Endoscope imaging system and light source thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to an endoscope imaging system and a light source thereof, the light source comprises a laser light source, a visible light source and a light combiner, the laser light source is used for outputting laser of at least two different wavebands, the laser of the different wavebands is used for exciting different fluorescent dyes, and the visible light source is used for outputting visible light; the light combiner is used for combining the laser and the visible light into a combined light beam and outputting the combined light beam to the endoscope; wherein the laser light source is a single light-emitting device, the single light-emitting device comprises a single substrate and at least two laser chips arranged on the single substrate, the at least two laser chips are used for emitting laser of different wave bands, and the single light-emitting device further comprises a single light outlet and a single optical fiber; and laser emitted by the at least two laser chips is output to the single optical fiber through the single light outlet. The light source can independently or simultaneously output laser of different wave bands to excite different fluorescent dyes, and the layout of an endoscope imaging system is simplified by adopting the light source.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of medical equipment, and more particularly to an endoscopic imaging system and a light source thereof. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the development of endoscopic technology has greatly facilitated minimally invasive surgical procedures and accelerated their adoption. Traditional white light reflective endoscopes can penetrate various human tissues, providing visual observation with minimal surgical trauma. However, due to limitations in technical specifications such as image resolution and contrast, traditional endoscopes are unable to identify subtle lesions that are invisible to the naked eye. The advent of fluorescence endoscopy has made lesion visualization and tumor labeling possible, while also enabling lymphatic localization and vascular tracing.

[0003] However, most current fluorescence endoscopes can only image a single near-infrared fluorescent dye, indocyanine green (ICG). Its poor specificity limits its application in different clinical surgeries. Since the excitation and emission bands of different fluorescent dyes may vary greatly, currently available fluorescence endoscope imaging equipment is basically not compatible with fluorescence imaging of multiple different bands. In addition, although there are a few schemes involving multi-spectral fluorescence endoscope imaging, they generally require the installation of multiple light sources to emit narrow-band light of different bands, or the use of wide-spectrum light-emitting devices, and combined with mechanical rotating parts to drive filters to achieve time-sharing switching of narrow-band spectra, which has high structural complexity and poor reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The Summary of the Invention introduces a series of simplified concepts that will be further described in the Detailed Description of the Invention. The Summary of the Invention is not intended to limit the key features and essential features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0005] A first aspect of an embodiment of the present invention provides an endoscopic imaging system, comprising a light source, an endoscope, a camera host and a display, wherein:

[0006] The light source includes a laser light source, a visible light light source and a light combiner, wherein the laser light source is used to output lasers of at least two different wavelengths, and the lasers of different wavelengths are used to excite different fluorescent dyes, and the visible light source is used to output visible light;

[0007] The light combiner is used to combine the laser and the visible light into a combined light beam, and output the combined light beam to the endoscope;

[0008] The endoscope comprises an insertion portion and an operating portion, wherein the insertion portion is used to be inserted into a part of a patient to be observed, and the endoscope is used to transmit the composite light beam to a target object containing at least one fluorescent dye, receive reflected light and fluorescence from the target object, and generate an electrical signal;

[0009] The camera host is connected to the endoscope and is used to separate a reflected light signal and at least one fluorescent signal from the electrical signal, generate visible light image data based on the reflected light signal, and generate fluorescent image data based on the fluorescent signal;

[0010] The display is connected to the camera host and is used to display at least one of a visible light image and a fluorescent image based on the visible light image data and the fluorescent image data;

[0011] In which, the laser light source is a single light-emitting device, which includes a single substrate and at least two laser chips arranged on the single substrate. The at least two laser chips are used to emit lasers of different bands. The single light-emitting device also includes a single light outlet and a single optical fiber. The lasers emitted by the at least two laser chips are output from the single light outlet to the single optical fiber.

[0012] In one embodiment, the single light emitting device further includes a single power supply port, and the single power supply port is used to supply power to the at least two laser chips.

