Voice-activated control for digital optical systems

Abstract

The electronic control unit (ECU) for the digital optical system includes a processor, a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium, and a translation engine. Performance settings include focus of interest settings. By executing instructions by the processor, the processor receives voice commands from the user via a microphone during ophthalmic procedures performed using the digital optical system. Voice commands are processed through a translation engine that converts voice commands into a machine-readable instruction set. The processor adjusts the performance settings using the instruction set to change the state of the digital optical system, including sending display control signals to the display screen to overlay a reference grid onto the displayed digital image of the patient's eye. The focus of interest settings correspond to the user-selected grid area of ​​the reference grid.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 506,867, filed on Jun. 8, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Background Art

[0002] The present disclosure relates to hardware and related strategies or methods for controlling digital optical systems, particularly those having microscopes.

[0003] As understood in the art, digital optical systems enable a surgeon to observe the anatomical structures of a patient's eye at high levels of magnification. Magnified viewing of the patient's eye is typically provided by a microscope attached to an articulated serial robotic arm. A portion of the microscope includes an optical head that includes an optical lens and a controllable light source. An ophthalmic microscope also includes one or more eyepieces or oculars through which the surgeon can view the magnified image. The magnified image is also displayed on a high - resolution display screen, for example, when a digital camera is attached to an analog microscope. Adjustment of the various modes and control settings of the microscope and peripheral devices is typically performed via a set of user interface devices, such as foot pedals, manual adjustment knobs or buttons, touchscreens, and other user - operated devices.

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] Disclosed herein are automated systems and methods for providing voice control functionality for a digital optical system, for example, in an ophthalmic operating room. This solution addresses the limitations commonly associated with the aforementioned foot-operated or manually operated user input devices. Instead of such analog devices, this teaching relies on simple voice commands to control the settings of the digital optical system in a "hands-free" manner. Furthermore, touch-free voice control minimizes or eliminates the need for physical interaction between the user and the digital optical system when the user needs to adjust performance settings.

[0005] As is understood in the art, certain surgical procedures, such as cataract surgery (without complications or problematic anatomical structures or pathologies in the patient), may take several minutes to complete. In contrast, analog adjustments to the performance settings of a digital optical system during such a procedure can take more than 10 seconds to complete, which constitutes a significant portion of the total surgical time. Given the relatively short duration of the surgical procedure, a delay of this magnitude may be unacceptable from the perspective of both the surgeon and the patient. In contrast, the voice command-based control strategy described herein can reduce the setting adjustment time to, for example, a few milliseconds. As an additional benefit, the surgeon's hands remain free to perform the surgical operation, while eliminating the possibility of physical handling of the digital optical system and cross-contamination of its associated surfaces.

[0006] Accordingly, an electronic control unit (ECU) for use with a digital optical system having the type of display screen summarized above is disclosed herein. One embodiment of the ECU includes a processor and a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium / memory on which instructions for controlling the performance settings of the digital optical system are recorded. The performance settings contemplated herein include at least a focus of interest setting. The performance settings may also include, for example, digital zoom, depth of field, illumination, and / or other application-specific performance settings.

[0007] By executing instructions, the processor receives voice commands from surgeons, medical support staff, or other users in the ophthalmic operating room. This action occurs with the help of a microphone during ophthalmic procedures performed using a digital optical system. By executing instructions, the processor also processes the received voice commands through a translation engine, converting them into machine-readable instructions, typically alphanumeric or text.

[0008] The processor then executes machine-readable instructions to adjust the performance settings of the digital optical system, thereby changing the current state of the digital optical system. This action may include sending electronic display control signals to the display screen to overlay a reference grid onto the displayed digital image of the patient's eye. In this case, the focus of interest setting corresponds to the user-selected grid region of the reference grid.

[0009] In one or more embodiments, a voice command may include a predetermined primary focus utterance from the user. In this case, the processor may, in response to the primary focus utterance, overlay a reference grid onto the displayed image of the patient's eye. The voice command may also include a predetermined secondary focus utterance from the user. In response to the predetermined secondary utterance, the processor may set a grid region and stop presenting the reference grid.

