Medical Imaging Depth Perception via Separate Sensor

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional imaging devices used during medical procedures face challenges such as reflection, glare, and shadows, which complicate depth perception and accuracy in generating depth maps, making it difficult for users to perform precise procedures.

Innovation Solution

A medical imaging system that combines a visible light camera with a separate depth sensor to generate stereoscopic images, using an image processing system to create right and left perspective images from the data, allowing for more accurate depth perception and improved surgical precision.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If conventional visible light cameras are used to capture images during medical procedures, then color images can be obtained, but reflection, glare, and shadows are produced that degrade depth perception and measurement accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisible light image qualityVSAvoiddepth perception accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a depth sensor as an intermediary device that operates in conjunction with the visible light camera. The depth sensor captures depth information using a different modality (time-of-flight or structured light) that is not affected by the same optical artifacts as visible light cameras, thereby mediating the depth measurement process to achieve accurate depth perception despite reflection and glare in the visible light images

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/optical depth measurement approach of conventional visible light cameras with a different physical principle - using time-of-flight measurement or structured light projection through a depth sensor. This substitution eliminates the dependency on visible light reflection for depth measurement, thereby avoiding the problems of reflection, glare, and shadows that plague conventional imaging

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Loss of information

If conventional visible light cameras are used, then images can be captured, but artifacts like reflection and glare make it difficult to generate accurate depth maps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage capture capabilityVSAvoiddepth map accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the imaging function into two separate components: a visible light camera for capturing color images and a depth sensor for capturing depth information. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specialized function without being compromised by the limitations of the other, enabling accurate depth map generation even when visible light images contain artifacts

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite imaging system that combines data from two different sensing modalities - visible light imaging and depth sensing. This composite approach integrates the strengths of both systems to produce a complete picture that includes both visual information and accurate depth information, overcoming the limitations of either system used alone

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Measurement precision

If two visible light cameras are used to create stereoscopic images, then depth perception can be improved, but the device complexity and susceptibility to artifacts increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestereoscopic depth perceptionVSAvoidnumber of cameras required

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical solution of using two visible light cameras with a different physical approach - using a single visible light camera combined with a depth sensor that uses time-of-flight or structured light measurement. This substitution achieves stereoscopic depth perception with a single camera system, reducing device complexity while maintaining or improving depth measurement accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The depth sensor acts as an intermediary that provides the missing depth information that a single visible light camera cannot obtain. This intermediary device enables stereoscopic depth perception without requiring two visible light cameras, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture while achieving the desired depth perception capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20240197151A1Medical imaging systems and methods

Publication Date: 2024.06.20 INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS INC

AI summary

An illustrative medical imaging system includes an imaging device and an image processing system communicatively coupled to the imaging device. The imaging device includes an image sensor configured to capture a two-dimensional visible light image of a scene and a depth sensor separate from the image sensor and configured to generate a depth map of the scene. The image processing system is configured to generate, based on the two-dimensional visible light image of the scene captured by the image sensor and the depth map of the scene generated by the depth sensor, two perspective images of the scene that, when presented concurrently by a stereo viewer, form a stereoscopic view of the scene.