System and method for quantifying light intensity

Abstract

The system may include a light sensor, a light source configured to generate a light beam, and a light probe. The light probe may include a first end that extends into the light beam and is configured to receive a light sample from the light beam, and a second end that is coupled to the light sensor and is configured to send the light sample to the light sensor. The first end of the light probe may be configured to direct reflected light from a reflective member away from the light sensor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - reference to Applications This application claims the priority and benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 502,544, filed on May 16, 2023, entitled "Systems and Methods for Quantifying Light Intensity", which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The examples described herein relate to systems and methods for quantifying light intensity. More specifically, the examples may relate to quantifying light intensity in a forward - transmission system with retro - reflection.

Background Art

[0003] Minimally invasive medical techniques may generally be aimed at reducing the amount of tissue damaged during a medical procedure, thereby reducing the patient's recovery time, discomfort, and adverse side effects. Such minimally invasive techniques may be performed through natural orifices in the patient's anatomical structure or through one or more surgical incisions. Through these natural orifices or incisions, an operator may insert minimally invasive medical devices such as treatment devices, diagnostic devices, imaging devices, and surgical instruments. Some minimally invasive medical devices may include a lighting system. For example, there is a need for systems and methods for accurately measuring light intensity in order to provide a closed - loop optical power system.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] The following presents a simplified summary of various examples described herein and is not intended to identify key or critical elements or to limit the scope of the claims.

[0005] In some examples, the system may include a light sensor, a light source configured to generate a light beam, and a light probe. The light probe may include a first end that extends into the light beam and is configured to receive a light sample from the light beam, and a second end that is coupled to the light sensor and is configured to send the light sample to the light sensor. The first end of the light probe may be configured to divert reflected light from a reflective member away from the light sensor.

[0006] In some examples, the system may include a light source, a photosensor, and a photoprobe configured to generate a light beam. The photoprobe may include a first end that extends into the light beam and is configured to receive a light sample from the light beam, and a second end that is coupled to the photosensor and is configured to send the light sample to the photosensor. The first end of the photoprobe includes a light-receiving region that is angled to receive the light sample.

[0007] In some examples, the system may include a light source, a photosensor, and a photoprobe configured to generate a light beam. The photoprobe may include a first end configured to extend into the light beam and receive a light sample from the light beam, and a second end configured to be coupled to the photosensor and send the light sample to the photosensor. The photoprobe may be configured to receive a first portion of the light beam into the photoprobe from a first direction and to divert a second portion of the light beam away from the photoprobe from a second direction.

[0008] In some examples, the method may include the steps of receiving sampled light from the light-receiving region of the optical probe with the tip of the optical probe, and guiding the sampled light from the tip of the optical probe toward a photodetector. The method may also include the steps of receiving reflected light with the tip of the optical probe outside the light-receiving region of the optical probe, guiding the reflected light toward a direction away from the photodetector, and analyzing the intensity of the sampled light.

[0009] Please understand that both the general description above and the detailed description below are essentially illustrative and descriptive, and are intended to provide an understanding of the disclosure without limiting its scope. In that regard, further aspects, features, and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description below. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a lighting system with several examples. [Figure 2] These are schematic diagrams of photodetectors, showing several examples. [Figure 3] This is a detailed diagram showing a part of the lighting system in Figure 1. [Figure 4A] This is a schematic diagram of a lighting system with several examples. [Figure 4B] This is a schematic diagram of a lighting system with several examples. [Figure 4C] This is a schematic diagram of a lighting system with several examples. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram of a lighting system with several examples. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram of a lighting system with several examples. [Figure 7A] This figure shows visualization systems using several examples. [Figure 7B] This figure shows the tip of an endoscopic instrument system, as an example. [Figure 8] This flowchart shows several examples of light source control methods. [Figure 9] This figure shows robot-assisted medical systems as several examples. The examples and benefits of this disclosure will be best understood by referring to the detailed description below. Please note that similar reference numerals are used to identify similar elements shown in one or more figures. The illustrations in these figures are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The techniques described herein provide techniques and treatment systems for quantifying light intensity, which can be used, for example, in an endoscopic imaging system to accurately measure light intensity from a light source while minimizing the detection of reflected light within the system. The techniques described can be used when performing procedures through artificially formed lumens or any intraluminal passages or cavities, such as the trachea, colon, intestines, stomach, liver, kidneys and renal calyces, brain, heart, respiratory system, circulatory system including the vascular system, and / or fistulas.

