Endoscope system and control method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to an endoscope system and a control method thereof, the endoscope system comprising a handle and an insertion part, a gravity acceleration sensor, a first audio emitting device and a second audio emitting device, a first audio receiver and a second audio receiver, and a controller, the insertion part having a shooting device; the gravity acceleration sensor is arranged in the handle, and the gravity acceleration sensor has a first sensitive axis consistent with the direction of gravity, and a second sensitive axis and a third sensitive axis respectively orthogonal to the first sensitive axis, the second sensitive axis and the third sensitive axis are orthogonal, and the second sensitive axis is the same as the shooting direction of the shooting device; the first audio emitting device is arranged on one side of the handle, and the second audio emitting device is arranged on the first sensitive axis of the handle and is spaced apart from the handle, and is used for emitting ultrasonic waves.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to an endoscope system and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] In medical endoscopic surgery, especially during the operation of rigid endoscopes (such as laparoscopes and arthroscopes), surgeons often need to hold the endoscope handle in different postures depending on the surgical approach and operating habits, causing the endoscope lens to rotate around its optical axis. This rotation is transmitted to the display monitor, causing the surgical image to rotate accordingly, making it difficult for the surgeon to position themselves spatially and coordinate their hand-eye movements, and increasing surgical risks.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, some existing rigid endoscope systems offer image rotation correction functionality. When this function is enabled, regardless of the surgeon's grip on the endoscope, the surgical image displayed on the monitor automatically maintains a preset 0° rotation direction (i.e., horizontal), thereby reducing the surgeon's workload and improving surgical safety and convenience.

[0004] Currently, the aforementioned image rotation correction function generally employs a three-axis accelerometer to calculate the attitude of the endoscope handle. Specifically, by measuring the components of gravitational acceleration along the three axes of the sensor coordinate system, the arctangent formula is used to calculate the rotation angle of the endoscope around its lens direction (i.e., the roll angle), thereby compensating for the reverse rotation of the acquired image. This approach has advantages such as low cost, simple implementation, and no cumulative error, and has already been applied in some endoscope systems.

[0005] However, attitude calculation schemes based on triaxial accelerometers have inherent theoretical flaws. When the pitch angle of the endoscope (i.e., the angle between the lens direction and the horizontal plane) is close to ±90°, the gravitational acceleration vector falls almost entirely on the Y-axis (lens direction) of the accelerometer, while the gravitational components on the X and Z axes approach zero, resulting in a "gimbal lock" phenomenon. In this state, any rotation around the lens direction cannot cause an effective change in the gravitational components on the X and Z axes, causing the system to fail to correctly calculate the roll angle, and the image rotation correction function to lose accuracy or even completely fail.

[0006] The above content is only used to help understand the technical solution of the present invention and does not represent an admission that the above content is prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The main objective of this invention is to provide an endoscope system and its control method, which aims to solve the aforementioned technical problems in the prior art.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an endoscope system comprising: A handle and an insertion part, wherein the insertion part has a shooting device; A gravity acceleration sensor is disposed inside the handle, and the gravity acceleration sensor has a first sensitive axis aligned with the direction of gravity, and a second sensitive axis and a third sensitive axis orthogonal to the first sensitive axis, the second sensitive axis and the third sensitive axis being orthogonal, and the second sensitive axis being the same as the shooting direction of the shooting device; A first audio transmitter and a second audio transmitter, the first audio transmitter being located on one side of the handle and the second audio transmitter being located on the first sensitive axis of the handle and spaced apart from the handle, are used to emit ultrasonic waves; The first audio receiver and the second audio receiver are respectively located on the same axis parallel to the third sensitive axis and symmetrically distributed on the handle, for receiving ultrasonic waves emitted by the first audio transmitter and the second audio transmitter respectively; The controller is electrically connected to the gravity acceleration sensor, the first audio receiver, the second audio receiver, the first audio transmitter, and the second audio transmitter, respectively. The controller is configured to: The system controls the first and second audio transmitters to emit ultrasonic waves with identifiable characteristics, and the first and second audio receivers to receive the ultrasonic waves. The rotation angle and direction of the handle are calculated based on the time difference between the reception of the corresponding ultrasonic waves by the first and second audio receivers. Receive the triaxial acceleration values ​​detected by the gravity acceleration sensor and calculate the pitch angle; The final roll angle is determined based on the calculated pitch angle, rotation angle, and direction.

