Endoscope, image pickup device, and endoscope system

Abstract

The utility model provides endoscope, image acquisition device and endoscope system. The light guide interface of above -mentioned endoscope connects light source device, the eyepiece end interface of endoscope connects image acquisition device. Endoscope includes: first light guide piece, its proximal end is located in light guide interface for receiving the light from light source device, its distal end is used for emitting light to the part of being examined. Eyepiece, its proximal end is located in eyepiece end interface, is used for emitting the light returned from the part of being examined to the image collector in image acquisition device. Test light guide piece, setting between light guide interface and eyepiece end interface, receiving the light from light source device from light guide interface, emitting the light to the image collector in image acquisition device from eyepiece end interface. At the eyepiece end interface, the spacing of the cross section area of the light of eyepiece and test light guide piece emission is greater than the preset value. Above -mentioned endoscope can improve the calibration effect for light source device in endoscope system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of medical equipment calibration technology, and more specifically to an endoscope, an image acquisition device, and an endoscope system. Background Technology

[0002] Endoscopic systems typically use a light source that transmits light through a light guide to a rigid optical mirror for illumination. The illumination of the rigid mirror's working environment is entirely provided by the light transmitted from the light source; therefore, the stability of the transmitted light intensity is crucial for the imaging of the endoscopic system. The stability of the transmitted light intensity is primarily determined by light loss during transmission, and this light loss is not a fixed amount.

[0003] Because of the diverse causes of light loss, effective calibration of endoscopic systems is difficult. For example, overall light loss can include: light loss from the light-emitting device itself in the light source, light loss due to the relative displacement of the optical coupling structure, light loss due to transmission attenuation of the light guide, and light loss due to contamination of the optical interface end face. Current technologies often only address the light loss of the light-emitting device itself through power adjustment or image algorithm compensation. Even after adjustment, the effect cannot accurately calibrate the combined light loss caused by the aforementioned factors, resulting in unsatisfactory image quality. Therefore, how to more accurately calibrate the light loss of endoscopic systems is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0004] This utility model was proposed in view of the above problems. This utility model provides an endoscope, an image acquisition device, and an endoscope system.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, an endoscope is provided, wherein the endoscope's light guide interface is connected to a light source device, and the endoscope's eyepiece end interface is connected to an image acquisition device; the endoscope includes: a first light guide member, the proximal end of which is disposed at the light guide interface for receiving light from the light source device, and the distal end of which is used to emit light to the area to be inspected; an eyepiece, the proximal end of which is disposed at the eyepiece end interface for emitting light returning from the area to be inspected to an image acquisition device; and a test light guide member, disposed between the light guide interface and the eyepiece end interface, receiving light from the light source device from the light guide interface and emitting light from the eyepiece end interface to the image acquisition device; wherein, at the eyepiece end interface, the distance between the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted by the eyepiece and the test light guide member is greater than a preset value.

[0006] For example, the light guide used in the test is an optical fiber.

[0007] For example, the endoscope has a first through channel from the light guide interface to the eyepiece end interface for threading optical fibers.

[0008] For example, the test light guide is a reflective element whose reflective surface reflects the light received by the light guide interface to the image acquisition device.

[0009] For example, the endoscope is provided with a mounting base for fixing the reflective element.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, an image acquisition device is also provided. The image acquisition device is connected to the endoscope via an image acquisition interface, and the image acquisition device receives light from the endoscope. The image acquisition interface is provided with a light-blocking component that can switch between light-blocking states, which blocks or removes the blockage of the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece or the test light guide, so that the image acquisition device can receive or cancel receiving the light emitted from the eyepiece or the test light guide.

[0011] For example, the light-shielding component can be switched to the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece or the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide component, so as to block one of them and remove the blockage of the other; the image acquisition device is also provided with a driving device connected to the light-shielding component to drive the light-shielding component to move.

[0012] For example, the light-shielding component is divided into a first light-shielding area and a second light-shielding area, which respectively block or remove the blockage of the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece or the test light guide; the first light-shielding area and the second light-shielding area are respectively provided with electrochromic materials and are respectively connected to electrical control devices.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, an endoscope system is also provided, including the endoscope, the image acquisition device, the light source device, and the processor as described above; the light source device and the image acquisition device are both communicatively connected to the processor; the light source device is connected to the light guide of the endoscope; and the image acquisition interface of the image acquisition device is connected to the eyepiece end interface of the endoscope.