[0013] In one embodiment, the light source further includes a collimator, which is disposed between the visible light source and the light combiner and is configured to collimate the visible light output by the visible light source and transmit the collimated visible light to the light combiner.

[0014] In one embodiment, the light source further includes a beam expander, which is disposed between the laser light source and the light combiner and is configured to expand the laser light output by the laser light source and transmit the expanded laser light to the light combiner.

[0015] In one embodiment, the laser light source outputs laser light in the near-infrared band and / or the ultraviolet band.

[0016] In one embodiment, the light combiner includes a filter device, the wavelength band of the laser is outside the transmission range of the filter device, and the filter device transmits the visible light and reflects the laser to combine the laser and the visible light into a composite light beam.

[0017] In one embodiment, the laser light output by the laser light source includes laser light in the near-infrared band, and the optical filter device includes a low-pass filter device.

[0018] In one embodiment, the wavelength of the laser output by the laser light source is 780 nm and / or 660 nm, and the transmission range of the filter device is lower than 650 nm.

[0019] In one embodiment, the laser light source outputs laser light in the near-infrared band and laser light in the ultraviolet band, and the optical filter device includes a bandpass filter device.

[0020] In one embodiment, the wavelength of the laser output by the laser light source includes at least one of 780 nm and 660 nm, and 410 nm, and the transmission range of the filter device is 420 nm to 650 nm.

[0021] In one embodiment, the light combiner comprises a filter, a dichroic mirror or a prism.

[0022] In one embodiment, the camera host is further configured to send a power adjustment instruction for the laser light source for a target wavelength band among the at least two different wavelength bands;

[0023] The laser light source is further configured to adjust the power of the laser light in the target wavelength band according to the power adjustment instruction.

[0024] In one embodiment, the endoscope comprises a beam splitter, a first optical filter, a second optical filter, a first image sensor, and a second image sensor, wherein:

[0025] The optical splitter is used to split the reflected light and the fluorescent light from the optical transmission component into a first light path and a second light path, wherein the first light path includes the reflected light and the visible light component of the fluorescent light, and the second light path includes the non-visible light component of the fluorescent light;

[0026] The first optical filter is used to filter the first light to obtain visible light to be processed;

[0027] The second optical filter is used to filter the second light to obtain non-visible light to be processed;

[0028] The first image sensor is configured to output a visible light signal based on the visible light to be processed;

[0029] The second image sensor is configured to output a non-visible light signal based on the non-visible light to be processed;

[0030] The camera host is used to obtain the reflected light signal based on the visible light signal, and to obtain the fluorescent signal based on the visible light signal and the non-visible light signal.

[0031] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a light source for an endoscopic imaging system, the light source comprising a laser light source, a visible light light source, and a light combiner, the laser light source being configured to output lasers of at least two different wavelengths, the lasers of different wavelengths being configured to excite different fluorescent dyes, the visible light source being configured to output visible light; the light combiner being configured to combine the laser light and the visible light into a composite light beam, and output the composite light beam to the endoscope;

[0032] In which, the laser light source is a single light-emitting device, which includes a single substrate and at least two laser chips arranged on the single substrate. The at least two laser chips are used to emit lasers of different bands. The single light-emitting device also includes a single light outlet and a single optical fiber. The lasers emitted by the at least two laser chips are output from the single light outlet to the single optical fiber.

[0033] The endoscopic imaging system according to the embodiment of the present invention uses a single light-emitting device to emit lasers of different wavelength bands, which can excite different fluorescent dyes in a time-sharing or simultaneous manner, and makes the light source layout simple and highly reliable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0035] In the attached figure:

[0036] Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of an endoscope system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0037] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing a light source according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing a laser light source according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 4 A schematic structural block diagram of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more apparent, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments of the present invention, and it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. Based on the embodiments of the present invention described in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0041] In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well known in the art are not described to avoid confusion with the present invention.

[0042] It should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in different forms and should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided to make disclosure thorough and complete and to fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art.

[0043] The purpose of the terms used herein is only to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. When used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms "comprising" and / or "comprising", when used in this specification, determine the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups. When used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of the relevant listed items.

