Carousel Guidance for Optical Imaging Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional fundus cameras with a single imaging pathway struggle to provide effective live video feedback for centration and alignment, as no single optical channel can offer rotationally symmetric and coaxial views necessary for guiding and focusing, especially when using multiple optical channels viewing the same object from different angles.
Innovation Solution
The method involves creating composite images from cross-channel regions using multiple optical channels, where one channel provides illumination and another captures images, allowing for the generation of composite images that guide and focus the imaging device by combining peripheral and central views, including corneal reflections for alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple optical channels are used to view the object from different angles, then the ability to capture comprehensive image information is improved, but the difficulty of aligning and guiding the imaging device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines images from multiple optical channels into composite images that represent the object's appearance from different angles. These composite images are then used to generate guidance videos that display the object's features in a unified, easy-to-follow format, resolving the contradiction by merging multiple perspectives into a single guidance representation
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the composite images generated from multiple optical channels to create real-time feedback guidance videos. These videos provide continuous visual feedback to the operator during the alignment process, enabling precise positioning while maintaining the benefits of multi-angle imaging
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If a single optical channel is used for imaging, then the alignment guidance is simplified, but the quality and comprehensiveness of the captured images deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges images from multiple optical channels into composite images that preserve the quality and comprehensiveness of multi-angle imaging. These composite images are then processed to generate guidance videos that maintain simplicity for the operator, thus resolving the contradiction between image quality and guidance simplicity
3Loss of information
If composite images are generated from multiple optical channels, then the guidance video provides comprehensive feedback for centration and alignment, but the processing time and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing task by processing each optical channel's images independently before combining them into composite images. This segmentation allows for more efficient processing and reduces the computational complexity of working with multi-angle images while maintaining comprehensive guidance feedback
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables high-quality image capture by providing continuous video guidance and centration information, overcoming the limitations of single-channel systems by using multiple channels to align and focus the imaging device effectively.
Implementation Method 1
illuminating a cross-channel region of the first optical channel via the second optical channel, and capturing one of the separate images as a cross-channel image of the cross-channel region of the first optical channel
Data Source
AI summary
Method of aligning an imaging device with respect to an object, the imaging device comprising two or more optical channels, is disclosed. The method may include aiming the two or more optical channels at corresponding overlapping zones of the object such that the two or more optical channels are oriented at different angles relative to each other and off-axis relative to a central axis of the imaging device. The method may additionally include guiding or focusing the imaging device relative to the object using composite images created by combining separate images from the two or more optical channels.