[0010] In one or more embodiments, the reference grid may be constructed as a linear grid having rectangular grid cells. In possible implementations, the rectangular grid cells may be arranged in at least five rows and at least five columns, typically, but not required, in an equal number of rows and columns. Alternatively, the reference grid may be a curved grid having non-rectangular grid cells.

[0011] The performance settings intended herein may optionally include a digital zoom setting. A processor in such a configuration can automatically adjust the digital zoom setting in response to a predetermined zoom utterance from the user. In another possible implementation, the performance settings may include a depth-of-field function, in which case the processor is configured to instruct the depth-of-field setting of the digital optical system in response to a predetermined depth-of-field utterance from the user.

[0012] A digital optical system may also include a light source, in which case the performance setting may include a desired light setting for the light source. In such embodiments, the processor instructs the desired light setting for the light source in response to a user's utterance of a predetermined light setting. For example, the desired light setting may include the brightness level of the light source. In some embodiments, the light source may include multiple coaxial and oblique light sources. In such configurations, the desired light setting may include a selection of coaxial or oblique light sources, or other light settings such as a specific color or wavelength of emitted light.

[0013] The processor is also programmed to use one or more default settings of the digital optical system for each of the performance settings, and can automatically select a default setting in response to a predetermined default utterance from the user. A predetermined default utterance may include, for example, the user's name and / or the name of the hospital or medical facility where the digital optical system is employed, such as a teaching hospital.

[0014] This specification also discloses a visualization system including a digital optical system, a microphone, and the ECU summarized above.

[0015] Another aspect of this disclosure includes a method for controlling the performance settings of a digital optical system. One embodiment of this method involves receiving voice commands from a user via a microphone during an ophthalmic procedure, This includes processing voice commands through the ECU's conversion engine, thereby converting the voice commands into a machine-readable instruction set, and then adjusting the performance settings of the digital optical system via the ECU's processor. This action is performed using the machine-readable instruction set, which changes the state of the digital optical system.

[0016] Adjusting the performance settings of the digital optical system involves sending display control signals to the display screen to overlay a reference grid onto the displayed digital image of the patient's eye. The focus of interest setting corresponds to the user-selected grid area of ​​the reference grid, as summarized above.

[0017] The above-mentioned features and advantages of this disclosure, as well as other possible features and advantages, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out this disclosure, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a diagram of a typical ophthalmic operating room having a digital optical system with a microscope equipped with the voice control function described herein. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of an electronic control system for use with the digital optical system shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3A] This document presents alternative configurations for the reference grid that can be used as part of this method. [Figure 3B] This document presents alternative configurations for the reference grid that can be used as part of this method. [Figure 4] This flowchart illustrates an exemplary method for controlling the digital optical system shown in Figure 1 using the electronic control system shown in Figure 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] The solutions of the present disclosure may be modified or presented in alternative forms. Representative embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings by way of example and will be described in more detail below. However, the inventive aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Rather, the present disclosure is intended to embrace alternatives within the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

[0020] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary and that other embodiments may take various alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily to scale. Some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Accordingly, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed in a limiting sense but rather should be interpreted merely as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to employ the present disclosure in various ways.

[0021] Referring to the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like components, and a representative ophthalmic operating room 10 is schematically shown in FIG. 1. The ophthalmic operating room 10 includes a digital optical system 11 having an electronic control unit (ECU) 23, as will be described in detail below. The digital optical system 11 can be connected to / supported by a serial robotic arm 12 and can be positioned proximate to an operating table 14. During a vitreoretinal, cataract, or other surgical procedure within the operating room 10, a patient (not shown) can be positioned on the operating table 14 or another suitable platform while a surgeon (not shown) is seated on a stool 140. Although omitted from FIG. 1 for simplicity of illustration, in a typical implementation, the respective heights of the operating table 14 and the stool 140 may be adjusted with the aid of manual knobs, levers, or foot pedals.