[0014] According to the above-described solution of this utility model embodiment, on the one hand, a test light guide can be set in the endoscope, so that the light emitted from the test light guide is the final result of the entire optical transmission circuit, which is the overall light loss of the endoscope system. Therefore, calibrating the light emitted from the light source device based on this endoscope can improve the calibration effect. In practical scenarios, the light source device is usually connected to an optical fiber through its own optical output interface, and the optical fiber is then connected to the light guide interface. In the above solution, the light emitted from the test light guide is obtained after at least the light loss of the above three optical output interface, optical fiber, and light guide interface. Compared with the solution of directly measuring the light output of the light source device, the calibration effect of the above solution of this utility model embodiment is better. On the other hand, since the test light guide can directly receive the light from the light source device and emit it to the image acquisition device, it is not affected by the vision of the inspected part in the eyepiece, thereby improving the calibration accuracy. On the other hand, since the distance between the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece and the test light guide is greater than the preset value, it is possible to avoid blocking the other component when blocking the eyepiece and the test light guide. It can also reduce the impact on the imaging of the other component when light leakage occurs after one of them is blocked. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this utility model will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of this utility model and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this utility model to explain the utility model and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components or steps.

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0017] Figure 2 A schematic block diagram of an image acquisition device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0018] Figure 3 A schematic block diagram of an endoscope system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0019] Figure 4 A schematic flowchart of a control method for an endoscope system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model more apparent, exemplary embodiments according to this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments of this utility model. It should be understood that this utility model is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. Based on the embodiments of this utility model described herein, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort should fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0021] In related technologies, the light intensity of an endoscope system (the intensity of visible light output after passing through the endoscope following the output of the light source device) is typically calibrated using the following two methods: Method 1: Directly connecting the camera (including the image acquisition unit) to the eyepiece (usually using an optical bayonet connection). The light transmission path includes the following parts: the endoscope objective, the endoscope tube (which typically contains multiple optical elements), and the endoscope eyepiece. Therefore, the content in the image acquired using this method is the subject on the objective side. Then, the brightness value of the light spot in the image can be determined using existing image processing algorithms. Finally, this brightness value is fed back to the light source device to adjust the light intensity output of the light source device. Method 2: Directly measuring the light intensity output by the light source device and calibrating directly based on the difference between the measurement result and the expected result. However, neither of these methods can accurately calibrate the light intensity of the endoscope system. Specifically, Method 1 acquires an image from one side of the objective lens, and the contents of this image directly affect the brightness value obtained based on the image; Method 2 samples only the light intensity emitted by the light source device, so it cannot effectively compensate for the overall light loss of the endoscope system.

[0022] To at least partially solve the above problems, this utility model embodiment provides an endoscope 110. In conjunction with... Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The light guide interface of the endoscope 110 is connected to a light source device, and the eyepiece end interface of the endoscope 110 is connected to an image acquisition device. The aforementioned light source device is used to provide light to illuminate the examined area or to perform parameter calibration. The examined area may be a part of the subject's body, such as an organ of interest to the user.

[0023] The aforementioned light source device can be used to provide light. For example, the light source device may include: a light-emitting device, a controller, etc. The aforementioned light-emitting device may be a light-emitting diode (or simply LED), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), etc. The user can use the aforementioned controller to activate the light-emitting device or adjust the light intensity of the light-emitting device.

[0024] The light guide interface can be an optical interface for connecting the endoscope 110 and the light source device, for example, it may include a light cone. The light source device can be connected to the light cone via a light guide to introduce light into the interior of the endoscope 110. The image acquisition device can be used to acquire endoscopic images of the examined area or test images for calibrating the light source device. The eyepiece end interface can be an optical bayonet for connecting the image acquisition device and the endoscope 110. This eyepiece end interface can be connected to another snap-fit ​​structure in the image acquisition device to fix the image acquisition device and the endoscope 110 relative to each other.

[0025] The endoscope 110 includes a first light guide 111, the proximal end of which is disposed at a light guide interface for receiving light from a light source device, and the distal end of which emits light to the area to be examined. The proximal end can be the end furthest from the subject, and the distal end can be the end closest to the subject. The first light guide 111 can be an optical fiber, a light guide column, a liquid light guide tube, etc., and developers can select a suitable light guide based on actual needs. In practical scenarios, after the endoscope 110 is inserted into the subject's body, light can be emitted to the area to be examined through the distal end of the first light guide 111. The illuminated area can then be observed through the eyepiece 112 of the endoscope 110, thereby assisting the user in observing or treating the area.

[0026] The endoscope 110 may also include an eyepiece 112, the proximal end of which is disposed at the eyepiece end interface for guiding light returning from the examined area to the image acquisition unit in the image acquisition device. Depending on the actual scenario, the image acquisition device can be tightly connected to the eyepiece end interface to avoid adverse effects of ambient light at the interface on the endoscopic image. Light emitted from the distal end of the first light guide 111, after illuminating the examined area, returns and passes through the eyepiece 112 to the image acquisition unit in the image acquisition device. The image acquisition device then forms an image based on this light.

[0027] The endoscope 110 may also include a test light guide 113, which is disposed between the light guide interface and the eyepiece end interface. It receives light from the light source device through the light guide interface and outputs light from the eyepiece end interface to the image acquisition unit in the image acquisition device. Specifically, the light guide interface is connected to the first light guide 111 and the test light guide 113. On one hand, the first light guide 111 can output light to the area under inspection, allowing the user to observe or process the area under inspection when the light source device has been calibrated. On the other hand, the test light guide 113 can output light to the image acquisition unit to obtain a test image representing the brightness of the light output from the light source device, which can then be used to calibrate the light source device.