[0009] Preferably, in the endoscopic system, determining the final roll angle based on the calculated pitch angle and rotation angle and direction includes: Based on the calculated pitch angle, the roll angle or rotation angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor is dynamically selected as the final roll angle. or, Based on the calculated pitch angle, the weights of the roll angle and rotation angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor are dynamically determined; The final roll angle is obtained by weighting and fusing the roll angle and rotation angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor.

[0010] Preferably, in the endoscopic system, the step of dynamically selecting the roll angle or rotation angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor as the final roll angle based on the calculated pitch angle includes: When the absolute value of the pitch angle is less than the preset angle value, the roll angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor is used as the final roll angle; When the absolute value of the pitch angle is greater than or equal to the preset angle value, the calculated rotation angle is used as the final roll angle.

[0011] Preferably, in the endoscope system, the weights of the roll angle and rotation angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor are dynamically determined based on the calculated pitch angle, and the calculation formula is as follows: ; Where w is the weight of the rotation angle; 1-w represents the weight of the roll angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor; The pitch angle.

[0012] Preferably, in the endoscope system, calculating the rotation angle and direction of the handle based on the time difference between the reception of corresponding ultrasonic waves by the first and second audio receivers includes: The first propagation time of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the first audio transmitter and received by the first audio receiver is obtained, and the second propagation time of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the second audio transmitter and received by the second audio receiver is obtained. Calculate the second change between the second propagation duration and the preset second initial propagation duration; The rotation angle and direction of the handle are calculated based on the first propagation duration and the second change amount.

[0013] Preferably, in the endoscope system, calculating the rotation angle and direction of the handle based on the first propagation duration and the second change includes: Based on the propagation speed of ultrasound in the current medium, calculate the first distance and the second distance change corresponding to the first propagation time and the second change, respectively. The rotation angle of the handle is calculated based on the first distance, the distance between the first audio transmitter and the handle axis, and the distance between the first audio receiver and the handle axis. The direction of rotation is determined based on the sign of the second distance change.

[0014] Preferably, in the endoscope system, the first audio transmitter is located on the left side of the handle, and the second audio transmitter is located on the right side of the handle; Accordingly, determining the rotation direction based on the sign of the second distance change includes: When the change in the second distance is greater than 0, the direction of rotation is clockwise. When the change in the second distance is less than 0, the direction of rotation is counterclockwise.

[0015] Preferably, in the endoscope system, in the step of calculating the second change between the second propagation time and the preset second initial propagation time, the second initial propagation time is the propagation time of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the second audio transmitter when the handle is in a zero-rotation posture or in the initial state.

[0016] Preferably, in the endoscope system, controlling the first and second audio transmitting devices to emit ultrasonic waves with identifiable characteristics includes: The first audio transmitter and the second audio transmitter are controlled to emit ultrasonic waves with identifiable characteristics simultaneously or at different times.

[0017] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a control method for an endoscope system, characterized in that it includes: The system controls the first and second audio transmitters to emit ultrasonic waves with identifiable characteristics, and the first and second audio receivers to receive the ultrasonic waves. The first audio transmitter is located on one side of the handle, and the second audio transmitter is located on the first sensitive axis of the handle and spaced apart from the handle, for emitting ultrasonic waves. The first and second audio receivers are respectively located on the same axis parallel to the third sensitive axis and symmetrically distributed on the handle, for receiving the ultrasonic waves emitted by the first and second audio transmitters, respectively. The third sensitive axis is orthogonal to the direction of gravity and the shooting direction of the shooting device inside the handle. The rotation angle and direction of the handle are calculated based on the time difference between the reception of the corresponding ultrasonic waves by the first and second audio receivers. Receive the triaxial acceleration values ​​detected by the gravity acceleration sensor and calculate the pitch angle; The final roll angle is determined based on the calculated pitch angle, rotation angle, and direction.