[0044] In order to fully understand the present invention, a detailed structure will be provided in the following description to illustrate the technical solution proposed by the present invention. Optional embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. However, in addition to these detailed descriptions, the present invention may also have other implementations.

[0045] Next, first refer to Figures 1 to 4 An endoscope system according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. Figure 1 FIG. 1 shows a schematic structural block diagram of an endoscope system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 Schematic diagram of a light source according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a laser light source according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 A schematic structural block diagram of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0046] like Figure 1 As shown, the endoscope system 100 includes a light source 110, an endoscope 120, a camera host 130 and a display 140, wherein Figure 2 As shown, the light source 110 includes a laser light source 111, a visible light light source 112 and a light combiner 113. The laser light source 111 is used to output lasers of at least two different wavelengths, and the lasers of different wavelengths are used to excite different fluorescent dyes. The visible light source 112 is used to output visible light; the light combiner 113 is used to combine the laser and visible light into a composite light beam and output it to the endoscope 120.

[0047] The endoscope 120 includes an insertion portion and an operating portion. The insertion portion is used to be inserted into a patient's part to be observed. The endoscope is used to transmit a synthetic light beam to a target object containing at least one fluorescent dye, receive reflected light and fluorescence from the target object, and generate an electrical signal.

[0048] The camera host 130 is connected to the endoscope 120 and is used to separate the reflected light signal and at least one fluorescent signal from the electrical signal, generate visible light image data based on the reflected light signal, and generate fluorescent image data based on the fluorescent signal.

[0049] The display 140 is connected to the camera host 130 and is configured to display at least one of a visible light image and a fluorescent image based on the visible light image data and the fluorescent image data.

[0050] The light source 110 of an embodiment of the present invention can simultaneously output excitation light of different bands corresponding to at least two fluorescent dyes. The endoscope 120 can simultaneously receive fluorescence corresponding to different fluorescent dyes and convert it into electrical signals. The fluorescence signals corresponding to different fluorescent dyes are separated from each other from the electrical signals through the camera host 130, and fluorescence image data of a channel is generated based on each fluorescence signal, thereby realizing multi-channel fluorescence imaging without time division.

[0051] Laser light source 111 can simultaneously or individually output multiple narrowband spectra of different wavelengths for exciting different fluorescent dyes. Visible light source 112 can specifically be a white light source that provides a broadband spectrum, such as a white light LED. The visible light provided by laser light source 112 can be used for visible light reflectance imaging. Light combiner 113 is used to combine the laser and visible light into a single composite beam, enabling light source 110 to simultaneously output multiple narrowband spectra and broadband spectra.

[0052] See also Figure 3 The laser light source 111 is a single light-emitting device, which includes a single substrate 1111 and at least two laser chips 1112 arranged on the single substrate. The substrate 1111 is provided with connecting terminals and a printed circuit, and the laser chips 1112 are electrically connected to the substrate 1111.

[0053] At least two laser chips 1112 are used to emit lasers of different wavelength bands. The number of laser chips 1112 corresponding to different wavelength bands may be different according to the power requirements of the sensitivity of the contrast agent.

[0054] The single light-emitting device also includes a single light outlet 1113 and a single optical fiber. The lasers emitted by at least two laser chips 1112 are output from the same light outlet 1113 to the single optical fiber. The camera host 130 can send control signals to the laser light source 111 to control the spectrum of the light emitted by the laser light source 111. Each laser chip 1112 can be individually controlled. Specifically, individual control includes individual turning on and off, and individual power adjustment. In some embodiments, the camera host 120 is further configured to send power adjustment instructions to the laser light source for lasers in target wavelengths of at least two different wavelengths; the laser light source 111 is further configured to adjust the power of the lasers in the target wavelengths according to the power adjustment instructions.

