Medical examination system and chair unit

Abstract

To provide a medical examination system capable of avoiding contact between a patient and a plurality of imaging devices by utilizing the plurality of imaging devices.SOLUTION: The medical system 1 includes the medical care chair 21, the drive mechanism 22, the plurality of imaging devices 12, and the control device 14,24, and the control device 14,24 calculates the distance to the patient based on the plurality of images acquired by the plurality of imaging devices 12 when the plurality of imaging devices are imaging the patient sitting on the medical care chair, and executes the avoidance control for avoiding the contact between the patient and the plurality of imaging devices 12 when the distance is shorter than the threshold.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a medical system and a chair unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Medical practitioners may use equipment such as a microscope to observe the treatment area of ​​a patient. The practitioner must observe the treatment area while paying attention to prevent the equipment from coming into contact with the patient. As a system for preventing the equipment from coming into contact with the patient, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-253087 (Patent Document 1) describes a dental treatment system that includes a microscope equipped with an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag and a treatment table equipped with an RFID reader. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-253087 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The dental treatment system described in Patent Document 1 changes the distance between the microscope and the treatment table by raising and lowering the treatment table in response to the operator's operation instructions. When the dental treatment system detects that the microscope has entered a predetermined treatment area using an RFID tag and RFID reader, it invalidates the operation instructions to the treatment table. This prevents the patient on the treatment table from coming into contact with the microscope.

[0005] However, the dental treatment system described in Patent Document 1 requires sensors such as an RFID tag and an RFID reader in addition to the microscope to detect when the microscope enters a predetermined treatment area. As a result, the dental system described in Patent Document 1 has the problem of increasing the number of parts.

[0006] Recently, there has been proposed a device for taking three-dimensional images of a patient's treatment area. Such a device is equipped with a plurality of imaging devices for three-dimensional imaging.

[0007] The purpose of the present disclosure is to avoid contact between the patient and multiple imaging devices by utilizing multiple imaging devices when imaging a patient's treatment area using multiple imaging devices for 3D imaging. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The medical system disclosed herein comprises a medical chair, a drive mechanism for driving at least a portion of the medical chair vertically, a plurality of imaging devices for taking three-dimensional images of the treatment area of ​​a patient sitting in the medical chair, and a control device, and when the plurality of imaging devices are imaging the patient sitting in the medical chair, the control device calculates the distance to the patient based on the plurality of images acquired by the plurality of imaging devices, and when the distance is shorter than a threshold, performs avoidance control to avoid contact between the patient and the plurality of imaging devices.

[0009] The chair unit related to the present disclosure comprises a treatment chair, a drive mechanism for driving at least a portion of the treatment chair vertically, a communication circuit for communicating with a microscope, and a control device, wherein the microscope includes multiple imaging devices for taking three-dimensional images of the treatment area of ​​a patient sitting in the treatment chair, and when the multiple imaging devices are imaging the patient sitting in the treatment chair, the microscope calculates the distance to the patient based on multiple images acquired by the multiple imaging devices and transmits the calculated distance to the chair unit, and when the distance is shorter than a threshold, the control device performs avoidance control to avoid contact between the patient and the microscope. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present disclosure, when photographing a patient's treatment area using multiple imaging devices for 3D imaging, contact between the patient and the multiple imaging devices can be avoided by utilizing the multiple imaging devices. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a medical treatment system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a microscope and a chair unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a microscope. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the principle of stereoscopic viewing using a microscope. [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram for explaining the principle of calculating the distance to a subject using the parallax between two cameras. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart for explaining the processing content of a control device included in the microscope. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart for explaining the processing content of a control device included in a chair unit. [Figure 8] 10 is a timing chart for explaining a process for changing the magnification of the microscope when movement of the treatment chair is detected. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart for explaining a process for changing the magnification of the microscope when movement of the examination chair is detected. [Figure 10] 10 is a timing chart for explaining a first modification of the present embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an overview of a second modification of the present embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a comparative example to the specifications of the modified example 2. [Figure 13]10A and 10B are diagrams showing variations of a chair-mounted pole that can be employed as Modification 2. [Figure 14] 10 is a diagram for explaining the movement direction of the arm according to Modification 2. FIG. [Figure 15] 10 is a diagram for explaining the movement direction of the arm according to Modification 2. FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the reference position of the Z coordinate of the microscope for each variation of the chair-mounted pole. [Figure 17] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the method of measuring the facing distance for each variation of the chair-mounted pole. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a third modified example according to the present embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a plurality of processing patterns related to the control device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0013] <Overall structure> Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a medical treatment system 1 according to the present embodiment. The overall configuration of the medical treatment system 1 will be described using Fig. 1. Here, a medical treatment system 1 used for dental treatment will be given as an example of a medical treatment system. However, the medical treatment system according to the present disclosure can also be applied to treatment in other medical departments, such as surgery and dermatology, in addition to dental treatment.

[0014] The diagnostic system 1 according to this embodiment includes a microscope 10 and a chair unit 20. The microscope 10 and the chair unit 20 are connected to each other so that they can communicate with each other. For example, a controller area network (CAN) may be used as the communication protocol between the microscope 10 and the chair unit 20. The communication method between the microscope 10 and the chair unit 20 may be wired communication or wireless communication. The microscope 10 is supported by an arm 302 rotatably attached to a pole 301. The microscope 10 is a digital stereo microscope. The microscope 10 has the function of capturing three-dimensional images of a subject and allowing an observer to view the image of the subject in a stereoscopic view. The arm 302 may be attached to a support member extending from a ceiling or wall.

