Adaptive Endoscope Lighting for High-Dynamic-Range Scenes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopic illumination systems require manual adjustments by the user, struggle with high dynamic range scenes due to varying light intensities, and fail to adapt lighting based on scene geometry, leading to suboptimal image capture.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope system with multiple lighting elements that automatically adjust illumination by determining scene correspondences and light intensities using software and hardware, employing techniques like stereo triangulation and structured light to compute light-to-region correspondence and dynamically control drive strengths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If manual control of light source units is implemented, then color temperature manipulation is possible, but the operation burden on doctors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic scene analysis and lighting adjustment without requiring manual intervention. The processor analyzes the captured image to identify high dynamic range regions and automatically adjusts the illumination intensity of corresponding light source units, enabling the system to serve itself rather than requiring continuous manual control
Solution Approach 2:
The system captures images, analyzes the scene characteristics including highlight regions and deep lumens, and uses this feedback to automatically adjust the illumination in real-time. This closed-loop control allows the system to adapt to changing scene conditions without manual input
2Adaptability or versatility
If HDR techniques with multiple images are used, then dynamic range coverage is improved, but the number of images required becomes unreasonable
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scene analysis by capturing a test image or using depth information to identify regions that will require adaptive lighting adjustment before the main image capture. This allows the system to pre-calculate the optimal illumination settings, avoiding the need to capture multiple images at different exposures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/photochemical approach of capturing multiple physical images with different exposures with an electronic/computational approach. The system uses a single image capture combined with computational analysis and electronic control of LED intensity to achieve HDR效果, eliminating the need for multiple image acquisitions
3Illumination intensity
If uniform illumination is provided across the entire view field, then image brightness coverage is ensured, but high dynamic range scenes cannot be properly exposed
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the illumination field into multiple regions corresponding to different light source units and applies different illumination intensities to different regions based on scene requirements. Highly reflective regions receive reduced illumination while deep lumens receive enhanced illumination, creating non-uniform but optimized lighting distribution
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination system is segmented into multiple independently controllable light source units, each corresponding to a specific region of the view field. This segmentation allows differential control of illumination intensity across different spatial regions, enabling the system to address high dynamic range variations in different parts of the scene simultaneously
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for producing adaptive lighting controls for an endoscope with multiple light emitting elements such as distinct light fibers, or distinct distal light emitting diodes (LEDs), etc. The amount of light delivered to the scene can be locally adjusted on a per-light basis to manage the dynamic range of the scene. For example highly reflective metallic tools many benefit from reduced light, while cavities may benefit from increased light projected into the lumen.