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the lighting system 100. The lighting system 100 can, for example, provide illumination for a surgical scene within the anatomical structure of a patient and provide a control system to control the amount of light supplied to the surgical scene. The lighting system may include a light source 102 and a light sensor system 104. The light source 102 can supply an input light beam 103 to the lighting system. The lighting system 100 may also include a reflective member 106, which may include any surface that reflects light from the light source 102. In some examples, the reflective member 106 may be fixed to the light source 102 and the light sensor system 104. In other examples, the reflective member 106 may be detachable or movable relative to the light source 102 and the light sensor system 104. In some examples, the lighting system may include a control system 108 that receives sampled light intensity information from the light sensor system 104 and provides a control loop for controlling the power to the light source 102 to reach a target light output. The optical sensor system 104 can block (reject) the light reflected from the reflective member 106 to the illumination system 100, thereby providing a more accurate measurement of the input light beam 103. In some examples, the control system 108 may be part of the control system of an endoscopic instrument system or a robot-assisted medical system (e.g., control system 712).

[0013] The light source 102 can generate visible light (e.g., white light or its components) and / or invisible light. The invisible light may be in the infrared spectrum with wavelengths between approximately 700 nm and 1 mm. The invisible light may also be in the ultraviolet spectrum with wavelengths between approximately 10 nm and 400 nm. The light can be generated from, for example, a light-emitting device (LED), a laser, a halogen bulb, a xenon bulb, and / or a metal halide bulb. In some examples, the light source 102 may have four or more optical channels (e.g., red light, green light, blue light, and near-infrared light (NIR)). In some examples, the light sensor system 104 can be effectively used with smaller beam light sources such as laser light sources.

[0014] The reflective member 106 may include, for example, the surface of a component 109 located at or near the tip 110 of the illumination system. In some examples (see, for example, Figure 7B), component 109 may be a cover component located at the proximal or proximal tip of the endoscopic instrument system inserted into the anatomical structure of a patient. The cover component may be a transparent protective element for protecting the optical fibers and / or lenses of the illumination system from contact with bodily fluids or tissues. In some examples (see, for example, Figure 7A), component 109 may be an interface component at the interface where the endoscopic instrument system connects to the visual assembly 452. In such examples, the illumination system 100 may be housed within the visual assembly 452, and the interface component may be part of the visual assembly 452, part of a detachable coupling member, or at the proximal end 453 of the endoscopic instrument system. Component 109 may be formed from, for example, natural sapphire gemstones, crystallized aluminum oxide, crystalline materials such as glass, plastic, or acrylic, or other generally transparent materials that can transmit some or most of the incident light but reflect at least some of the incident light received from several directions. In some examples, the reflective member 106 may be a reflective surface of the illumination housing 111 (e.g., a visual assembly housing or an endoscope instrument system housing), a fixture, a clamping element, or the illumination system 100 or other structural components of the endoscope instrument system coupled to or housed in the illumination system. In these examples, the reflective surface may be formed of glass, metal, plastic, or other partially reflective material.

[0015] Optionally, the illumination system 100 may include a magnifying lens system 112. One or more lenses of the magnifying lens system 112 can magnify the input light beam 103 emitted from the light source 102 to produce a magnified light beam 105. Optionally, the illumination system 100 may include a collimating lens system 114. One or more lenses of the collimating lens system 114 can produce a collimated light beam 107 after magnification by the magnifying lens system 112. In some examples, the diameter D1 of the collimated light beam may be approximately 20 mm. In other examples, the beam diameter may be smaller or larger. Lens holders 116 and 118 can fix the lens systems 112 and 114, respectively, within the housing 111 or other framework of the illumination system 100.

[0016] The optical sensor system 104 may include an optical probe 120 having a generally flat surface, coupled to, in contact with, or in close proximity to the photodetector 122. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the photodetector 122. The photodetector 122 (e.g., a photodiode) may include a housing 124 that accommodates a printed circuit board 126. The printed circuit board 126 may be coupled to a sensor 128, an optional filter 130, and an optional diffuser 132. The sensor 128 may include an optical sensing computer chip configured to sense the light intensity of one or more wavelengths of light. In some examples, different sensors or different optical sensor systems can be used to sense different ranges of light. For example, in the case of a four-channel light source (e.g., red, green, blue, and near-infrared channels), four separate sensors or four separate optical sensor systems can be used to measure the light intensity of each channel. The filter 130 may be, for example, a neutral density filter that helps to reduce light intensity and control brightness. The diffuser 132 smooths the signal, preventing problems related to the precise alignment of the fiber and sensor, and increasing tolerance for slight misalignments. The photodetector 122 can be used to measure the optical power of the detected light by converting the detected photons into a measurable current.

[0017] Figure 3 is a detail view of region 101 of the illumination system 100, which includes a tip 133 of an optical probe 120 extending into the light beam 105 to acquire an optical sample. The optical probe 120 may include, for example, a single optical fiber, a solid glass rod, or a bundle of optical fibers. The optical probe 120 may be formed from a material (e.g., glass) that can withstand high temperatures from the laser light source. For example, the optical probe 120 may operate in a temperature range of -190°C to +390°C. In some examples, the optical probe 120 is formed from a bundle of optical fibers held in place with adhesive within a stainless steel hypo tube, and the entire assembly may be polished at the tip. In some examples, the optical probe 120 may be coated with a reflective material such as aluminum or silver. In some other examples, instead of an optical fiber or glass rod, the probe may include a beam splitter having a mirror system with a series of mirrors for guiding the light to a photodetector 122.