[0015] The microscope 10 includes a pair of objective units 12, a pair of eyepiece units 13, a pair of handles 102, and a housing 101. In FIG. 1, the microscope 10 is illustrated from an angle where only one of the pair of objective units 12, the pair of eyepiece units 13, and the pair of handles 102 is visible. Therefore, the other objective unit 12, the other eyepiece unit 13, and the other handle 102 are not shown in FIG. 1. The housing 101 is attached to the tip of an arm 302. The housing 101 houses the pair of objective units 12 and the pair of eyepiece units 13. The pair of handles 102 are provided on the housing 101.

[0016] The objective unit 12 includes an objective optical system such as an objective lens 1210, and the eyepiece unit includes an eyepiece optical system such as an eyepiece lens 1310. The portion of the objective unit 12 including the objective lens 1210 protrudes from the housing 101, for example, and is directed toward the subject. The portion of the eyepiece unit 13 including the eyepiece lens 1310 protrudes from the housing 101 and is directed toward the observer's pupil. Note that the microscope 10 may be designed so that the portion of the objective unit 12 including the objective lens 1210 does not protrude from the housing 101.

[0017] The microscope 10 captures a pair of subject images captured by a pair of objective units 12, and generates a pair of images for stereoscopic viewing. The pair of objective units 12 function as an imaging device (camera). An observer views the pair of images with both eyes through a pair of eyepiece units 13. At this time, the observer is provided with a three-dimensional image of the subject.

[0018] The observer is, for example, a surgeon. The subject is, for example, a patient. During dental treatment, the subject is the patient's oral cavity. The oral cavity includes teeth, periodontal tissue, tongue, and salivary glands. To observe the oral cavity, the surgeon moves the microscope 10 by holding the handle 102 and finely adjusts the observation range.

[0019] The chair unit 20 includes a treatment chair 21, a foot controller 23, and a base 29. A patient receives treatment from a surgeon on the treatment chair 21. A basin unit 27 is arranged around the treatment chair 21. The chair unit 20 may also include the basin unit 27. The basin unit 27 includes a cleaning unit 28. The cleaning unit 28 is equipped with a water tap and a saliva basin. The patient rinses the inside of the mouth using the cleaning unit 28. An instrument stand may be arranged around the treatment chair 21. The instrument stand may have a storage section for storing multiple types of instruments such as cutting tools and treatment instruments.

[0020] The examination chair 21 includes a seat 211, a backrest 212, and a headrest 213. The seat 211 is attached to a base 29. The base 29 has a mechanism for raising and lowering the seat 211. The backrest 212 is attached to the seat 211 so as to be tiltable relative to the seat 211. The headrest 213 is attached to the backrest 212 so as to be tiltable relative to the backrest 212.

[0021] The foot controller 23 has a plurality of pedals that are operated by the surgeon's feet. The plurality of pedals includes a pedal for driving the base 29, a pedal for driving the backrest 212, and a pedal for driving the headrest 213. The surgeon changes the posture of the examination chair 21 to an appropriate position by stepping on the plurality of pedals.

[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates a position in which the backrest 212 is approximately horizontal with respect to the seat 211, and the headrest 213 is approximately horizontal with respect to the backrest 212. For example, in the position shown in FIG. 1, the surgeon adjusts the height of the seat 211 so that the patient's oral cavity is close to the microscope 10, and then observes the inside of the patient's oral cavity. Hereinafter, the position of the examination chair 21 that is suitable for the surgeon to observe the inside of the patient's oral cavity will be referred to as the "observation position." In the "observation position," the patient is lying roughly supine in the examination chair 21.

[0023] The position of the examination chair 21 is determined by the height of the seat 211, the tilt angle of the backrest 212, and the tilt angle of the headrest 213. The observation position may include, for example, a position in which the relationship between the seat 211, the backrest 212, and the headrest 213 is as shown in Fig. 1, or may include a position in which the backrest 212 or the headrest 213 is slightly more upright than the position shown in Fig. 1.

[0024] An example of a position that can be contrasted with the observation position is a "temporary retraction position." The "temporary retraction position" includes, for example, a position suitable for a patient to rinse their mouth using the cleaning unit 28. Such a "temporary retraction position" may include, for example, a position in which the angle of inclination of the backrest 212 relative to the seat 211 is close to 90 degrees. In a position suitable for a patient to rinse their mouth using the cleaning unit 28, the height of the seat 211 is adjusted according to the sitting height of the patient.

[0025] Another position that can be contrasted with the observation position is the "introduction position." The "introduction position" includes, for example, a position suitable for guiding a patient into the examination chair 21. Such an "introduction position" may include, for example, a position in which the angle of inclination of the backrest 212 relative to the seat 211 is close to 90 degrees and the seat 211 is adjusted to its lowest height.

[0026] The examination chair 21 may have a configuration in which the position of at least one of the seat 211, the backrest 212, and the headrest 213 can be changed. The examination chair 21 may have the seat 211 but not the backrest 212 or the headrest 213. The examination chair 21 may have at least the seat 211 whose height is adjustable. In other words, the term "examination chair" in this disclosure may also include the concept of a so-called "examination table" which does not have a seating area.

[0027] The distance between the patient and the microscope 10 changes by changing any one of the height of the seat 211, the tilt angle of the backrest 212, and the tilt angle of the headrest 213. In other words, at least a portion of the treatment chair 21 is driven vertically by changing any one of the height of the seat 211, the tilt angle of the backrest 212, and the tilt angle of the headrest 213. In dental treatment, the microscope 10 is often positioned near the head of the patient whose oral cavity is the subject of treatment. The surgeon observes the oral cavity in detail from an observation position where the microscope 10 is positioned near the patient's oral cavity.

