Dual Frequency Band Otoscope

Abstract

The present invention provides an otoscope with dual frequency bands capable of simultaneously providing optical inspection in both visible and infrared light frequency bands. [Solution] An otoscope with dual frequency bands includes a plurality of first light sources, a plurality of second light sources, and an optical sensing device. The first light sources and the second light sources emit a first frequency band and a second frequency band, respectively, where at least a portion of the second frequency band does not overlap with the first frequency band. The optical sensing device includes a first sensing element and a second sensing element. The first sensing element is for sensing light having a third frequency band. The second sensing element is for sensing light having a fourth frequency band. The third frequency band includes the first frequency band, and the fourth frequency band includes the second frequency band.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an optical sensing device, and more particularly to an otoscope having a dual frequency band.

Background Art

[0002] When foreign objects enter the human ear, it may cause otitis externa, otitis media, and hearing loss. Clinically, inserting an otoscope into the external auditory canal for observation is the quickest and most direct method. In principle, the state of the external auditory canal and the eardrum can be observed. In recent years, otoscopes have also evolved into digital otoscopes, enabling the recording of real-time images during observation and allowing doctors to maintain an appropriate distance from patients.

[0003] However, since the current imaging light source of the otoscope is visible light, it is impossible to clearly obtain information from the middle ear (the part on the opposite side of the eardrum). Specifically, the most common disease in the middle ear is otitis media with effusion (or otitis media) caused by inflammation of the middle ear. It is the accumulation of water in the middle ear cavity including the eustachian tube and the three ossicles. When water accumulates in the middle ear, the vibration of the eardrum and the three ossicles is affected, which affects hearing and the sense of balance. The accumulated water is actually tissue fluid derived from inflammation. When the accumulated water is interstitial fluid in which the tissue fluid has turned yellow, it can be observed through the eardrum with a conventional otoscope. However, when there is too much tissue fluid in the middle ear and the tissue fluid is nearly transparent, it is difficult for doctors to distinguish whether there is water accumulation with the naked eye or an existing visible light otoscope.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides an otoscope having a dual frequency band that can simultaneously provide optical examinations in both the visible light frequency band and the infrared light frequency band.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an otoscope including a sensing unit is provided. The sensing unit includes a case body, a plurality of first light sources, a plurality of second light sources, and an optical sensing device. The case body includes a light incident hole and a tip plane surrounding the light incident hole. On the tip plane, a first light source that emits first light having a first frequency band is arranged. On the tip plane, a second light source that emits second light having a second frequency band is arranged. Here, at least a part of the second frequency band does not overlap with the first frequency band, and the first light and the second light are for irradiating a detection target to generate detection light. The optical sensing device is arranged inside the case body and includes a dichroic mirror, a first sensing element, and a second sensing element. The detection light passes through the light incident hole and is separated by the dichroic mirror to form third light and fourth light, respectively. The first sensing element is arranged on the path of the third light and is used to sense light having a third frequency band. The second sensing element is arranged on the path of the fourth light and is used to sense fourth light including a fourth frequency band. The third frequency band includes the first frequency band, and the fourth frequency band includes the second frequency band.

Effects of the Invention

[0006] Based on the above, the otoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention illuminates the ear not only with visible light but also with infrared light. Therefore, for substances with a low absorption coefficient in the visible light frequency band or transparent substances such as water, by irradiating the ear with infrared light, it is possible to determine whether water is accumulated in the ear.

[0007] To make the above content easier to understand, several embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1A

Figure 1B

Figure 1C

Figure 2A

Figure 2B

Figure 3A

Figure 3B

Figure 4

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Referring to FIG. 1A, FIG. 1A is a graph of the absorption coefficient of water in the frequency bands of near-infrared and short-wavelength infrared light. At approximately 1460 nm in the infrared light range, the absorption coefficient of water molecules reaches a maximum value. Clinically, the liquid due to otitis media accompanied by water accumulation is interstitial fluid, and the main component of interstitial fluid is water. That is, in the case of otitis media accompanied by water accumulation, infrared light can be irradiated for clinical examination.

