Patents by Inventor Taihei MICHIHATA

Taihei MICHIHATA 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: 20210290037
    Abstract: A medical image processing apparatus includes: a captured image acquisition unit configured to acquire a first captured image obtained by capturing light from an observation target to which light of a first wavelength band is emitted and a second captured image obtained by capturing fluorescence from the observation target excited by excitation light of a second wavelength band; an evaluation value calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the first captured image, an evaluation value used for at least one of a first control of controlling a focus position of an imaging device configured to generate each of the first captured image and the second captured image and a second control of controlling a brightness of the first captured image and the second captured image; and an operation controller configured to execute at least one of the first control and the second control based on the evaluation value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Taihei MICHIHATA
  • Publication number: 20210297575
    Abstract: A medical control device includes circuitry configured to: control an operation of a light source device configured to emit excitation light in a first wavelength band and image light including a specific pattern image; acquire a captured image obtained by capturing an observation target irradiated with light emitted from the light source device; calculate, based on the captured image, an evaluation value used in an autofocus process that controls a focus position of an imaging device configured to generate the captured image; and perform the autofocus process based on the evaluation value, wherein the circuitry is configured to control the operation of the light source device such that the pattern image is included in the captured image used for calculating the evaluation value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Taihei MICHIHATA
  • Publication number: 20210282623
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a linear matrix operation unit configured to set a matrix coefficient in accordance with an input image signal, and perform a linear matrix operation on the image signal using the set matrix coefficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Taihei MICHIHATA, Hiroshi MYOKEN, Satoshi MITSUI
  • Patent number: 11122225
    Abstract: A medical image processing apparatus includes: a defective pixel specifier configured to specify a defective pixel in a captured image based on a pixel level of each pixel in the captured image; a setting unit configured to set a correction degree of a defect correction process of making a brightness of the defective pixel approach a brightness of a discrimination area including surrounding pixels positioned around the defective pixel; and a defect corrector configured to perform the defect correction process according to the correction degree. When a difference between the brightness of the defective pixel and the brightness of the discrimination area is divided into a first range and a second range in which the difference is larger than that in the first range, the setting unit sets a higher correction degree for the difference is in the second range than the first range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Taihei Michihata, Takahiro Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20210281731
    Abstract: A medical control apparatus to which a rigid endoscope having an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject is detachably connected is configured to perform image processing on a captured image obtained by capturing a subject image introduced by the rigid endoscope and generate a medical photographic image to be displayed on a display device that displays images. The medical control apparatus includes: a detection unit configured to detect a mask width that is a distance between boundary points dividing the subject image included in the captured image and a mask area that is an area other than the subject image; and a control unit configured to calculate a first parameter used for the image processing in accordance with the mask width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Taihei MICHIHATA, Hiroshi MYOKEN, Satoshi MITSUI
  • Patent number: 11109744
    Abstract: A three-dimensional endoscope system includes: an imaging unit configured to capture a first image and a second image having parallax with respect to each other; and an image generation unit configured to generate a display image for stereoscopic viewing by performing image processing on the first image and the second image captured by the imaging unit, wherein the image generation unit generates the display image based on the first image and a third image obtained by replacing a part of the second image with a part of the first image at a corresponding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Sumihiro Uchimura, Taihei Michihata
  • Publication number: 20210264578
    Abstract: A medical image processing apparatus includes: a first captured image acquisition unit configured to acquire a first captured image obtained by capturing light from an observation target irradiated with light in a first wavelength band, the observation target emitting fluorescence when irradiated with excitation light in a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band; a second captured image acquisition unit configured to acquire a second captured image obtained by capturing the fluorescence from the observation target irradiated with the excitation light; a first image processor configured to execute image processing on the first captured image; and a second image processor configured to execute image processing including blurring processing of blurring an image on the second captured image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Applicant: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Taihei MICHIHATA
  • Patent number: 11033174
    Abstract: A medical image processing device includes a motion amount calculating unit configured to compare a first image obtained by capturing a subject image taken by an endoscope with a second image obtained by capturing the subject image at a chronologically different timing from the first image and calculate a motion amount for the second image every two or more areas in the first image; and an area specifying unit configured to specify a mask area other than the subject image included in the first image from an inside of a mask candidate area in which the motion amount is equal to or less than a specific first threshold value in the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Taihei Michihata, Yuichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 10952597
    Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes a camera and circuitry. The camera is detachably connected to a base of an endoscope adapted to be inserted in a subject and includes a sensor configured to image a subject image captured by the endoscope. The circuitry is configured to process an image captured by the camera and generate a video signal for display, calculate a gain in white balance based on the captured image, and perform mask edge detecting processing for detecting a boundary point between the subject image and a mask area other than the subject image included in the captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Taihei Michihata, Yuichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 10918269
    Abstract: A medical light source apparatus includes: a first light source configured to emit light in a first wavelength range; a second light source configured to emit light in a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range; and a light source controller configured to control the first light source and the second light source to perform pulse light emission in a state in which the pulse light emission of the second light source is less frequent than the pulse light emission of the first light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Taihei Michihata, Kiminori Sugisaki, Yoichiro Sakanoue, Koji Kojima