[0055] When laser light source 111 emits laser light, one laser chip 1112 can emit laser light, or a combination of multiple laser chips 1112 can emit laser light. For example, at least one first laser chip can emit 780nm laser light, and at least one second laser chip can emit 660nm laser light. The first laser chip and the second laser chip can emit laser light simultaneously, in which case the laser light emitted by laser light source 111 includes both 780nm and 660nm wavelength bands. The first laser chip and the second laser chip can also emit laser light independently, in which case laser light source 111 emits laser light in the 780nm wavelength band or in the 660nm wavelength band.

[0056] In one embodiment, the laser light source 111 further includes an optical channel and a housing, with a single light outlet 1113 provided on the housing. Light outlet 1113 may be an optical fiber outlet. The optical channel is located between the laser chip 1112 and the light outlet 1113 and is used to transmit the laser light emitted by the laser chip 1112 to the light outlet 1113. For example, multiple laser chips 1112 may emit light in the same direction. An optical device is provided in the light outlet direction of each laser chip 1112 to redirect the laser light emitted by the laser chip 1112 so that it is transmitted along the optical channel to the light outlet 1113.

[0057] In one embodiment, a photodetector (monitoring PD) is further provided on the substrate 1111 to monitor the power of the laser emitted by the laser chip 1112. For example, each wavelength band of laser light corresponds to a photodetector 1114, and a filter device is provided in front of each photodetector 1114 to filter out the laser light of the corresponding wavelength band and provide it to the photodetector for monitoring. For example, the photodetector may include a first photodetector corresponding to the 780nm wavelength band and a second photodetector corresponding to the 660nm wavelength band. A 780nm single-pass filter is provided at the front end of the first photodetector to filter out the 780nm laser light so that the first photodetector can monitor the power of the 780nm laser light; a 660nm single-pass filter is provided at the front end of the second photodetector to filter out the 660nm laser light so that the first photodetector can monitor the power of the 660nm laser light.

[0058] Illustratively, a transparent cover may be further provided on the substrate 1111 , which packages the multiple laser chips 1112 together, provides physical protection for the laser chips 1112 , and prevents dust or powder in the light source 110 from entering the laser chips 1112 .

[0059] Exemplarily, the laser light source 111 further includes a single power supply port, and the light source 110 is used to provide centralized power supply to at least two laser chips through the single power supply port, thereby simplifying the power supply circuit and improving reliability.

[0060] The laser light source 111 of the embodiment of the present invention integrates multiple laser chips 1112 into a light-emitting device, so that the laser light source 111 has good scalability and can emit lasers of at least two bands individually or simultaneously. There is no need to set up a coupling optical path to couple lasers of different bands, which simplifies the optical path structure and reduces costs.

[0061] Exemplarily, light source 110 also includes a heat sink assembly for dissipating heat from the laser light source. This heat sink assembly includes, but is not limited to, a thermoelectric cooler (TEC). TECs directly utilize electrical-to-thermal conversion to achieve cooling, enabling precise temperature control. Because the laser light source is a single light-emitting device, centralized heat dissipation management is facilitated, simplifying the internal layout and facilitating integration.

[0062] The light source 110 also includes a light combiner 113 for combining the laser light output by the laser light source 111 and the visible light output by the visible light source 112 into a combined light beam, and outputting the combined light beam to the endoscope 120. When performing fluorescence imaging, the endoscopic imaging system 100 requires visible light to provide a field of view and fluorescence to provide navigation. Therefore, while the laser light source 111 provides excitation light, the visible light source 112 is also required to provide visible light, and the two are combined and output through the light combiner 113. Since the laser light source 111 in the embodiment of the present invention is a single light-emitting device, lasers of different wavelengths are all output through the same light output port 1113, thereby simplifying the structure of the light combiner 113 and the combined light path.

[0063] In one embodiment, Figure 2 As shown, the light combiner 113 can be a filter device, such as a filter, a dichroic mirror, or a prism. The wavelength band of the laser is outside the transmission range of the filter device. The filter device transmits visible light and reflects the laser light to combine the laser light and visible light into a composite light beam. The filter device is arranged obliquely between the laser light source 111 and the visible light source 112 and has a semi-transmissive and semi-reflective characteristic. Because the wavelength band of the laser light is outside the transmission range of the filter device, the optical path direction of the laser light irradiated on the surface of the filter device is changed. However, since the visible light is a wide-band light, most of the visible light is transmitted by the filter device, and its optical path direction does not change. After reflection and transmission by the filter device, the laser light and visible light are directed in the same direction, thereby forming a composite light beam.

