Sterioscopic Patents (Class 600/111)
  • Patent number: 11969149
    Abstract: An endoscope includes: a lens barrel having an opening of a through hole on an outer surface of the lens barrel; a lens inserted into the through hole and having a distal end surface which is disposed in a protruding manner from the outer surface; a first resin disposed between a wall surface of the through hole and a side surface of the lens; and a second resin disposed on a surface of the first resin, a portion of the lens barrel around the opening and an entire circumference of an outer peripheral portion of the distal end surface of the lens, the second resin containing rubber and light blocking particles and having an elastic modulus smaller than an elastic modulus of the first resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eita Iyoshi, Yoshimi Konno, Hiroaki Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 11783464
    Abstract: An extended reality (“XR”) inspection system for inspecting a target is provided. The XR inspection system includes an inspection system and an XR device. The inspection system includes an inspection main unit and an inspection probe. The inspection main unit collects inspection data from the inspection probe, receives commands input by an inspector using the XR device, performs functions associated with the commands, and sends display data to the XR device. The XR device provides an augmented reality display and sensors. The XR device displays display data received from the inspection main unit, receives commands via the sensors from the inspector, and sends the commands to the inspection main unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
    Inventor: Lionel Keene
  • Patent number: 11730562
    Abstract: Systems and methods of imaging include projecting infrared (IR) light from the endoscope toward the at least one anatomical feature (e.g., the exterior of a liver or lung), capturing the IR light, projecting optical light from the endoscope toward a similar portion of the anatomical feature, and capturing the optical light. Once the IR light and the optical light are captured, both are associated with one another to generate an intra-operative 3D image. This projection and capture of IR and optical light may occur at discrete times during the imaging process, or simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: John W. Komp, Joe D. Sartor
  • Patent number: 11617493
    Abstract: A method for enhanced surgical navigation, and a system performing the method and displaying graphical user interfaces associated with the method. A 3D spatial map of a surgical site is generated using a 3D endoscope including a camera source and an IR scan source. The method includes detecting a needle tip protruding from an anatomy and determining a needle protrusion distance corresponding to a distance between the needle tip and a surface of the anatomy using the 3D spatial map. A position of a surgical tool in the 3D spatial map is detected and a determination is made by the system indicative of whether the needle protrusion distance is sufficient for grasping by the surgical tool. A warning is generated when it is determined that the needle protrusion distance is not sufficient for grasping by the surgical tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: John W. Komp, Joe D. Sartor, Irena Cantrall
  • Patent number: 11593960
    Abstract: A method for determining the relative position between a first camera and a second camera used in a medical application, wherein the first camera captures a 2D image of a phantom, the second camera emits light onto the phantom and analyzes the reflected light, thus generating a 3D point cloud representing points on the surface of the phantom, and the phantom has a planar surface forming a background on which a plurality of 2D markers are formed, wherein one of the background and the 2D markers is reflective, thus reflecting light emitted by the second camera back to the second camera, and the other one is non-reflective, thus not reflecting light emitted by the second camera back to the second camera, the method involving that a) the first camera captures a 2D image of the phantom, b) the second camera generates a 3D point cloud representing the planar surface of the phantom, c) the 2D markers are identified in the 2D image, thus obtaining 2D marker data representing the locations of the 2D markers in the 2D
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: BRAINLAB AG
    Inventors: Pablo Aponte, Jochen Veigel, Ivana Ivanovska, Hagen Kaiser
  • Patent number: 11574413
    Abstract: An imaging system is disclosed herein. The imaging system includes an imaging apparatus and a computing system. The imaging apparatus includes a plurality of light sources positioned at a plurality of positions and a plurality of angles relative to a stage configured to support a specimen. The imaging apparatus is configured to capture a plurality of images of a surface of the specimen. The computing system in communication with the imaging apparatus. The computing system configured to generate a 3D-reconstruction of the surface of the specimen by receiving, from the imaging apparatus, the plurality of images of the surface of the specimen, generating, by the imaging apparatus via a deep learning model, a height map of the surface of the specimen based on the plurality of images, and outputting a 3D-reconstruction of the surface of the specimen based on the height map generated by the deep learning model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Nanotronics Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew C. Putman, Vadim Pinskiy, Tanaporn Na Narong, Denis Sharoukhov, Tonislav Ivanov
  • Patent number: 11571109
    Abstract: A medical observation device according to the present invention includes: an imaging unit that capture an image of a subject at a first angle of view; and an image generating unit that generates a display image signal by cutting, at a second angle of view smaller than the first angle of view, the image captured by the imaging unit at the first angle of view, and performing image processing thereon. This medical observation device enables the hand-eye coordination and definition to be maintained even if the field of view is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Motoaki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11446002