[0028] When raising the seat 211 in the observation position or when moving from the observation position to the temporary position, the surgeon must avoid the microscope 10 (especially the objective unit 12) coming into contact with the patient. To do this, it is necessary to monitor the distance between the microscope 10 and the patient. In this embodiment, we propose utilizing the three-dimensional image capturing function of the microscope 10 to monitor the distance between the microscope 10 and the patient. Before explaining the three-dimensional image capturing function, the configurations of the microscope 10 and the chair unit 20 will be explained using Figures 2 and 3.

[0029] <Hardware configuration> Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the microscope 10 and the chair unit 20. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of the microscope 10.

[0030] 2, the microscope 10 includes a pair of observation units 11a and 11b, a control device 14, and a communication circuit 16. Hereinafter, the observation units 11a and 11b will be collectively referred to as "observation units 11."

[0031] The control device 14 communicates with the chair unit 20 via a communication circuit 16. The control device 14 controls the observation unit 11.

[0032] The observation unit 11 includes an objective unit 12 and an eyepiece unit 13. The control device 14 controls the objective unit 12 and the eyepiece unit 13. The communication circuit 16 includes an isolation circuit 161. The isolation circuit 161 is configured using, for example, a photocoupler. The isolation circuit 161 electrically isolates the chair unit 20 from the control device 14 while communicatively connecting the chair unit 20 and the control device 14. This allows the chair unit 20 to be connected to the communication circuit 16 of the microscope 10 without considering the operating voltage of the communication circuit 16. As a result, various types of chair units 20 can be connected to the microscope 10.

[0033] The chair unit 20 includes a treatment chair 21, a drive mechanism 22, a foot controller 23, a control device 24, an alarm device 25, and a communication circuit 26. The control device 24 may be housed in a base 29 (see FIG. 1 ) or in a basin unit 27. The alarm device 25 may be a speaker or a display. The alarm device 25 may be provided in the base 29 or in the basin unit 27. The alarm device 25 may be provided in the microscope 10 instead of the chair unit 20.

[0034] The control device 24 communicates with the microscope 10 via a communication circuit 26. The control device 24 controls the drive mechanism 22 and the alarm device 25.

[0035] The drive mechanism 22 is disposed, for example, on a base 29 (see FIG. 1) of the treatment chair 21. The foot controller 23 includes a plurality of pedals that allow the surgeon to change the position of the treatment chair 21. As an example, pedals 231 to 233 are shown in FIG. 2.

[0036] The foot controller 23 outputs a pedal signal to the control device 24 according to the type of pedal that has been depressed, the depression position, etc. The control device 24 outputs a drive command according to the pedal signal to the drive mechanism 22. The drive command according to the pedal signal indicates the object to be driven (seat 211, backrest 212, and headrest 213) and the drive direction (upward or downward). The drive mechanism 22 drives the seat 211, backrest 212, and headrest 213 according to the drive command. The drive mechanism 22 includes a hydraulic motor 221 that generates hydraulic pressure, a hydraulic solenoid valve 222 that opens and closes a drive circuit according to the object to be driven, and a servo motor 223 that adjusts the drive speed. The foot controller 23 may also receive an operation to drive the microscope 10.

[0037] The control devices 14 and 24 include a central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), and read-only memory (ROM). The CPU executes operating programs stored in the ROM or the like. The ROM stores programs executed by the CPU and other data. The RAM serves as a working area for the CPU when it executes programs, temporarily storing programs and data required for program execution. The control devices 14 and 24 may be configured with at least one semiconductor integrated circuit such as a processor, at least one application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), at least one digital signal processor (DSP), at least one field programmable gate array (FPGA), and / or other circuits having a processing function. The control devices 14 and 24 may also be configured with processing circuitry.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 3, each of the pair of observation units 11 includes an objective unit 12 and an eyepiece unit 13. Hereinafter, the objective unit 12 provided in the observation unit 11a will be referred to as "objective unit 12a," and the objective unit 12 provided in the observation unit 11b will be referred to as "objective unit 12b." Similarly, hereafter, the eyepiece unit 13 provided in the observation unit 11a will be referred to as "eyepiece unit 13a," and the eyepiece unit 13 provided in the observation unit 11b will be referred to as "eyepiece unit 13b."

[0039] That is, "objective unit 12" is a general term for "objective units 12a and 12b," and "eyepiece unit 13" is a general term for "eyepiece units 13a and 13b."

[0040] The objective unit 12 includes an objective optical system 121 and an image sensor 122. The eyepiece unit 13 includes an eyepiece optical system 131 and a display element 132. Hereinafter, the objective optical system 121 provided in the objective unit 12a will be referred to as the "objective optical system 121a," the objective optical system 121 provided in the objective unit 12b will be referred to as the "objective optical system 121b," the image sensor 122 provided in the objective unit 12a will be referred to as the "image sensor 122a," and the image sensor 122 provided in the objective unit 12b will be referred to as the "image sensor 122b."

[0041] That is, "objective optical system 121" is a general term for "objective optical systems 121a and 121b," and "imaging element 122" is a general term for "imaging elements 122a and 122b."

[0042] Similarly, in the following, the eyepiece optical system 131 provided in the eyepiece unit 13a will be referred to as the "eyepiece optical system 131a," the eyepiece optical system 131 provided in the eyepiece unit 13b will be referred to as the "eyepiece optical system 131b," the display element 132 provided in the eyepiece unit 13a will be referred to as the "display element 132a," and the display element 132 provided in the eyepiece unit 13b will be referred to as the "display element 132b."

[0043] That is, "eyepiece optical system 131" is a general term for "eyepiece optical systems 131a and 131b," and "display element 132" is a general term for "display elements 132a and 132b."

[0044] The imaging element 122 is, for example, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. The display element 132 is, for example, a flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic electroluminescence (EL) display.

