Endoscope Mixed Light Emission for Depth-Resolved Blood Vessel Contrast
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope systems face challenges in accurately visualizing and differentiating between blood vessels of varying depths due to the limitations of using violet and blue light, which require alternate emission to avoid positional deviations and increase processing load, leading to potential inaccuracies in diagnosing diseases like Barrett's esophagus.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope system that simultaneously emits violet and green light, or violet, green, and red light, at specific light amount ratios to create mixed color light emissions, allowing for independent control and processing to enhance contrast differences between blood vessels of different depths, thereby improving visibility and diagnostic accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If violet light and blue light are alternately emitted to visualize extremely superficial blood vessels, then information about extremely superficial blood vessels can be visualized, but image pickup times deviate and processing load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by alternately emitting violet light and blue light at specific time intervals. The violet light emission period is set to be shorter than the blue light emission period, creating a periodic illumination pattern that allows the image pickup sensor to capture images at different depths sequentially. This periodic emission strategy enables depth-resolved visualization while managing the trade-off between visualization accuracy and processing complexity through controlled temporal separation of light sources.
2Illumination intensity
If violet light and blue light are alternately emitted to acquire signals, then contrast of shallow blood vessels can be enhanced, but alignment processing is required to solve positional deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic emission of violet and blue light with different duty cycles to enhance shallow blood vessel contrast. By controlling the emission timing and duration of each light source in a periodic manner, the system achieves depth-selective illumination that highlights shallow vessels while minimizing the need for complex post-processing alignment operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-synchronizing the emission timing of violet and blue light with the image pickup sensor's operation. The emission periods and timing are predetermined and coordinated before image acquisition begins, which reduces positional deviations between captured images and minimizes the alignment processing required afterward.
3Illumination intensity
If violet light is used to visualize extremely superficial blood vessels, then contrast of shallow blood vessels is high, but contrast reduction occurs with increase in blood vessel depth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite illumination approach by combining violet light and blue light emissions. Each light source contributes differently to blood vessel visualization at various depths: violet light provides high contrast for extremely superficial vessels, while blue light maintains contrast for deeper vessels. This composite lighting strategy compensates for the depth-dependent contrast reduction of individual light sources, achieving more uniform visualization across different blood vessel depths.
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
The system effectively clarifies differences between blood vessels of varying depths, enhancing diagnostic accuracy by optimizing contrast and processing efficiency, allowing for reliable determination of disease stages such as Barrett's esophagus.
Implementation Method 1
a light source unit that emits violet light and green light; a light source controller that allows the violet light and the green light to be independently emitted and allows the violet light and the green light to be mixed and emitted at a first light amount ratio
Data Source
AI summary
Violet light and green light are mixed and emitted at a first light amount ratio. A contrast difference value ΔC1 of first mixed color light emission between a blood vessel contrast of a blue image of first mixed color light emission and a blood vessel contrast of a green image of first mixed color light emission at a specific blood vessel depth satisfies a first condition, and a cross-point blood vessel depth VD1 of first mixed color light emission corresponding to a cross-point CP1 between the blood vessel contrast of the blue image of the first mixed color light emission and the blood vessel contrast of the green image of the first mixed color light emission satisfies a second condition.