    Abstract: Various systems are provided for an ultrasound imaging system. In one example, a method comprises learning a travel path profile and one or more pressures applied along the travel path profile in response to an external handle force and acquiring an ultrasound image along the travel path profile by applying one or more pressures against an acquisition surface of a patient via a robot without the external handle force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
    Inventors: Jimmie Autrey Beacham, Andrew Jungwirth
  • Patent number: 11391939
    Abstract: An optical system of a stereo-video endoscope with a sideways viewing direction, the optical system including: a sideways-viewing distal optical assembly; and a proximal optical assembly; wherein the distal optical assembly includes an inlet lens, a deflecting unit configured as a prism unit, and an outlet lens on a common optical axis one after the other in the direction of light incidence, the proximal optical assembly includes a left and a right lens system channel, the lens system channels being identically configured and arranged parallel to each other, each lens system channel having its own optical axis, and the outlet lens is formed with one or more of a light-impermeable coating on a light inlet side facing the deflecting unit and with a light-impermeable coating formed on a light outlet side facing away from the deflecting unit in a central region of the outlet lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: OLYMPUS WINTER & IBE GMBH
    Inventor: Jianxin Zhao
  • Patent number: 11357390
    Abstract: An optical system for a stereo video endoscope including: first and second lens system channels each having optical elements in identical configurations, the optical elements being arranged in a same position along first and second optical axes, respectively, an optical axis of first and second optical elements coincide with the first and second optical axes, respectively, first and second cross-sectional areas of the first and second optical elements are inscribed in first and second circumferential circles, respectively, centers of first and second circumferential circles each coincide with the first and second optical axes, respectively, to define a maximum radius of the first optical element and the second optical element, the first and second circumferential circles overlap one another, and circumferential shapes of the first and second optical elements deviate from the first and second circumferential circles circumscribing them such that the first and second optical elements do not contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: OLYMPUS WINTER & IBE GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Wieters, Peter Schouwink, Jianxin Zhao, Alrun Thuemen
  • Patent number: 11331160
    Abstract: A surgical camera system, and method therefor, is provided which includes a plurality of imaging devices each having a tunable iris configured to change between at least two different sized numerical apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: SYNAPTIVE MEDICAL INC.
    Inventors: Siu Wai Jacky Mak, Michael Frank Gunter Wood, Yanhui Bai
  • Patent number: 11288834
    Abstract: A method for determining the relative position between a first camera and a second camera used in a medical application, wherein the first camera captures a 2D image of a phantom, the second camera emits light onto the phantom and analyzes the reflected light, thus generating a 3D point cloud representing points on the surface of the phantom, and the phantom has a planar surface forming a background on which a plurality of 2D markers are formed, wherein one of the background and the 2D markers is reflective, thus reflecting light emitted by the second camera back to the second camera, and the other one is non-reflective, thus not reflecting light emitted by the second camera back to the second camera, the method involving that a) the first camera captures a 2D image of the phantom, b) the second camera generates a 3D point cloud representing the planar surface of the phantom, c) the 2D markers are identified in the 2D image, thus obtaining 2D marker data representing the locations of the 2D markers in the 2D
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: BRAINLAB AG
    Inventors: Pablo Aponte, Jochen Veigel, Ivana Ivanovska, Hagen Kaiser
  • Patent number: 11258964
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods for synthesizing spatially-aware transitions between camera viewpoints. An exemplary method includes receiving images of a surgical site from a first camera, tracking a position of a robotic arm including a second camera coupled thereto, tracking the pose of the second camera, receiving images of the surgical site from the second camera that are different from the images received from the first camera as the robotic arm is moved to different positions, comparing a pose from which at least one of the images received from the second camera were captured to a pose from which at least one of the images received from the first camera were captured, generating a transition between the compared images, and displaying the transition when switching between displaying images received from the first and second cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Daniel R. King, Dwight Meglan, Arvind K. Ramadorai
  • Patent number: 11249299
    Abstract: A stereoscopic vision optical system includes a first lens group having a negative refractive power, disposed nearest to an object, a second lens group having a positive refractive power, and a rear-side lens group having a positive refractive power. The rear-side lens group includes a first rear group and a second rear group. The optical axis of the first lens group, an optical axis of the first rear group, and an optical axis of the second rear group is positioned on the same plane. The optical axis of the first lens group is positioned between the optical axis of the first rear group and the optical axis of the second rear group, and the following conditional expression (1) is satisfied: 0.08?((?L/2)×(f1/f2))×(1/WD)?0.25??(1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toyoharu Hanzawa, Takeshi Suga
  • Patent number: 11172812