[0028] At the eyepiece end interface, the distance between the cross-sectional areas of the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 and the test light guide 113 is greater than a preset value. Here, the cross-sectional area of ​​the emitted light can be understood as the area illuminated by the light on a plane perpendicular to the direction of light emission. In practical scenarios, the cross-sectional areas of the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 and the light emitted from the test light guide 113 are different and do not intersect. By setting the distance between them to be greater than the preset value, their mutual influence can be reduced. Specifically, in the case of blocking the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 during calibration, if the distance is less than the preset value, or if the blocking device is too large or inaccurately positioned, it may cause the blocking to also block part of the light emitted from the test light guide 113, which may lead to poor calibration results when calibrating the light source device based on this part of the light. In cases where the light emitted from the test light guide 113 is blocked after calibration, if the spacing is less than a preset value, or if the blocking device is too large or inaccurately positioned, the blocking may also block part of the light emitted from the eyepiece 112, potentially leading to poor imaging of the inspected area based on this portion of light. The specific value of the preset value is not limited in this embodiment; it can be that the other component is not blocked while one of the eyepiece 112 or the test light guide 113 is blocked. The specific value of the preset value can be determined based on the size and installation accuracy of the blocking device. A reasonable value helps reduce the requirements for device selection and installation accuracy, thus reducing costs. Furthermore, a spacing greater than the preset value also helps reduce the impact on imaging of the other component when light leakage occurs after one of the eyepiece 112 or the test light guide 113 is blocked.

[0029] It is understood that the endoscope 110 in this utility model may also include related devices in endoscopes in the related art, such as light cones, color rings, etc., and the embodiments of this utility model are not limited here.

[0030] According to the above-described solution of this utility model embodiment, on the one hand, a test light guide can be set in the endoscope, so that the light emitted from the test light guide is the final result of the entire optical transmission circuit, which is the overall light loss of the endoscope system. Therefore, calibrating the light emitted from the light source device based on this endoscope can improve the calibration effect. In practical scenarios, the light source device is usually connected to an optical fiber through its own optical output interface, and the optical fiber is then connected to the light guide interface. In the above solution, the light emitted from the test light guide is obtained after at least the light loss of the above three optical output interface, optical fiber, and light guide interface. Compared with the solution of directly measuring the light output of the light source device, the calibration effect of the above solution of this utility model embodiment is better. On the other hand, since the test light guide can directly receive the light from the light source device and emit it to the image acquisition device, it is not affected by the degree of reflection of the inspected part in the eyepiece, thereby improving the calibration accuracy. On the other hand, since the distance between the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece and the test light guide is greater than the preset value, it is possible to avoid blocking the other component when blocking the eyepiece and the test light guide. It can also reduce the impact on the imaging of the other component when light leakage occurs after one of them is blocked.

[0031] For example, the test light guide 113 may be an optical fiber.

[0032] Compared to the light guide column and liquid light guide tube mentioned above, optical fiber is more flexible, can be bent, takes up less space, can be adapted to a variety of endoscope structures, and is also more durable.

[0033] For example, the endoscope 110 has a first through-channel from the light guide interface to the eyepiece end interface for threading an optical fiber. This first channel separates the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 from the light emitted from the optical fiber, reducing the possibility of mutual interference between the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 and the optical fiber before they reach the image acquisition unit. This solution, on the one hand, helps reduce the influence of the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 on the light source device during calibration; on the other hand, it helps reduce the influence of the light emitted from the test light guide 113 on the observation of the inspected area after calibration.

[0034] For example, the test light guide 113 is a reflective element whose reflective surface reflects the light received by the light guide interface to the image acquisition device. This reflective element can be used to change the propagation direction of the light received by the light guide interface so that it can be incident on the image acquisition device. For example, the reflective element can be a prism, a coated mirror, etc. Compared to the light transmission media such as optical fibers, light guide pillars, and liquid light guides used above, reflective elements can reduce light loss during transmission, which is beneficial to improving the calibration effect of the light source device.

[0035] For example, the endoscope 110 is provided with a mounting base for fixing a reflective element. For instance, the reflective element may include a reflective portion for reflecting light and a fixing portion for cooperating with the mounting base to fix the reflective element. The mounting base and the fixing portion can be detachably connected to the reflective element by means of snap-fit, threaded connection, or other methods. This solution allows the reflective element to be fixed with the mounting base, thereby improving the convenience of adjusting the position or angle of the reflective element.