[0045] <Principles of stereoscopic vision and distance calculation> The principle of stereoscopic vision using the microscope 10 and the principle of distance calculation using the microscope 10 will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining the principle of stereoscopic vision using the microscope 10. Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining the principle of calculating the distance to a subject using the parallax between two cameras.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 4, the pair of objective units 12a, 12b are arranged so that a convergence angle is formed at the intersection of the optical axes passing through the centers of the objective lenses 1210, 1210. A subject is located at the intersection of the optical axes. FIG. 4 shows a patient lying on a medical chair 21 as an example of the subject. The pair of image sensors 122a, 122b capture the subject image captured by the objective lens 1210 and output image signals to the control device 14. A positional shift occurs between the image captured by the image sensor 122a and the image captured by the image sensor 122b according to the convergence angle. This positional shift corresponds to "parallax."

[0047] The control device 14 displays the image acquired by the imaging element 122a on the display element 132a (see FIG. 3), and displays the image acquired by the imaging element 122b on the display element 132b (see FIG. 3). As a result, a pair of images that create parallax are displayed on the display elements 132a and 132b. The observer observes the pair of images through the pair of eyepiece units 13a and 13b shown in FIG. 3. This allows the observer to see the subject in stereoscopic view.

[0048] The control device 14 calculates the distance to the subject using a pair of images captured by the image sensors 122a and 122b. The principle of calculating the distance to the subject will be explained using FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, it is assumed that a left camera and a right camera are installed at separate positions to capture an image of the subject. In this case, a parallax occurs between the image captured by the left camera and the image captured by the right camera. The distance to the subject can be obtained by calculating "(distance between the cameras × focal length of the cameras) / parallax" using the principle of triangulation.

[0049] The objective units 12a and 12b of the microscope 10 correspond to the left and right cameras (imaging devices) shown in Fig. 5. The control device 14 uses this principle to calculate the distance from the microscope 10 to the subject. As a result, the control device 14 can calculate the distance from the microscope 10 to the subject (a patient present in the examination chair 21).

[0050] The diagnostic system 1 prevents the microscope 10 from coming into contact with the patient based on the distance calculated by the microscope 10. In this manner, in this embodiment, the distance between the microscope 10 and the patient is monitored by utilizing the 3D image capturing function of the microscope 10. Hereinafter, the distance from the microscope 10 to the subject may be referred to as the "observation distance." The "observation distance" may also be the "working distance" from the objective lens 1210 to the subject.

[0051] <Method for controlling the drive of the dental chair 21> A method for controlling the drive of the examination chair 21 based on the observation distance will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0052] 6 is a flowchart for explaining the processing contents of the control device 14 included in the microscope 10. FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the processing contents of the control device 24 included in the chair unit 20.

[0053] 6, the control device 14 calculates the distance (observation distance) from the microscope 10 to the subject based on the "pair of images" captured by the microscope 10 (step S11). If a patient is present in the treatment chair 21, the subject is the patient. In the following, this embodiment will be described assuming that the subject is a patient.

[0054] After step S11, the control device 14 transmits the calculated value to the chair unit 20 (step S12). To monitor the observation distance, the control device 14 repeatedly executes steps S11 and S12. To strictly monitor the observation distance, the control device 14 may calculate the observation distance at an extremely short interval (for example, less than one second). The microscope 10 may accept an operation to set the interval for calculating the observation distance.

[0055] 7, the control device 24 receives the calculated value from the microscope 10 (step S21). Next, the control device 24 determines whether the calculated value is smaller than a threshold value D (step S22). The threshold value D is, for example, 100 mm (millimeters). The control device 24 may receive an operation for setting the threshold value D from a user such as an operator.

[0056] If the calculated value is equal to or greater than the threshold value D, i.e., if the observation distance is equal to or greater than the threshold value D, the control device 24 ends the processing based on this flowchart. If the calculated value is smaller than the threshold value D, the control device 24 causes the notification device 25 to output an alarm (step S23). This alerts the surgeon operating the microscope 10. The surgeon can operate the diagnostic system 1 while paying attention to the fact that the distance between the microscope 10 and the patient is less than 100 mm.

[0057] Next, the control device 24 determines whether the examination chair 21 is rising (step S24). If the calculated value is smaller than the threshold D and the examination chair 21 is rising, there is an increased risk that the microscope 10 will come into contact with the patient. For example, if the surgeon operates the foot controller 23 during an examination to raise at least a portion of the examination chair 21, the microscope 10 may come into contact with the patient. This situation occurs, for example, when the surgeon changes the position of the examination chair 21 from the "observation position" to the "temporary evacuation position" to encourage the patient to gargle.

[0058] If the determination in step S24 is YES, the control device 24 outputs a drive stop command to the drive mechanism 22 to forcibly stop the drive of the treatment chair 21 (step S25), and ends the processing based on this flowchart. Since the drive of the treatment chair 21 is stopped, it is possible to prevent the microscope 10 from coming into contact with the patient.

[0059] <Method for controlling the imaging magnification of the microscope 10> A method for controlling the imaging magnification of the microscope 10 when movement of the examination chair 21 is detected will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 is a timing chart for explaining the process of changing the imaging magnification of the microscope 10 when movement of the examination chair 21 is detected. Figure 9 is a flowchart for explaining the process of changing the imaging magnification of the microscope 10 when movement of the examination chair 21 is detected.

[0060] First, the reason why the processes shown in Figures 8 and 9 are required will be explained. To avoid the risk of the microscope 10 coming into contact with the patient, the microscope 10 needs to calculate the observation distance during treatment. Incidentally, during treatment, it is expected that the surgeon will use the microscope 10 to observe the patient's oral cavity at high magnification.