[0010] Specifically, refer to FIGS. 1B and 1C. The silicone tube simulates the external auditory canal, the biological membrane simulates the eardrum, and the biological membrane seals both ends of the silicone tube to form a sealed space. Next, irradiate the above device with visible light or an infrared light source with a wavelength of 1460 nm, and acquire an image with a visible light camera or an infrared light camera to generate the images of FIGS. 1B and 1C. The upper photo in FIG. 1B is an image obtained with a visible light camera when the sealed space is not filled with water and the above device is illuminated with visible light. The lower photo in FIG. 1B is an image obtained with a visible light camera when the sealed space is filled with water and the above device is illuminated with visible light. The upper photo in FIG. 1C is an image obtained with an infrared light camera when the sealed space is not filled with water and the above device is irradiated with infrared light with a wavelength of 1460 nm. The lower photo in FIG. 1C is an image obtained with an infrared light camera when the sealed space is filled with water and the above device is irradiated with infrared light with a wavelength of 1460 nm. As shown in FIG. 1C, it can be observed that the infrared light with a wavelength of 1460 nm and the infrared light camera can clearly distinguish whether there is water in the silicone tube. In contrast, since water is transparent in the visible light frequency band, as shown in FIG. 1B, even if the water is irradiated with visible light and a visible light camera is used, it is impossible to accurately determine whether there is water in the silicone tube.

[0011] FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of an otoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 2B and 3A are schematic diagrams of a sensing part according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram of the tip of a sensing part according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] The otoscope 1 includes a sensing unit 10 and a control unit 20. The sensing unit 10 includes a case body CA, a plurality of first light sources 201, a plurality of second light sources 202, and an optical sensing device 100. The case body CA includes a light incident hole TH and a tip plane FS surrounding the light incident hole TH. The first light source 201 is disposed on the tip plane FS to emit first light L1 having a first frequency band. The second light source 202 is disposed on the tip plane FS to emit second light L2 having a second frequency band. The first light L1 and the second light L2 are for illuminating a detection target SP and generating detection light L0 reflected and scattered from the detection target SP. The detection target SP may be, for example, tissue in the ear, foreign matter in the ear, water in the ear, etc.

[0013] Since the length of a human external auditory canal is about 25 mm, the inner diameter is 4 to 8 mm. The maximum diameter (outer diameter) of the tip plane FS may be 3 mm or more in order to facilitate inserting the otoscope 1 into the external auditory canal at a certain distance, avoid interference of external light, and enable clearer observation of the state of the external auditory canal.

[0014] In the present embodiment, the first light source 201 may be an infrared light LED, and the first frequency band is from 1200 nm to 1600 nm. The second light source 202 may be a visible light LED, and the second frequency band is from 400 nm to 800 nm. That is, the second frequency band does not overlap with the first frequency band. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and in some embodiments, the second frequency band may partially overlap with the first frequency band.

[0015] Specifically, in addition to illuminating the ear with a visible light LED, the otoscope 1 according to an embodiment of the invention also illuminates the ear with an infrared light LED. Therefore, for substances with a low absorption coefficient in the visible light frequency band or transparent substances such as water, by irradiating the ear with infrared light, it is possible to determine whether water is accumulated in the ear. The infrared light may be near-infrared (NIR), short-wavelength infrared (SWIR), mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR), long-wavelength infrared (LWIR), or far-infrared (FIR).

[0016] The optical sensing device 100 is disposed inside the case body CA and includes a dichroic mirror 103, a first sensing element 101, and a second sensing element 102. The wavelength separation boundary of the dichroic mirror 103 is within about 1000 nm. The first sensing element 101 may include indium gallium arsenide that senses light in a frequency band (third frequency band) of 900 nm to 1700 nm. The second sensing element 102 may be, for example, a CCD or a CMOS that senses light in a frequency band (fourth frequency band) of 350 nm to 1100 nm.