[0022] Visualization of a patient's eye (not shown) in the ophthalmic operating room 10 of FIG. 1, either before or simultaneously with an ophthalmic procedure, involves the use of the microscope 15 of the digital optical system 11. The articulated serial robot arm 12 can be securely connected to the microscope 15 to manipulate and support the microscope 15. Such a microscope 15 enables the surgeon to observe the anatomical structure of the patient's eye at high magnification. For example, using the relevant hardware and software, the surgeon can view high-magnification images 16 and 116 of, for example, the retina 18. In one or more embodiments, the observation is facilitated by the high-resolution display screen 20 when the optical head 150 of the microscope 15 is properly positioned. A smaller additional display screen 200 can be placed at other locations in the operating room 10 to facilitate viewing by other medical personnel during the procedure. The information presented via the displays 20 and 200 can be controlled by the electronic display control signal CC from the ECU 23, as described below. 20 It can be controlled by.

[0023] As will be understood by those skilled in the art, an ophthalmic microscope such as the microscope 15 shown in FIG. 1 is composed of several main components. For example, the optical head 150 includes various lenses and optical systems suitable for magnifying the patient's eye. The microscope 15 also includes a handle 19 and a controllable light source 250 having a controllable light setting as described below. Such a light source 250 can include a coaxial light source 250A and / or an oblique light source 250B in some embodiments. The optical head 150 can also include an objective lens (not shown) that provides different magnifications and one or more upward-angle eyepieces or oculars (not shown) through which the surgeon can view the magnified images 16, 116.

[0024] As intended herein, there are three possible use scenarios for the microscope 15: (i) fully analog, during which the surgeon views through the eyepiece; (ii) hybrid, during which a digital camera 13 is attached to one of the eyepiece sets of the analog embodiment of the microscope 15, and the surgeon views the digital image by looking at a monitor or by viewing through the eyepiece; and (iii) fully digital, during which the surgeon views only the digital image. Although the method is not limited to any particular use scenario, the solutions provided herein should also apply to the fully digital version, but are particularly well suited for use in the hybrid version.

[0025] Also shown in the exemplary ophthalmic operating room 10 in Figure 1 is a cabinet 22 containing an ECU 23. The ECU 23 may also be positioned at the base of the serial arm 12 or at other suitable location. Similarly, the display screen 20 can alternatively be embodied as three-dimensional (3D) glasses, one or more wall-mounted monitors, and / or one or more visualization devices suitable for other applications. The ECU 23 may be hardware-equipped and software-programmable, i.e., configured to adjust the electronic characteristics and settings of the optical head 150 and / or other instruments or payloads used within the operating room 10. Control of the performance settings of the microscope 15 via the ECU 23 is controlled by electronic control signals (CC). 15 This is done by sending the settings to the resident control processor 15P of the microscope 15, which then sequentially controls the various performance settings of the microscope 15, as described below. Part of the cabinet 22 is optional and may be constructed of a lightweight and easily disinfectable material, such as painted aluminum or stainless steel, and may be used to protect the component hardware of the ECU 23 from the possibility of dust, debris, and moisture ingress.

[0026] Referring here to Figure 2, the ophthalmic system 21 is schematically shown to include the ECU 23 and digital optical system 11 of Figure 1, including at least a microscope 15 and a microphone 30. Generally, the ECU 23 includes one or more processors 24 and a computer-readable storage medium / memory 25 containing computer-readable / executable instructions 50 for controlling the performance settings of the digital optical system 11 shown in Figure 1, including at least the focus of interest setting, which will be described in detail below. The ECU 23 also includes a translation engine 52 that communicates with the processors 24. As understood in the art, such a translation engine 52 is configured to process voice commands 40S received from a user 40, for example, the surgeon or affiliated medical staff, so that the ECU 23 can accurately identify the intent of the user 40.

[0027] The processor 24 and the conversion engine 52 work together, using speech recognition software 520, to finally convert the voice command 40S ("utterance") into an alphanumeric machine-executable instruction 52T, which the conversion engine 52 then interprets as an instruction from the user 40. Generally, the voice command 40S is first detected using a properly configured microphone 30, for example, a condenser, dynamic, or ribbon microphone or a simple USB microphone. The microphone 30, which may be connected to / integrated with the microscope 15 or placed in a suitable location within the ophthalmic operating room 10 in Figure 1, outputs an audio detection signal 300 to the processor 24. The processor 24 then digitally processes the utterance as needed, for example, using digital signal processing techniques and filters to remove background noise from the audio detection signal 300 and normalize its audio level. The processor 24 then outputs the filtered audio signal 50S to the conversion engine 52.