[0064] In one specific example, the laser light source outputs near-infrared laser light, and the optical filter device may be a low-pass filter device, meaning it only transmits light below a certain wavelength. Specifically, the optical filter device cannot transmit laser light in the near-infrared band, thereby changing the direction of the laser light path.

[0065] For example, laser light sources with wavelengths of 780nm and 660nm support fluorescence imaging of MB (methylene blue) and ICG (indocyanine green), respectively. Accordingly, the transmission range of the optical filter component is below 650nm. Laser light in the 780nm and 660nm bands cannot be transmitted by the optical filter component and can only be reflected from its surface, where it merges with the transmitted visible light to form a composite beam.

[0066] In another example, the laser light source outputs laser light in the near-infrared band and the ultraviolet band, and the optical filter device includes a bandpass filter device that transmits only light within a certain wavelength range. The near-infrared and ultraviolet laser light are outside the transmission range of the bandpass filter device and are therefore not transmitted by the optical filter device.

[0067] For example, near-infrared lasers have wavelengths of 780nm and 660nm, while ultraviolet lasers have a wavelength of 410nm, supporting fluorescence imaging of MB (methylene blue), ICG (indocyanine green), and PPIX. Accordingly, the transmission range of the filter device is 420nm to 650nm. Wavelengths of 780nm and 660nm are greater than the filter device's transmission range, while a wavelength of 410nm is less than the filter device's transmission range. These wavelengths are unable to be transmitted by the filter device and can only be reflected from its surface, thereby merging with the transmitted visible light into a composite beam. Specifically, when simultaneous ultraviolet and infrared lasers are required, the laser light source can be configured to output 780nm and 420nm; or 660nm and 420nm; or 420nm, 660nm, and 780nm. Light source configuration is performed according to user selection instructions, achieving precise laser output and reducing optical interference and noise.

[0068] In some embodiments, light source 110 further includes a beam expander, disposed between laser light source 111 and light combiner 113. The beam expander is configured to expand the laser light output by the laser light source and transmit the expanded laser light to the light combiner. The laser light output by the laser light source has a relatively small beam diameter. The beam expander can expand the laser beam diameter to match the diameter of the visible light beam, thereby improving the beam combining effect. For example, the beam expander may include a lens assembly, a diffuser, and the like.

[0069] In some embodiments, the light source 110 further includes a collimator disposed between the visible light source 112 and the light combiner 113. The collimator is configured to collimate the visible light output by the visible light source 112 and transmit the collimated visible light to the light combiner. The visible light beam output by the visible light source 112 is relatively divergent. The collimator can convert the divergent light into parallel light, thereby improving the beam combining effect. For example, the collimator may include a lens assembly, a light guide rod, and the like.

[0070] The endoscope 120 is used to receive the composite light beam output by the light combiner 113. Exemplarily, the endoscope 120 includes an insertion portion and an operating portion. The insertion portion is used to be inserted into the patient's area to be observed, and the operating portion is used for handheld operation by the user. The insertion portion and the operating portion can be an integral structure or a detachable structure. The endoscope also includes at least one image sensor (not shown). Exemplarily, the image sensor can be provided at the front end of the insertion portion of the endoscope. The endoscope 120 is capable of transmitting the composite light beam to a target object containing at least one fluorescent dye, receiving reflected light and fluorescence from the target object, and converting the reflected light and fluorescence into electrical signals through the image sensor.

[0071] The other end of the endoscope 120 is connected to the camera host 130 via a cable, and the electrical signal is transmitted to the camera host 130 via the cable for processing. In some embodiments, the endoscope can also send the electrical signal to the camera host 130 via wireless transmission. The camera host 130 is used to separate the reflected light signal and at least one fluorescent signal from the electrical signal, generate visible light image data based on the reflected light signal, and generate fluorescent image data based on the fluorescent signal. Specifically, the camera host 130 is equipped with a processor that receives the electrical signal output by the endoscope 120 and generates visible light image data and fluorescent image data.

