Patents by Inventor Jeffrey DiCarlo

Jeffrey DiCarlo has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230371783
    Abstract: An apparatus may configure an illuminator to illuminate a scene with non-white light. The illuminator includes a plurality of color component illumination sources. The non-white light is light other than white light and is generated by a combination of light output by the plurality of color component illumination sources. The apparatus may also control a camera to capture, in a plurality of color channels of the camera, a frame of the scene illuminated with the non-white light and adjust pixel values of a color channel of the camera in the frame of the scene to decrease noise of the color channel in the frame of the scene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Jeffrey DiCarlo, Stephen J. Blumenkranz, Brian D. Hoffman, Geoff Richmond, Tao Zhao
  • Patent number: 11759093
    Abstract: An apparatus may configure an illuminator to illuminate a scene with non-white light and control a camera to capture, in a plurality of color channels of the camera, a frame of the scene illuminated with the non-white light. The apparatus may adjust a signal of a color channel of the camera in the frame of the scene based on the non-white light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey DiCarlo, Stephen J. Blumenkranz, Brian D. Hoffman, Geoff Richmond, Tao Zhao
  • Publication number: 20210145249
    Abstract: An apparatus may configure an illuminator to illuminate a scene with non-white light and control a camera to capture, in a plurality of color channels of the camera, a frame of the scene illuminated with the non-white light. The apparatus may adjust a signal of a color channel of the camera in the frame of the scene based on the non-white light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Jeffrey DiCarlo, Stephen J. Blumenkranz, Brian D. Hoffman, Geoff Richmond, Tao Zhao
  • Patent number: 10932649
    Abstract: A system may control an illuminator to illuminate a surgical site with non-white light and control a camera to capture light reflected from the surgical site. The camera may separate the captured light into a plurality of color components. The plurality of color components may be captured by the camera as a plurality of sets of pixels of a frame in a video stream, and each set of the plurality of sets of pixels may be in a different color channel of the camera. The system may further control, based on color component characteristics of the light captured by the camera, the illuminator to configure the non-white light such that each color channel of the camera has an about equal response to the light captured by the camera for a subsequently captured frame in the video stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey DiCarlo, Stephen J. Blumenkranz, Brian D. Hoffman, Geoff Richmond, Tao Zhao
  • Publication number: 20200077870
    Abstract: A system may control an illuminator to illuminate a surgical site with non-white light and control a camera to capture light reflected from the surgical site. The camera may separate the captured light into a plurality of color components. The plurality of color components may be captured by the camera as a plurality of sets of pixels of a frame in a video stream, and each set of the plurality of sets of pixels may be in a different color channel of the camera. The system may further control, based on color component characteristics of the light captured by the camera, the illuminator to configure the non-white light such that each color channel of the camera has an about equal response to the light captured by the camera for a subsequently captured frame in the video stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Jeffrey DiCarlo, Stephen J. Blumenkranz, Brian D. Hoffman, Geoff Richmond, Tao Zhao
  • Patent number: 10506914
    Abstract: Non-white light from an endoscope (201) of a teleoperated surgical system (200) is used to illuminate a surgical site (203). A camera (220L) captures an image of the surgical site, and the image is displayed on a monitor (251). The non-white light illumination minimizes noise in the images of the surgical site presented on the monitor relative to images captured using white light illumination and displayed on the monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey DiCarlo, Tao Zhao, Stephen J. Blumenkranz, Brian D. Hoffman, Geoff Richmond
  • Patent number: 9992428
    Abstract: Mixed mode imaging is implemented using a single-chip image capture sensor with a color filter array. The single-chip image capture sensor captures a frame including a first set of pixel data and a second set of pixel data. The first set of pixel data includes a first combined scene, and the second set of pixel data includes a second combined scene. The first combined scene is a first weighted combination of a fluorescence scene component and a visible scene component due to the leakage of a color filter array. The second combined scene includes a second weighted combination of the fluorescence scene component and the visible scene component. Two display scene components are extracted from the captured pixel data in the frame and presented on a display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Wenyi Zhao, Jeffrey DiCarlo, Ian E. McDowall
  • Patent number: 9844313