[0028] A portion of the conversion engine 52 receives the filtered audio signal 52S and then uses speech recognition software 520 to perform speech recognition functions, such as feature extraction and / or language modeling, with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools such as neural networks, if applicable, in order to improve speech recognition accuracy. As part of this method, the conversion engine 52 can output the corresponding alphanumeric data as a machine-readable instruction set 52T. The memory 25 in Figure 2 may be programmed with the relevant control logic for the microscope 15. The utterance of the user 40 in Figure 2 is then used by the processor 24 seamlessly and with minimal latency to control the operation of the digital optical system 11 shown in Figure 1.

[0029] Therefore, by executing instruction 50 by the processor 24 in Figure 2, the processor 24 receives voice commands 40S from the user 40 via microphone 30 during an ophthalmic procedure. As part of this process, the processor 24 supplies or processes the voice commands 40S via the translation engine 52 and its voice recognition software 520, as described above, thereby converting the voice commands 40S into a machine-readable instruction set 52T. Non-exclusive exemplary utterances are described below to provide only a portion of the many possible voice commands 40S that may be used in the digital optical system 11 in Figure 1. Finally, the processor 24 adjusts the performance settings of the digital optical system 11 in real time using the machine-readable instruction set 52T. In this way, the processor 24 changes the logical state, operating mode, or other state of the digital optical system 11. The processor 24 also supplies electron microscope control signals CC 15 The control signal CC is displayed on the microscope 15 and / or on the electronic display CC. 20 This may be sent to the display screen 20 in Figure 1.

[0030] Referring to Figure 3A, the electronic display control signal CC to the screen 20 shown in Figure 1 is shown. 20The transmission causes the reference grid 60 to be overlaid on the displayed digital image 61 of the patient's eye 62 on the display screen 20. The above focus of interest setting contemplated herein corresponds to the grid area of ​​the reference grid 60 selected by the user. The specific shape of the reference grid 60 may vary depending on the application. For example, the reference grid 60 is shown as a linear grid 60R in Figure 3A, that is, it is arranged in multiple rows RR and multiple columns CC such that the linear grid 60R has multiple rectangular grid cells 64. In a typical embodiment, the rectangular grid cells 64 may be arranged in at least five rows RR and at least five columns CC, for example, in a 10×10 grid as shown. Other embodiments may include a different number of rows and / or columns, and therefore the 10×10 grid is only one of the possible implementations.

[0031] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 3C, an alternative curved reference grid 60C can be constructed as a curved grid 60C, such a reference grid having non-rectangular grid cells. In such an implementation, the curved grid 60C can be divided into a plurality of radial sections 65, labeled 1R, 2R, ..., 12R for clarity in the non-limiting 12-section embodiment shown. Each of the radial sections 65 can then be divided into a plurality of non-rectangular grid cells 640. The non-rectangular grid cells 640 are labeled 1 to 7 in Figure 3B for a typical 7-cell embodiment of the radial section 65. More or fewer radial sections 65 and / or non-rectangular grid cells 640 may be used in other implementations, and therefore Figures 3A and 3B are non-limiting.

[0032] Voice Commands: Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, a wide range of functions can be controlled using exemplary voice commands or utterances by user 40. For example, user 40 can control the internal camera operations of the microscope 15, such as zoom, focus area of ​​interest, depth of field, light level, and light temperature. Similarly, user 40 can use voice commands to control the left-right / xy movement of the optical head 150, the up-down / y axis movement of the optical head 150, in / out focusing, and other possible functions perceived via the display screens 20 and / or 200.

[0033] Focus: Typically, the autofocus routine of the microscope 15 is directed towards the center of the display screen 20. However, this may not be the most desirable area for focusing. Therefore, voice control of focus can respond to a predetermined primary focus utterance. For example, the user 40 may speak an intuitively descriptive word or phrase such as "focus." In such exemplary use cases, the processor 24 may be configured to overlay the reference grid 60 or 60C shown in Figures 3A and 3B onto the displayed image of the patient's eye 62 (Figure 3A) in response to such a predetermined primary focus utterance.