[0061] As the imaging magnification of the microscope 10 increases, the depth of field decreases. Therefore, as the magnification of the microscope 10 increases, the accuracy of calculating the observation distance using a "pair of images" acquired by the microscope 10 decreases. However, if movement of the treatment chair 21 is detected during treatment, the observation distance must be calculated with high accuracy to avoid the risk of the microscope 10 coming into contact with the patient. For this reason, the microscope 10 executes the processing shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0062] The depth of field refers to the range within which a subject is clearly captured when the subject is in focus. The depth of field varies depending on various conditions, such as the focal length and aperture value of the lens, the focus position, and the shooting distance. Furthermore, "shooting magnification" refers to "objective lens magnification." This is because the "pair of images" used to calculate the observation distance are captured using the objective units 12a and 12b, which include the objective lens 1210. Therefore, "shooting magnification" differs from "total magnification." "Total magnification" is calculated by multiplying the "objective lens magnification" and the "ocular lens magnification." The observer is provided with an image of the subject based on the "total magnification."

[0063] FIG. 8 shows how the microscope 10 automatically changes the imaging magnification in response to the movement of the treatment chair 21. For example, during treatment, the surgeon observes the patient's teeth at maximum magnification. At this time, the microscope 10 calculates the observation distance while providing the surgeon with a three-dimensional image 401 in which the teeth are displayed enlarged. However, because the subject is photographed at maximum magnification, the depth of field is extremely small. As a result, the accuracy of the calculation of the observation distance is also extremely low.

[0064] In such a situation, the surgeon may temporarily suspend dental treatment and encourage the patient to gargle. To make it easier for the patient to gargle, the surgeon may operate the foot controller 23 to change the position of the treatment chair 21 from the "observation position" to the "temporary evacuation position." There is a possibility that the microscope 10 may come into contact with the patient while the position of the treatment chair 21 is changing from the "observation position" to the "temporary evacuation position."

[0065] Therefore, when the examination chair 21 is moved, the microscope 10 changes the imaging magnification to a low magnification. As a result, instead of the image 401, the microscope 10 captures an image 402 that partially includes the image 401. As a result, the microscope 10 can accurately calculate the observation distance, which changes moment by moment as the examination chair 21 is moved, while maintaining a large depth of field. Note that FIG. 8 shows an example in which the imaging magnification is changed from the maximum magnification to the minimum magnification. In this example, the depth of field changes from the minimum value to the maximum value.

[0066] The processing described using Fig. 8 will be explained using a flowchart in Fig. 9. Fig. 9 shows a flowchart corresponding to the processing of the microscope 10 and a flowchart corresponding to the processing of the chair unit 20. The processing of the microscope 10 is executed by a control device 14 included in the microscope 10, and the processing of the chair unit 20 is executed by a control device 24 included in the chair unit 20.

[0067] During medical examination (e.g., during treatment), the control device 14 photographs a subject at a magnification in accordance with an instruction from the surgeon (step S101). The subject is, for example, a patient, and in particular, the patient's teeth. During medical examination, the teeth need to be observed at a higher magnification, so the magnification is often adjusted to the maximum magnification.

[0068] The control device 24 detects the movement of the treatment chair 21 (step S201). When the control device 24 detects the movement of the treatment chair 21, it transmits a chair drive signal to the microscope 10 (step S202). The control device 14 receives the chair drive signal (step S102). When the chair drive signal is received, the control device 14 determines whether the imaging magnification is greater than the low magnification ML (step S103).

[0069] The low magnification ML is a value that defines the imaging magnification required to accurately calculate the observation distance. The low magnification ML may be, for example, the minimum magnification of the microscope 10. If the observation distance can be accurately calculated, the low magnification ML may be a value greater than the minimum magnification of the microscope 10. The microscope 10 may accept an operation from a user, such as an operator, to change the low magnification ML to a desired value. If the imaging magnification is greater than the low magnification ML, the control device 14 sets the imaging magnification to the low magnification ML (step S104).

[0070] After setting the imaging magnification to the low magnification ML or after determining NO in step S103, the control device 14 executes the already-described steps S11 and S12 (step S105). As a result, the observation distance is calculated based on the "pair of images" captured at the low magnification ML, and the calculated value is transmitted to the chair unit 20.

[0071] The chair unit 20 that has received the calculated value executes the already explained steps S21 and S25. That is, the chair unit 20 outputs an alarm from the notification device as necessary, and stops driving the examination chair 21 (step S203).

[0072] 8 and 9, the medical system 1 can accurately calculate the observation distance when the medical chair 21 is moving. As a result, even when the medical chair 21 is moved while the microscope 10 is observing the patient's treatment area at high magnification, the relationship between the threshold D and the observation distance shown in step S22 can be accurately determined.

[0073] As described above, according to this embodiment, by utilizing the three-dimensional image capturing function of the microscope 10, it is possible to identify the positional relationship between the microscope 10 and the patient on the treatment chair 21. Furthermore, based on the identified positional relationship, it is possible to realize processing for preventing the microscope 10 (particularly the objective unit 12) from coming into contact with the patient.

[0074] In order to identify the positional relationship between the microscope 10 and the patient on the treatment chair 21, it is conceivable to provide a sensor for measuring distance to the microscope 10 or the treatment chair 21. However, such a configuration would pose the problem of an increased number of parts. Furthermore, in order to more reliably measure the distance between the patient and the microscope 10, a large number of sensors would be required. Taking into account the patient's physique and posture, the number of sensors required would further increase. Furthermore, some ingenuity would be required to arrange the multiple sensors in more effective positions.

[0075] According to this embodiment, contact between the patient and the microscope 10 can be avoided by utilizing the functions of the microscope 10 itself, so there is no need to install a sensor on the microscope 10 or the examination chair 21 to measure the distance between the patient and the microscope 10.

[0076] <Variation 1> Another method for improving the calculation accuracy of the observation distance when movement of the examination chair 21 is detected will be described as Modification 1. Fig. 10 is a timing chart for explaining Modification 1 according to the present embodiment.