[0018] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: This invention controls a first and a second audio transmitter to emit ultrasonic waves with identifiable characteristics, and a first and a second audio receiver to receive these ultrasonic waves. Based on the time difference between the received ultrasonic waves, the rotation angle and direction of the handle are calculated. The pitch angle is calculated by receiving the triaxial acceleration values ​​detected by the gravity accelerometer. The final roll angle is determined based on the calculated pitch angle, rotation angle, and direction. This avoids the gimbal lock problem that occurs in traditional attitude calculations when the gravity accelerometer's pitch angle is 90°. It also completely solves the problem of abnormal rotation correction at certain angles, greatly improving the ease of use for doctors and enhancing competitiveness with similar products.

[0019] Furthermore, this invention uses sound waves for attitude calculation, completely solving the gimbal lock problem of the gravity acceleration sensor at a 90° pitch angle; in addition, the use of high-precision sensors and corresponding efficient algorithms can greatly improve the accuracy of the calculation results.

[0020] Furthermore, by using sound waves for attitude calculation and combining it with the existing gravity acceleration sensor for fused attitude calculation, the accuracy can be further improved with minimal impact on the original structure and no significant increase in volume. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the endoscope system provided by the present invention in its first state. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the endoscope system provided by the present invention in the second state. Figure 3 A flowchart of the control method for the endoscope system provided by the present invention in the first embodiment; Figure 4 A flowchart of the control method for the endoscope system provided by the present invention in a second embodiment; Figure 5 A flowchart of the control method for the endoscope system provided by the present invention in the third embodiment; Figure 6 A graph showing the rotation angle of the endoscope system provided by the present invention in relation to the distance between the receiver and the transmitter; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the endoscope system provided by the present invention switching from a first state to a second state.

[0022] 1-Handle, 21-First audio transmitter, 22-Second audio transmitter, 31-First audio receiver, 32-Second audio receiver, 4-Gravity acceleration sensor.

[0023] The objectives, features, and advantages of this invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0025] In this embodiment of the invention, the term "and / or" describes the relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following associated objects have an "or" relationship.

[0026] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0027] In this embodiment of the invention, the term "multiple" refers to two or more, and other quantifiers are similar.

[0028] In this invention, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "top," and "bottom" are generally used in relation to the direction shown in the accompanying drawings, or in relation to the vertical, orthogonal, or gravitational direction of the component itself; similarly, for ease of understanding and description, "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours of each component itself, but the above directional terms are not intended to limit this invention.

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art will understand that many technical details are presented in the embodiments of the present invention to facilitate a better understanding of the invention. However, the technical solutions claimed in the present invention can be implemented even without these technical details and various variations and modifications based on the following embodiments. The division of the following embodiments is for ease of description and should not constitute any limitation on the specific implementation of the present invention. The various embodiments can be combined with and referenced by each other without contradiction.

[0030] This invention provides an endoscope system, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the endoscope system includes a handle 1 and an insertion part, a gravity acceleration sensor 4, a first audio transmitter 21 and a second audio transmitter 22, a first audio receiver 31 and a second audio receiver 32, and a controller.

[0031] The insertion part has an imaging device. Typically, the imaging device is located at the front end of the insertion part and is used to acquire images in real time. In some embodiments, the imaging device is a CMOS sensor.

[0032] A gravity acceleration sensor 4 is disposed within the handle 1, and the gravity acceleration sensor 4 has a first sensitive axis aligned with the direction of gravity, and a second and third sensitive axes orthogonal to the first sensitive axis, respectively. The second and third sensitive axes are orthogonal, and the second sensitive axis is in the same shooting direction as the shooting device. It should be noted that the first, second, and third sensitive axes are orthogonal to each other. The first, second, and third sensitive axes are the Z-axis, Y-axis, and X-axis, respectively. The first sensitive axis of the gravity acceleration sensor 4 is aligned with the direction of gravity and is used to directly sense the projection component of the gravity vector on this axis. The second sensitive axis of the gravity acceleration sensor 4 is in the same shooting direction as the shooting device, i.e., parallel to the axial direction of the insertion part, and is used to sense the component of the gravity vector along the shooting direction. The third sensitive axis of the gravity acceleration sensor 4 is orthogonal to both the first and second sensitive axes, and its direction is consistent with the transverse direction of the shooting device. When the endoscope handle 1 rolls (i.e. rotates around the second sensitive axis), the components of the gravity vector on the first and third sensitive axes will change according to a sine / cosine law, so the roll angle can be solved; when the endoscope handle 1 pitches (i.e. rotates around the third sensitive axis), the gravity vector will transfer from the first sensitive axis to the second sensitive axis.