[0036] This utility model embodiment also provides an image acquisition device 140, combined with... Figure 2 , Figure 2 A schematic block diagram of an image acquisition device 140 according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown. The image acquisition device 140 can be connected to the endoscope 110 in any of the embodiments described above via an image acquisition interface, and the image acquisition unit 141 receives light from the endoscope 110. Specifically, the image acquisition interface can be detachably connected to the eyepiece end interface of the endoscope 110, so that the image acquisition device 140 and the endoscope 110 are relatively fixed. On one hand, when calibrating the light source device, the image acquisition unit 141 can receive light emitted from the test light guide 113 in the endoscope 110 to obtain a test image. This test image can be used to calibrate the light source device. On the other hand, after calibration, the image acquisition unit 141 can receive light emitted from the eyepiece 112 in the endoscope 110 to obtain an endoscopic image. This endoscopic image may include the examined area for the user to observe or process.

[0037] The image acquisition interface is equipped with a switchable light-blocking component 142 to block or remove the blockage of the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 or the test light guide 113, thereby allowing the image acquisition unit 141 to receive or de-receive the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 or the test light guide 113. Specifically, during calibration of the light source device, the light-blocking component 142 can be used to block the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112, while the blockage of the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide 113 can be removed. After calibration, the light-blocking component 142 can be used to block the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide 113, while the blockage of the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 can be removed. It is understood that the same or different light-blocking components 142 can be used to block the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 or the test light guide 113. The aforementioned light-shielding component 142 may be a component with light-shielding capabilities, for example, its material may be opaque.

[0038] According to the above-described solution of this utility model embodiment, a light-shielding component with switchable light-shielding state can be used in conjunction with the endoscope mentioned above to allow the image acquisition device to receive or deselect light emitted from the eyepiece or the test light guide. On the one hand, during calibration, the influence of light emitted from the eyepiece on the test image can be reduced, which is beneficial to improving the calibration effect of the light source device. On the other hand, after calibration, the influence of light emitted from the test light guide on the endoscope image can be reduced, which is beneficial to improving the imaging effect of the inspected part.

[0039] For example, the light-shielding member 142 can be switched to the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 or the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide member 113, thereby blocking one of them and removing the blockage from the other. The image acquisition device 140 is also provided with a driving device connected to the light-shielding member 142 to drive the light-shielding member 142 to move. The driving device can be fixed relative to the light-shielding member 142, and can drive the light-shielding member 142 to move after being manually controlled by the user (e.g., via a button) or automatically controlled by the processor in the endoscope system. Specifically, for example, when calibrating the light source device, the light-shielding member 142 can be driven to move by the driving device so that the light-shielding member 142 blocks the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112, while removing the blockage from the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide member 113. After calibration, the light-shielding member 142 can be moved by a driving device to block the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide 113, while removing the blockage from the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112. This scheme allows for dynamic switching of the blocking state between the cross-sectional areas of the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 and the test light guide 113 by moving the light-shielding member 142 via a driving device.

[0040] For example, the light-shielding member 142 is divided into a first light-shielding area and a second light-shielding area, which respectively block or remove the blockage of the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 or the test light guide member 113. The first light-shielding area and the second light-shielding area are respectively provided with electrochromic materials and are respectively connected to electrical control devices.

[0041] Specifically, in this example, the position of the light-shielding member 142 can be fixed. The first light-shielding area is used to block or remove the blockage of the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112. The second light-shielding area is used to block or remove the blockage of the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide member 113. In one example, the default color of the electrochromic material can be opaque black to block the cross-sectional area. After the electrochromic material is energized by the electrical control, the color of the electrochromic material can be transparent to remove the blockage of the cross-sectional area. It is understood that the first light-shielding area and the second light-shielding area can also be connected to different electrical controls, and this embodiment of the present invention does not limit this. The electrical control is used to control the electrochromic material to start or stop being energized, and the specific type of control is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] According to the above-described solution of this utility model embodiment, a first and a second light-shielding area, both provided with electrochromic material, can be used to block or remove the blockage of the cross-sectional area through an electronic control. Compared with the solution using a driving device described above, the above solution has a lower space occupancy rate for the image acquisition device, can be adapted to different image acquisition device structures, reduces the overall size of the image acquisition device, and has lower maintenance costs, which is beneficial to reducing the calibration costs of the light source device.

[0043] This utility model embodiment also provides an endoscope system 100, combined with Figure 3 , Figure 3 A schematic block diagram of an endoscope system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The endoscope system 100 includes an endoscope 110 as described in any of the above embodiments, an image acquisition device 140 as described in any of the embodiments, a light source device 120, and a processor 150. The processor 150 can be used to calibrate the light source device 120 based on the test images described above. The processor 150 can also be used to send endoscopic images, including the examined area, to the display of the endoscope system 100 for user visualization.

[0044] The light source device 120 and the image acquisition device 140 are both communicatively connected to the processor 150.

[0045] The light source device 120 is connected to the light guide of the endoscope 110. In one example, the light source device 120 can be connected to an optical fiber via its own light output interface, and the optical fiber can be connected to the light guide interface of the endoscope 110 to realize the light guide connection between the light source device 120 and the endoscope 110.

