Omniview motionless camera endoscopy system

Claim 3

An endoscopy device for providing perspective corrected views of a selected portion of perspective distorted optical images from an environment into a desired format, said device comprising: an imaging system for receiving optical images from the environment and for producing output signals corresponding to said perspective distorted optical images, said imaging system including light source, an image conduit for conveying light from said light source into the environment, a wide angle lens at a distal end of said image conduit in the environment for optical conveyance of said optical images through said image conduit and a video camera positioned exterior the environment to receive images from said lens, said optical images to said video camera being perspective distorted by said wide angle lens; image capture circuitry for receiving, and producing digitized signals from, said output signals from said imaging system; image transform circuitry for processing said digitized signals from said image capture circuitry according to selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification for producing output signals of perspective corrected images according to a combination of said digitized signals and said selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; an input for selecting said viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification, and for producing signals to control said processing of said image transform circuitry as to said viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; and an output connected to said image transform circuitry for recording said perspective corrected views according to said selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification.

Claim 4

An endoscopy device for providing perspective corrected views of a selected portion of perspective distorted optical images from an environment into a desired format, said device comprising: an imaging system for receiving optical images from the environment and for producing output signals corresponding to said perspective distorted optical images, said imaging system including light source, an image conduit for conveying light from said light source into the environment, a wide angle lens at a distal end of said image conduit in the environment for optical conveyance of said optical images through said image conduit and a video camera positioned exterior the environment to receive images from said lens, said optical images to said video camera being perspective distorted by said wide angle lens; image capture circuitry for receiving, and producing digitized signals from, said output signals from said imaging system; image transform circuitry for processing said digitized signals from said image capture circuitry according to selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification for producing output signals of perspective corrected images according to a combination of said digitized signals and said selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; an input for selecting said viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification, and for producing signals to control said processing of said image transform circuitry as to said viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; and an output connected to said image transform circuitry for recording said perspective corrected views according to said selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification.

Claim 5

The device of claim 2 wherein said imaging system further comprises a video recorder for receiving and recording said output signals of said video camera for selective input to said image transform circuitry.

Claim 6

The device of claim 2 further comprising a further input for inputting control signals to said image transform circuitry to achieve simultaneous multiple perspective corrected views in said output and selected scanning of said perspective corrected views in said output.

Claim 7

The device of claim 4 wherein said input and said further input have selective user inputs including computer keyboard input, voice activated input and touch screen input.

Claim 8

The device of claim 4 wherein said further input includes discrete switches to control said processing of said image transform circuitry, said discrete switches in a keypad, said keypad being sterilizable when said device is utilized for medical purposes.

Claim 9

The device of claim 1 wherein said image transform circuitry is programmed to implement the following two equations: ##EQU7## where: A=(cos φ cos ∂-sin φ sin ∂ cos β) B=(sin φ cos ∂+cos φ sin ∂ cos β) C=(cos φ sin ∂+sin φ cos ∂ cos β) D=(sin φ sin ∂-cos φ cos ∂ cos β) and where: R=radius of the image circle β=zenith angle ∂=Azimuth angle in image plane φ=Object plane rotation angle m=Magnification u,v=object plane coordinates x,y=image plane coordinates.

Claim 10

The device of claim 2 wherein said image transform circuitry is programmed to implement the following two equations: ##EQU8## where: A=(cos φ cos ∂-sin φ sin ∂ cos β) B=(sin φ cos ∂+cos φ sin ∂ cos β) C=(cos φ sin ∂+sin φ cos ∂ cos β) D=(sin φ sin ∂-cos φ cos ∂ cos β) and where: R=radius of the image circle β=zenith angle ∂=Azimuth angle in image plane φ=Object plane rotation angle m=Magnification u,v=object plane coordinates x,y=image plane coordinates.

Claim 11

An endoscopic device for use in internal medicine to provide perspective corrected views of a selected portion of perspective distorted optical images from an environment within a patient into a desired format, said device comprising: an imaging system for receiving optical images from the environment and for producing output signals corresponding to said perspective distorted optical images, said imaging system including an image conduit, a video camera at a proximal end of said image conduit exterior the environment, a wide angle lens at a distal end of said image conduit for placement within the environment for optical conveyance of said optical images from the environment through said image conduit to said video camera, said optical images to said video camera being perspective distorted by said wide angle lens, said imaging system being sterilizable; image transform circuitry for processing said output signals from said imaging system according to selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification for producing output signals of perspective corrected images according to a combination of said digitized signals and said selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; an input for selecting said viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification, and for producing signals to control said processing of said image transform circuitry as to said viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; and a further input for inputting control signals to said image transform circuitry to achieve multiple perspective corrected views in said output means and selected scanning of said video camera; and an output connected to said image transform circuitry for recording said perspective corrected views according to said selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; wherein said image transform circuitry is programmed to implement the following two equations: ##EQU9## where: A=(cos φ cos ∂-sin φ sin ∂ cos β) B=(sin φ cos ∂+cos φ sin ∂ cos β) C=(cos φ cos ∂+sin φ cos ∂ cos β) D=(sin φ sin ∂-cos φ cos ∂ cos β) and where: R=radius of the image circle β=zenith angle ∂=Azimuth angle in image plane φ=Object plane rotation angle m=Magnification u,v=object plane coordinates x,y=image plane coordinates.