[0077] The microscope 10 according to the first modification is provided with an illumination device 17 that outputs structured light. The illumination device 17 includes, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) and a slit member for projecting a predetermined pattern including bright and dark areas onto an object. The predetermined pattern may be a striped pattern or a grid pattern.

[0078] When movement of the examination chair 21 is detected, the microscope 10 irradiates the subject with structured light. As a result, a predetermined pattern including bright and dark areas is projected onto the subject. The microscope 10 photographs the subject while irradiating the subject with structured light. As a result, the microscope 10 acquires an image 403 including a projection pattern in which distortion is formed according to the shape of the subject.

[0079] In image 401, which does not include a projection pattern, the difference in contrast is not clear, making it difficult to identify the matching points between the "pair of images." However, in image 403, which includes a projection pattern, the projection pattern is distorted according to the shape of the subject, making the shape of the subject clearer and making it easier to identify the matching points between the "pair of images." As a result, according to variant example 1, the accuracy of calculating the observation distance can be improved.

[0080] The microscope 10 may execute the processing related to the first modified example in addition to the processing shown in FIGS.

[0081] <Variation 2> Modification 2 will be described using Figures 11 to 17. There are cases where contact between the microscope 10 and the patient cannot be completely avoided simply by using distance measurement by trigonometry. For example, when the backrest 212 of the examination chair 21 is raised, the patient may come into contact with the side of the microscope 10. Therefore, here, a method for identifying the position of the microscope 10 in the coordinate space will be described. If the position of the microscope 10 in the coordinate space can be identified, then by combining the identified information with information regarding the position of the examination chair 21, it is possible to avoid contact between the microscope 10 and the patient with greater precision.

[0082] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an overview of Modification 2 related to the present embodiment. A medical examination system 1B related to Modification 2 employs a "chair mount specification." In the chair mount specification, as shown in FIG. 11, a pole 301 for supporting the microscope 10 is mounted on the chair unit 20. The pole used in the chair mount specification is particularly referred to as a "chair mount pole." An example specification that can be compared with the chair mount specification is shown in FIG. 12.

[0083] Fig. 12 is a diagram for explaining comparative examples for the specifications of Modified Example 2. Fig. 12 shows Comparative Example 1 corresponding to the "mobile specification" and Comparative Example 2 corresponding to the "floor-mount specification." In the mobile specification, the pole 301 is mounted on a base 303 equipped with casters. In the floor-mount specification, the pole 301 is fixed to the floor.

[0084] In Modification 2, which employs chair-mount specifications, the facing distance S between the microscope 10 and the examination chair 21 is estimated by linking information about the seat height of the examination chair 21, information about the angle of the backrest, and information about the position of the microscope 10. As shown in FIG. 11 , the microscope 10 according to Modification 2 is attached to a pole 301 via arms 302a-302c for moving the microscope 10 in the horizontal and vertical directions. The arms 302a-302c form a multi-joint arm connected by multiple joints so that each of the multiple arms can move. The surgeon can use the multi-joint arm to move the microscope 10 to a desired position.

[0085] Fig. 13 shows variations of a chair-mounted pole that can be used as Modification 2. Fig. 13 shows a "base-mounted pole 301A" and a "basin unit-mounted pole 301B" as variations of the chair-mounted pole. As shown in Fig. 13, the base-mounted pole 301A is mounted on the chair unit 20 and fixed to the floor together with the chair unit 20. In contrast, the basin unit-mounted pole 301B is fixed to the top surface of the basin unit 27.

[0086] Regardless of whether the "base mount pole 301A" or the "basin unit mount pole 301B" is adopted as variant 2, it is assumed that the treatment chair 21 and the basin unit 27 move up and down together. Therefore, the "basin unit mount pole 301B" moves up and down in conjunction with the vertical movement of the treatment chair 21 and the basin unit 27. In contrast, the "base mount pole 301A" does not move vertically even if the treatment chair 21 and the basin unit 27 move vertically.

[0087] 14 and 15 are diagrams for explaining the movement directions of arms 302a to 302c provided in Modification 2. Here, the directions of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis in the coordinate space are defined as shown in Fig. 14 and 15. Note that here, "base mount pole 301A" is shown as a representative example of a pole.

[0088] 14 and 15, one end of arm 302a is connected to the upper end of base mount pole 301A, and the other end of arm 302a is connected to arm 302b. As shown in Fig. 15, arm 302a moves horizontally around the upper end of base mount pole 301A as the center of its axis. A rotation sensor 311 is provided at the portion connecting arm 302a and base mount pole 301A to detect the amount of horizontal rotation of arm 302a.

[0089] One end of arm 302b is connected to arm 302a, and the other end of arm 302b is connected to arm 302c. Arm 302b moves vertically and horizontally around the end of arm 302a as the center of its axis. A rotation sensor 312 is provided at the connection between arms 302a and 302b to detect the amount of rotation of arm 302b in the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0090] One end of arm 302c is connected to arm 302b, and the other end of arm 302c is connected to microscope 10. Arm 302c moves in the horizontal direction around the end of arm 302b as the center of its axis. A rotation sensor 313 is provided at the part connecting arms 302b and 302c to detect the amount of horizontal rotation of arm 302c.

[0091] The surgeon moves the microscope 10 in the coordinate space by using the arms 302a to 302c. The rotation sensors 311 to 313 detect the amount of rotation of the arms 302a to 302c and transmit the detected values ​​to the control device 14 (see FIG. 2). The control device 14 calculates the coordinate space position of the microscope 10 based on the detected values ​​acquired from the rotation sensors 311 to 313.

[0092] 14 and 15 show a "base mount pole 301A" as an example. When a "basin unit mount pole 301B" is used, the configuration of the arm is the same as the configuration of the arms 302a to 302c shown in FIGS. 14 and 15.