[0072] In one embodiment, Figure 4 As shown, the endoscope 120 includes a spectrometer 121, a first filter 122, a second filter 123, a first image sensor 124, and a second image sensor 125. The spectrometer 121 is used to separate the reflected light and the fluorescence into a first light path and a second light path. The first light path includes the visible light components of the reflected light and the fluorescence, and the second light path includes the non-visible light components of the fluorescence. The first filter 122 is used to filter the first light path to obtain visible light to be processed. The second filter 123 is used to filter the second light path to obtain non-visible light to be processed. The first image sensor 124 is used to output a visible light signal based on the visible light to be processed. The second image sensor 125 is used to output a non-visible light signal based on the non-visible light to be processed. That is, the first image sensor 124 is a visible light image sensor, and the second image sensor 125 is a non-visible light image sensor.

[0073] The camera host 130 is configured to obtain a reflected light signal based on the visible light signal, and to obtain a fluorescent signal based on the visible light signal and the non-visible light signal. Because the visible light component of the fluorescent light is contained in the first light path, and the non-visible light component is contained in the second light path, a complete fluorescent signal can be obtained by combining the visible light signal and the non-visible light signal. The camera host 130 is also configured to generate visible light image data based on the reflected light signal, and generate fluorescent image data based on the fluorescent signal.

[0074] The display 140 is connected to the camera host 130 and is used to display at least one of the visible light image and the fluorescent image based on the visible light image data and the fluorescent image data. Specifically, the camera host 130 is connected to the display 140 via a video connection line and is used to send the endoscopic image to the display 140 for display.

[0075] When the target object contains at least two fluorescent dyes and the camera host separates the fluorescence signals corresponding to the at least two different fluorescent dyes, the display 140 can display the at least two fluorescent images in a superimposed or fused manner, with the different fluorescent images distinguished by different colors. Alternatively, the display 140 can display the at least two fluorescent images separately. The at least two fluorescent images can be displayed superimposed on the visible light image.

[0076] It should be noted that Figure 1 The endoscopic imaging system 100 is merely an example and does not limit the endoscopic imaging system 100. The endoscopic imaging system 100 may include Figure 1 More or fewer components, or combinations of certain components, or different components may be shown. For example, the endoscope system 100 may also include a dilator, a smoke control device, input and output devices, a network access device, etc.

[0077] In summary, the endoscopic imaging system 100 of the embodiment of the present invention uses a single light-emitting device to emit lasers of different wavelengths, which can excite different fluorescent dyes in a time-sharing or simultaneous manner, and makes the light source layout simple and highly reliable.

[0078] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a light source for an endoscopic imaging system, the light source comprising a laser light source, a visible light light source, and a light combiner, the laser light source being configured to output lasers of at least two different wavelengths, the lasers of different wavelengths being configured to excite different fluorescent dyes, the visible light source being configured to output visible light; the light combiner being configured to combine the laser light and the visible light into a composite light beam, and output the composite light beam to the endoscope;

[0079] In which, the laser light source is a single light-emitting device, which includes a single substrate and at least two laser chips arranged on the single substrate. The at least two laser chips are used to emit lasers of different bands. The single light-emitting device also includes a single light outlet and a single optical fiber. The lasers emitted by the at least two laser chips are output from the single light outlet to the single optical fiber.

[0080] In one embodiment, the single light-emitting device further includes a single power supply port, and the single power supply port is used to supply power to at least two laser chips.

[0081] In one embodiment, the light source further includes a collimator, which is disposed between the visible light source and the light combiner and is configured to collimate the visible light output by the visible light source and transmit the collimated visible light to the light combiner.

[0082] In one embodiment, the light source further includes a beam expander, which is disposed between the laser light source and the light combiner and is configured to expand the laser light output by the laser light source and transmit the expanded laser light to the light combiner.