[0033] A first audio transmitter 21 is disposed on one side of the handle 1, and a second audio transmitter 22 is disposed on the first sensitive axis of the handle 1 and spaced apart from the handle 1, for emitting ultrasonic waves. Specifically, during installation, the first audio transmitter 21 can be fixedly mounted on a bracket or positioning frame near the operating table, at the same horizontal height as the handle 1. The second audio transmitter 22 can be disposed directly above or directly below the handle 1. The first audio transmitter 21 and the second audio transmitter 22 can emit ultrasonic pulses or continuous waves with identifiable characteristics for reception by the first audio receiver 31 and the second audio receiver 32.

[0034] The first audio receiver 31 and the second audio receiver 32 are respectively located on the same axis parallel to the third sensitive axis and symmetrically distributed on the handle 1, for receiving ultrasonic waves emitted by the first audio transmitter 21 and the second audio transmitter 22, respectively. The first audio transmitter 21, the first audio receiver 31, and the second audio receiver 32 are located on the same axis parallel to the third sensitive axis. In some embodiments, the first audio receiver 31 and the first audio transmitter 21 are located on the same side of the handle 1.

[0035] The controller is electrically connected to the gravity acceleration sensor 4, the first audio receiver 31 and the second audio receiver 32, the first audio transmitter 21 and the second audio transmitter 22, respectively.

[0036] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a control method for an endoscope system in a first embodiment is shown. This method can use... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The illustrated endoscope system is used to perform the procedure. Of course, this is specifically executed through the endoscope system's controller. Alternatively, it can be executed using other computer devices.

[0037] Step S1000 controls the first audio transmitter 21 and the second audio transmitter 22 to emit ultrasonic waves with identifiable characteristics, and the first audio receiver 31 and the second audio receiver 32 to receive the ultrasonic waves. Specifically, an ultrasonic drive signal with identifiable characteristics can be generated according to a preset timing and frequency (e.g., 40kHz). These identifiable characteristics may include a specific frequency, pulse-coded sequence, or duration to distinguish them from ambient noise. The first audio transmitter 21 and the second audio transmitter 22 emit the ultrasonic waves simultaneously or at different times. If the first audio transmitter 21 and the second audio transmitter 22 use time-division multiplexing, the time offset between the two emission times must be accurately recorded. When the first audio receiver 31 detects the ultrasonic wave characteristics emitted by the first audio transmitter 21, it records the reception time; when the second audio receiver 32 detects the ultrasonic wave characteristics emitted by the second audio transmitter 22, it records the corresponding reception time. Additionally, the received signal can be filtered, amplified, and subjected to correlation decoding to verify the correctness of the ultrasonic wave source and characteristics, thereby obtaining reliable propagation time data.

[0038] In a specific implementation, the first audio transmitting device 21 and the second audio transmitting device 22 are controlled to simultaneously or at different times transmit ultrasonic waves with identifiable characteristics.

[0039] Step S2000: Calculate the rotation angle and direction of the handle 1 based on the time difference between the reception of the corresponding ultrasonic waves by the first audio receiver 31 and the second audio receiver 32.

[0040] It should be noted that, since the first audio transmitter 21 and the second audio transmitter 22 are symmetrically fixed on both sides of the handle 1, and are collinear with the two audio receivers on the handle 1 and parallel to the third sensitive axis, when the handle 1 rotates around the second sensitive axis (shooting direction), the straight-line distance between the receivers on both sides and their respective transmitters will show opposite trends: the distance on one side will shorten, and the distance on the other side will increase by the same amount.