[0093] The origin positions of the X, Y, and Z coordinates may be determined in any manner. For example, FIG. 15 shows an example in which the center of the upper end of base mount pole 301A is set as the reference position (origin position) of the X and Y coordinates. Even when "basin unit mount pole 301B" is adopted as Modification 2, the center of the upper end of basin unit mount pole 301B may be set as the reference position of the X and Y coordinates. The reference position of the Z coordinate may be different between "base mount pole 301A" and "basin unit mount pole 301B." This point will be described in detail using FIG. 16.

[0094] FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining the reference position of the Z coordinate of the microscope 10 for each variation of the chair-mounted pole. As shown in FIG. 16, when the "base mount pole 301A" is adopted as Modification 2, the reference position of the Z coordinate may be set on the floor surface. On the other hand, when the "basin unit mount pole 301B" is adopted as Modification 2, the reference position of the Z coordinate may be set on the top surface of the basin unit 27. When the reference position of the Z coordinate is set on the top surface of the basin unit 27, the height from the floor surface to the reference position of the Z coordinate changes depending on the vertical movement of the examination chair 21.

[0095] FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining the method of measuring the facing distance for each variation of the chair-mounted pole.

[0096] First, a method for measuring the facing distance S when the "base mount pole 301A" is adopted as Modification 2 will be described. The facing distance S is the distance between the microscope 10 and the examination chair 21 (see FIG. 11). When the seat 211 of the examination chair 21 is raised (Pattern 1), the control device 14 acquires the facing distance S by calculating "Z coordinate-chair height information." When the backrest 212 of the examination chair 21 is raised (Pattern 2), the control device 14 acquires the facing distance S by calculating "Z coordinate-chair angle information." When the seat 211 is raised and the backrest 212 is raised (Pattern 3), the control device 14 acquires the facing distance S by calculating "Z coordinate-chair height information-chair angle information." In all three of these patterns, the facing distance S becomes shorter.

[0097] Next, a method for measuring the facing distance S when the "basin unit mount pole 301B" is adopted will be described as Modification 2. When the seat 211 of the treatment chair 21 is raised (Pattern 1), the facing distance S does not change. When the facing distance S does not change, the patient and the microscope 10 do not come into contact. In this case, the control device 14 does not calculate the facing distance S. When the backrest 212 of the treatment chair 21 is raised (Pattern 2), the control device 14 obtains the facing distance S by calculating the "Z coordinate - chair angle information." When the seat 211 is raised and the backrest 212 is raised (Pattern 3), the control device 14 obtains the facing distance S by calculating the "Z coordinate - chair angle information." Of these three patterns, the facing distance S is shortened only in Patterns 2 and 3.

[0098] In the above explanation using Figure 17, the "Z coordinate" indicates the position of the microscope 10 in the coordinate space, and the "chair height information" and "chair angle information" indicate the position of the examination chair 21 in the coordinate space.

[0099] According to the second modification, by combining the position of the microscope 10 in the coordinate space with information about the position of the examination chair 21, it is possible to prevent the microscope 10 from coming into contact with the patient with a higher degree of accuracy.

[0100] <Variation 3> Modification 3 will be described with reference to Figure 18. As shown in Figure 18, a gyro sensor 18 for detecting contact between the microscope 10 and a patient may be provided on the microscope 10. When the gyro sensor 18 detects that the microscope 10 has come into contact with the patient while the examination chair 21 is being driven, the microscope 10 outputs a command signal to the chair unit 20 to command the chair unit 20 to stop driving the examination chair 21. The chair unit 20 stops driving the examination chair 21 based on the command signal.

[0101] <Examples of multiple processing patterns> The diagnostic system 1 according to this embodiment executes various processes. These processes include "calculating the observation distance (step S11)," "determining the observation distance (step S22)," "outputting an alarm (step S23)," and "issuing a drive stop command (step S25)." These processes are executed by either the control device 14 provided in the microscope 10 or the control device 24 provided in the chair unit 20.

[0102] In the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which, of the four processes listed above, the control device 14 executes "calculation of observation distance" and the control device 24 executes the other three processes.

[0103] However, either the control device 14 or the control device 24 may execute all four of these processes. Alternatively, the control device 14 may execute "calculation of observation distance (step S11)" and one or more of the remaining three processes. In other words, the control devices 14 and 24 included in the medical system 1 may execute processes according to any one of a plurality of processing patterns.

[0104] Fig. 19 is a diagram showing multiple processing patterns related to the control devices 14 and 24. Fig. 19 shows four patterns as an example of multiple processing patterns. The check marks in the cells indicate which of the control devices 14 and 24 executes each process.

[0105] The first pattern corresponds to a pattern in which the control device 14 executes "calculation of observation distance", and the control device 24 executes "determination of observation distance", "output of alarm", and "drive stop command".

[0106] The second pattern corresponds to a pattern in which the control device 14 executes "calculation of observation distance" and "determination of observation distance", and the control device 24 executes "output of alarm" and "drive stop command".

[0107] The third pattern corresponds to a pattern in which the control device 14 executes "calculation of observation distance," "determination of observation distance," and "output of alarm," and the control device 24 executes "drive stop command."

[0108] The fourth pattern corresponds to a pattern in which the control device 14 executes "calculation of observation distance," "determination of observation distance," "output of alarm," and "drive stop command," while the control device 24 executes none of these processes.

[0109] As shown in FIG. 13 , in the present disclosure, the "control device 14" and the "control device 24" are collectively referred to as the "control device 4." The diagnostic system 1 is equipped with the control device 4, which includes the control device 14 (first control device) provided in the microscope 10 and the control device 24 (second control device) provided in the chair unit 20. The control device 14 may be provided in the chair unit 20. The control device 24 may be provided in the microscope 10.

