Scene Adaptive Endoscopic Illuminator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024197159-A1
Application number	US-202218085437-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 20, 2022
Priority date	Dec 20, 2022
Publication date	Jun 20, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Endoscopic illuminator devices and methods are provided with an adaptive illumination profile. An endoscopic illuminator includes a first illumination element adapted for coupling first illumination light into a light input of an endoscope for illuminating a central area of a field of view of the endoscope. A second illumination element is adapted for coupling second illumination light to the light input for illuminating a peripheral area of the field of view, arranged relative to the first illumination element such that the first illumination light enters the light input at a substantially different angle from the first illumination light, and having an illumination level adjustable separately from that of the first illumination element.

First claim

1 . An endoscopic illuminator comprising:
a first illumination element adapted for coupling first illumination light into a light input of an endoscope for illuminating a central area of a field of view of the endoscope; and a second illumination element adapted for coupling second illumination light to the light input for illuminating a peripheral area of the field of view, arranged relative to the first illumination element such that the second illumination light enters the light input at a substantially different angle from the first illumination light, and having an illumination level adjustable separately from that of the first illumination element.

2 . The endoscopic illuminator of claim 1 wherein the first and second illumination elements each comprise a light source and a light directing element arranged for directing light from the light source to the light input at their respective different angles.

3 . The endoscopic illuminator of claim 2 wherein the light directing elements are lenses.

4 . The endoscopic illuminator of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the light directing elements comprises a parabolic or elliptical mirror.

5 . The endoscopic illuminator of claim 2 , wherein the light directing elements of the first and second illumination elements are arranged for collecting light from their respective light source and directing a converging field of light into the light input centered around the first or second angle, respectively.

6 . The endoscopic illuminator of claim 1 wherein the first and second illumination elements are adapted to couple light into a light input selected from the group comprising: an input of a light post of the endoscope, a light port of the endoscope, an input of a light cable of the endoscope, an input of a light pipe of the endoscope, and an optical element for coupling to a light input for an endoscope.

7 . The endoscopic illuminator of claim 1 further comprising a controller coupled to the first and second illumination elements and operable to automatically adjust the illumination levels of the first and second illumination elements to improve the evenness of illumination over a field of view of the endoscope.

8 . The endoscopic illuminator of claim 7 wherein the illumination at the edges of the endoscopic field of view is automatically decreased relative to the illumination at the center of the field of view when the endoscope images along a lumen, and wherein the illumination at the edges of the endoscopic field of view is automatically increased relative to the illumination at the center of the field of view when the endoscope images a flat or convex scene.

9 . The endoscopic illuminator of claim 7 wherein the optical axis of the illumination element providing illumination to the center of the endoscopic field of view is oriented at a slight angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the light input into which the illumination is coupled.

10 . The endoscopic illuminator of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional illumination element.

11 . The endoscopic illuminator of claim 10 wherein at least two of the illumination elements provide illumination to the periphery of a field of view of the endoscope.

12 . The endoscopic illuminator of claim 1 wherein the illumination elements are LEDs.

13 . A method of providing illumination for an endoscope, comprising:
coupling first illumination light into a proximal end of a light guiding element for an endoscope centered along a first angle relative to the light guiding element; illuminating a central area of a field of view of the endoscope from a distal end of the light guiding element with the first illumination light; while coupling the first illumination light, coupling second illumination light into the light guiding element centered along a second angle substantially different from the first angle; illuminating a peripheral area of the field of view with the second illumination light; and adjusting an illumination level of the second illumination light relative to that of the first illumination light to improve evenness of illumination in the field of view.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
detecting a first illumination level in the central area of the field of view and detecting a second illumination level in the peripheral area of the field of view; and based on the first and second illumination levels, automatically adjusting the illumination level of the first or second illumination light.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further wherein:
coupling the first illumination light into the proximal end of the light guiding element comprises directing the first illumination light at the light guide element with a first lens directed along the first angle; and coupling the second illumination light into the proximal end of the light guiding element comprises directing the second illumination light at the light guide element with a second lens directed along the second angle.

16 . An endoscopic imaging system comprising:
an endoscope comprising a shaft, a light guide extending along at least a portion of the shaft to a distal end of the shaft, and a light input;
a light source comprising:
a first illumination element providing first illumination light into the light input, which is emitted by the light guide to illuminate a central area of a field of view of the endoscope; and
a second illumination element providing second illumination to the light input and arranged relative to the first illumination element such that the second illumination enters the light input at a substantially different angle from the first illumination, which is emitted by the light guide to illuminate a peripheral area of the field of view, the second illumination element having an illumination level adjustable separately from that of the first illumination element;
a controller coupled to the first and second illumination elements and operable to adjust at least one of the first and second illumination elements to improve the evenness of illumination over an endoscopic field of view.

17 . The endoscopic imaging system of claim 16 wherein the first and second illumination elements each comprise a light source and a light directing element arranged for directing the illumination from the light source to the light input at their respective different angles.

18 . The endoscopic imaging system of claim 17 wherein the light directing elements are lenses.

19 . The endoscopic imaging system of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the light directing elements comprises a parabolic or elliptical mirror.

20 . The endoscopic imaging system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is operable to automatically adjust at least one of the illumination elements based on a first illumination level detected in the central area of the field of view and a second illumination level detected in the peripheral area of the field of view.

Assignees

• Storz Karl Imaging Inc

Inventors

• Duckett Iii George E

Classifications

• A61B1/00096

  Optical elements · CPC title

• A61B1/0655

  Control therefor · CPC title

• A61B1/0669

  at proximal end of an endoscope · CPC title

• A61B1/0684 Primary

  using light emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• A61B1/0625

  for multiple fixed illumination angles · CPC title