[0041] Initially, the distance between the first audio transmitter 21 and the first audio receiver 31 is d. 10 The distance between the second audio transmitter 22 and the second audio receiver 32 is d. 20 After rotating by an angle θ, the distance between the first audio transmitter 21 and the first audio receiver 31 becomes d. 10 +△d1, the distance between the second audio transmitter 22 and the second audio receiver 32 becomes d. 20 ±△d2.

[0042] The rotation angle θ can be determined based on the initial distance between the central axis of the first audio transmitter 21 and the handle 1 (e.g., ...). Figure 7 The spacing between reference numerals 21 and 4), and the spacing between the first audio transmitter 21 and the central axis of the handle 1 after rotation angle θ (e.g., Figure 7 The distance between the first audio transmitter 21 (labeled 21' and 4) and the first distance between the first audio transmitter 21 in the initial state and the position of the first audio transmitter 21 after rotation angle θ (labeled 21' in the figure) are used to calculate the rotation angle θ using the law of cosines. When the distance between the second audio transmitter 22 and the second audio receiver 32 decreases, it means that the endoscope handle 1 rotates towards the second audio transmitter 22 on the side where the second audio receiver 32 is located; conversely, when the distance between the second audio transmitter 22 and the second audio receiver 32 increases, it means that the endoscope handle 1 rotates away from the second audio transmitter 22 on the side where the second audio receiver 32 is located.

[0043] Step S3000 receives the triaxial acceleration values ​​detected by the gravity acceleration sensor 4 and calculates the pitch angle. It should be noted that the gravity acceleration sensor 4 measures the projection components of the gravity vector onto the three orthogonal axes of the sensor coordinate system. Since the Z-axis (first sensitive axis) of the gravity acceleration sensor 4 is aligned with the direction of gravity, the Y-axis (second sensitive axis) is aligned with the imaging direction, and the X-axis (third sensitive axis) is perpendicular to the Y and Z axes, forming a right-handed coordinate system, when the endoscope undergoes pitch motion (i.e., rotation around the X-axis), the gravity vector will be redistributed between the Y and Z axes, while the projection on the X-axis remains unchanged (zero or a constant value, depending on the roll angle).

[0044] Step S4000 determines the final roll angle based on the calculated pitch angle, rotation angle, and direction. It should be noted that when the absolute value of the endoscope's pitch angle is small, the projection components of the gravity vector on the X and Z axes are significant. In this case, the roll angle calculated from the triaxial acceleration values ​​detected by the gravity acceleration sensor 4 has a high signal-to-noise ratio and good accuracy, and there is no directional ambiguity. When the pitch angle approaches ±90°, the gravity vector almost completely coincides with the Y-axis. At this point, the change in geometric distance between the first audio transmitter 21, the second audio transmitter 22, the first audio receiver 31, and the second audio receiver 32 can accurately reflect the true rotation of the handle 1 around the shooting direction. Therefore, determining the final roll angle based on the calculated pitch angle, rotation angle, and direction is more accurate.

[0045] Specifically, in some embodiments, step S4000 may include step S4100, which dynamically selects the roll angle or rotation angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor as the final roll angle based on the calculated pitch angle.

[0046] In some other embodiments, step S4000 may also include steps S4200 and S4300. Step S4200 dynamically determines the weights of the roll angle and rotation angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor based on the calculated pitch angle; step S4300 obtains the final roll angle by weighted fusion based on the determined weights of the roll angle and rotation angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor.

[0047] More specifically, step S4100 includes steps S4110 and S4120.

[0048] Step S4110: When the absolute value of the pitch angle is less than a preset angle value, the roll angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor 4 is taken as the final roll angle. The calculation formulas for each weight are as follows: ; Where w is the weight of the rotation angle; 1-w represents the weight of the roll angle calculated by gravity acceleration sensor 4; The pitch angle.

[0049] When the pitch angle approaches ±90°, the gravity accelerometer 4 fails due to gimbal lock, while the acoustic positioning method remains accurate. To avoid abrupt changes in roll angle at a single threshold (e.g., 85°), the formula linearly increases the weight within the 80° to 90° range, ensuring a smooth transition between the two methods and guaranteeing the continuity and stability of image rotation correction. The transition range of 80° to 90° is 10° wide and can be adjusted according to the system noise level (e.g., changed to 75° to 85°).

