Ophthalmic Apparatus Two-Stage Eye Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ophthalmic apparatuses face challenges in accurately and efficiently aligning the examination unit with the subject's eye due to conditions like mascara, eyelashes, ptosis, or environmental factors, leading to potential misalignment or prolonged detection times.

Innovation Solution

The ophthalmic apparatus employs a combination of a drive unit for three-dimensional movement, first and second imaging units for face and anterior segment imaging, and a controller for an adjustment process that includes position acquisition, first and second drive controls, and acquisition units for detecting and designating eye positions, allowing for both rough and fine alignment based on face and anterior segment images.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If face image analysis is used to detect subject eye position, then automatic alignment can be performed, but detection may fail or take too long under certain conditions (mascara, eyelashes, ptosis, environmental factors)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic alignmentVSAvoiddetection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary rough alignment using face image analysis to bring the examination unit close to the subject eye, then transitions to fine alignment using anterior segment image analysis. This two-stage approach ensures that even if face image detection fails initially, the system can still achieve proper alignment through the fallback mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The anterior segment image serves as an intermediary reference when face image analysis fails. The system uses the anterior segment image to detect eye position and perform fine alignment, acting as a backup mediator when the primary face image analysis cannot reliably detect eye position under challenging conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Extent of automation

If face image analysis is used to detect subject eye position, then alignment process can be automated, but detection time may be excessively long under certain conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic alignmentVSAvoiddetection time

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

When face image analysis takes too long or fails to detect eye position within a predetermined time, the system skips further reliance on face image analysis and directly transitions to using anterior segment image for fine alignment, rushing through the problematic detection stage to prevent excessive time loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Device complexity

If only face image analysis is used for eye position detection, then the system is simple, but alignment accuracy deteriorates under challenging conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection systemVSAvoideye position detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The detection process is segmented into two distinct stages: rough alignment using face image analysis and fine alignment using anterior segment image analysis. This segmentation allows each stage to use the most appropriate imaging method for its specific purpose, improving overall detection accuracy without requiring a completely complex unified system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The imaging system is designed to perform multiple functions: face image analysis for rough alignment and anterior segment image analysis for fine alignment. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain relatively simple hardware while achieving high detection accuracy across various challenging conditions by switching between different imaging approaches.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20230329551A1Ophthalmic apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

Publication Date: 2023.10.19 NIDEK CO LTD

AI summary

An ophthalmic apparatus includes an examination unit examining a subject eye, a drive unit moving the examination unit relative to the subject eye, a first imaging unit capturing a face image, a second imaging unit capturing an anterior segment image of the subject eye, a controller, and first and second acquisition units. The controller performs an adjustment process including a position acquisition of the subject eye based on the face image, a first drive control such that the subject eye is positioned within an imaging range of the second imaging unit based on the acquired position, and a second drive control based on the anterior segment image to adjust a position of the examination unit relative to the subject eye. The first acquisition unit acquires the position of the subject eye through a detection. The second acquisition unit acquires the position of the subject eye through an input operation.