[0046] The image acquisition interface of the image acquisition device 140 is connected to the eyepiece end interface of the endoscope 110. Specifically, the image acquisition interface can be detachably connected to the eyepiece end interface of the endoscope 110 so that the image acquisition device 140 and the endoscope 110 are relatively fixed.

[0047] The processor 150 is used to receive test images sent by the image acquisition device 140 in order to adjust the light emitted from the light source device 120. The test image is an image acquired by the image acquisition device 140 with the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece of the endoscope 110 blocked and the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide 113 of the endoscope 110 unblocked.

[0048] Specifically, for example, when the light source device 120 needs to be calibrated, the processor 150 can control the light-shielding member 142 to block the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112, and control the light-shielding member 142 to remove the blockage of the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide 113, so that the image acquisition unit 141 can receive the light emitted from the test light guide 113 and obtain a test image. After calibrating the light source device 120, the processor 150 can control the light-shielding member 142 to block the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide 113, and control the light-shielding member 142 to remove the blockage of the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112, so that the image acquisition unit 141 can receive the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 and obtain an endoscopic image. In a specific example, the processor 150 can also adjust the blocking state of the light-shielding member 142 by controlling the driving device and electrical control mentioned above; this will not be elaborated further in this embodiment.

[0049] According to the above-described solution provided by the embodiments of this utility model, the light source device can be effectively calibrated by using the endoscope, image acquisition device, light source device, and processor in the endoscopic system in a coordinated manner. On one hand, through the coordinated use of the light-shielding component in the image acquisition device and the test light guide component in the endoscope, the calibration effect of the light source device in this endoscopic system is good. On the other hand, the above-described endoscopic system can be used to acquire endoscopic images after calibration to adapt to conventional observation scenarios.

[0050] This utility model embodiment also provides a control method for an endoscope system, combined with Figure 4 , Figure 4 A schematic flowchart of a control method for an endoscope system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The control method is applied to the endoscope system 100 of any of the above embodiments, and the control method includes steps S210 to S230.

[0051] In step S210, the control light source device 120 emits light based on the light power setting value.

[0052] The aforementioned optical power setting value can be a value related to the required output optical power previously set by the light source device 120. For example, it can be represented by a light intensity value, optical power value, brightness value, etc. (the specific value can be determined according to the actual needs of the developer or user). Alternatively, it can be represented by the voltage or current value of the light-emitting device within the light source device 120. Specifically, for example, the aforementioned voltage or current value can correspond to any one of the light intensity value, optical power value, brightness value, etc., and through this correspondence, any one of the real-time light intensity value, optical power value, brightness value, etc., can be obtained based on the real-time measured voltage or current value.

[0053] In step S220, the light-blocking component 142 is adjusted to block the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide component 113 is removed. The image acquisition device 141 then acquires the light emitted from the test light guide component 113 to obtain a test image.

[0054] For example, the blocking state of the light-shielding member 142 can be adjusted by controlling the electrical control or driving device mentioned above. For details, please refer to the above. The embodiments of this utility model will not be described in detail here.

[0055] In step S230, the optical power measurement value of the light transmitted by the test light guide 113 is determined based on the test image, and the optical power setting value is adjusted based on the difference between the optical power measurement value and the optical power expectation value to adjust the light emitted by the light source device 120 until the difference between the optical power measurement value and the optical power expectation value is less than or equal to the preset difference.

[0056] The aforementioned optical power measurement value can be determined using image processing algorithms. Specifically, for the test image, a value related to optical power can be determined as the optical power measurement value. For example, the light intensity value, optical power value, and brightness value mentioned above (the specific value can be determined according to the actual needs of the developers or users). The specific determination process will not be elaborated here. In one example, the test image can also be input into the trained detection model to determine the optical power measurement value corresponding to the test image. The specific architecture of the above detection model is not limited here; for example, it can be a convolutional neural network architecture, a recurrent neural network architecture, etc. The above trained detection model can be obtained based on the training image and the actual optical power value corresponding to the training image. The training image may include an image acquired for the test light guide 113 or an image acquired for other light sources. The above actual optical power value can be a value obtained by actual measurement using optical instruments in related technologies or by a preset algorithm. An untrained detection model can generate a predicted measurement value corresponding to the training image based on the image features of the training image. The difference between the predicted measurement value corresponding to the training image and the actual optical power value corresponding to the training image can be used as part of the loss value of the detection model. The trained detection model can be obtained by iteratively training with multiple training images.