    Abstract: An endoscope includes an opto-electric composite module, an optical fiber, and a plurality of electric cables each including a core wire and a shielding wire. The opto-electric composite module includes a light emitting device, a wiring board including a plurality of bonding electrodes to which the plurality of core wires are bonded, a ferrule causing the optical fiber inserted into a first through hole to be optically coupled to the light emitting device, and a cable holder having grooves to which the plurality of core wires are fixed with the plurality of core wires so disposed as to be bonded to the plurality of respective bonding electrodes. The cable holder is a holder conductor electrically connected to a ground potential electrode of the image pickup device, and the shielding wires in the electric cables are bonded to the holder conductor of the cable holder via an electrically conductive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youhei Sakai, Keiichi Kobayashi, Yusuke Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 11166765
    Abstract: A virtual surgical robot being built from kinematic data is rendered to a display. A user input is received to effect a movement or a configuration of the virtual surgical robot. The kinematic data is modified based on evaluation of the movement or the configuration of the virtual surgical robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: VERB SURGICAL INC.
    Inventors: Bernhard Fuerst, Eric Johnson, Pablo Garcia Kilroy
  • Patent number: 11116391
    Abstract: An endoscope may include a shaft having a longitudinal axis, a first image sensor facing a distal direction, and a second image sensor facing a lateral direction. The endoscope may further include a tubular member having a lumen, the lumen having a distal-end opening and defining a longitudinal axis through a center of the lumen. The tubular member may be movable between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration of the tubular member, the longitudinal axis of the lumen may be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. In the second configuration of the tubular member, the longitudinal axis of the lumen may extend through a lateral opening in a wall of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Calabrese, Louis J. Barbato, Brian Gaffney, Mark D. Wood
  • Patent number: 11116384
    Abstract: The endoscope system includes an image acquiring unit that acquires a first image and a second image, the first image being obtained by imaging an observation target by using first illumination light, the second image being obtained by imaging the observation target by using second illumination light that is different from the first illumination light at a different timing from the first image; an alignment unit that aligns the first image and the second image; and an accuracy changing unit that changes an accuracy of the alignment in accordance with at least a structure of interest to which an attention is paid in the observation target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiro Imai
  • Patent number: 11100206
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic device and method for controlling the activation of a camera module. An electronic device according to various examples comprises: a sensor module; a first camera module including a first camera and a light emitting part; a second camera module; and a processor electrically connected to the sensor module, the first camera module, and the second camera module, wherein the processor determines whether an object is positioned within a first distance through the sensor module, inactivates the light emitting part or the first camera and the light emitting part of the first camera module if the object is positioned within the first distance, determines the distance between the object and the electronic device by using the second camera module, activates the light emitting part or the first camera and the light emitting part if the determined distance is greater than or equal to a second distance, and can perform iris authentication by using the first camera module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Woo-Yong Lee, Jun-Ho An, Hye-Jin Kang, Min-Sheok Choi, Jong-Hun Won, Ki-Huk Lee
  • Patent number: 11096753
    Abstract: A system for treating a target tissue of a patient comprises a first robotic arm coupled to a treatment probe for treating the target tissue of the patient, and a second robotic arm coupled to an imaging probe for imaging the target tissue of the patient. The system further comprises one or more computing devices operably coupled with the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm, the one or more computing devices configured to execute instructions for controlling movement of one or more of the first robotic arm or the second robotic arm. The distal end of the treatment probe and/or imaging probe is constrained to be moved only within an allowable range of motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation
    Inventors: Surag Mantri, Kevin Patrick Staid, Jason Hemphill, Kevin Louis Hudelson
  • Patent number: 11058287
    Abstract: An optical system for stereoscopic vision includes a first optical system and a second optical system. Each of the first optical system and the second optical system includes a stop and a plurality of lens units. The plurality of lens units includes at least one movable lens unit which moves at the time of focusing, and at least focusing to a near point and focusing to a far point is carried out by movement of the movable lens unit. At the time of focusing to a near point, both a first entrance pupil and a second entrance pupil are positioned on an image side of positions at the time of focusing to a far point. Here, the first entrance pupil is an entrance pupil of the first optical system, and the second entrance pupil is an entrance pupil of the second optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Uchida
  • Patent number: 10987050
    Abstract: A method and system for nerve identification, monitoring, location marking, and location recognition system used during laparoscopic surgery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: ProPep Surgical, LLC
    Inventor: Jann Bonfils-Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 10966592
    Abstract: A three-dimensional endoscope comprises a video signal input portion to which a first video signal is obtained by a first imaging system and a second video signal is obtained by a second imaging system are inputted. A video signal identification portion that identifies a two-dimensional video signal and a three-dimensional video signal are obtained from the video signal input portion. An image condition detection portion that when the video signal identification portion has detected the two-dimensional video signal, analyzes a display area of a two-dimensional image to detect a foggy region. An image combining portion that, when the image condition detection portion has detected a foggy region in a video of at least one of the first imaging system and the second imaging system, combines both of the first video signal and the second video signal to generate a composite image in which fogginess of the foggy region being eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takayuki Ida