[0018] The tip 133 of the optical probe 120 may have a polished surface 134 polished at an angle A1 to form an optical needle. The angle A1 may be the angle between the polished surface 134 and the central longitudinal axis L1 of the optical probe 120. The angle A1 can generate a light-receiving area 136 for receiving an optical sample, which may be, for example, a substantially conical light-receiving area. In some examples, the angled surface 134 formed by the angle A1 may be, for example, between 30° and 35°, and can generate a light-receiving area 136 that reliably captures enough light to evaluate the intensity of light from the light source 102. In other examples, a suitable angle A1 may be between 20° and 45°. If the angle A1 is too small, the probe tip may be prone to breakage. The direction, rotation, or orientation of the light-receiving area 136 may be selected to maximize the capture of light from the direction of the light source and minimize the capture of light from the reflective surface on the tip side of the probe. The size and orientation of the light-receiving area 136, and consequently the performance and characteristics of the optical probe 120, can be determined, at least in part, by the angle A1 and numerical aperture of the optical fiber or rod forming the probe. The numerical aperture can be a function of the refractive index of the fiber core and the refractive index of the fiber cladding.

[0019] The light receiving region 136 can be angled or oriented to receive the optical sample. In some examples, the light receiving region 136 can extend, for example, in a conical shape, from the polished surface 134 toward the light source 102 or in the direction in which the expanded light beam 105 is emitted. Sampling light received at the first side 135 of the surface 134 via the light receiving region 136 can be collected at the optical probe 120, and light received at the second side 137 of the surface 134 from a direction outside the light receiving region 136 (for example, light reflected from the reflecting member 106) is removed from the optical probe 120. The polished tip of the optical probe 120 including the surface 134 can function as a prism that guides light from the light receiving region 136 toward the photodetector 122 at the opposite end of the optical probe 120. As an example, light 140, which can be part of the expanded light beam 105, can be transmitted through the light receiving region 136 of the optical probe 120, strike the surface 134, and be transmitted through the optical probe 120 by total internal reflection toward the photodetector 122. Light 142 reflected from any of the various reflecting members 106, including the surfaces of the component 109 and / or the housing 111, can strike the surface 134 of the optical probe 120 outside the light receiving region 136. Therefore, the light 142 can be diverted from the optical probe 120 and may not propagate toward the photodetector 122. The diversion of the light 142 includes blocking or redirecting of the light rays by reflection, refraction, diffraction, or absorption. As a result, the light received by the photodetector 122 for analysis and closed-loop control of the light source 102 can be light that is substantially or entirely from the light source 102 with minimal or no reflected or stray light from other surfaces of the illumination system 100.

[0020] The optical probe 120 can be held at a fixed position and orientation with respect to the light source 102. In some examples, as shown in FIG. 1, the tip 133 of the optical probe 120 can be inserted into the light beam within the region 150 between the magnifying lens system 112 and the collimating lens system 114. In some examples, the longitudinal distance of the region 150 between the lens systems can be, for example, about 22 mm and the diameter can be about 2.5 mm. In this example, the central longitudinal axis L1 of the optical probe 120 can be oriented generally perpendicular to the transmission axis T1 of the light source.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 4A, in another example, the illumination system 200 can include the same or similar components as the illumination system 100, but there are the aforementioned differences. In this example, the optical sensor system 204 (for example, similar to the optical sensor system 104 but with the aforementioned differences) can probe the collimated light beam in the region 152 on the tip side of the collimating lens system 114. The light receiving area of the optical probe 220 of the optical sensor system 204 can be changed (compared to the optical sensor system 104) by adjusting the numerical aperture and / or polishing angle of the probe to mainly or completely receive only the light 210 transmitted from the light source and mainly or completely block the light 212 reflected from the component 109 or other reflecting members 106. In other examples, the optical probe can extend into the light beam between the light source and the lens system.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 4B, in another example, the illumination system 230 can include the same or similar components as the illumination system 100, but there are the aforementioned differences. In this example, the optical probe 232 can probe the light in the collimated region or the non-collimated region. The optical probe 232 can be cleaved (for example, perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the optical probe) and polished and / or flattened, and the entire probe can be tilted to form a desired light receiving area 234 towards the light source light beam.

[0023] As shown in Figure 4C, in another example, the illumination system 250 may include the same or similar components as the illumination system 100, but the aforementioned differences exist. In this example, light may be sensed by an optical homogenizer. In this example, an optical homogenizer 252 (e.g., a hexagonal optical rod) located at or near the output of a lens system including one or more lenses can carry the light source 210 and the reflected light 212. The optical probe 220 can be positioned on, on, or adjacent to the homogenizer 252 to sense light from the homogenizer. In this example, instead of deflecting the reflected beam 212, sampling is performed at a high forward intensity position where the signal-to-noise ratio is sufficiently high, i.e., reflection is negligible in the reading. In this example or other examples, a refractive index matching element including a refractive index matching material (e.g., silicone) may be incorporated into the tip of the optical probe or placed between the optical probe and the element 252.