  • Patent number: 10905319
    Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes: a camera including an imaging unit configured to receive light and convert the light into an electric signal; a first cable configured to transmit the electric signal, one end of the first cable being connected to the camera; an operating unit connected to another end of the first cable and including an electrooptic conversion unit configured to convert the electric signal transmitted through the first cable into an optical signal, and a switch configured to receive user operations; a second cable configured to transmit the optical signal, one end of the second cable being connected to the operating unit; and a connector provided to another end of the second cable and configured to connect the other end of the second cable to an external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Taihei Michihata, Kohtaro Amano, Morinao Fukuoka, Yuichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 10893247
    Abstract: A medical signal processing device for processing an image obtained by an imaging unit including a plurality of pixels, and generating a video signal for display, includes a Y gamma-correction unit that performs Y gamma-correction on a luminance signal for each pixel in the image obtained by the imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Taihei Michihata, Yuichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 10893186
    Abstract: A medical imaging apparatus includes: an image sensor configured to capture a subject image of a subject gathered by a fiberscope and emitted from proximal ends of optical fibers; a lens unit including a focus lens moving along an optical axis to adjust a focus, the lens unit being configured to form the subject image emitted from the proximal ends of the optical fibers on the image sensor; lens driving circuitry configured to move the focus lens along the optical axis; and a lens controller configured to perform, when the fiberscope is connected, a first auto-focus control of operating the lens driving circuitry to move the focus lens in a first movement range, evaluating a focusing state of the subject image, and positioning the focus lens at a position deviated from a first lens position at which the proximal ends of the optical fibers are focused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Taihei Michihata, Takahiro Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20200297185
    Abstract: A medical image processing apparatus includes: image signal acquiring circuitry configured to acquire: a first image signal generated by capturing light of a first wavelength band with an image sensor; and a second image signal generated by capturing light of a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band with the image sensor, the first image signal and the second image signal being not subjected to the demosaic processing, and the image sensor including a color filter in which filter groups having spectroscopic properties different from each other are arranged in a specific form; a first signal path including a demosaic processor configured to execute the demosaic processing to the first image signal; and a second signal path diverged from the first signal path on a path former part from the demosaic processor, in which the demosaic processing is not executed to the second image signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicants: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc., Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Taihei MICHIHATA, Satoshi MITSUI
  • Publication number: 20200286207
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a memory; and a processor including hardware. The processor is configured to: execute, on first observed image information input externally and having predetermined number of pixels generated by capturing a subject, expansion processing to expand number of pixels up to a resolution of a display configured to display a display image having highest resolution among a plurality of displays being connectable to the image processing device, and generate and output second observed image information having number of pixels larger than the predetermined number of pixels; and execute reduction processing to reduce the number of pixels on the second observed image information, and generate and output third observed image information having number of pixels smaller than the predetermined number of pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Taihei MICHIHATA
  • Publication number: 20200286226
    Abstract: A medical image processing device includes a processor configured to: acquire a first captured image captured based on light from an observation target irradiated with light in a first wavelength band, the observation target emitting fluorescence upon being irradiated with excitation light in a second wavelength band; acquire a second captured image captured based on the excitation light and the fluorescence from the observation target irradiated with the excitation light; specify a target area in which a pixel level is not lower than a predetermined threshold, in the first captured image; and generate, for an area at a same position as the target area, a superimposed image only including pixels in the target area in the first captured image, among pixels in the area at the same position as the target area in the second captured image and pixels in the target area in the first captured image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Taihei MICHIHATA
  • Publication number: 20200275822
    Abstract: A medical control device includes: an imaging controller configured to control an imaging device to cause the imaging device to capture normal light emitted from a light source and received by way of an observation target in a first period to generate a first captured image, and to capture excitation light emitted from the light source and received by way of the observation target and fluorescence light from the observation target excited by the excitation light in a second period to generate a second captured image; and image processing circuitry configured to: perform an adjustment process to reduce a component of a color corresponding to the excitation light included in the second captured image; and generate a superimposed image by superimposing the first captured image and the second captured image subjected to the adjustment process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Taihei MICHIHATA
  • Publication number: 20200273163
    Abstract: A medical image processing device includes: a memory; and a processor including hardware.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Taihei MICHIHATA
  • Publication number: 20200260939
    Abstract: A medical light source apparatus includes: a first light source configured to emit light in a first wavelength range; a second light source configured to emit light in a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range; and a light source controller configured to control the first light source and the second light source to perform pulse light emission in a state in which the pulse light emission of the second light source is less frequent than the pulse light emission of the first light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Taihei Michihata, Kiminori Sugisaki, Yoichiro Sakanoue, Koji Kojima
  • Publication number: 20200221059
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a processor including hardware. The processor is configured to: execute a first white balance adjustment on a first signal corresponding to multiple wavelength bands; generate a luminance signal from a second signal including an area having saturation caused by the first white balance adjustment; extract a detail component based on the first signal; and apply the detail component to the luminance signal to generate a corrected luminance signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Applicants: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc., Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Taihei MICHIHATA, Satoshi MITSUI