[0057] Once the optical power measurement value is obtained, it can be compared with the expected optical power value corresponding to the light source device 120 to determine the degree of adjustment of the optical power measurement value. For example, if the optical power measurement value is lower than the expected optical power value, the optical power setting value can be increased. The specific adjustment process can refer to common methods such as feedback control, feedforward control, and PID control in the prior art. In practical scenarios, the aforementioned optical power setting value can be an optically relevant parameter for the light source device 120. Ideally, this optical power setting value is a value related to the actual optical power output of the light source device 120. However, in reality, for the light source device 120, damage to the light-emitting device, heat loss of the light-emitting device, etc., may cause the actual optical power output of the light source device 120 to be lower than the optical power setting value. The aforementioned expected optical power value can be an expected value related to the optical power of the test light guide 113. The output light of the light source device 120 is transmitted to the test light guide 113 and the first light guide 111 respectively; therefore, the incident light of the test light guide 113 is a part of the output light. Therefore, the desired optical power value can be determined based on the output ratio of the incident light and the output light (e.g., light intensity ratio, optical power ratio, etc.). For example, the output ratio can be directly multiplied by a reference optical power setting value (e.g., the factory-set optical power setting value, which has not yet been adjusted by the relevant steps in step S230) to obtain the desired optical power value. Alternatively, the desired optical power value can be determined based on the output ratio in a non-linear manner (e.g., by pre-establishing a correspondence between the combination of the output ratio and the optical power setting value and the desired optical power value). It can be understood that the desired optical power value can be a fixed value during a single calibration process, serving as a calibration reference.

[0058] It is understood that the specific value of the preset difference mentioned above can be determined by the developers or users according to the actual situation, and this utility model embodiment does not impose any restrictions here.

[0059] According to the above-described scheme of this utility model embodiment, the light source device can be controlled to emit light based on a set optical power value. Then, the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece is adjusted by the light-shielding component, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide is removed. An image acquisition device then collects the light emitted from the test light guide to obtain a test image. Finally, based on the test image, the measured optical power value of the light transmitted by the test light guide is determined, and the optical power setting value is adjusted based on the difference between the measured optical power value and the expected optical power value to adjust the light emitted by the light source device until the difference between the measured optical power value and the expected optical power value is less than or equal to a preset difference. In the above scheme, the measured optical power value determined by the test light guide is the final result of the entire optical transmission loop, thus considering the overall light loss of the endoscope system and improving the calibration effect of the light source device. Furthermore, the above scheme uses a light-shielding component, making the test image independent of the light emitted from the eyepiece. This ensures that tissues or organs at the far end of the eyepiece's field of view will not affect the measured optical power value, thereby improving the representativeness of the determined measured optical power value and also improving the calibration effect of the light source device.

[0060] For example, the above control method may further include: before the image acquisition unit 141 acquires the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 to obtain an endoscope image, adjusting the light shield 142 to block the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide 113, and removing the cross-sectional area blocking the light emitted from the eyepiece 112.

[0061] Specifically, for example, before acquiring endoscopic images, the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide 113 can be adjusted by controlling the electrical control or driving device mentioned above, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 can be removed. For details, please refer to the above description; the specific embodiments of this utility model will not be repeated here. The above solution can avoid the visual impact of the light emitted from the test light guide 113 on the examined area when acquiring endoscopic images, thus improving the visual effect of the endoscopic images.

[0062] For example, the control method described above may further include: determining the desired optical power value based on the optical power setpoint and the area ratio.

[0063] The area ratio is the ratio of the area of ​​the light-incident surface of the light guide 113 to the area of ​​the light guide interface. The area ratio can be positively correlated with the expected optical power. In one example, the optical power setting value can be multiplied by the area ratio, and the resulting product can be used as the expected optical power value. In another example, the product can also be multiplied by a preset coefficient or added to a preset bias value (which can be positive or negative) to obtain an expected optical power value that better matches the actual scenario. The specific method depends on the actual needs of the developers or users, and this embodiment of the present invention does not impose any limitations. In yet another example, the expected optical power value can also be determined in a non-linear manner. For example, a correspondence between the combined value of the area ratio and the optical power setting value and the expected optical power value can be established in advance, so that the expected optical power value corresponding to the above correspondence can be determined based on the current optical power setting value and the area ratio.

[0064] According to the above-described solution of the present invention, a more representative expected value of optical power can be determined based on the optical power setting value and the area ratio, thereby improving the calibration effect of the light source device.

[0065] For example, the above control method further includes: under the condition of satisfying a first preset condition, adjusting the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 by the light-blocking member 142, removing the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide member 113, and having the image acquisition unit 141 acquire the light emitted from the test light guide member 113 to obtain a test image. The first preset condition includes at least one of the following: the duration for which the light power setting value remains unchanged is greater than a duration threshold; the difference between the detected temperature of the light source device 120 and the temperature preset value is less than a temperature difference threshold; the duration for which the endoscope 110 has not been used reaches a first preset duration; the current operating parameters of the light source device 120 have changed; and the operating time since power-on reaches a second preset duration.

[0066] In practical scenarios, when it is necessary to calibrate the light source device 120, the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 can be adjusted by the light shield 142, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide 113 can be removed.