[0034] A voice command may also include a predetermined secondary focus utterance from the user 40, which provides more detail or specificity to the action instructed via the primary focus utterance. For example, in response to a predetermined secondary utterance, the processor 24 may set the user selection grid area in Figure 2 and stop presenting the reference grid 60 or 60C in Figures 3A and 3B. An example of a secondary focus utterance within the scope of this disclosure may be the verbal digits "4 3", in which "4" and "3" correspond to specific grid cells 64 or 640 in the reference grid 60 or 60C in Figures 3A and 3B, respectively. The user 40 can quickly see an anatomical feature that may not be fully in focus by focusing on a feature via a voice command and then returning to the previous area of ​​focus of interest by uttering a phrase such as "focus back".

[0035] Zoom: The performance settings adjusted using the voice command 40S in Figure 2 may include the digital zoom setting of the digital optical system 11 shown in Figure 1. In this case, the processor 24 adjusts the digital zoom setting in response to a predetermined zoom utterance from the user 40. For example, the user 40 can utter the phrase "zoom 10" to indicate a digital zoom level of 10x, and possible zoom levels of 1, 2, ..., N are also possible options up to the functional limits of the digital optical system 11. Here, N may be an integer zoom, e.g., 3 on a nominal 0-5 scale where 0 = 0% zoom, 3 = 60% zoom, 5 = 100% zoom, or a decimal zoom number such as 3.5 to improve zoom control accuracy. It is also possible to smoothly zoom from the current level to the indicated level, i.e., N, using a phrase such as "continuous zoom N".

[0036] The adjustment speed is typically set according to user preference, rather than being driven by any physical capability of the moving lens system, which is designed for high-resolution analog movement, as opposed to zoom speed. In addition to increased response time, voice control of the various functions contemplated herein offers further advantages. All of this relates to eliminating certain adjustment functions from the footswitch mechanism. As understood in the art, the footswitch provides zoom control functionality among several related functions. By removing this functionality from the footswitch, the complexity required of the footswitch is greatly reduced, and in some cases, it may still be retained for less detailed tasks other than controlling the microscope 15.

[0037] In addition, each time a surgeon or other user 40 activates a typical foot switch, the movement of the foot tends to travel through the surgeon's body to the surgeon's hand, and therefore to any instrument or tool the surgeon may be holding. Furthermore, the countless functions of the foot switch are mapped differently for each surgeon. In contrast, the voice command-based method of the present invention is universal, meaning that voice control commands can be standardized across a wide range of possible users 40. This feature, in turn, simplifies the structure and workflow within the ophthalmic operating room 10 shown in Figure 1.

[0038] Depth of Field: Analog microscopes and certain other cameras typically use a mechanical slider to change the iris aperture, thereby altering the depth of field, i.e., the range of distances at which the target remains in focus. The slider is set to a fixed percentage, e.g., 30% of fully open, and then held in this position. Changing the depth of field using such a setup requires the physical translation of the mechanical slider, which in turn requires adjustment of the light intensity to match the new iris aperture. Since this is not actually done in an operating room setting, it is more common for surgeons to balance their preferred depth of field and resolution at the start of a given procedure and then leave the slider in a fixed position. Depth of field is inversely proportional to resolution.

[0039] During procedures such as the detachment of the internal limiting membrane (ILM), surgeons may wish to reduce the depth of field to obtain greater resolution. This trade-off is achieved using voice commands as described herein. As understood in the art, the ILM is a tissue approximately 3 microns thick that surgeons may need to detach from the retina. The edges of the ILM may float above the retina, making them difficult to see during the ILM detachment procedure. The autofocus of a typical microscope does not readily focus on the edges of the ILM tissue. Instead, the autofocus finds a more substantial structure as the focus. Given that this is the time when the minimum depth of field (i.e., the highest resolution) is used, users may want not only to direct the focus of the region of interest via the grid described herein, but also the ability to shift the focus back and forth in small increments to better focus on the edges.

