Endoscope System Dynamic Field-of-View Magnification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional endoscope systems that simultaneously capture images in both front-viewing and lateral-viewing directions often result in reduced visibility due to smaller display sizes compared to conventional front or lateral view endoscopes, leading to compromised image quality.

Innovation Solution

The endoscope system incorporates a configuration with a cylindrical portion at the distal end, featuring front-viewing and lateral-viewing observation windows, a bending portion, and a video processor that adjusts the display appearance by magnifying the front field-of-view image and processing the lateral field-of-view image to improve visibility, including options like displaying only adjacent or non-covered parts of the lateral field-of-view image or compressing the image while maintaining the field-of-view range.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the endoscope system displays both front field-of-view image and lateral field-of-view image simultaneously, then the observation capability in multiple directions is improved, but the display size of each image is reduced leading to lowered visibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobservation capability in multiple directionsVSAvoidvisibility of image
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic switching between different display modes (full front view, full lateral view, and combined view) based on operational requirements. The display appearance is not fixed but can be changed to prioritize either front or lateral field-of-view images, allowing the system to adapt to different procedural needs while maintaining good visibility in the prioritized view.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different processing qualities to different field-of-view images based on their importance. When both views are displayed, the front field-of-view image (used for treatment operations) is given higher priority with larger display size and better quality, while the lateral field-of-view image is displayed with reduced size or compressed quality, optimizing overall system performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Illumination intensity

If the display size is increased for better visibility, then the image quality is improved, but the ability to display both front and lateral views simultaneously is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of imageVSAvoidability to display multiple field-of-view directions
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts display configuration based on operational phase. During insertion procedures, the lateral view can be prioritized with larger display size. During treatment operations, the front view is prioritized. This dynamic adjustment allows each view to receive adequate display resources when needed without permanently compromising the other view's capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If the front field-of-view image is magnified for better treatment observation, then the treatment operation visibility is improved, but the lateral field-of-view coverage is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetreatment observation precisionVSAvoidlateral field-of-view coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and displays only the relevant portion of the lateral field-of-view image when the front view is magnified for treatment work. Instead of showing the entire lateral view (which would require reducing the front view size), the system selectively displays adjacent or non-covered parts of the lateral view, providing supplementary information without compromising the primary treatment view.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2497406B9Endoscope system
Publication Date: 2018.08.08 OLYMPUS CORPORATION(JP)
  • EP2497406B9 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2497406B9 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2497406B9 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

An endoscope system of the present invention comprises: an endoscope which acquires a front field-of-view image and a lateral field-of-view image of an object of observation; a detecting section which obtains a predetermined detection result based on a predetermined output signal or a predetermined output information; and an image processing section which generates an observation image including the front field-of-view image and the lateral field-of-view image within the same screen, displays a magnified image of one field-of-view image out of the front field-of-view image and the lateral field-of-view image on a display section based on the predetermined detection result, and performs processing of changing a display appearance of the other field-of-view image out of the front field-of-view image and the lateral field-of-view image on the display section.