[0050] Step S4120: When the absolute value of the pitch angle is greater than or equal to the preset angle value, the calculated rotation angle is used as the final roll angle.

[0051] It should be noted that steps S4110 and S4120 are not necessarily sequential; step S4110 can come first, followed by step S4120, or vice versa. The preset angle value is a threshold close to ±90°, which is the threshold for determining whether the gimbal lock area is approaching. In some embodiments, the preset angle value can be, but is limited to, 85°. When the pitch angle exceeds 85°, Ax and Az approach zero, and the ratio of the roll angle θroll = arctan2(Ax, Az) calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor 4 is highly susceptible to noise interference, making the roll angle calculation unreliable. Therefore, a switch to the acoustic scheme is necessary. Here, Ax and Az are the gravity acceleration components measured by the gravity acceleration sensor 4 along the third sensitive axis (X-axis) and the first sensitive axis (Z-axis), respectively.

[0052] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the control method for the endoscope system in a second embodiment is shown. Step S2000 includes steps S2100 to S2300.

[0053] Step S2100: Obtain the first propagation time of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the first audio transmitter 21 and the second propagation time of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the second audio transmitter 22 received by the first audio receiver 31.

[0054] It should be noted that the previously stored transmission times of the first audio transmitter 21 and the second audio transmitter 22 are read (if the first audio transmitter 21 and the second audio transmitter 22 transmit simultaneously, they share the same transmission time t0; if they transmit at different times, the transmission times t01 of the first audio transmitter 21 and t02 of the second audio transmitter 22 are recorded separately). Then, according to the times when the first audio receiver 31 and the second audio receiver 32 receive the corresponding ultrasonic waves, the reception time of the first audio receiver 31 is t1, and the reception time of the second audio receiver 32 is t2. The first propagation time of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the first audio transmitter 21 received by the first audio receiver 31 is t1-t01, and the second propagation time of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the second audio transmitter 22 received by the second audio receiver 32 is t2-t02. Usually, to ensure measurement accuracy, the propagation time can be measured multiple times consecutively and then averaged or filtered using median filtering to eliminate random noise and external interference.

[0055] Step S2200 calculates the second change between the second propagation duration and the preset second initial propagation duration. It should be noted that the preset first initial propagation duration and the preset second initial propagation duration in this invention are measured according to step S2100 when the endoscope is in its initial zero-rotation posture in the initial state. Specifically, the first initial propagation duration and the second initial propagation duration are the propagation durations of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the corresponding audio transmitting devices received by the first audio receiver 31 and the second audio receiver 32 when the handle 1 is in its zero-rotation posture or in the initial state.

[0056] In the initial state, Figure 7 The distance between reference numerals 21 and 31 can be calculated using the first initial propagation time. When the handle 1 is rotated, the change in distance between the second audio receiver 32 and the second audio transmitter 22 is negative (the propagation time is shortened, and the distance between the second audio receiver 32 and the second audio transmitter 22 is closer), while the change on the other side is positive (the propagation time is extended, and the distance between the second audio receiver 32 and the second audio transmitter 22 is farther).

[0057] Step S2300: Calculate the rotation angle and direction of the handle 1 based on the first propagation duration and the second change amount.

[0058] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the control method for the endoscope system in the third embodiment is shown. Step S2300 includes steps S2310 to S2330.

[0059] Step S2310 calculates the first distance and the second distance change corresponding to the first propagation duration and the second change, respectively, based on the propagation speed of the ultrasonic wave in the current medium. It should be noted that since the propagation speed of ultrasonic waves in a uniform medium (such as air) is constant, the corresponding first distance and second distance change can be obtained by multiplying the first propagation duration and the second change by the speed of the ultrasonic wave in the propagation medium, respectively.

[0060] Step S2320 calculates the rotation angle of the handle 1 based on the first distance, the distance between the first audio transmitter and the axis of the handle 1, and the distance between the first audio receiver 31 and the axis of the handle 1.

