US6471637B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image orientation for endoscopic video displays
Assignee: Karl Storz Imaging Inc
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Filing: 2000-09-21
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Granted: 2002-10-29
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Expires: 2020-09-21
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and technique for compensating the display of an image obtained from an endoscope as it is moved through various orientations are described. The endoscope received optical image is converted to an electrical signal with an image sensor that can be a CCD or a CMOS detector. The endoscope has an inertial sensor to sense rotations of the received image about the optical axis of the endoscope and the sensor's output signals are used to rotate either the image or the image sensor. In case of rotation of the image sensor the rotation sensor can be a gyroscope or a pair of accelerometers. In case of a rotation of the image obtained with the image sensor the inertial sensor, which can be an accelerometer or a gyroscope, the image is rotated within a microprocessor for subsequent viewing on a video display. The signal processing to achieve compensatory rotations of the displayed image as an operator of the endoscope moves it about is described.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel Green
- 👤 Robert Ibach
- 👤 Jan Fablanowski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:16
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B1/00; A61B1/00002; A61B1/00043; A61B1/00045; A61B1/04; A61B1/042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A video camera system for modifying an image received by an endoscope, comprising: a) an image sensor attached to said video camera system, and having a sensor optical axis and a vertical reference, said sensor providing image signals representative of said image; b) an optical image rotator rotatably attached to said endoscope between said received image and said image sensor; c) at least one inertial sensor for providing a rotation signal representative of angular orientations of said image sensor; d) a processor to receive said rotation signal and provide a compensating rotator driver signal derived from said rotation signal and to receive and store a user supplied rotational offset signal to alter said vertical reference of said image sensor; and e) an optical image rotator driver being effectively responsive to said compensating rotator driver signal to rotate said optical image rotator to obtain a desired orientation of a display of the image signals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
A video camera system for modifying an image received by an endoscope, comprising: a) an image sensor attached to said video camera system, and having a sensor optical axis and a vertical reference, said sensor providing image signals representative of said image; b) an optical image rotator rotatably attached to said endoscope between said received image and said image sensor; c) at least one inertial sensor for providing a rotation signal representative of angular orientations of said image sensor; d) a processor to receive said rotation signal and provide a compensating rotator driver signal derived from said rotation signal and to receive and store a user supplied rotational offset signal to alter said vertical reference of said image sensor; and e) an optical image rotator driver being effectively responsive to said compensating rotator driver signal to rotate said optical image rotator to obtain a desired orientation of a display of the image signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The video camera system of claim 1 wherein said inertial sensor is an accelerometer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
The video camera system of claim 1 wherein said inertial sensor includes a plurality of accelerometers, positioned in a predetermined spatial relationship with said image sensor, said spatial relationship being so arranged that at least one of said accelerometers provides a rotation signal for diverse orientations of said image sensor; and wherein said processor derives said compensating rotator driver signal from said rotation signals from said accelerometers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The video camera system of claim 3 wherein said plurality of accelerometers comprises two accelerometers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The video camera system of claim 1 wherein said inertial sensor includes at least one gyroscope, having an axis of rotation bearing a predetermined angle relative to said sensor optical axis for providing a rotation signal representative of angular rotation of said image sensor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The video camera system of claim 1 wherein said optical image rotator is a prism.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The video camera system of claim 6 wherein said prism is a Pechan prism.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The video camera system of claim 1 wherein said inertial sensor includes at least one accelerometer, and wherein said processor derives said compensating rotator driver signal from said rotation signals from said at least one accelerometer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The video camera system of claim 1 wherein said inertial sensor includes at least one gyroscope and at least one accelerometer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPH06269403A
Cited
US5677763A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-10-28 | 2006-04-29 | 2006-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-10-28 | 2010-04-29 | 2010-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-10-28 | 2014-04-29 | 2014-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |