Endoscope Blur Correction via Motion Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopic surgery systems face challenges in accurately estimating motion components, leading to erroneous blur correction processing and image distortion, particularly when the motion components of the imaging unit and medical instruments are closely related.
Innovation Solution
An endoscopic surgery system and image processing apparatus that includes a motion estimation unit to determine the reliability of motion components within an image, allowing a correction amount control unit to adjust the blur correction processing accordingly, thereby preventing distortion and ensuring accurate image observation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If blur correction processing is performed based on estimated motion components, then image blur is corrected, but image distortion occurs when motion components are erroneously estimated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a degree of reliability as an intermediary parameter between motion component estimation and blur correction processing. This reliability metric acts as a mediator to determine whether estimated motion components should be trusted for correction, preventing direct application of potentially erroneous motion data that would cause image distortion
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by calculating the degree of reliability based on the distribution of motion components and using this feedback to control the blur correction amount. When reliability is low, the system adjusts or suppresses correction processing, creating a closed-loop control mechanism that prevents erroneous corrections
2Ease of operation
If motion components are estimated from the captured image, then blur correction can be performed, but correct estimation becomes difficult when motion components of imaging unit and medical instruments are similar
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by evaluating the degree of reliability locally for different regions or components within the image. By analyzing motion component distributions and calculating reliability metrics for specific areas, the system can differentiate between imaging unit motion and medical instrument motion even when their motion characteristics are similar, enabling precise local blur correction
3Reliability
If blur correction is applied to correct overall image blur, then endoscopic observation is improved, but local blurs from medical instruments are inappropriately corrected
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes different parts of the image have different correction characteristics by calculating local reliability metrics. Regions with high reliability (overall image blur) receive full correction, while regions with low reliability (local medical instrument blur) receive reduced or no correction, preserving local image detail accuracy while improving overall observation quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes the correction parameter (blur correction amount) based on the calculated degree of reliability. By adjusting this parameter according to reliability assessments, the system applies appropriate correction strength to different image regions, correcting overall blur while avoiding inappropriate correction of local medical instrument details
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an endoscopic surgery system, an image processing apparatus, and an image processing method that enable better endoscopic observation.Motion components at the time of imaging are estimated on the basis of an image captured by an endoscope, a degree of reliability indicating a degree that the motion components are motion components for the entire image is set, and a correction amount used when correction processing of correcting a blur is performed on the image is controlled according to the degree of reliability. For example, in a case where the motion components are single motion components, the degree of reliability is set to 1.0, and in a case where the motion components are a plurality of motion components, the degree of reliability is set to 0.0. The present technology can be applied to, for example, an endoscopic surgery system used in surgery using an endoscope.