[0110] <Other variations> In the embodiment described above, the microscope 10 in which the objective unit 12 and the eyepiece unit 13 are mounted on the observation unit 11 has been given as an example of a microscope. However, the microscope according to the present disclosure need only have a structure that allows stereoscopic viewing of the image of the subject acquired by the image sensor 122, and does not necessarily have to have the eyepiece unit 13.

[0111] For example, a display for stereoscopically viewing the image of the subject acquired by the image sensor 122 may be mounted on the housing of the microscope. In this case, the observer may wear glasses for stereoscopically viewing the image displayed on the display and observe the subject.

[0112] In this embodiment, an example has been shown in which the objective unit 12 and the eyepiece unit 13 are housed in the observation unit 11. However, the observation unit 11 that houses the objective unit 12 and the eyepiece unit 13 does not have to exist. The microscope 10 only needs to have a structure that transmits an image acquired by the objective unit 12 to the eyepiece unit 13.

[0113] Therefore, it is sufficient that the objective unit 12 and the eyepiece unit 13 are connected so as to be able to communicate with each other. In this case, a configuration in which the objective unit 12 and the eyepiece unit 13 communicate directly may be adopted, or a configuration in which the objective unit 12 and the eyepiece unit 13 communicate with each other via the control device 14 may be adopted. The communication method may be wired communication, which uses wiring, or wireless communication, which does not use wiring.

[0114] In this embodiment, the microscope 10 is illustrated as having a pair of objective units 12 for capturing three-dimensional images of a subject. However, in order to capture three-dimensional images of a subject with higher accuracy, three or more objective units 12 may be provided in the microscope 10.

[0115] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. Note that the configurations exemplified in the present embodiment and the configurations exemplified in the modified examples can be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0116] 1,1B Medical system, 4,14,24 Control device, 10 Microscope, 11,11a,11b Observation unit, 12,12a,12b Objective unit (photographing device), 13,13a,13b Eyepiece unit, 16,26 Communication circuit, 17 Lighting device (LED + slit), 18 Gyro sensor, 20 Chair unit, 21 Medical chair, 22 Drive mechanism, 23 Foot controller, 25 Notification device, 27 Basin unit, 28 Cleaning unit, 29 Base, 101 Housing, 102 Handle, 121,121a,121b Objective optical system, 122,122a,122b Image sensor, 131,131a,131b Eyepiece optical system, 132,132a,132b Display element, 161 Isolation circuit, 211 Seat, 212 backrest, 213 headrest, hydraulic motor, 222 hydraulic solenoid valve, 223 servo motor, 231, 232, 233 pedal, 301 pole, 301A base mounting pole, 301B basin unit mounting pole, 302, 302a to 302c arm, 303 base, 311 to 313 rotation sensor, 401 to 403 image, 1210 objective lens, 1310 eyepiece lens.

Claims

1. A medical system comprising: A medical chair and a drive mechanism that drives at least a portion of the treatment chair in a vertical direction; a plurality of imaging devices for three-dimensionally imaging the treatment area of ​​the patient sitting in the treatment chair; a control device; The control device When the plurality of imaging devices are imaging the patient sitting in the treatment chair, calculating a distance to the patient based on a plurality of images acquired by the plurality of imaging devices; When the distance is shorter than a threshold, the diagnostic system executes avoidance control to avoid contact between the patient and the plurality of imaging devices.

2. The medical system according to claim 1 , wherein the avoidance control includes control for generating an alarm or control for stopping the driving of the medical chair.

3. The control device a first control device that calculates the distance; a second control device that executes the avoidance control, The medical system includes: a microscope including the plurality of imaging devices and the first control device; a chair unit including the treatment chair, the drive mechanism, and the second control device, and in communication with the microscope; The first control device transmits the distance to the second control device; The medical system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second control device receives the distance and determines whether the distance is shorter than the threshold value.

4. The second control device transmits a chair drive signal to the first control device when detecting the drive of the treatment chair; 4. The medical system according to claim 3, wherein when the first control device receives the chair drive signal while the plurality of imaging devices are imaging a patient at a first magnification, the first control device changes the imaging magnification of the plurality of imaging devices from the first magnification to a second magnification lower than the first magnification.

5. the microscope further includes an illumination device that outputs structured light for projecting a predetermined pattern including bright and dark areas onto a subject; The second control device transmits a chair drive signal to the first control device when detecting the drive of the treatment chair; 4. The medical examination system according to claim 3, wherein when the first control device receives the chair drive signal while the plurality of imaging devices are imaging a patient, the first control device causes the lighting device to output the structured light so that the predetermined pattern is projected onto imaging locations of the plurality of imaging devices.

6. the microscope further comprises a communication circuit for communicating with the chair unit; The medical system according to claim 3 , wherein the communication circuit includes an isolation circuit for enabling communication between the chair unit and the microscope while the chair unit and the microscope are electrically isolated from each other.

7. The treatment chair has a backrest, The medical treatment system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein driving at least a portion of the treatment chair in the vertical direction includes driving the backrest to change the tilt angle of the backrest.

8. A chair unit, A medical chair and a drive mechanism that drives at least a portion of the treatment chair in a vertical direction; a communication circuit for communicating with the microscope; a control device; The microscope is a plurality of imaging devices for three-dimensionally imaging the treatment area of ​​the patient sitting in the treatment chair; When the plurality of photographing devices are photographing the patient sitting in the treatment chair, the distance to the patient is calculated based on the plurality of images acquired by the plurality of photographing devices, and the calculated distance is transmitted to the chair unit; The control device executes avoidance control to avoid contact between the patient and the microscope when the distance is shorter than a threshold value.

Images