Multiplexed Light Source Thermal Management in Image Acquisition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image acquisition systems, such as endoscopes, face challenges in preventing thermal damage to irradiated areas due to wide band light absorption, which can cause burns, and struggle with maintaining image quality when reducing illumination light output.
Innovation Solution
An image acquisition system that multiplexes narrow band and wide band lights, predicts temperature rises in irradiated areas, and adjusts the output of each light type to minimize thermal damage while maintaining image quality by controlling the ratio of narrow band to wide band light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If wide band light is used for illumination, then image quality and color rendering are improved, but thermal damage to irradiated areas occurs due to light absorption
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination light is segmented into multiple wavelength bands (first wavelength band and second wavelength band) with different absorption characteristics. By dividing the broad spectrum into segments with different thermal properties, the system can selectively control which bands are active to balance image quality with thermal safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the parameters of the illumination light by adjusting the light output ratios of different wavelength bands based on predicted temperature rises. This parameter adjustment allows optimization of both image quality and thermal management in real-time.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If illumination light output is reduced to prevent thermal damage, then thermal damage is suppressed, but image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different wavelength bands are assigned different roles based on their local qualities - some bands are optimized for penetration and others for color rendering. The system selectively activates specific wavelength bands (first or second band) depending on the imaging requirements, allowing high-quality imaging without excessive thermal load.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the spectral composition parameters of the illumination light by adjusting the output ratios of different wavelength bands. This allows maintaining adequate illumination intensity for image quality while preventing thermal damage through selective wavelength band activation.
3Illumination intensity
If multiple wavelength bands are multiplexed for high quality imaging, then image quality is improved, but temperature control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs feedback control by predicting temperature rises based on current illumination conditions and adjusting the light output ratios accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism automatically balances image quality requirements with thermal management, reducing the complexity of manual temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary temperature prediction before actual illumination to determine appropriate light output ratios. This preliminary action allows the system to pre-adjust the wavelength band mix to avoid thermal issues before they occur, simplifying real-time control.
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
Effectively suppresses temperature rises in irradiated areas, preventing thermal damage and maintaining consistent brightness and color rendering properties of the illumination light.
Implementation Method 1
a first light source unit 212 to 214 that emits light having a peak intensity in a specific band (narrow band light) and a second light source unit 211 that emits white light that is wide band light
Implementation Method 2
an irradiation area may be damaged due to that the light of these wavelength band components is absorbed in the irradiation area
Data Source
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AI summary
It is enabled to more appropriately prevent thermal damage to an area irradiated with illumination light. An image acquisition system is provided including: a first light source unit that emits narrow band light having a peak intensity in a specific band; a second light source unit that emits wide band light having a band wider than the specific band; a generation unit that generates multiplexed light by using the narrow band light and the wide band light; an imaging unit that images an irradiation target of the multiplexed light; a prediction unit that performs prediction of a temperature of an area irradiated with the multiplexed light in the irradiation target; and a control unit that performs control of outputs of the narrow band light and the wide band light on the basis of the prediction.