[0024] As shown in Figure 5, in another example, the illumination system 300 may include the same or similar components as the illumination system 100, but the aforementioned differences exist. In this example, the optical sensor system 304 (for example, similar to the optical sensor system 104, but with the aforementioned differences) can probe the collimated light beam in the tip region 152 of the collimating lens system 114. In this example, the central longitudinal axis L2 of the tip of the optical probe 320 of the optical sensor system 304 may be substantially parallel to the direction of the collimated light and / or the transmission axis T1 of the light source. The light-receiving area of ​​the optical probe 320 can be modified (compared to the optical sensor system 104) to primarily or only receive light 310 transmitted from the light source, and primarily or completely block light 312 reflected from component 109 or other reflective members 106, by adjusting the numerical aperture and / or polishing angle of the probe. The polished surface of the tip of the optical probe 320 may be, for example, approximately perpendicular to the axis L2. In another example, the probe can intersect the light beam at various angles, adjusting the receiving area accordingly to receive light from the light source while blocking reflected light from the cover or other surface.

[0025] As shown in Figure 6, in another example, the illumination system 400 may include the same or similar components as the illumination system 100, but the aforementioned differences exist. In this example, the optical sensor system 404 (for example, similar to the optical sensor system 104, but with the aforementioned differences) can probe a collimated light beam in the tip region 152 of the collimating lens system 114. In this example, the optical probe 420 of the optical sensor system 404 may be coupled to the photodetector 122 by an optical fiber cable or a continuous optical fiber 422. The light-receiving area of ​​the optical probe 420 of the optical sensor system 404 can be modified (compared to the optical sensor system 104) to primarily or completely receive only light 410 transmitted from the light source and primarily or completely block light 412 reflected from component 109 or other reflective members 106 by adjusting the numerical aperture and / or polishing angle of the probe.

[0026] Figure 7A shows a visualization system 450, which includes a visualization assembly 452 housing a lighting system (or lighting systems 200, 300, 400). The visualization assembly 452 may optionally include one or more display screens, power generation components, image processing components, and / or information systems. In some examples, the visualization assembly may be a mobile vision cart. The visualization system 450 may further include a coupling member 454 and an endoscope instrument system 456 detachably coupled to the visualization assembly 452 by the coupling member. In this example, component 109 may be an interface component located within the coupling member 454. In other examples, component 109 may be an interface component located within the visualization assembly 452, or an interface component located at the base end 458 of the endoscope instrument system 456.

[0027] Figure 7B shows the tip of the endoscopic instrument system 500. The endoscopic instrument system 500 may include an illumination system (e.g., illumination systems 100, 200, 300, 400). The endoscopic instrument system 500 may include a rigid or flexible elongated body 502. In some examples, the illumination system housing 111 may be the body 502. A cover component 501 of the illumination system may be located at the tip 506 of the elongated body. The cover component may be a component 109 having the surface of a reflective member 106. A working channel 504 extends through the elongated body 502 to the tip 506 of the body, providing a passage for a detachable instrument system, which may allow instruments to be changed during treatment. The working channel may also or may not allow the passage of fluid or allow access between the base and tip of an elongated flexible instrument. The endoscopic instrument system 500 may include an imaging system 508, such as a stereoscopic camera, and an irrigation system 510.

[0028] Figure 8 is a flowchart of method 600 for controlling a light source while minimizing the detection of light from reflective surfaces such as tip covers by detecting light transmitted from the light source. The detected light is used to determine the intensity of light from the light source and can be used to control the power to make the light source brighter or dimmer. Method 600 is presented as a series of operations or processes that may be performed in the same or different order as shown in Figure 8. In some examples of the method, one or more of the processes shown may be omitted. Furthermore, one or more processes not explicitly shown in Figure 8 may be included before, after, between, or in part with the processes shown. In some examples, one or more processes of method 800 may be implemented, at least in part, by a control system that executes code stored in a non-temporary, tangible, machine-readable medium, and when this code is executed by one or more processors (e.g., the processor of the control system), one or more processors may be made to execute one or more processes.

[0029] In process 602, a light sample may be received at the tip surface of an optical probe. The sampling light may be light that enters the light-receiving area of ​​the optical probe. The light-receiving area may be guided in a direction that receives light from a light source. The optical probe (e.g., optical probe 120) may be a component of an optical sensor system (e.g., optical sensor system 104) of an illumination system (e.g., illumination system 100) that includes a light source (e.g., light source 102). The optical probe may be inserted into the light beam, for example, at the tip of the light source, at the tip of a magnifying lens system, or at the tip of a collimating lens system.

[0030] In process 604, the sampled light may be guided towards the photodetector through the tip surface of the optical probe. For example, the sampled light 140 may enter the light-receiving region 136 of the optical probe 120, be reflected by the surface 134 and enter the probe. The sampled light 140 may be guided towards the photodetector 122 by total internal reflection along the length of the optical probe 120.

