Surgical Microscopy Autoconfiguration for Moving Objects

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical microscopy systems face challenges in aligning user expectations with actual system behavior during automatic configuration, particularly when imaging moving objects, leading to discrepant system behavior and user expectations.

Innovation Solution

The system employs a computer-implemented method for controlling a surgical microscopy system, which includes receiving a user command, determining a target configuration, and controlling components to achieve it. The method also tracks the position and orientation of moving objects within specified temporal and spatial limits, adapting the target configuration accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If automatic position correction is performed every time the position of an observation object changes, then the system responds quickly to object movement, but the user viewing the observation image may feel strange due to excessive adjustments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponse speed to object movementVSAvoiduser expectation alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic adjustment of the determination threshold based on the movement state of the observation object. When the object is detected to be in motion, the threshold is adjusted to allow position corrections, and when the object is stationary, the threshold is set to prevent unnecessary corrections. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the system responsive during movement while maintaining stability during stationary periods, aligning system behavior with user expectations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of the determination threshold dynamically based on the movement state of the observation object. By adjusting this threshold parameter according to whether the object is moving or stationary, the system optimizes its response characteristics - being sensitive during movement and insensitive during stationary periods - thereby resolving the contradiction between response speed and user expectation alignment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If the determination threshold for position deviation is set low to detect small movements, then the system is sensitive to object movement, but unnecessary position corrections occur during stationary periods

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition deviation detection sensitivityVSAvoidsystem configuration stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamic threshold adjustment based on the movement state of the observation object. When motion is detected, a lower threshold enables sensitive detection of position deviations. When the object is stationary, the threshold is raised to prevent unnecessary corrections. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by adapting the detection sensitivity to the operational context.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The determination threshold parameter is changed dynamically according to the movement state. This parameter change enables the system to achieve high measurement precision during movement while maintaining system configuration stability during stationary periods, effectively resolving the contradiction between sensitivity and stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If the determination threshold is set high to avoid unnecessary corrections, then the system remains stable during stationary periods, but small movements are not detected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem configuration stabilityVSAvoidposition deviation detection sensitivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic threshold adjustment where the determination threshold is raised during stationary periods to maintain system stability and lowered during movement to enable detection of small position deviations. This context-dependent parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between stability and sensitivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple operating modes are provided for position correction, then the system can adapt to different user preferences, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperating mode flexibilityVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal automatic operating mode that dynamically adjusts the determination threshold based on the movement state of the observation object. This single mode replaces multiple manual operating modes (conditional automatic mode, specified time correction mode) by automatically adapting its behavior - being sensitive during movement and stable during stationary periods - thereby providing the benefits of multiple modes without the associated complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4559424A1Tracking moving objects during autoconfiguration of an operational microscopy system
Publication Date: 2025.05.28 CARL ZEISS MEDITEC AG
  • EP4559424A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4559424A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4559424A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Techniques are disclosed relating to the automatic configuration of one or more components of a surgical microscopy system for imaging a moving object (242). In the described techniques, a selective adjustment of the initially determined target configuration of the surgical microscopy system occurs when a movement of the moving object is detected; this selective adjustment occurs when the movement lies within a predetermined spatial limit (551) and/or a predetermined temporal limit.