[0040] Accordingly, according to one aspect of this disclosure, the performance settings of the digital optical system 11 in Figure 1 may include a depth of field function. In such an embodiment, the processor 24 in Figure 2 can instruct the depth of field setting of the digital optical system 11 in response to a predetermined depth of field utterance by the user 40. Similar to the zoom function described above, the user 40 can speak a simple phrase such as "depth 5" to instruct a nominal or relative depth of field of "5", for example, an intermediate range setting, while other numerical levels such as 1, 2, etc., correspond to the digital increment and limit of the digital optical system 11. In embodiments where the light source 250 has a variable light temperature, the processor can also change the light temperature with each continuous change in depth of field.

[0041] Lighting: Furthermore, with respect to the light source 250, as shown in Figure 1 and described above, the voice control performance settings may also include desired light settings for the light source 250. In one or more embodiments, the processor 24 may be configured to instruct the desired light setting of the light source 250 in Figure 1 in response to a predetermined light setting utterance by the user 40. For example, the user 40 can instruct the brightness level of the light source 250 using voice phrases such as "light 10" or similarly "light 1", "light 2", etc., up to the limits of the lighting system. Alternatively, phrases such as "light up" and "light down" can be spoken by the user 40 to cause the processor to increase / decrease the light level by one step.

[0042] The light source 250 in Figure 1 can optionally include a plurality of coaxial light sources 250A and oblique light sources 250B, so that the desired light setting in one or more embodiments may include the selection of coaxial light source 250A or oblique light source 250B by, for example, uttering the terms “coaxial” or “oblique” as needed. Similarly, the light source 250 may have other characteristics such as different colors, wavelengths, color temperatures, or preset contrast / filter / light settings that help to highlight the anatomical structure of the patient’s eye in a more vivid way than basic illumination. The user 40 can also adjust such settings using the voice command 40S in Figure 2. For example, if near-infrared light is needed, the user 40 can say “IR,” to which the light source 250 may respond by, for example, switching from the visible light spectrum to infrared. Within the scope of this disclosure, the user 40 can also select a predefined surgeon preference profile, which may include a unique color combination for each surgeon and / or surgical step.

[0043] Instead of, or as a result of, the possibility of simultaneously programmed alternative selections, the processor 24 may be programmed with one or more default settings for the digital optical system 11. This could apply to each of the performance settings. The processor 24 can then automatically select a default setting in response to a predetermined default utterance by the user 40, as shown in Figure 2. One possible implementation of this programmed optional function may include a predetermined default utterance in which the user 40 speaks their own name, or, if the user 40 is not a surgeon, the name of a specific surgeon who will perform the procedure. Alternatively, the user 40 could speak the name of a hospital or medical facility, such as a teaching hospital. Such a method may help set the digital optical system 11 to a hospital-specific standard, thereby ensuring consistency across a large number of surgeons or students.

[0044] Referring here to Figure 4, a method 50M according to one embodiment is described for simplification in terms of the corresponding code segment or logic / termination block. In practice, the instruction 50 that embodies method 50M and resides in memory 25 in Figure 2 is placed in such a block and executed by the processor 24 when used, for example, in an ophthalmic operating room 10 shown in Figure 1.

[0045] Starting from logic block B52 ("Receive Voice Command"), microphone 30 receives voice command 40S from user 40, as shown in Figure 2. Method 50M proceeds to block B54 when microphone 30 outputs audio detection signal 300 to processor 24.

[0046] In block B54 ("processing voice commands"), the processor 24 responds to the voice command captured by the audio detection signal 300 by processing the voice command via the translation engine 52 in Figure 2. Block B54 includes converting the voice command into machine-readable text 52T, for example, by converting the audio detection signal 300 into a corresponding alphanumeric word or representative string. Method 50M then proceeds to block B56.

[0047] Block B56 ("Command = Valid?") includes comparing machine-readable text 52T with a predetermined voice command, such as a list of commands or acceptable variations thereof, stored in an accessible library in memory 25 in Figure 2. If the voice command matches one of the predetermined voice commands in the verified library, method 50M proceeds to block B58. If the voice command does not match any of the predetermined voice commands, method 50M proceeds to block B60 instead.