[0067] If the duration for which the optical power setting remains unchanged is greater than a duration threshold, and / or the difference between the detected temperature of the light source device 120 and the preset temperature value is less than a temperature difference threshold, then the light loss of the light-emitting device in the light source device 120 can be considered to have reached a fixed loss. Since this light loss varies with the temperature of the light-emitting device, acquiring test images when the light loss has reached a fixed loss can reduce the influence of the light-emitting device temperature on the adjusted optical power setting, thereby reducing the probability that the light emitted by the light source device may fail to reach the expected optical power value after a period of time. Specifically, in the scheme of comparing the aforementioned duration with the duration threshold, a clock module can be set in the light source device 120 or the processor 150 to time the aforementioned duration. In the scheme of comparing the aforementioned difference with the temperature difference threshold, a temperature sensor can be installed in the light source device 120 to measure the aforementioned temperature. The preset temperature value can be the normal temperature of the light-emitting device in its operating state. Specifically, for example, the temperature sensor can be installed on the back of the plate containing the light-emitting device in the light source device 120 to directly detect the temperature of the light-emitting device; alternatively, the temperature sensor can be installed at a corresponding location inside the light source device 120 to measure the ambient temperature of the environment where the light-emitting device is located. In this case, the preset temperature value can be the normal ambient temperature of the light-emitting device during operation. The specific values ​​of the duration threshold, the preset temperature value, and the temperature difference threshold can be determined according to the actual needs of the developers or users, and this embodiment of the present invention does not impose any limitations.

[0068] If the endoscope 110 is detected to have been unused for a period of time equal to a first preset duration, the light source device 120 can be calibrated to better suit the current working environment. Subsequent times when the user needs to use the endoscope 110, the calibrated light source device 120 can be used directly, improving the efficiency of observation and processing of the examined area. Specifically, for example, the position sensor within the endoscope 110 can determine whether the endoscope 110 is unused. In practical scenarios, when the endoscope 110 is not secured with medical auxiliary instruments, its position may slightly change during the observation process of the examined area. However, when the endoscope 110 has been removed from the subject's body, it is typically placed on a fixed platform, so its position usually remains unchanged. The pose sensor described above can be used to determine whether the pose of the endoscope 110 remains unchanged within a first preset time period. If it remains unchanged, it can be considered that the endoscope 110 has left the subject's body. In this case, calibrating the endoscope system 100 will not affect the user's observation process for the subject. When using medical auxiliary instruments to fix the endoscope 110, functions related to the first preset time period can be temporarily disabled to avoid accidentally enabling the calibration process. Whether medical auxiliary instruments are used to fix the endoscope 110 can be manually notified by the user in the processor 150 (e.g., using a switch), or the processor 150 can attempt to send an access request for the medical auxiliary instruments. If the access request is not responded to, it can be considered that medical auxiliary instruments are not currently used to fix the endoscope 110, and the above functions can be enabled. For example, the presence of the endoscope 110 on the platform can also be determined by using a camera in the operating room combined with a target detection algorithm. The aforementioned camera can be used to record user operations on the subject. If, in the images captured by the camera, the area where the endoscope 110 is located is determined using a target detection algorithm, and the position of this area remains unchanged across multiple frames for a duration equal to a first preset duration, then the endoscope 110 can be considered unused and the calibration process can proceed. The specific value of the aforementioned first preset duration can be determined according to the actual needs of the developers or users, and this embodiment of the present invention does not impose any limitations on it.

[0069] If the current operating parameters of the light source device 120 have changed, a calibration process can be performed on the light source device 120. For example, the operating parameters of the light source device 120 (which may be related to the light output) may correspond to light source levels. Under different light source levels, the light-emitting elements activated by the light source device 120 and the light intensity of the light-emitting elements may be different. The user can select the above-mentioned light source level (for example, the processor 150 mentioned above may be located in a host computer, which includes a display screen for interaction with the user and can also display test images, endoscope images, etc.) to adjust the light output of the light source device 120. For example, the light source level can be used to indicate the level of light output intensity, such as high, medium, low, etc. As another example, the light source level can be used to indicate the percentage of light output intensity, such as 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, etc. The specific settings may vary depending on the model of the light source device 120, and this embodiment of the present invention does not impose any limitations on this. If the current operating parameters of the light source device 120 change, the light source device 120 can be calibrated so that it can be better adapted to the current working environment after calibration, thereby improving the illumination effect on the inspected part.

[0070] If the working time after power-on reaches the second preset time, the overall light loss of the endoscope system 100 may change due to the longer working time. For example, poor contact may occur at the light guide interface or eyepiece end interface, or damage may occur to the light-emitting device in the light source device 120. Therefore, the light source device 120 can be calibrated to better suit the current working environment. Subsequently, when the user needs to use the endoscope, they can directly use the calibrated light source device 120 to improve the observation and processing efficiency of the examined area. The specific value of the aforementioned second preset time can be determined according to the actual needs of the developers or users, and this embodiment of the present invention does not impose any limitations.

[0071] For example, step S210, controlling the light source device 120 to emit light based on the light power setting value, may include: controlling the light source device 120 to emit light based on the light power setting value corresponding to the current light source level.