Claim 12

An endoscopic device for use in internal medicine to provide perspective corrected views of a selected portion of perspective distorted optical images from an environment within a patient into a desired format, said device comprising: an imaging system for receiving optical images from the environment and for producing output signals corresponding to said perspective distorted optical images, said imaging system including an image conduit, a video camera at a proximal end of said image conduit exterior the environment, a wide angle lens at a distal end of said image conduit for placement within the environment for optical conveyance of said optical images from the environment through said image conduit to said video camera, said optical images to said video camera being perspective distorted by said wide angle lens, said imaging system being sterilizable; image transform circuitry for processing said output signals from said imaging system according to selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification for producing output signals of perspective corrected images according to a combination of said digitized signals and said selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; an input for selecting said viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification, and for producing signals to control said processing of said image transform circuitry as to said viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; and a further input for inputting control signals to said image transform circuitry to achieve multiple perspective corrected views in said output means and selected scanning of said video camera; and an output connected to said image transform circuitry for recording said perspective corrected views according to said selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; wherein said image transform circuitry is programmed to implement the following two equations: ##EQU9## where: A=(cos φ cos ∂-sin φ sin ∂ cos β) B=(sin φ cos ∂+cos φ sin ∂ cos β) C=(cos φ cos ∂+sin φ cos ∂ cos β) D=(sin φ sin ∂-cos φ cos ∂ cos β) and where: R=radius of the image circle β=zenith angle ∂=Azimuth angle in image plane φ=Object plane rotation angle m=Magnification u,v=object plane coordinates x,y=image plane coordinates.

Claim 13

The device of claim 9 wherein said input and said further input have selective user inputs including computer keyboard input, voice activated input and touch screen input.

Claim 14

The device of claim 10 wherein said further input includes discrete switches to control said processing of said image transform circuitry, said discrete switches in a keypad, said keypad being sterilizable.

Claim 15

The device of claim 10 wherein said further input comprises discrete switches to input said selected angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification into said image transform circuitry.

Claim 16

The device of claim 11 further comprising an output line from said image transform circuitry to selectively activate actuating equipment within the environment.

Claim 17

The device of claim 9 wherein said imaging system further comprises a light source to direct light through said image conduit into said environment within the patient.

Claim 18

An endoscopic device for use in confined industrial inspection to provide perspective corrected views of a selected portion of perspective distorted optical images from an environment within an industrial device into a desired format, said device comprising: an imaging system for receiving optical images from the environment and for producing output signals corresponding to said perspective distorted optical images, said imaging system including an image conduit, a video camera at a proximal end of said image conduit exterior the environment, a wide angle lens at a distal end of said image conduit for placement within the environment for optical conveyance of said optical images from the environment through said image conduit to said video camera, said optical images to said video camera being perspective distorted by said wide angle lens; image transform circuitry for processing said output signals from said imaging system according to selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification for producing output signals of perspective corrected images according to a combination of said digitized signals and said selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; an input for selecting said viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification, and for producing signals to control said processing of said image transform circuitry as to said viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; and a further input for inputting control signals to said image transform circuitry to achieve multiple perspective corrected views in said output means and selected scanning of said video camera; and an output connected to said image transform circuitry for recording said perspective corrected views according to said selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; wherein said image transform circuitry is programmed to implement the following two equations: ##EQU10## where: A=(cos φ cos ∂-sin φ sin ∂ cos β) B=(sin φ cos ∂+cos φ sin ∂ cos β) C=(cos φ sin ∂+cos φ cos ∂ cos β) D=(sin φ sin ∂-cos φ cos ∂ cos β) and where: R=radius of the image circle β=zenith angle ∂=Azimuth angle in image plane φ=Object plane rotation angle m=Magnification u,v=object plane coordinates x,y=image plane coordinates.

Claim 19

An endoscopic device for use in confined industrial inspection to provide perspective corrected views of a selected portion of perspective distorted optical images from an environment within an industrial device into a desired format, said device comprising: an imaging system for receiving optical images from the environment and for producing output signals corresponding to said perspective distorted optical images, said imaging system including an image conduit, a video camera at a proximal end of said image conduit exterior the environment, a wide angle lens at a distal end of said image conduit for placement within the environment for optical conveyance of said optical images from the environment through said image conduit to said video camera, said optical images to said video camera being perspective distorted by said wide angle lens; image transform circuitry for processing said output signals from said imaging system according to selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification for producing output signals of perspective corrected images according to a combination of said digitized signals and said selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; an input for selecting said viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification, and for producing signals to control said processing of said image transform circuitry as to said viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; and a further input for inputting control signals to said image transform circuitry to achieve multiple perspective corrected views in said output means and selected scanning of said video camera; and an output connected to said image transform circuitry for recording said perspective corrected views according to said selected viewing angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification; wherein said image transform circuitry is programmed to implement the following two equations: ##EQU10## where: A=(cos φ cos ∂-sin φ sin ∂ cos β) B=(sin φ cos ∂+cos φ sin ∂ cos β) C=(cos φ sin ∂+cos φ cos ∂ cos β) D=(sin φ sin ∂-cos φ cos ∂ cos β) and where: R=radius of the image circle β=zenith angle ∂=Azimuth angle in image plane φ=Object plane rotation angle m=Magnification u,v=object plane coordinates x,y=image plane coordinates.

Claim 20

The device of claim 15 wherein said further input includes discrete switches to control said processing of said image transform circuitry, said discrete switches enclosed in a keypad.

Claim 21

The device of claim 15 wherein said further input comprises discrete switches to input said selected angles of pan, tilt, and rotation and percentage of magnification into said image transform circuitry.

Claim 22

The device of claim 16 further comprising an output line from said image transform circuitry to selectively activate actuating equipment within the environment.

Claim 23

The device of claim 15 wherein said imaging system further comprises a light source to direct light through said image conduit into the environment within the industrial device.