited.

[0043] Furthermore, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 3 , a signal transmission line connecting the imaging sensor 22 and a power supply line connecting the lighting component 30 are provided in the second channel 12. One end of the signal transmission line far from the imaging sensor 22 is connected to the processing platform 50, and one end of the power supply line far from the lighting component 30 is connected to the light source control module 60.

[0044] Specifically, the processing platform 50 includes four parts: a data acquisition module, a digital image processing module, an output module, and other modules (not shown in the figure). The data acquisition module can receive the image at the tip of the endoscope transmitted by the signal transmission line and demodulate the image into a processed image in a format such as MIPI. The processed image is input into the digital image processing module. In addition to completing the conventional image processing pipeline, this module can also analyze the dark-field image realized by the transmission line and infer the ambient temperature based on the average gray value of the dark-field image. The output module can receive the image output by the digital image processing module and input the image into a monitor for display in formats such as HDMI and VGA. The other modules can supply power to each module of the temperature measurement system and provide EMC protection.

[0045] The light source control module 60 can control the endoscope illumination to be turned on according to the timing of the imaging component 20 at the tip of the endoscope. In a typical application, the imaging component 20 acquires images at a frequency of 30 Hz, and the light source control module 60 controls the illumination component 30 to be turned on 29 times per second, that is, a dark-field image is formed in one frame per second. Since there is a certain correspondence between the mean value of the dark-field intensity of the image and the temperature of the imaging sensor 22 when the black-field elimination function of the camera is turned off. Therefore, the temperature of the current imaging sensor 22 can be inferred using the mean value of the dark-field intensity. Also, since the heat-conducting housing 21 can transfer the ambient temperature to the imaging sensor 22. Therefore, the ambient temperature can be inferred through the mean value of the dark-field intensity.

[0046] In summary, for the temperature measurement endoscope in the above embodiments of the present invention, the external ambient temperature is conducted to the imaging sensor 22 through the heat-conducting housing 21, and then based on the correspondence between the average dark-field intensity of the imaging sensor 22 and the temperature, the external ambient temperature can be inferred, thus realizing the temperature measurement function. Compared with the traditional temperature measurement method, this solution can achieve temperature measurement without adding high-cost temperature measurement hardware. While saving costs, the practicability of the temperature measurement method is greatly enhanced.

[0047] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to terms such as "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0048] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementation manners of the present invention. The description thereof is relatively specific and detailed, but it should not be construed as a limitation to the scope of the patent of the present invention. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the concept of the present invention, several modifications and improvements can still be made, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present invention shall be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. A temperature measuring endoscope, comprising a tube body, wherein a first channel and a second channel are provided in the tube body along an axial direction, characterized in that: A camera assembly and a lighting assembly are provided at the front end of the second channel. The camera assembly includes a heat-conducting shell arranged in the second channel, an imaging sensor arranged in the heat-conducting shell, and a camera objective lens arranged on the imaging sensor. The shooting end of the camera objective lens penetrates the heat-conducting shell and is exposed outside.

2. The temperature measuring endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dark field intensity collected by the camera assembly and the ambient temperature satisfy the following relationship: T E =f(V BL ); Where V BL Represents the average pixel gray value in the dark field image in the effective area of ​​the image; T E Indicates the measured ambient temperature; f is a function obtained by recording the dark field intensity of the imaging sensor at different temperatures and then fitting the acquired experimental data.

3. The temperature measuring endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: The surface of the shooting end of the camera objective lens is provided with a temperature-variable coating.

4. The temperature measuring endoscope according to claim 3, characterized in that: The temperature-variable coating is applied on the diagonal portion of the surface of the shooting end of the camera objective lens.

5. The temperature measuring endoscope according to claim 3, characterized in that: The coating thickness of the temperature-variable coating is 0.1 to 0.5 mm.

6. The temperature measuring endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second channel is provided with a signal transmission line connected to the imaging sensor and a power line connected to the lighting component. The end of the signal transmission line away from the imaging sensor is connected to the processing platform, and the end of the power line away from the lighting component is connected to the light source control module.

7. The temperature measuring endoscope according to claim 6, characterized in that: The camera assembly collects images at a frequency of nHz, and the light source control module controls the lighting assembly to light up at a frequency of n-1Hz.

8. The temperature measuring endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material used to make the heat-conducting housing includes copper or aluminum.

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