[0072] In practical scenarios, the light-emitting elements activated by the light source device and the light intensity of the light-emitting elements can be different for different light source levels, and thus the light power setting value corresponding to different light source levels can be different. The above solution allows the endoscope system 100 to be adapted to scenarios where the light source device 120 supports the use of multiple light source levels.

[0073] For example, the above control method may further include: when the light power setting value corresponding to the current light source level is adjusted, switching to the next light source level, and re-executing step S230 for the light source level, determining the light power measurement value of the light transmitted by the test light guide 113 based on the test image, and adjusting the light power setting value based on the difference between the light power measurement value and the light power expectation value to adjust the light emitted by the light source device 120 until the difference between the light power measurement value and the light power expectation value is less than or equal to a preset difference.

[0074] It is understood that when performing step S230 for the next light source setting, the light-blocking member 142 may be in a state where it blocks the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece 112 and removes the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide member 113. The aforementioned next light source setting may be a setting that has not yet been calibrated, or it may be a light source setting that meets the first preset condition and is to be recalibrated.

[0075] In practical scenarios, after the light source device 120 is powered on, a calibration process can be performed for different light source levels. This allows the user to directly use the calibrated light power setting through the light source device 120 to achieve the desired lighting effect when observing or processing the inspected area and switching the current light source level. In another scenario, if the first preset condition is met, the relevant steps of step S230 can be repeated sequentially for each light source level. This embodiment of the present invention will not be elaborated upon here.

[0076] According to the above-described solution of this utility model embodiment, each light source level of the light source device can be calibrated so that if the user needs to switch light source levels during the observation or processing of the inspected part, the current light source level after switching can also achieve the lighting effect expected by the user, which is beneficial to improving the observation or processing effect of the inspected part.

[0077] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the directional terms such as "front", "rear", "up", "down", "left", "right", "horizontal", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", and "bottom" indicate the orientation or positional relationship, which are usually based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this utility model. The directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours of each component itself.

[0078] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "over," "on the upper surface of," and "above" are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship between one or more components or features shown in the figures and other components or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms include not only the orientation of the component as depicted in the figures but also different orientations during use or operation. For example, if the components in the figures are inverted as a whole, "above" or "above other components or features" will include cases where the component is "below" or "under" other components or features. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." Furthermore, these components or features may also be positioned at other different angles (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other angles), and this document intends to include all such cases.

[0079] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, parts, components, and / or combinations thereof.

Claims

1. An endoscope, wherein the light guide interface of the endoscope is connected to a light source device, and the eyepiece end interface of the endoscope is connected to an image acquisition device; characterized in that, The endoscope includes: The first light guide has its proximal end disposed at the light guide interface for receiving light from the light source device, and its distal end for emitting light to the inspected part. An eyepiece, the proximal end of which is disposed at the eyepiece end interface, is used to emit light returning from the inspected area to the image acquisition unit in the image acquisition device; A test light guide is disposed between the light guide interface and the eyepiece end interface. It receives light from the light source device through the light guide interface and emits light from the eyepiece end interface to the image acquisition unit in the image acquisition device. Specifically, at the eyepiece end interface, the distance between the eyepiece and the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide is greater than a preset value.

2. The endoscope as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The test light guide is an optical fiber.

3. The endoscope as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The endoscope has a first through channel from the light guide interface to the eyepiece end interface for threading the optical fiber.

4. The endoscope as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The test light guide is a reflective element, and its reflective surface reflects the light received by the light guide interface to the image acquisition device.

5. The endoscope as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The endoscope is provided with a mounting base for fixing the reflective element.

6. An image acquisition device, characterized in that, The image acquisition device is connected to the endoscope as described in any one of claims 1 to 5 via an image acquisition interface, and the image acquisition device receives light from the endoscope. The image acquisition interface is equipped with a light-blocking device that can switch between light-blocking states, which blocks or removes the blockage of the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece or the test light guide, so that the image acquisition device can receive or de-receive the light emitted from the eyepiece or the test light guide.

7. The image acquisition device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The light-shielding component can be switched to the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece or the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the test light guide component, so as to block one of them and remove the blockage of the other; the image acquisition device is also provided with a driving device connected to the light-shielding component to drive the light-shielding component to move.

8. The image acquisition device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The light-shielding component is divided into a first light-shielding area and a second light-shielding area, which respectively block or remove the blockage of the cross-sectional area of ​​the light emitted from the eyepiece or the test light guide; the first light-shielding area and the second light-shielding area are respectively provided with electrochromic materials and are respectively connected to electrical control components.

9. An endoscope system, characterized in that, Includes the endoscope as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, the image acquisition device, the light source device, and the processor as described in any one of claims 6 to 8; Both the light source device and the image acquisition device are communicatively connected to the processor. The light source device is connected to the light guide of the endoscope; The image acquisition interface of the image acquisition device is connected to the eyepiece end interface of the endoscope.

Images