  • Patent number: 10957061
    Abstract: A method for three-dimensional reconstruction of a surface of interest using a plenoptic camera includes: determining the three-dimensional coordinates of a series of sampling points of the object field of the camera; determining calibration data, associating at least two pixels of the optical sensor matrix with each sampling point; defining a reconstruction grid having each point associated with at least one sampling point; acquiring an image of the surface of interest using the camera; from the calibration data and the image, calculating, for each point of the reconstruction grid, the dissimilarity index value as a function of one or more dispersions, each representing a distancing between the intensity values taken, on the image, by the pixels associated with one of the corresponding sampling points; determining a three-dimensional distribution of the points of the reconstruction grid, each assigned with its dissimilarity index value; and three-dimensional reconstruction of the surface of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN
    Inventor: Yann Le Guilloux
  • Patent number: 10827912
    Abstract: A stereoscopic endoscope system includes: a first objective optical system, a second objective optical system, an image sensor which has a first image pickup range corresponding to a range of a field of view of the first objective optical system and a second image pickup range corresponding to a range of a field of view of the second objective optical system; and a monitor, wherein the stereoscopic endoscope system satisfies the condition (1) and condition (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sayaka Nishimura
  • Patent number: 10806533
    Abstract: A system comprises a teleoperational assembly including an operator control system and a first teleoperational manipulator configured for operation by an operator control device of the operator control system. The first teleoperational manipulator is configured to control the operation of a first medical instrument in a surgical environment. The system also comprises a processing unit including one or more processors. The processing unit is configured to display an image of a field of view of the surgical environment and display a menu proximate to an image of the first medical instrument in the image of the field of view. The menu includes at least one icon representing a function for the first medical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Tabish Mustufa, Heath Feather, Daniel H. Gomez, Brian D. Hoffman, Paul W. Mohr, Huan L. Phan
  • Patent number: 10810460
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to computer-implemented systems and methods for training and using generative adversarial networks. In one implementation, a system for training a generative adversarial network may include at least one processor that may provide a first plurality of images including representations of a feature-of-interest and indicators of locations of the feature-of-interest and use the first plurality and indicators to train an object detection network. Further, the processor(s) may provide a second plurality of images including representations of the feature-of-interest, and apply the trained object detection network to the second plurality to produce a plurality of detections of the feature-of-interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Cosmo Artificial Intelligence—AI Limited
    Inventors: Nhan Ngo Dinh, Giulio Evangelisti, Flavio Navari
  • Patent number: 10750937
    Abstract: A stereoscopic endoscope apparatus includes: an insertion portion; a variable focus objective optical system; a fixed focus objective optical system; an image pickup section; an image signal generation output section that outputs an image signal for two-dimensional display when a focal length of the variable focus objective optical system and a focal length of the fixed focus objective optical system are different from each other, and outputs an image signal for stereoscopic observation when the focal length of the variable focus objective optical system and the focal length of the fixed focus objective optical system are coincident with each other in the near point observation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Hino
  • Patent number: 10687909
    Abstract: A system for tracking a device image includes an intraoperative imaging system (110) having a probe (146) configured to generate an image for a region. A shape sensing enabled instrument (102) is configured to have a portion of the shape sensing enabled instrument positionable relative to the region. The shape sensing enabled instrument has a coordinate system registered with a coordinate system of the intraoperative imaging system. A robot is configured to coordinate movement between the probe and the shape sensing enabled instrument such that movement of the shape sensing enabled instrument relative to the region causes the probe to be moved to maintain the shape sensing enabled instrument within the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: David Paul Noonan, Molly Lara Flexman, Aleksandra Popovic
  • Patent number: 10679743
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide various examples of automatically processing surgical videos to detect surgical tools and tool-related events, and extract surgical-tool usage information. In one aspect, a process for automatically detecting a new surgical tool engagement during a recorded surgical procedure is disclosed. This process can begin by receiving a surgical procedure video and then segmenting the surgical video into sequences of video frames. Next, for each sequence of video frames, the video frames are processed to detect one or more surgical tools and one or more surgical tool engagements associated with the detected surgical tools. If a surgical tool engagement is detected in the sequence of video frames, the process then determines if a detected surgical tool associated with the detected surgical tool engagement is associated with a previously identified surgical tool engagement. If not, the process identifies the detected surgical tool engagement as a new surgical tool engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: VERB SURGICAL INC.