[0061] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, Figure 7The solid line represents the initial state, and the dashed line represents the state after rotation by an angle θ. The distance from label 21 to label 31' is the first distance, denoted as d1; the distance from label 21 to label 4 is the distance between the axis of the first audio transmitter 21 and the handle 1, denoted as a; the distance from label 4 to label 31' is the distance between the axis of the first audio receiver 31 and the handle 1, denoted as b. The rotation angle θ can be calculated using the law of cosines.

[0062] .

[0063] Step S2330 determines the rotation direction based on the sign of the second distance change.

[0064] It should be noted that the direction of rotation depends on whether the handle 1 rotates towards or away from the second audio transmitter 222. Taking an example where the second audio transmitter 22 is fixed above the handle 1, and the first audio receiver 31 is located on the left side of the handle 1: When the handle 1 rotates clockwise (from the doctor's perspective, the top of the handle 1 turns to the right), the second audio receiver 32 moves away from the second audio transmitter 22, causing Δd2 > 0 (the change in the second distance increases). Conversely, when the handle 1 rotates counterclockwise, Δd2 < 0. Therefore, the direction of rotation is uniquely determined by the combination of signs of Δd2: if Δd2 > 0, it is clockwise; if Δd2 < 0, it is counterclockwise.

[0065] More specifically, when the first audio transmitter 21 is located on the left side of the handle 1 and the second audio transmitter 22 is located on the right side of the handle 1, the step of determining the rotation direction based on the sign of the second distance change includes: when the second distance change is greater than 0, the rotation direction is clockwise; when the second distance change is less than 0, the rotation direction is counterclockwise.

[0066] The present invention also provides a control method for an endoscope system, the control method comprising steps S5100 to S5400.

[0067] Step S5100 controls the first audio transmitter 21 and the second audio transmitter 22 to emit ultrasonic waves with identifiable features, and the first audio receiver 31 and the second audio receiver 32 to receive the ultrasonic waves. The first audio transmitter 21 is located on one side of the handle 1, and the second audio transmitter 22 is located on the first sensitive axis of the handle 1 and spaced apart from the handle 1, for emitting ultrasonic waves. The first audio receiver 31 and the second audio receiver 32 are respectively located on the same axis parallel to the third sensitive axis and symmetrically distributed on the handle 1, for receiving the ultrasonic waves emitted by the first audio transmitter 21 and the second audio transmitter 22, respectively. The third sensitive axis is orthogonal to the direction of gravity and the shooting direction of the shooting device inside the handle 1.

[0068] Step S5200: Calculate the rotation angle and direction of the handle 1 based on the time difference between the reception of the corresponding ultrasonic waves by the first audio receiver 31 and the second audio receiver 32.

[0069] Step S5300 receives the triaxial acceleration values ​​detected by the gravity acceleration sensor 4 and calculates the pitch angle.

[0070] Step S5400 determines the final roll angle based on the calculated pitch angle, rotation angle, and direction.

[0071] The embodiments and beneficial effects of steps S5100 to S5400 can be referred to steps S1000 to S4000 above. They will not be repeated here.

[0072] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An endoscope system, characterized in that, include: A handle and an insertion part, wherein the insertion part has a shooting device; A gravity acceleration sensor is disposed inside the handle, and the gravity acceleration sensor has a first sensitive axis aligned with the direction of gravity, and a second sensitive axis and a third sensitive axis orthogonal to the first sensitive axis, the second sensitive axis and the third sensitive axis being orthogonal, and the second sensitive axis being the same as the shooting direction of the shooting device; A first audio transmitter and a second audio transmitter, the first audio transmitter being located on one side of the handle and the second audio transmitter being located on the first sensitive axis of the handle and spaced apart from the handle, are used to emit ultrasonic waves; The first audio receiver and the second audio receiver are respectively located on the same axis parallel to the third sensitive axis and symmetrically distributed on the handle, for receiving ultrasonic waves emitted by the first audio transmitter and the second audio transmitter respectively; The controller is electrically connected to the gravity acceleration sensor, the first audio receiver, the second audio receiver, the first audio transmitter, and the second audio transmitter, respectively. The controller is configured to: The system controls the first and second audio transmitters to emit ultrasonic waves with identifiable characteristics, and the first and second audio receivers to receive the ultrasonic waves. The rotation angle and direction of the handle are calculated based on the time difference between the reception of the corresponding ultrasonic waves by the first and second audio receivers. Receive the triaxial acceleration values ​​detected by the gravity acceleration sensor and calculate the pitch angle; The final roll angle is determined based on the calculated pitch angle, rotation angle, and direction.