[0017] A lens 105 having visibility may be disposed in the light incident hole TH. The detection light L0 reflected and scattered from the detection target SP is refracted by the lens 105 when passing through the light incident hole TH, and then separated by the dichroic mirror 103 to generate a third light L3 transmitted through the dichroic mirror 103 and a fourth light L4 reflected by the dichroic mirror 103, respectively. Since the wavelength range of the third light L3 is greater than 1000 nm and the wavelength range of the fourth light L4 is less than 1000 nm, they can be sensed by the first sensing element 101 and the second sensing element 102, respectively.

[0018] The first sensing element 101 is arranged on the path of the third light L3, and one or more lenses may be arranged between the dichroic mirror 103 and the first sensing element 101. The second sensing element 102 is arranged on the path of the fourth light L4, and the reflector 104 and one or more lenses may be arranged between the dichroic mirror 103 and the second sensing element 102. The lens may include a material having a transmittance of at least 80% in visible light and short-wavelength infrared rays, such as N-BK7, UV fused silica, N-SF11, CaF2, and MgF2. Further, an anti-reflection coating may be used to increase the transmittance of the lens and enhance the image signal, and these lenses may be coated with a coating that reduces the occurrence of reflection. For example, a lens coated with an anti-reflection film of 350 nm to 700 nm is arranged between the reflector 104 and the second sensing element 102. A lens coated with an anti-reflection film of 1050 nm to 1700 nm is arranged between the dichroic mirror 103 and the first sensing element 101.

[0019] In some embodiments, a filter may be further arranged between the reflector 104 and the second sensing element 102 to filter a band exceeding 1000 nm, thereby preventing the second sensing element 102 from generating noise. In some embodiments, a filter may be further arranged between the dichroic mirror 103 and the first sensing element 101 to filter a band less than 1000 nm, thereby preventing the first sensing element 101 from generating noise.

[0020] In this embodiment, three each of the first light source 201 and the second light source 202 are arranged on the tip plane FS, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The number of the first light sources 201 may be 3 or more, and the number of the second light sources 202 may also be 3 or more. If the number of the first light sources 201 and the number of the second light sources 202 are less than 3, uniform illumination cannot be provided and the sensing accuracy decreases. Further, the number of the first light sources 201 and the number of the second light sources 202 may be the same or different. By arranging at least three first light sources 201 and at least three second light sources 202 on the tip plane FS of the case body CA such that the distances between the respective first light sources 201 and the distances between the respective second light sources 202 are equal, sufficient and uniform illumination light can be provided.

[0021] Note that the sensing frequency band (900 nm to 1700 nm) of the first sensing element 101 covers the emission frequency band (1200 nm to 1600 nm) of the first light source 201, and the sensing frequency band (350 nm to 1100 nm) of the second sensing element 102 covers the emission frequency band (400 nm to 800 nm) of the second light source 202. Therefore, the otoscope 1 can completely sense the frequency band of the detection light L0.

[0022] In some exemplary embodiments, the first light source 201 has a maximum luminous intensity at a wavelength in the range of 1400 nm to 1500 nm. For example, the LED has a maximum luminous intensity at 1460 nm, and the full width at half maximum is about 100 nm. Therefore, the sensing accuracy can be improved by utilizing the characteristics of water molecules having a high absorption coefficient at about 1460 nm.

[0023] Referring to FIGS. 2A and 4, the control unit 20 of the otoscope 1 may include a processing unit 300. The processing unit 300 is electrically connected to the first sensing element 101 and the second sensing element 102 via a transmission interface, and generates first image data D_1 and second image data D_2 according to the sensing signal of the first sensing element 101 and the sensing signal of the second sensing element 102, respectively.

