Medical stereoscopic observation device, medical stereoscopic observation method, program, and medical stereoscopic observation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10924724-B2
Application number	US-201715450250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2017
Priority date	Mar 29, 2016
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

There is provided a medical stereoscopic observation device, including: an acquisition section that acquires a first signal associated with a first imaging section and a second signal associated with a second imaging section via mutually different transmission channels; and a switching section that switches a signal to use for a certain control between the first signal and the second signal, in accordance with a state of the transmission channel for transmitting the first signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A medical stereoscopic observation device, comprising:
processing circuitry configured to
acquire a first signal controlling a first imaging device, the first imaging device including a first image sensor and a first optical system,
acquire a second signal controlling a second imaging device, the second imaging device including a second image sensor and a second optical system, and
control switching between the first signal and the second signal, in accordance with a state of a first transmission channel for transmitting the first signal, to provide the second signal to the first imaging device via a second transmission channel from the second imaging device, the second transmission channel connecting the first imaging device and the second imaging device, wherein

the processing circuitry is provided in the first imaging device,
the processing circuitry is configured to receive the first signal directly from an external device, the external device including common signal generator circuitry configured to generate the first signal and the second signal, the external device controlling operation of each of the first imaging device and the second imaging device, and
the processing circuitry is configured to receive the second signal generated by the external device via the second imaging device and the second transmission channel to provide the second signal to the first imaging device, in response to the processing circuitry switching to the second signal in accordance with the state of the first transmission channel.

2. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first signal is a first synchronization signal for controlling a timing of operation of the first imaging device,
the second signal is a second synchronization signal for controlling a timing of operation of the second imaging device, and
the processing circuitry is further configured to
switch between the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal in accordance with a state of the transmission channel for transmitting the first synchronization signal, and
supply a switched one of the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal to the first imaging device.

3. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to claim 2 , wherein a value of the first synchronization signal and a value of the second synchronization signal are equal.

4. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to
acquire the first signal from the first imaging device, and
acquire the second signal from the second imaging device.

5. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to claim 4 , wherein
the second signal includes information output from the second imaging device, and
at least part of information output from the first imaging device.

6. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to
temporarily stop the switching in accordance with a state of the first signal and the second signal.

7. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to
notify the external device of a detection result of a state of each of the first transmission channel for transmitting the first signal and the second transmission channel for transmitting the second signal.

8. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to
adjust a phase difference between the first signal and the second signal.

9. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first transmission channel for transmitting the first signal is bendably configured.

10. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a support that supports the first imaging device and the second imaging device, wherein
at least part of the first transmission channel for transmitting the first signal is supported by the support.

11. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to claim 1 , wherein the second signal controlling the second imaging device is split, the second signal being transmitted to the second imaging device and to the first imaging device via the second imaging device.

12. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to claim 1 , wherein the first transmission channel and the second transmission channel operatively-couple the first imaging device and the second imaging device, respectively, to a common signal generator configured to generate the first signal and the second signal.

13. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to claim 1 , wherein the first transmission channel connects the first imaging device and an image processing device.

14. A medical stereoscopic observation method, comprising:
acquiring, by processing circuitry, a first signal controlling a first imaging device, the first imaging device including a first image sensor and a first optical system;
acquiring, by the processing circuitry, a second signal controlling a second imaging device, the second imaging device including a second image sensor and a second optical system; and
switching, by the processing circuitry, between the first signal and the second signal in accordance with a state of a first transmission channel for transmitting the first signal, to provide the second signal to the first imaging device via a second transmission channel from the second imaging device, the second transmission channel connecting the first imaging device and the second imaging device, wherein
the processing circuitry is provided in the first imaging device,
the method further comprises receiving, using the processing circuitry, the first signal directly from an external device, the external device including common signal generator circuitry configured to generate the first signal and the second signal, the external device controlling operation of each of the first imaging device and the second imaging device, and
the method further comprises receiving, by the processing circuitry, the second signal generated by the external device via the second imaging device and the second transmission channel to provide the second signal to the first imaging device, in response to the processing circuitry switching to the second signal in accordance with the state of the first transmission channel.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method, comprising:
acquiring, by processing circuitry, a first signal controlling a first imaging device, the first imaging device including a first image sensor and a first optical system; and
acquiring, by the processing circuitry, a second signal controlling a second imaging device, the second imaging device including a second image sensor and a second optical system; and
switching, by the processing circuitry, between the first signal and the second signals in accordance with a state of a first transmission channel for transmitting the first signal, to provide the second signal to the first imaging device via a second transmission channel from the second imaging device, the second transmission channel connecting the first imaging device and the second imaging device, wherein
the processing circuitry is provided in the first imaging device,
the method further comprises receiving, using the processing ci

Assignees

• Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc
• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Shioda Keiji
• Koiso Manabu
• Mitsui Satoshi

Classifications

• A61B1/04

  combined with photographic or television appliances · CPC title

• A61B1/00194

  adapted for three-dimensional imaging · CPC title

• H04N13/239 Primary

  using two two-dimensional [2D] image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance (H04N13/243 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N13/296 Primary

  Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof · CPC title

• H04N13/302

  for viewing without the aid of special glasses, i.e. using autostereoscopic displays · CPC title