Camera control unit with stereoscopic video recording and archive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10104331-B2
Application number	US-201514836239-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2015
Priority date	Dec 31, 2012
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A video imaging system, and more particularly, a modular video imaging system having a control module connectable to multiple input modules. The input modules each capable of receiving differing types of image data from different types of cameras including stereoscopic camera configurations and processing the image data into a format recognizable by the control module. The control unit providing general functions such as user interface and general image processing that is not camera specific including the generation of a 3D image stream formed by combining two image streams.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A video imaging system comprising:
an endoscope having a shaft;
a camera control unit including an input module and a control module disposed external to the input module, the control module being coupled to the input module and the input module being coupled to said endoscope;
a first imager positioned on or within the endoscope, the first imager generating a first image stream transmitted to said input module, said first image stream comprising first lines of data from a first sensor;
a second imager positioned on or within the endoscope, the second imager generating a second image stream transmitted to said input module, said second image stream comprising second lines of data from a second sensor;
the input module supporting functions of the first imager and the second imager and being configured to process the first image stream and the second image stream into a first processed image stream and a second processed image stream; and
a processor located in said control module for processing the first processed image stream and the second processed image stream into a 3D image stream, the 3D image stream being transmitted to a display to be presented on said display;
wherein the 3D image stream comprises alternating lines of data taken from the first processed image stream and the second processed image stream;
wherein, upon connection of the input module to the control module, said control module is configured to communicate to the input module a plurality of types of standard processed image data the control module is compatible with, and said input module is configured to communicate to said control module a plurality of types of standard processed image data the input module is configured to transmit; and
wherein said control module and said input module are configured to, by said communicating, settle on a type of standard processed image data to transmit.

2. The video imaging system of claim 1 wherein the 3D image stream is saved in the storage of the camera control unit.

3. The video imaging system of claim 1 wherein the 3D image stream is saved on a removable storage.

4. The video imaging system of claim 1 wherein the 3D image stream is encoded.

5. The video imaging system of claim 4 wherein the 3D image stream is compressed prior to being saved in the storage.

6. The video imaging system of claim 4 wherein the encoding is Top and Bottom (TaB) frame compatible format.

7. The video imaging system of claim 4 wherein the encoding is Side-by-Side (SbS) frame compatible format or Alternating Line-by-Line (LbL) frame compatible format.

8. The video imaging system of claim 4 wherein the encoding is MPEG-2 video coding or AVC/H.264 video coding.

9. The video imaging system of claim 1 wherein the first and second imagers are positioned at a distal end of said shaft.

10. The video imaging system of claim 1 further comprising a light source generating illuminating light.

11. The video imaging system of claim 1 wherein said camera control unit further comprises a network connection.

12. The video imaging system of claim 11 further comprising a remote storage coupled to said network connection and the 3D image stream is stored on said remote storage.

13. The video imaging system of claim 11 further comprising a remote computer and the first image stream and the second image stream are accessible by said remote computer via said network connection.

14. The video imaging system of claim 1 wherein the 3D image stream is processed from the first image stream and the second image stream that are saved in the storage.

15. A method for generating a 3D image comprising the steps of:
generating a first image stream with a first imager positioned on or within an endoscope;
generating a second image stream with a second imager positioned on or within the endoscope;
transmitting the first and the second image streams to an input module coupled to the endoscope;
processing, via the input module, the first image stream and the second image stream into a first processed image stream and a second processed image stream;
transmitting the first and second processed image streams to a control module, the control module being disposed external to the input module and coupled to the input module;
processing the first processed image stream and the second processed image stream into a 3D image stream, the 3D image stream comprising alternating lines of data taken from the first processed image stream and the second processed image stream; and
transmitting the 3D image stream to a display coupled to the control module for displaying the 3D image stream;
wherein, upon connection of the input module to the control module, said control module is configured to communicate to the input module a plurality of types of standard processed image data the control module is compatible with, and said input module is configured to communicate to said control module a plurality of types of standard processed image data the input module is configured to transmit; and
wherein said control module and said input module are configured to, by said communicating, settle on a type of standard processed image data to transmit.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of storing the 3D image stream in the storage.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of transmitting the 3D image stream to a remote computer via a network connection and storing the 3D image stream on a remote storage.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of storing the 3D image stream in a removable storage.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of encoding the 3D image stream.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of compressing the 3D image stream.

21. A video imaging system comprising:
an endoscope having a shaft;
a camera control unit including an input module and a control module disposed external to the input module, the control module being coupled to the input module and the input module being coupled to said endoscope;
a first imager positioned on or within the endoscope, the first imager generating a first image stream transmitted to said input module, said first image stream comprising first lines of data from a first sensor;
a second imager positioned on or within the endoscope, the second imager generating a second image stream transmitted to said input module, said second image stream comprising second lines of data from a second sensor;
the input module transmitting an input module identifier to the control module, the input module being configured to process the first image stream and the second image stream based on a command to generate a first processed image stream and a second processed image stream; and
the control module being configured to determine the command based on the input module identifier and user input and transmit the command to the input module, the control module having a processor for processing the first processed image stream and the second processed image stream into a 3D image stream, the 3D image stream being transmitted to a display to be presented on said display;
wherein the 3D image stream is encoded, wherein the encoding is selected from a group consisting of Top and Bottom (TaB) frame compatible format, Side-by-Side (SbS) frame compatible format and Alternating Line-by-Line (LbL) frame compatible format.

22. A modular video imaging system comprising:
a first image s

Assignees

• Amling Marc R
• King Timothy
• Degoede Grant
• Blake Lisa
• Storz Karl Imaging Inc

Inventors

• Amling Marc R
• King Timothy
• Degoede Grant
• Blake Lisa

Classifications

• H04N13/0239

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G01C11/04

  Interpretation of pictures · CPC title

• A61B1/00193

  adapted for stereoscopic vision · CPC title

• A61B1/00009

  of image signals during a use of endoscope · CPC title

• H04N5/77 Primary

  between a recording apparatus and a television camera · CPC title