[0024] The control unit 20 may further include a display panel DP for displaying an image corresponding to the first image data D_1 and an image corresponding to the second image data D_2.

[0025] The control unit 20 may further include a communication module CM for transmitting an image corresponding to the first image data D_1 and an image corresponding to the second image data D_2.

[0026] The control unit 20 may further include an image analysis module AM that uses AI to analyze an image corresponding to the first image data D_1 and an image corresponding to the second image data D_2 to recognize the presence or absence of foreign object intrusion or water accumulation in the ear.

[0027] The control unit 20 may further include an image storage module RM for storing an image corresponding to the first image data D_1 and an image corresponding to the second image data D_2.

[0028] Based on the above, the otoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention illuminates the ear not only with visible light but also with infrared light. Therefore, for substances with a low absorption coefficient in the visible light frequency band or transparent substances such as water, by irradiating the ear with infrared light, it is possible to determine whether water is accumulated in the ear.

[0029] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Considering the above, the invention is intended to embrace modifications and variations as long as they are within the scope of the claims and their equivalents.

Industrial Applicability

[0030] The optical sensing device of the present invention can be applied to an otoscope.

Explanation of Signs

[0031] 1: Otoscope 10: Sensing unit 20: Control unit 100: Optical sensing device 101: First sensing element 102: Second sensing element 103: Dichroic mirror 104: Reflector 105: Lens 201: First light source 202: Second light source 300: Processing unit AM: Image analysis module CA: Case body CM: Communication module DP: Display panel D_1: First image data D_2: Second image data FS: Tip plane L0: Detection light L1: First light L2: Second light L3: Third light L4: Fourth light RM: Image storage module SP: Detection target TH: Light incident hole

Claims

1. An otoscope having a sensing unit, The sensing unit is a case body including a light entrance hole and a tip plane surrounding the light entrance hole; a plurality of first light sources disposed on the tip plane and emitting first light having a first frequency band; a plurality of second light sources disposed on the tip plane and emitting second light having a second frequency band, the second frequency band including a red visible light frequency band, a green visible light frequency band, and a blue visible light frequency band, at least a portion of the second frequency band not overlapping with the first frequency band, the first light and the second light being for irradiating a detection target to generate detection light; a refractive lens disposed in the light entrance hole and configured to refract the detection light, the plurality of first light sources being symmetrically distributed with respect to the refractive lens, and the plurality of second light sources being symmetrically distributed with respect to the refractive lens; A housing is disposed inside the case body, a dichroic mirror, the detection light being transmitted through the refractive lens and separated by the dichroic mirror to form a third light and a fourth light, respectively; a first sensing element disposed on a path of the third light and configured to sense light having a third frequency band; a second sensing element disposed on a path of the fourth light and configured to sense light having a fourth frequency band; Further comprising: the third frequency band includes the first frequency band, the fourth frequency band includes the second frequency band, the first frequency band is an infrared light frequency band, the second frequency band is a visible light frequency band, and the plurality of first light sources have a maximum luminous intensity in a wavelength range of 1400 nm to 1500 nm; An optical sensing device; a processing unit electrically connected to the first sensing element and the second sensing element, the processing unit generating first image data and second image data, respectively; and a control unit including a display panel suitable for simultaneously displaying an infrared image corresponding to the first image data and a color image corresponding to the second image data; Equipped with an otoscope.

2. The number of the plurality of first light sources is 3 or more, and the number of the plurality of second light sources is 3 or more. The otoscope of claim 1.

3. the first sensing element comprises indium gallium arsenide; The otoscope of claim 1.

4. The control unit further includes an image analysis module for analyzing the infrared image and the color image. The otoscope of claim 1.

5. The control unit further includes an image storage module for storing the infrared image and the color image. The otoscope of claim 1.

6. The control unit further includes a communication module for transmitting the infrared image and the color image. The otoscope of claim 1.

Images