Endoscopic Imaging Unit Positioning for Tool Operability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopic devices face challenges in operating working tools within a limited field-of-view range, leading to reduced maneuverability and difficulty in performing treatments, especially when the imaging system is inserted distally, as the allowable movement range is constrained and tools may collide with surrounding tissues.
Innovation Solution
The method involves a bendable insertion unit with a distal rigid section, a manipulator, and an imaging unit that can move relative to the rigid section, employing a series of field-of-view and insertion-unit-moving processes to adjust the tool's position and movement range, ensuring the specimen is within the field-of-view and allowing for wider allowable movement ranges by bending the insertion unit and adjusting the imaging unit's position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the imaging system is inserted into the distal end of the induction tube to change the field-of-view range, then the field-of-view range can be adjusted, but the allowable movement range of the working tools is reduced and it becomes difficult to operate both working tools
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the virtual tool volume movable rather than fixed. The control system dynamically adjusts the position of the virtual tool volume boundary to follow the imaging system's field-of-view boundary, allowing the allowable movement range to adapt as the imaging system moves. This resolves the contradiction by enabling both field-of-view adjustment and maintaining working tool operability through dynamic reconfiguration of the virtual boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of the virtual tool volume position from fixed to variable. By making the virtual boundary position a changeable parameter that tracks the imaging system's field-of-view boundary, the system allows the allowable movement range to expand or contract based on the imaging system's position, thereby maintaining working tool operability while enabling field-of-view adjustment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the imaging system is inserted distally to change the field-of-view range, then the field-of-view can be adjusted, but the allowable movement range is reduced and tools may collide with surrounding tissues
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts the virtual tool volume boundary to track the imaging system's field-of-view boundary. This dynamic adjustment ensures that the allowable movement range for working tools is continuously updated to match the current field-of-view, preventing tools from moving into regions that would cause collisions with surrounding tissues while maintaining adaptability for field-of-view changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the imaging system's position and field-of-view boundary to continuously update the virtual tool volume boundary. This feedback mechanism ensures that the allowable movement range for working tools is always aligned with the visible field, providing reliable collision prevention by restricting tool movement to regions that are within the imaging system's observation capability.
3Device complexity
If the virtual tool volume boundary is fixed while the imaging system moves, then the system structure is simple, but the working tools cannot be operated effectively beyond the initial field-of-view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic virtual tool volume boundary that automatically tracks and follows the imaging system's field-of-view boundary. This dynamic approach allows working tools to be operated effectively throughout the entire procedure, even as the imaging system moves to different positions, without requiring complex manual reconfiguration of the virtual boundaries by the operator.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling an endoscopic device includes a first field-of-view-moving process of causing an imaging unit to move with respect to a distal end rigid section to a first side with respect to an axis of an insertion unit, an insertion-unit-moving process of bending a bending section to cause the distal end rigid section to move to the first side with respect to the axis of the insertion unit, and a second field-of-view-moving process of causing the imaging unit to move with respect to the distal end rigid section to a second side in an opposite direction of the first side with respect to the axis of the insertion unit.