[0048] In block B58 ("Execute Voice Command"), the processor 24 executes the instructed action as detected in block B54. For example, if user 40 in Figure 2 utters the phrase "zoom 5" and the phrase "zoom 10" is stored in the library as a valid command, the processor 24 proceeds to execute the command zoom action. For example, the processor 24 can change the state of the digital optical system 11 by adjusting the zoom performance setting of the digital optical system 11 in this exemplary scenario using machine-readable text 52T. The change in state is indicated by an electronic display control signal CC on the display screens 20 and / or 200. 20 This may involve transmitting the reference grids 60 or 60C of Figures 3A and 3B onto the displayed digital image of the patient's eye 62 (Figure 3A), respectively, on the display screens 20 and / or 200. Thus, method 50M is completed and restarted anew in block B52.

[0049] Block B60 ("Generate an Alert") is executed in Block B56 when the processor 24 detects a user utterance that does not correspond to a predetermined or verified voice word / phrase. In response, the processor 24 may generate an appropriate alert indicating that the word / phrase was not recognized, such as, but not limited to, displaying a text alert on the display screen 20, sounding an auditory alert, or activating a haptic alert. Alternatively, the processor 24 may display a list of acceptable voice commands or broadcast a message requesting the user 40 to speak louder or try a different word / phrase. Method 50M then resumes Block B52.

[0050] The solution presented herein saves time in the ophthalmic operating room 10 shown in Figure 1 by using voice commands without the use of foot switches or manual analog adjustments. As assumed herein, the use of voice commands to control the microscope 15 does not interfere with the sterile field. Foot switch-based control of specific functional settings of the microscope 15, and the elimination of the need for the user 40 in Figure 2 to learn the relevant programmed functions, helps reduce complexity and stabilize the surgeon's hand.

[0051] Furthermore, the digital optical system 11 in Figure 1 can be instructed to return to operation and default settings after storage or power-off states using predetermined voice commands such as "initialize" or "ready." The functions provided save time and effort between procedures performed in the operating room 10. As a result, this solution has the advantage of providing increased agility and speed of adjustment when controlling the digital optical system 11 shown in Figure 1. These and other incidental advantages will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the above disclosure.

[0052] In the following explanation, certain terms may be used for reference purposes only and are therefore not intended to be limiting. For example, terms such as “up” and “down” refer to directions within the referenced drawings. Terms such as “front,” “rear,” “forward,” “backward,” “left,” “right,” “rear,” and “side” describe the orientation and / or position of a component or element within an arbitrary reference frame, which will become clear by referring to the text and related drawings describing the component or element being discussed. Furthermore, terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used to describe separate components. Such terms may include the terms specifically mentioned above, their derivatives, and terms with similar meanings.

[0053] While detailed descriptions and drawings support and illustrate this disclosure, the scope of this disclosure is defined solely by the claims. Although several best modes and other embodiments for carrying out the disclosure described in the claims have been described in detail, various alternative designs and embodiments exist for carrying out the disclosure as defined in the attached claims.

Claims

1. An electronic control unit (ECU) for a digital optical system having a display screen, Processor and A non-temporary computer-readable storage medium on which instructions for controlling the performance settings of the digital optical system are recorded, wherein the performance settings include focus of interest settings. A conversion engine that communicates with the processor, wherein the execution of the instruction by the processor results in the processor, During ophthalmic procedures performed using the aforementioned digital optical system, voice commands are received from the user via a microphone. The voice command is processed through the conversion engine, thereby converting the voice command into a machine-readable instruction set. This includes adjusting the performance settings of the digital optical system using the machine-readable instruction set, thereby changing the state of the digital optical system, and transmitting electronic display control signals to the display screen to overlay a reference grid onto the displayed digital image of the patient's eye on the display screen, wherein the focus of interest setting corresponds to a user-selected grid region of the reference grid. Conversion engine and ECU, including

2. The ECU according to claim 1, wherein the voice command includes a predetermined primary focus utterance of the user, and the processor is configured to overlay the reference grid onto the digital image of the patient's eye in response to the predetermined primary focus utterance.

3. The ECU according to claim 2, wherein the voice command includes a predetermined secondary focus utterance of the user, and in response to the predetermined secondary utterance, the processor is configured to set a grid region selected by the user and to stop presenting the reference grid.

