Medical Image Blurring Correction Preserving Biological Motion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical image processing technologies fail to accurately correct blurring caused by operator manipulation while preserving biological body motion, leading to incomplete observation of biological body movements.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus that estimates blurring amounts caused by biological body motion and adjusts gain for blurring correction processing, ensuring that screen motion is not removed, using a blurring amount estimation unit, a blurring correction processing unit, and a gain adjustment unit based on distance-related parameters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If blurring correction is performed based on manipulation situation information, then blurring suppression is improved, but biological body motion is removed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblurring correction accuracyVSAvoidbiological body motion information
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments motion into two distinct components: manipulation-induced motion (to be corrected) and biological body motion (to be preserved). By separating these motion types through frequency analysis and directional detection, the system applies different processing strategies to each component, correcting only the harmful manipulation-induced blurring while maintaining the informative biological body motion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by directing blurring correction selectively based on motion characteristics. Instead of uniform correction across all motion, the system identifies specific motion patterns (manipulation-induced) and applies correction only to those regions/frequencies, leaving biological body motion unaffected. This localized approach ensures precise correction without information loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If strong blurring correction is applied, then image clarity is improved, but natural screen motion is removed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage clarityVSAvoidobservation of biological body motion
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic gain adjustment that adapts correction strength based on real-time detection of motion characteristics. The correction gain varies dynamically according to the detected motion type and magnitude, allowing strong correction for manipulation-induced blurring while maintaining appropriate correction levels for biological body motion, thus preserving natural screen motion while improving clarity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the correction parameter (gain) based on detected motion characteristics. By monitoring manipulation situation information and adjusting the correction gain accordingly, the system optimizes the balance between clarity improvement and preservation of biological body motion, applying stronger correction when manipulation-induced blurring is detected and reducing correction when biological motion is present.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3437546B1Image processing device, image processing method, and medical system
Publication Date: 2024.04.24 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP3437546B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3437546B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3437546B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

[Object] To correct blurring without removing a screen motion caused by a biological body motion. [Solution] An image processing apparatus includes: a blurring amount estimation unit configured to estimate a blurring amount of a medical image including a biological body motion of a subject; and a blurring correction processing unit configured to perform blurring correction processing so as not to remove a screen motion caused by the biological body motion, on a basis of the blurring amount. This configuration makes it possible to correct blurring without removing a screen motion caused by a biological body motion. Thus, an optimum image for observing a biological body motion can be obtained.