[0031] In process 606, reflected light may be received at the tip surface of the optical probe outside the light-receiving area of ​​the optical probe. For example, light 142 may be diverted from the reflective surface 106, such as the surface of the housing 111 or component 109. Light 142 may be received at the surface 134 of the optical probe 120 from a direction outside the light-receiving area 136. Diversion of light 142 may include blocking or changing the direction of the ray by reflection, refraction, diffraction, or absorption.

[0032] In process 608, reflected light may be guided away from the photodetector. For example, light 142 may be guided away from the optical probe 120, and thus away from the photodetector 122. As a result, the light reaching the photodetector 122 for analysis consists only of, or mainly of, light directly emitted from the light source 102, with little to no influence from stray light or reflected light approaching the probe from outside the light-receiving area.

[0033] In process 610, the sampled light is analyzed and its intensity can be determined. For example, the photodetector 122 can determine the light intensity (e.g., light power) from the sampled light 140. Since reflected light 142 is excluded from the sample, the determined light intensity can be free from the influence of reflected or stray light within the lighting system housing, thus providing a more accurate indicator of the light intensity of the light source 102.

[0034] In the optional process 612, the light source can be adjusted based on the determined intensity of the sampled light. For example, the measured intensity of the sampled light 140 is compared to the target light intensity or light power of the light source 102, and the power to the light source can be adjusted to increase or decrease the light output from the light source.

[0035] In some examples, an optical sensor system (e.g., optical sensor system 104) may have a sensor output measurement (e.g., signal / (signal + noise)). Compared with conventional ambient light measurement techniques, including the measurement of stray and reflected light, the sampled light using the disclosed optical probe can provide a more accurate measurement of the light irradiated by the illumination system. In some examples, using a near-infrared light source and a crystal cover, a conventional ambient light sensor may record approximately 38% more light due to reflected light from the cover. Using the optical probe in any of the examples provided herein, the optical sensor may record less than 3% less light due to reflected light from the cover. Thus, examples using the optical probe and techniques provided herein may enable more accurate measurement of light intensity and, therefore, more accurate closed-loop control of the light source.

[0036] In some examples, the lighting systems and / or endoscopic instrument systems used herein may be components of a robot-assisted medical system. Figure 9 shows some examples of robot-assisted medical systems. As shown in Figure 9, the robot-assisted medical system 700 may include a manipulator assembly 702 for operating medical instruments 704 (e.g., a lighting system 100, an endoscopic instrument system 500, or any of the systems or instrument components described herein) when performing various procedures on a patient P positioned on a table T in a surgical environment 701. The manipulator assembly 702 may be a remotely operated, non-remotely operated, or remotely operated hybrid assembly including selected motorized and / or remotely operated degrees of freedom and selected non-motorized and / or non-remotely operated degrees of freedom. A master assembly 706, which may be located inside or outside the surgical environment 701, typically includes one or more control devices for controlling the manipulator assembly 702. The control device can include any number of various input devices, such as joysticks, trackballs, data gloves, trigger guns, manual controllers, voice recognition devices, motion sensors, or presence sensors. To give operator O a strong sense of directly operating the instrument 704, these control devices may be given the same degrees of freedom as the associated medical instrument 704. In this way, these control devices give operator O a sense of telepresence, that is, the feeling that the control device is integrated with the medical instrument 704.

[0037] The manipulator assembly 702 supports a medical instrument 704 and may optionally include a kinematic structure comprising one or more non-servo-controlled links and / or one or more servo-controlled links. The manipulator assembly 702 may optionally include multiple actuators or motors that drive inputs to the medical instrument 704 in response to commands from the control system 712. The actuators may optionally include a transmission or drive system that, when coupled to the medical instrument 704, can advance the medical instrument 704 into a naturally or surgically formed anatomical orifice. Other transmission or drive systems may allow the tip of the medical instrument to move in multiple degrees of freedom, which may include three linear motions (e.g., linear motion along the X, Y, and Z orthogonal axes) and three rotational motions (e.g., rotation around the X, Y, and Z orthogonal axes). The manipulator assembly 702 may support a variety of other systems for irrigation, treatment, or other purposes. Such systems may include fluid systems (e.g., reservoirs, heating / cooling elements, pumps, and valves), generators, lasers, interrogators, and cauterizing components.

[0038] The robot-assisted medical system 700 also includes a display system 710 for displaying images or representations of the surgical site and medical instruments 704 generated by an imaging system 709, which may include an endoscopic instrument system. The display system 710 and the master assembly 706 may be oriented to allow an operator O to control the medical instruments 704 and the master assembly 706 while recognizing a remote presence. Any of the aforementioned graphical user interfaces may be displayed on the display system 710 and / or on the display system of a separate planning workstation.