4. The ECU according to claim 1, wherein the reference grid is a linear grid having rectangular grid cells.

5. The ECU according to claim 1, wherein the reference grid is a curved grid having non-rectangular grid cells.

6. The ECU according to claim 1, wherein the performance setting includes a digital zoom setting for the digital optical system, and the processor is configured to adjust the digital zoom setting in response to a predetermined zoom utterance by the user.

7. The ECU according to claim 1, wherein the performance setting includes a depth of field function, and the processor is configured to instruct the depth of field setting of the digital optical system in response to a predetermined depth of field utterance from the user.

8. The ECU according to claim 7, wherein the digital optical system includes a light source, and the processor is configured to automatically adjust the color temperature of the light source with each continuous change in the depth of field setting.

9. The ECU according to claim 1, wherein the digital optical system includes a light source, the performance setting includes a desired light setting for the light source, and the processor is configured to instruct a desired light setting for the light source in response to a predetermined light setting utterance by the user.

10. The ECU according to claim 9, wherein the desired light setting includes the brightness level of the light source.

11. The ECU according to claim 9, wherein the light source includes a plurality of coaxial light sources and oblique light sources, and the desired light setting includes a selection of the coaxial light source or the oblique light source.

12. The ECU according to claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed with one or more default settings of the digital optical system for each of the performance settings, and automatically selects the default setting in response to a predetermined default utterance of the user.

13. The ECU according to claim 12, wherein the user is a surgeon who performs the ophthalmic procedure, and the predetermined default utterance includes the name of the surgeon.

14. The ECU according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined default utterance includes the name of a hospital or medical facility.

15. It is a visualization system, A digital optical system having a digital microscope and a display screen, Microphone and, An electronic control unit (ECU), A processor that communicates with the digital optical system and the microphone, A non-temporary computer-readable storage medium on which instructions for controlling the performance settings of the digital optical system are recorded, wherein the performance settings include focus of interest settings. A conversion engine that communicates with the processor, wherein the execution of the instruction by the processor results in the processor, An ophthalmic procedure, during which the ophthalmic procedure is performed using the digital optical system, the system receives voice commands from the user via the microphone. The voice command is processed through the conversion engine, thereby converting the voice command into a machine-readable instruction set. The process includes using the machine-readable instruction set to adjust the performance settings of the digital optical system, thereby changing the state of the digital optical system, and transmitting display control signals to the display screen to overlay a reference grid onto the displayed digital image of the patient's eye, wherein the focus of interest setting corresponds to a user-selected grid region of the reference grid. Conversion engine and ECU, A visualization system that includes [something].

16. The visualization system according to claim 15, wherein the voice command includes a predetermined primary focus utterance of the user, and the processor is configured to overlay the reference grid onto the displayed image of the patient's eye in response to the predetermined primary focus utterance.

17. The visualization system according to claim 16, wherein the reference grid is a linear grid having rectangular grid cells.

18. The visualization system according to claim 16, wherein the performance setting includes a digital zoom setting for the digital optical system, and the processor is configured to adjust the digital zoom setting in response to a predetermined zoom utterance by the user.

19. A method for controlling the performance settings of a digital optical system, Receiving voice commands from a user via a microphone during an ophthalmic procedure, the ophthalmic procedure being performed using the digital optical system, and receiving voice commands. The process involves processing the voice command through the conversion engine of the electronic control unit (ECU), thereby converting the voice command into a machine-readable instruction set. Adjusting one or more performance settings of the digital optical system via the ECU's processor using the machine-readable instruction set, thereby changing the state of the digital optical system, wherein the performance settings include focus of interest settings, and adjusting the performance settings of the digital optical system includes sending display control signals to a display screen to overlay a reference grid onto the displayed digital image of the patient's eye on the display screen, wherein the focus of interest settings correspond to a user-selected grid region of the reference grid, and changing the setting. Methods that include...

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the voice command includes a predetermined primary focus utterance and a secondary focus utterance of the user, and the processor is configured to overlay the reference grid on the displayed image of the patient's eye in response to the predetermined primary focus utterance.

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