Ophthalmoscope Electronic Sensor Pixel Line Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ophthalmoscopes face challenges in achieving high-resolution, reflection-free imaging of the eye fundus due to scattered light and mechanical vibrations, which affect image sharpness and the suppression of stray light.
Innovation Solution
The use of an electronic control circuit to activate and read out pixel lines in an electronic sensor synchronously with the scanning of the illumination beam, replacing mechanical shutters and slit diaphragms, and incorporating a pivoted mirror with line focusing optics for precise scanning and improved light management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If mechanical shutters and slit diaphragms are used to suppress stray light, then stray light suppression is improved, but mechanical vibrations increase causing image sharpness deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical shutters and slit diaphragms with an electronic control circuit that selectively activates and reads out pixel lines in the electronic sensor. This electronic approach eliminates mechanical moving parts that cause vibrations, thereby maintaining image sharpness while still achieving stray light suppression through synchronous scanning control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential function of mechanical shutters (stray light suppression) and implements it through electronic means. By taking out the mechanical component and replacing it with electronic pixel line control, the system maintains the harmful factor suppression while eliminating the negative side effect of mechanical vibrations.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If mechanical shutters are used to block scattered light, then scattered light blocking is improved, but mechanical vibrations increase affecting image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes mechanical shutters with an electronic control system that manages light blocking through selective pixel line activation. This electronic approach blocks scattered light effectively while eliminating the mechanical vibrations that would otherwise degrade image quality.
3Use of energy by moving object
If conventional electronic sensors with full array activation are used, then light collection is improved, but stray light suppression deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the electronic sensor's pixel array into individually controllable pixel lines. By activating only specific pixel lines synchronously with the scanning illumination beam, the system maintains effective light collection from the illuminated area while suppressing stray light that would otherwise be detected by the entire sensor array.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality control by activating only the specific pixel lines that correspond to the current illumination position. This localized activation ensures that light collection is optimized for the illuminated region while stray light from other regions is suppressed, achieving both objectives simultaneously.
4Speed
If scanning speed is increased for continuous imaging, then imaging speed is improved, but synchronization precision with pixel line reading deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic scanning system where the illumination beam scans across the retina and the electronic sensor's pixel lines are activated and read out in synchronous sequence. This dynamic coordination allows high-speed continuous imaging while maintaining precision through electronic timing control, avoiding the mechanical inertia limitations of physical shutters.
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 enhances image resolution, reduces mechanical vibrations, and effectively suppresses stray light, enabling high-contrast, reflection-free imaging and precise therapeutic interventions.
Implementation Method 1
an illumination device (14) for generating an illumination beam (19)
Implementation Method 2
an observation device (30) which has an electronic sensor (34) with an array of photosensitive pixels (36) ... observation imaging optics for imaging an observation beam generated by reflection of the illumination beam (19) at the eye (12) onto the observation device (30)
Implementation Method 3
an electronic sensor (34) with an array of photosensitive pixels (36)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3c
Figure 4a~4b
AI summary
The ophthalmoscope (10) has an illumination reproducing optic reproducing illumination beam on an eye (12). A rotating slit diaphragm (18) scans the beam over the eye. An observation reproducing optic reproduces an observation beam produced by a reflection of the illumination beam in the eye on an observation device. Another diaphragm shields scattered light from the observation beam. The device has an electronic sensor (34) with a field of photosensitive pixels, which are activated and/or read. The latter diaphragm has an electronic control circuit to read a pixel line of the sensor.