[0039] In some examples, the endoscopic instrument system components of the imaging system 709 may be integrated with or detachably coupled to the medical instrument. However, in some examples, a separate endoscope attached to a separate manipulator assembly may be used with the medical instrument 704 to image the surgical site. The imaging system 709 may interact with one or more computer processors, which may include the processor of the control system 712, or may be implemented as hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof, executed by them.

[0040] The sensor system 708 may include a position / positioning sensor system (e.g., an actuator encoder or electromagnetic (EM) sensor system) and / or shape sensor system (e.g., an optical fiber shape sensor) for determining the position, orientation, speed, velocity, attitude, and / or shape of the medical device 704. The sensor system 708 may also include temperature sensors, pressure sensors, force sensors, or contact sensors, etc.

[0041] The robot-assisted medical system 700 may also include a control system 712. The control system 712 includes at least one computer processor 714 and at least one memory 716 for controlling the medical instrument 704, the master assembly 706, the sensor system 708, and the display system 710. The control system 712 also includes programmed instructions (e.g., a non-temporary machine-readable medium for storing instructions) for performing the operation of the instrument using the robot-assisted medical system, including navigation and steering.

[0042] The control system 712 may optionally further include a virtual visualization system to provide navigation assistance to operator O when controlling medical instruments 704 during image-guided surgical procedures. Virtual navigation using the virtual visualization system may be based on referencing acquired preoperative or intraoperative datasets of anatomical pathways. The virtual visualization system processes images of the surgical site acquired using imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fluoroscopy, thermography, ultrasound, optical coherence tomography (OCT), thermal imaging, impedance imaging, laser imaging, and / or nanotube X-ray imaging. The control system 712 can use preoperative images to locate target tissue (using visual imaging techniques and / or by receiving user input) and create a preoperative plan.

[0043] This specification provides specific details to illustrate several examples. Numerous specific details are provided to enable a full understanding of the examples. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that some examples can be implemented without some or all of these specific details. The specific examples disclosed herein are illustrative and not limiting. Those skilled in the art will be able to understand other elements that are not specifically described herein but are contained within the scope and spirit of this disclosure.

[0044] Elements described in detail with reference to one example, embodiment, or application may be optionally included in other examples, embodiments, or applications that are not specifically illustrated or described, insofar as it is practical. For example, if an element is described in detail with reference to one example but not to a second example, that element may nevertheless be claimed as being included in the second example. Thus, to avoid unnecessary repetition in the description, one or more elements illustrated and described in relation to one example, embodiment, or application may be incorporated into other examples, embodiments, or aspects, unless otherwise stated, as long as one or more elements do not prevent the example or embodiment from functioning, or two or more elements provide competing functions. Not all illustrated processes are performed in all examples of the disclosed methods. Furthermore, one or more processes not explicitly illustrated may be included before, after, during, or in part with the illustrated processes. In some examples, one or more processes may be executed by a control system, or at least partially implemented in the form of executable code stored in a non-temporary, tangible, machine-readable medium, and when the code is executed by one or more processors, one or more processors may be made to execute one or more processes.

[0045] Any changes and further modifications to the described apparatus, equipment, methods, and further applications of the principles of this disclosure are readily anticipated, as would be expected by those skilled in the art in which this disclosure relates. In particular, it is readily anticipated that features, components, and / or steps described in reference to one example can be combined with features, components, and / or steps described in reference to other examples of this disclosure. Furthermore, the dimensions given herein are for specific examples, and it is anticipated that different sizes, dimensions, and / or proportions may be used to realize the concepts of this disclosure. To avoid unnecessary repetition of explanations, one or more components or operations described in reference to one exemplary example may be used or omitted from other exemplary examples as appropriate. For the sake of brevity, numerous repetitions of these combinations will not be described individually. For the sake of brevity, in some cases, the same reference numerals may be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts.

[0046] One or more elements in the examples of this disclosure may be implemented in software for execution on a processor of a computer system, such as a control processing system. When implemented in software, the elements of the examples of this disclosure may be code segments for performing various tasks. A program or code segment may be stored in a processor-readable storage medium or device that can be downloaded by computer data signals embodied in a carrier wave via a transmission medium or communication link. Processor-readable storage devices may include any medium capable of storing information, including optical media, semiconductor media, and / or magnetic media. Examples of processor-readable storage devices include electronic circuits, semiconductor devices, semiconductor memory devices, read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), floppy disks, CD-ROMs, optical disks, hard disks, or other storage devices. Code segments may be downloaded via computer networks such as the Internet or an intranet. A wide variety of centralized or distributed data processing architectures may be employed. Programmed instructions may be implemented as multiple separate programs or subroutines, or integrated into several other aspects of the systems described herein. In some examples, the control system can support wireless communication protocols such as Bluetooth®, Infrared Data Communications Association (IrDA), HomeRF, IEEE 802.11, Digital Extended Cordless Telecommunications (DECT), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and wireless telemetry.