[0083] In one embodiment, the laser light output by the laser light source includes laser light in the near-infrared band and / or the ultraviolet band.

[0084] In one embodiment, the light combiner includes a filter device, the wavelength band of the laser light is outside the transmission range of the filter device, and the filter device transmits visible light and reflects the laser light to combine the laser light and the visible light into a composite light beam.

[0085] In one embodiment, the laser light output by the laser light source includes laser light in the near-infrared band, and the optical filter device includes a low-pass filter device. For example, the wavelength of the laser light output by the laser light source is 780 nm and / or 660 nm, and the transmission range of the optical filter device is less than 650 nm.

[0086] In one embodiment, the laser light output by the laser light source includes laser light in the near-infrared band and laser light in the ultraviolet band, and the optical filter device includes a bandpass filter device. For example, the wavelength of the laser light output by the laser light source includes at least one of 780 nm and 660 nm, as well as 410 nm, and the optical filter device has a transmission range of 420 nm to 650 nm.

[0087] In one embodiment, the light combiner includes a filter, a dichroic mirror, or a light prism.

[0088] The light source of the present invention uses a single light-emitting device to emit lasers of different wavelengths, capable of time-sharing or simultaneous excitation of different fluorescent dyes. It has a simple layout and high reliability. For more specific details of this light source, please refer to the endoscopic imaging system 100 above and will not be repeated here.

[0089] Although example embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above example embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as claimed in the appended claims.

[0090] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professionals and technicians can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the present invention.

[0091] In the several embodiments provided herein, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods may be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of units is merely a logical functional division. In actual implementation, other division methods may be used. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be omitted or not implemented.

[0092] In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are described. However, it is understood that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques are not shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this description.

[0093] Similarly, it should be understood that in order to streamline the present invention and aid in understanding one or more of the various inventive aspects, in the description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the various features of the present invention are sometimes grouped together into a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof. However, this approach to the present invention should not be interpreted as reflecting the intention that the claimed invention requires more features than those explicitly recited in each claim. More precisely, as reflected in the corresponding claims, the inventive point is that the corresponding technical problem can be solved with fewer features than all the features of a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim itself serving as a separate embodiment of the present invention.

[0094] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, except where mutually exclusive, all features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) and all processes or units of any method or apparatus disclosed herein may be combined in any combination. Unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature providing the same, equivalent, or similar purpose.

[0095] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that although some embodiments herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not other features, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the present invention and to form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any of the claimed embodiments may be used in any combination.

[0096] The various component embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, or in software modules running on one or more processors, or in a combination thereof. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP) can be used in practice to implement some or all of the functions of some modules according to embodiments of the present invention. The present invention can also be implemented as a device program (e.g., a computer program and a computer program product) for executing a part or all of the methods described herein. Such a program implementing the present invention can be stored on a computer-readable medium, or can have the form of one or more signals. Such a signal can be downloaded from an Internet website, or provided on a carrier signal, or provided in any other form.

[0097] It should be noted that the above embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art may devise alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between brackets should not be construed as limiting the claims. The invention may be implemented by means of hardware comprising several different elements and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In a unit claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by the same item of hardware. The use of the words first, second, and third etc. does not indicate any order. These words may be interpreted as names.