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus is disclosed including an image sensor, a color filter array, and an image processor. The image sensor has an active area with a matrix of camera pixels. The color filter array is in optical alignment over the matrix of the camera pixels. The color filter array assigns alternating single colors to each camera pixel. The image processor receives the camera pixels and includes a correlation detector to detect spatial correlation of color information between pairs of colors in the pixel data captured by the camera pixels. The correlation detector further controls demosaicing of the camera pixels into full color pixels with improved resolution. The apparatus may further include demosaicing logic to demosaic the camera pixels into the full color pixels with improved resolution in response to the spatial correlation of the color information between pairs of colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc
    Inventors: Jeffrey DiCarlo, David D. Scott, Wenyi Zhao
  • Publication number: 20170112354
    Abstract: Non-white light from an endoscope (201) of a teleoperated surgical system (200) is used to illuminate a surgical site (203). A camera (220L) captures an image of the surgical site, and the image is displayed on a monitor (251). The non-white light illumination minimizes noise in the images of the surgical site presented on the monitor relative to images captured using white light illumination and displayed on the monitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey DiCarlo, Tao Zhao, Stephen J. Blumenkranz, Brian D. Hoffman, Geoff Richmond
  • Patent number: 9413976
    Abstract: A camera system that can be utilized in robotic surgery is presented. In particular, a method of setting a light level in a camera in a robotic system includes determining a location of at least one instrument end effectors within a field-of-view of the camera; determining a region-of-interest in the field-of-view based on the location of the at least one instrument tip; gathering luminance statistics in the region-of-interest; computing a luminance value from the luminance statistics; and adjusting an exposure in response to a comparison of the luminance value with a target luminance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey DiCarlo
  • Publication number: 20160227129
    Abstract: Mixed mode imaging is implemented using a single-chip image capture sensor with a color filter array. The single-chip image capture sensor captures a frame including a first set of pixel data and a second set of pixel data. The first set of pixel data includes a first combined scene, and the second set of pixel data includes a second combined scene. The first combined scene is a first weighted combination of a fluorescence scene component and a visible scene component due to the leakage of a color filter array. The second combined scene includes a second weighted combination of the fluorescence scene component and the visible scene component. Two display scene components are extracted from the captured pixel data in the frame and presented on a display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Wenyi Zhao, Jeffrey DiCarlo, Ian E. McDowall
  • Patent number: 9277205
    Abstract: Mixed mode imaging is implemented using a single-chip image capture sensor with a color filter array. The single-chip image capture sensor captures a frame including a first set of pixel data and a second set of pixel data. The first set of pixel data includes a first combined scene, and the second set of pixel data includes a second combined scene. The first combined scene is a first weighted combination of a fluorescence scene component and a visible scene component due to the leakage of a color filter array. The second combined scene includes a second weighted combination of the fluorescence scene component and the visible scene component. Two display scene components are extracted from the captured pixel data in the frame and presented on a display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Wenyi Zhao, Jeffrey DiCarlo, Ian E. McDowall
  • Patent number: 9258549
    Abstract: Mixed mode imaging is implemented using a single-chip image capture sensor with a color filter array. The single-chip image capture sensor captures a frame including a first set of pixel data and a second set of pixel data. The first set of pixel data includes a first combined scene, and the second set of pixel data includes a second combined scene. The first combined scene is a first weighted combination of a fluorescence scene component and a visible scene component due to the leakage of a color filter array. The second combined scene includes a second weighted combination of the fluorescence scene component and the visible scene component. Two display scene components are extracted from the captured pixel data in the frame and presented on a display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey DiCarlo, Ian E. McDowall, Wenyi Zhao
  • Patent number: 9024535
    Abstract: An optical lighting apparatus having a constant luminance with a drive current controlled by a controller unit. A temperature controlled photodetector indirectly monitors the luminance and informs the controller when a change in luminance has occurred so that the controller can make appropriate adjustments to the drive current. Also disclosed is a method of regulating the drive current to a light source to enable the luminance to remain fixed and independent of fluctuations in ambient temperature. A temperature compensated photodetector senses the amount of light reflected off a diffuser lens and feeds back the output to a controller circuit which regulates the drive current to the light source. The lighting apparatus has application in calibrating imaging systems, such as digital cameras, and for scanning devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Carl Picciotto, Glen Eric Montgomery, Jeffrey DiCarlo