[0047] The systems and methods described herein may be suitable for imaging and treatment of any of the various anatomical systems, including the lungs, colon, intestines, stomach, liver, kidneys and renal calyces, brain, heart, and / or circulatory system including the vascular system, via naturally or surgically formed connecting passages. While several examples of medical procedures are given herein, no references to medical or surgical instruments or medical or surgical methods are limited. For example, the instruments, systems, and methods described herein may be used for industrial applications, general robotic applications, and non-medical purposes, including sensing or manipulating non-tissue workpieces. Other exemplary applications include cosmetic enhancement, imaging of human or animal anatomical structures, data acquisition from human or animal anatomical structures, and training of medical or non-medical personnel. Additional application examples include treatment of tissues extracted from human or animal anatomical structures (without returning them to the human or animal anatomical structures), and treatment of human or animal cadavers. Furthermore, these techniques can also be used in surgical and non-surgical medical treatment or diagnostic procedures.

[0048] It should be noted that the processes and representations presented are not inherently related to any particular computer or other device. Various general-purpose systems can be used with the programs taught herein, or it may be more convenient to construct more specialized equipment to perform the described operations. The structures required for these various systems are expressed as elements of the claims. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention are not described with reference to any particular programming language. It will be understood that various programming languages ​​can be used to implement the teachings of the present invention described herein.

[0049] In some cases, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits are not described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the aspects of the embodiments. This disclosure describes various instruments, parts of instruments, and anatomical structures in terms of their states in three-dimensional space. As used herein, the term “position” refers to the position of an object or part of an object in three-dimensional space (e.g., three translational degrees of freedom along the x, y, and z coordinates of Cartesian coordinates). As used herein, the term “orientation” refers to the rotational orientation of an object or part of an object (e.g., one or more rotational degrees of freedom such as roll, pitch, and / or yaw). As used herein, the term “posture” refers to the position of an object or part of an object in at least one translational degree of freedom, and the orientation of that object or part of an object in at least one rotational degree of freedom (e.g., up to six degrees of freedom in total). As used herein, the term “shape” refers to a set of postures, positions, or orientations measured along an object.

[0050] While certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown and described in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative and not limiting to the present invention, and that embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the specific configurations and arrangements shown and described, as various other modifications may be conceivable to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A system, and said system is A light source configured to generate a light beam, Light sensor and, The optical probe includes a first end that extends into the light beam and is configured to receive a light sample from the light beam, and a second end that is coupled to the light sensor and is configured to send the light sample to the light sensor. The first end of the optical probe is configured to deflect the reflected light from the reflective member away from the optical sensor. system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the light source includes a laser.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the light source includes a light-emitting diode.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the light source generates light of the infrared spectrum.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a photodetector including the aforementioned light sensor.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a printed circuit board as the photodetector.

7. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a photodetector and a light-reducing filter.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein the photodetector further includes a diffuser.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical probe is configured to extend into the light beam between the light source and the reflective member.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a lens system.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the lens system includes a magnifying lens for magnifying the light beam.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the lens system includes a collimating lens that collimates the light beam.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the optical probe is configured to extend into the light beam between the magnifying lens and the collimating lens.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the optical probe is configured to extend into the light beam between the collimating lens and the reflective member.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first end of the optical probe includes a surface for deflecting the reflected light, and the surface is angled with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the optical probe.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the optical probe includes an optical fiber, and the optical fiber includes the surface of the first end.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the surface of the first end has an angle between 20° and 45° with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the optical probe.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein the surface of the first end is perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the optical probe.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical probe includes a bundle of optical fibers, and each optical fiber in the bundle includes a surface that deflects the reflected light.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein the position of the optical probe is fixed with respect to the light source.

21. The system according to claim 1, wherein the central longitudinal axis of the optical probe is substantially perpendicular to the light beam emitted from the light source.

22. The system according to claim 1, wherein the central longitudinal axis of the optical probe is substantially parallel to the light beam emitted from the light source.

23. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an optical fiber cable extending between the second end of the optical probe and the optical sensor.

24. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical probe includes a beam splitter and a mirror system for guiding the optical sample from the beam splitter to the optical sensor.

25. The system according to claim 1, wherein the reflective member includes a crystalline material.

26. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an endoscope housing configured to receive the aforementioned light beam.

27. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a visualization system and an endoscopic imaging system detachably coupled to the visualization system, wherein the light source, the light sensor, and the light probe are located within the visualization system.

28. A system, and said system is A light source configured to generate a light beam, Light sensor and, The optical probe includes a first end that extends into the light beam and is configured to receive a light sample from the light beam, and a second end that is coupled to the light sensor and sends the light sample to the light sensor. The first end of the optical probe includes a light-receiving region that is angled to receive the light sample. system.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein the light source includes a laser.