[0098] The above is merely a description of specific embodiments of the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any modifications or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention are intended to be covered by the scope of protection of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention shall be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. An endoscopic imaging system, characterized in that: It includes a light source, an endoscope, a camera host and a display, among which, The light source includes a laser light source, a visible light light source, and a light combiner. The laser light source is used to output lasers of at least two different wavelengths, and the lasers of different wavelengths are used to excite different fluorescent dyes. The visible light source is used to output visible light. The light combiner is used to combine the laser light and the visible light into a composite light beam and output it to the endoscope. The endoscope comprises an insertion portion and an operating portion, wherein the insertion portion is used to be inserted into a part of a patient to be observed, and the endoscope is used to transmit the synthetic light beam to a target object containing at least one fluorescent dye, receive reflected light and fluorescence from the target object, and generate an electrical signal; The camera host is connected to the endoscope and is used to separate a reflected light signal and at least one fluorescent signal from the electrical signal, generate visible light image data based on the reflected light signal, and generate fluorescent image data based on the fluorescent signal; The display is connected to the camera host and is used to display at least one of a visible light image and a fluorescent image based on the visible light image data and the fluorescent image data; In which, the laser light source is a single light-emitting device, which includes a single substrate and at least two laser chips arranged on the single substrate. The at least two laser chips are used to emit lasers of different bands. The single light-emitting device also includes a single light outlet and a single optical fiber. The lasers emitted by the at least two laser chips are output from the single light outlet to the single optical fiber.

2. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein: The single light-emitting device further includes a single power supply port, which is used to supply power to the at least two laser chips.

3. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein: The light source further includes a collimator, which is disposed between the visible light source and the light combiner and is configured to collimate the visible light output by the visible light source and transmit the collimated visible light to the light combiner.

4. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The light source further includes a beam expander, which is disposed between the laser light source and the light combiner and is configured to expand the laser light output by the laser light source and transmit the expanded laser light to the light combiner.

5. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein: The laser light source outputs laser light in the near-infrared band and / or the ultraviolet band.

6. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein: The light combiner includes a filter device, the wavelength band of the laser is outside the transmission range of the filter device, and the filter device transmits the visible light and reflects the laser light to combine the laser light and the visible light into a composite light beam.

7. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 6, characterized in that The laser light output by the laser light source includes laser light in the near-infrared band, and the optical filter device includes a low-pass filter device.

8. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 7, wherein: The wavelength of the laser output by the laser light source is 780 nm and / or 660 nm, and the transmission range of the filter device is lower than 650 nm.

9. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 6, wherein: The laser light source outputs laser light in the near-infrared band and laser light in the ultraviolet band, and the optical filter device includes a band-pass filter device.

10. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 9, wherein: The wavelength of the laser output by the laser light source includes at least one of 780nm and 660nm, and 410nm; the transmission range of the filter device is 420nm to 650nm.

11. The endoscopic imaging system according to any one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that: The light combiner includes a filter, a dichroic mirror or a light prism.

12. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein: The camera host is further configured to send a power adjustment instruction for the laser light source for a target wavelength band of the at least two different wavelength bands; The laser light source is further configured to adjust the power of the laser light in the target wavelength band according to the power adjustment instruction.

13. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein: The endoscope comprises a beam splitter, a first optical filter, a second optical filter, a first image sensor, and a second image sensor, wherein: The optical splitter is used to split the reflected light and the fluorescent light from the optical transmission component into a first light path and a second light path, wherein the first light path includes the reflected light and the visible light component of the fluorescent light, and the second light path includes the non-visible light component of the fluorescent light; The first optical filter is used to filter the first light to obtain visible light to be processed; The second optical filter is used to filter the second light to obtain non-visible light to be processed; The first image sensor is configured to output a visible light signal based on the visible light to be processed; The second image sensor is configured to output a non-visible light signal based on the non-visible light to be processed; The camera host is used to obtain the reflected light signal based on the visible light signal, and to obtain the fluorescent signal based on the visible light signal and the non-visible light signal.

14. A light source for an endoscope imaging system, characterized in that: The light source includes a laser light source, a visible light light source, and a light combiner. The laser light source is used to output lasers of at least two different wavelengths, and the lasers of different wavelengths are used to excite different fluorescent dyes. The visible light source is used to output visible light. The light combiner is used to combine the laser light and the visible light into a composite light beam and output it to the endoscope. In which, the laser light source is a single light-emitting device, which includes a single substrate and at least two laser chips arranged on the single substrate. The at least two laser chips are used to emit lasers of different bands. The single light-emitting device also includes a single light outlet and a single optical fiber. The lasers emitted by the at least two laser chips are output from the single light outlet to the single optical fiber.

Images