2. The endoscope system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the final roll angle based on the calculated pitch angle, rotation angle, and direction includes: Based on the calculated pitch angle, the roll angle or rotation angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor is dynamically selected as the final roll angle. or, Based on the calculated pitch angle, the weights of the roll angle and rotation angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor are dynamically determined; The final roll angle is obtained by weighting and fusing the roll angle and rotation angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor.

3. The endoscope system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The step of dynamically selecting the roll angle or rotation angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor as the final roll angle based on the calculated pitch angle includes: When the absolute value of the pitch angle is less than the preset angle value, the roll angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor is used as the final roll angle; When the absolute value of the pitch angle is greater than or equal to the preset angle value, the calculated rotation angle is used as the final roll angle.

4. The endoscope system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The weights of the roll angle and rotation angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor are dynamically determined based on the calculated pitch angle. The calculation formula is as follows: ； Where w is the weight of the rotation angle; 1-w represents the weight of the roll angle calculated by the gravity acceleration sensor; The pitch angle.

5. The endoscope system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of calculating the rotation angle and direction of the handle based on the time difference between the reception of the corresponding ultrasonic waves by the first and second audio receivers includes: The first propagation time of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the first audio transmitter and received by the first audio receiver is obtained, and the second propagation time of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the second audio transmitter and received by the second audio receiver is obtained. Calculate the second change between the second propagation duration and the preset second initial propagation duration; The rotation angle and direction of the handle are calculated based on the first propagation duration and the second change amount.

6. The endoscopic system as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The step of calculating the rotation angle and direction of the handle based on the first propagation duration and the second change includes: Based on the propagation speed of ultrasound in the current medium, calculate the first distance and the second distance change corresponding to the first propagation time and the second change, respectively. The rotation angle of the handle is calculated based on the first distance, the distance between the first audio transmitter and the handle axis, and the distance between the first audio receiver and the handle axis. The direction of rotation is determined based on the sign of the second distance change.

7. The endoscopic system as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that, When the first audio transmitter is located on the left side of the handle, the second audio transmitter is located on the right side of the handle; Accordingly, determining the rotation direction based on the sign of the second distance change includes: When the change in the second distance is greater than 0, the direction of rotation is clockwise. When the change in the second distance is less than 0, the direction of rotation is counterclockwise.

8. The endoscope system as described in claim 5, characterized in that, In the step of calculating the second change between the second propagation duration and the preset second initial propagation duration, the second initial propagation duration is the propagation duration of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the second audio transmitter when the handle is in a zero-rotation posture or in the initial state.

9. The endoscope system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The control of the first and second audio transmitting devices to emit ultrasonic waves with identifiable characteristics includes: The first audio transmitter and the second audio transmitter are controlled to emit ultrasonic waves with identifiable characteristics simultaneously or at different times.

10. A control method for an endoscope system, characterized in that, include: The system controls the first and second audio transmitters to emit ultrasonic waves with identifiable characteristics, and the first and second audio receivers to receive the ultrasonic waves. The first audio transmitter is located on one side of the handle, and the second audio transmitter is located on the first sensitive axis of the handle and spaced apart from the handle, for emitting ultrasonic waves. The first and second audio receivers are respectively located on the same axis parallel to the third sensitive axis and symmetrically distributed on the handle, for receiving the ultrasonic waves emitted by the first and second audio transmitters, respectively. The third sensitive axis is orthogonal to the direction of gravity and the shooting direction of the shooting device inside the handle. The rotation angle and direction of the handle are calculated based on the time difference between the reception of the corresponding ultrasonic waves by the first and second audio receivers. Receive the triaxial acceleration values ​​detected by the gravity acceleration sensor and calculate the pitch angle; The final roll angle is determined based on the calculated pitch angle, rotation angle, and direction.

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