30. The system according to claim 28, wherein the light source includes a light-emitting diode.

31. The system according to claim 28, wherein the light source generates light of the infrared spectrum.

32. The system according to claim 28, further comprising a photodetector including the aforementioned light sensor.

33. The system according to claim 32, further comprising a printed circuit board as the photodetector.

34. The system according to claim 32, further comprising a photodetector and a light-reducing filter.

35. The system according to claim 32, further comprising a diffuser.

36. The system according to claim 28, further comprising a lens system.

37. The system according to claim 36, wherein the lens system includes a magnifying lens for magnifying the light beam.

38. The system according to claim 37, wherein the lens system includes a collimating lens that collimates the light beam.

39. The system according to claim 38, wherein the optical probe is configured to extend into the light beam between the magnifying lens and the collimating lens.

40. The system according to claim 38, wherein the optical probe is configured to extend into the light beam between the collimating lens and the reflective member.

41. The system according to claim 36, wherein the optical probe is configured to extend into the light beam between the light source and the lens system.

42. The system according to claim 28, wherein the first end of the optical probe includes an angled surface with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the optical probe.

43. The system according to claim 42, wherein the optical probe includes an optical fiber having an angled surface at the first end.

44. The system according to claim 42, wherein the surface of the first end has an angle between 20° and 45° with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the optical probe.

45. The system according to claim 28, wherein the optical probe includes a bundle of optical fibers, and each fiber in the bundle of optical fibers includes a surface that deflects reflected light.

46. The system according to claim 28, wherein the position of the optical probe is fixed with respect to the light source.

47. The system according to claim 28, wherein the central axis of the optical probe is substantially perpendicular to the light beam emitted from the light source.

48. The system according to claim 28, wherein the central axis of the optical probe is substantially parallel to the light beam emitted from the light source.

49. A system, and said system is A light source configured to generate a light beam, Light sensor and, The optical probe includes a first end that extends into the light beam and is configured to receive a light sample from the light beam, and a second end that is coupled to the light sensor and is configured to send the light sample to the light sensor. The optical probe is configured to receive a first portion of the optical beam from a first direction and to divert a second portion of the optical beam from a second direction. system.

50. The system according to claim 49, wherein the light source includes a laser.

51. The system according to claim 49, wherein the light source includes a light-emitting diode.

52. The system according to claim 49, wherein the light source generates light of the infrared spectrum.

53. The system according to claim 49, further comprising a photodetector including the aforementioned light sensor.

54. The system according to claim 53, further comprising a printed circuit board as the photodetector.

55. The system according to claim 53, further comprising a photodetector and a light-reducing filter.

56. The system according to claim 53, wherein the photodetector further includes a diffuser.

57. The system according to claim 49, wherein the second light portion is reflected from the reflective member in a second direction.

58. The system according to claim 57, wherein the second direction is substantially opposite to the first direction.

59. The system according to claim 49, further comprising a lens system.

60. The system according to claim 59, wherein the lens system includes a magnifying lens for magnifying the light beam.

61. The system according to claim 59, wherein the lens system includes a collimating lens for collimating the light beam.

62. The system according to claim 61, wherein the optical probe is configured to extend into the light beam between the magnifying lens and the collimating lens.

63. The system according to claim 61, wherein the optical probe is configured to extend into the light beam between the collimating lens and the reflective member.

64. The system according to claim 49, wherein the first end of the optical probe includes an optical fiber having an angled surface with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the optical probe.

65. The system according to claim 49, wherein the optical probe includes a bundle of optical fibers, and each optical fiber in the bundle includes a fiber surface including the angled surface of the first end.

66. The system according to claim 49, wherein the surface of the first end has an angle between 20° and 45° with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the optical probe.

67. The system according to claim 49, wherein the position of the optical probe is fixed with respect to the light source.

68. The system according to claim 49, wherein the central axis of the optical probe is substantially perpendicular to the light beam emitted from the light source.

69. The system according to claim 49, wherein the central axis of the optical probe is substantially parallel to the light beam emitted from the light source.

70. A method, and said method is The steps include receiving sampling light from the light-receiving area of ​​the optical probe to the tip surface of the optical probe, The steps include guiding the sampling light from the tip surface of the optical probe toward the photodetector, The steps include receiving reflected light from the tip surface of the optical probe located outside the light-receiving area of ​​the optical probe, A step of guiding the reflected light in a direction away from the photodetector, The step includes analyzing the intensity of the sampling light, method.

71. The method according to claim 70, wherein the step of analyzing the intensity of the sampling light includes the step of comparing the sampling light with a target light intensity.

72. The method according to claim 71, further comprising the step of adjusting the output level of the light source based on a comparison of the sampling light and the target light intensity.

73. The method according to claim 70, wherein the reflected light is reflected from a reflective member on the tip side of the optical probe tip.

74. The method according to claim 70, wherein the step of receiving the sampling light on the tip surface of the optical probe includes the step of receiving the sampling light on a first side of the tip surface of the optical probe.

75. The method according to claim 74, wherein the step of receiving the reflected light at the tip surface of the optical probe includes the step of receiving the reflected light on a second side of the tip surface of the optical probe, the first side of the tip surface being opposite to the second side of the tip surface.

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