  • Publication number: 20140176680
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus is disclosed including an image sensor, a color filter array, and an image processor. The image sensor has an active area with a matrix of camera pixels. The color filter array is in optical alignment over the matrix of the camera pixels. The color filter array assigns alternating single colors to each camera pixel. The image processor receives the camera pixels and includes a correlation detector to detect spatial correlation of color information between pairs of colors in the pixel data captured by the camera pixels. The correlation detector further controls demosaicing of the camera pixels into full color pixels with improved resolution. The apparatus may further include demosaicing logic to demosaic the camera pixels into the full color pixels with improved resolution in response to the spatial correlation of the color information between pairs of colors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey DiCarlo, David D. Scott, Wenyi Zhao
  • Patent number: 8698885
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus is disclosed including an image sensor, a color filter array, and an image processor. The image sensor has an active area with a matrix of camera pixels. The color filter array is in optical alignment over the matrix of the camera pixels. The color filter array assigns alternating single colors to each camera pixel. The image processor receives the camera pixels and includes a correlation detector to detect spatial correlation of color information between pairs of colors in the pixel data captured by the camera pixels. The correlation detector further controls demosaicing of the camera pixels into full color pixels with improved resolution. The apparatus may further include demosaicing logic to demosaic the camera pixels into the full color pixels with improved resolution in response to the spatial correlation of the color information between pairs of colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey DiCarlo, David D. Scott, Wenyi Zhao
  • Publication number: 20140046341
    Abstract: A camera system that can be utilized in robotic surgery is presented. In particular, a method of setting a light level in a camera in a robotic system includes determining a location of at least one instrument end effectors within a field-of-view of the camera; determining a region-of-interest in the field-of-view based on the location of the at least one instrument tip; gathering luminance statistics in the region-of-interest; computing a luminance value from the luminance statistics; and adjusting an exposure in response to a comparison of the luminance value with a target luminance value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Inventor: Jeffrey DiCarlo
  • Publication number: 20130300837
    Abstract: Mixed mode imaging is implemented using a single-chip image capture sensor with a color filter array. The single-chip image capture sensor captures a frame including a first set of pixel data and a second set of pixel data. The first set of pixel data includes a first combined scene, and the second set of pixel data includes a second combined scene. The first combined scene is a first weighted combination of a fluorescence scene component and a visible scene component due to the leakage of a color filter array. The second combined scene includes a second weighted combination of the fluorescence scene component and the visible scene component. Two display scene components are extracted from the captured pixel data in the frame and presented on a display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Jeffrey DiCarlo, Ian E. McDowall, Wenyi Zhao
  • Publication number: 20130300836
    Abstract: Mixed mode imaging is implemented using a single-chip image capture sensor with a color filter array. The single-chip image capture sensor captures a frame including a first set of pixel data and a second set of pixel data. The first set of pixel data includes a first combined scene, and the second set of pixel data includes a second combined scene. The first combined scene is a first weighted combination of a fluorescence scene component and a visible scene component due to the leakage of a color filter array. The second combined scene includes a second weighted combination of the fluorescence scene component and the visible scene component. Two display scene components are extracted from the captured pixel data in the frame and presented on a display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Wenyi Zhao, Jeffrey DiCarlo, Ian E. McDowall
  • Publication number: 20120206582
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus is disclosed including an image sensor, a color filter array, and an image processor. The image sensor has an active area with a matrix of camera pixels. The color filter array is in optical alignment over the matrix of the camera pixels. The color filter array assigns alternating single colors to each camera pixel. The image processor receives the camera pixels and includes a correlation detector to detect spatial correlation of color information between pairs of colors in the pixel data captured by the camera pixels. The correlation detector further controls demosaicing of the camera pixels into full color pixels with improved resolution. The apparatus may further include demosaicing logic to demosaic the camera pixels into the full color pixels with improved resolution in response to the spatial correlation of the color information between pairs of colors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey DiCarlo, David D. Scott, Wenyi Zhao