Laser-Surgical Apparatus Stray Light Suppression via Digital Image Manipulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laser-surgical apparatuses face challenges in suppressing stray light, particularly in the green wavelength range, which causes overexposure and color falsification in digital images during eye surgery, leading to complex and costly solutions like reflective laser safety filters.
Innovation Solution
A method that electronically manipulates the image data of the color channel with the greatest spectral overlap with stray light, either by excluding or reducing its contribution in the image or replacing it with data from other channels, allowing for a cost-effective and compact design without the need for mechanical filters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a reflective laser safety filter is used to block laser light, then the laser light intensity is reduced by at least a factor of 10000, but reflections of the laser light appear in the camera image during normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful laser wavelength component from the image data by identifying and isolating pixels affected by laser reflections. The system separates the laser wavelength channel from the other wavelength channels, allowing the laser safety function to be maintained while eliminating the harmful reflections from the final image.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the image data specifically for wavelength channels that are not affected by laser reflections. By copying and processing only the relevant wavelength information, the system can reconstruct the image without the harmful laser reflection artifacts while maintaining the safety function.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a laser safety filter is mounted inside the microscope tube to protect the camera, then the camera sensor is protected against overexposure, but the physician cannot see through the microscope during treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the wavelength spectrum into different channels, separating the laser wavelength from other wavelengths. This allows the system to protect against laser overexposure in specific wavelength channels while maintaining visibility in other channels, thus solving the contradiction between camera protection and physician visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing qualities to different wavelength channels. The laser wavelength channel is processed with suppression to protect the camera, while other wavelength channels are processed normally to maintain visibility. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying protection only where needed.
3Measurement precision
If the green laser light intensity is reduced to prevent overexposure, then the retina can be observed without overexposure, but the laser cannot effectively coagulate the retina
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the observation and treatment functions into separate wavelength channels. The target laser operates at a wavelength that does not cause overexposure during observation, while the coagulation laser operates at a different wavelength. This segmentation allows both observation quality and coagulation effectiveness to be maintained simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically switches between different laser wavelengths and processing modes. During observation phases, the system uses wavelengths that provide good visibility without overexposure. During treatment phases, the system activates the coagulation laser at appropriate wavelengths. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between observation quality and treatment effectiveness.
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 effectively suppresses stray light, preventing overexposure and color falsification, while maintaining a realistic color presentation and reducing the complexity and cost of the solution, allowing for quick implementation and minimal computational overhead.
Implementation Method 1
The digital image sensor or the plurality of digital image sensors separately record(s) different color channels that represent mutually different spectral wavelength distributions with, in each case, a maximum corresponding to a specific spectral color
Implementation Method 2
the stray light is suppressed by electronically manipulating the pieces of image information of the color channel whose spectral wavelength distribution has the greatest overlap with the narrowband wavelength distribution of the stray light
Data Source
AI summary
A laser-surgical apparatus includes a laser emitting laser light with a narrowband wavelength distribution, a digital image sensor or a plurality of digital image sensors that separately record(s) different color channels that represent mutually different spectral wavelength distributions with in each case one maximum corresponding to a specific spectral color and produce(s) separate pieces of image information for the individual color channels, and a graphics module for combining the separate pieces of image information into one color image. In addition, it includes a manipulation module for suppressing the laser light in the color image, which makes it possible to electronically manipulate the pieces of image information of the color channel the spectral wavelength distribution of which has the largest overlap with the narrowband wavelength distribution of the laser light before the separate pieces of image information are combined or during the combining of the separate pieces of image information.