    Inventor: Jagadish Venkataraman
  • Patent number: 10660715
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a robotic surgical system are provided. The system includes a surgical tool, a manipulator comprising a base supporting links for controlling the tool, a navigation system comprising a tracker coupled to the tool and a localizer to monitor a state of the tracker. A controller acquires raw kinematic measurement data about a state of the tool relative to the base from the manipulator, known relationship data about the state of the tracker relative to the tool, and raw navigation data about the state of the tracker relative to the localizer from the navigation system. The controller combines this data to determine a raw relationship between the base and the localizer. The raw relationship is filtered for controlling the manipulator. The raw relationship or a less filtered version of the raw relationship is utilized to determine whether an error has occurred in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: MAKO SURGICAL CORP.
    Inventor: Michael Dale Dozeman
  • Patent number: 10645266
    Abstract: A stereo image pickup unit includes: first and second image pickup apparatuses including first and second image pickup devices and first and second mount boards, the image pickup apparatuses being formed in a same shape each other; and a holding frame for holding the first and second image pickup devices, the first and second mount boards including non-mounting surfaces perpendicular to rear surfaces of the first and second image pickup devices and projecting toward an outer side of projection surfaces of the first and second image pickup devices, the holding frame holding the first and second image pickup apparatuses such that the non-mounting surfaces are opposed to each other on a parallax direction inner side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ichihara, Hiroshi Unsai, Toshiyuki Fujii, Mayumi Imai, Teruyuki Nishihara, Jumpei Arai, Masahiro Sato
  • Patent number: 10618168
    Abstract: A robotic system includes a processing system comprising at least one processor. The processor generates a plan to monitor the asset. The plan comprises one or more tasks to be performed by the at least one robot. The processor receives sensor data from at least one sensor indicating one or more characteristics of the asset. The processor adjusts the plan to monitor the asset by adjusting or adding one or more tasks to the plan based on one or both of the quality of the acquired data or a potential defect of the asset. The adjusted plan causes the at least one robot to acquire additional data related to the asset when executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric Michael Gros, Huan Tan, Mauricio Castillo-Effen, Charles Burton Theurer
  • Patent number: 10525245
    Abstract: A tattoo machine camera assembly comprises a camera assembly coupled to a tattoo machine. The tattoo machine camera assembly further comprises a camera mount for coupling the camera assembly to the tattoo machine. The camera mount may be formed separately from the tattoo machine or formed integrally with the tattoo machine. The tattoo machine camera assembly may be formed so that the camera is resistant to vibration created by the operation of the tattoo machine. A method of video recording the tattooing process may also be implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Inventor: Lindsay Smith
  • Patent number: 10523911
    Abstract: An image pickup system includes: an image pickup section including a first image pickup device outputting a first image pickup signal, and a second image pickup device outputting a second image pickup signal; a processor that performs signal processing on image pickup signals; and a memory section holding a difference correction parameter, the difference correction parameter indicating difference of image characteristics derived from sensitivity of each image pickup device, in image pickup signals outputted from the first image pickup device and the second image pickup device; and a correction processing section performing correction processing on at least one of the first image pickup signal and the second image pickup signal, based on the difference correction parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusuke Takenouchi, Koji Kojima
  • Patent number: 10477190
    Abstract: An imaging system includes an imaging scope, a controller, a camera, and a processor. The imaging scope is selectively rotatable about a longitudinal axis relative to a horizon plane. The imaging scope has at least three optical channels, each including a respective objective that captures light. The objectives are positioned such that respective viewing direction axes of the optical channels extend at least substantially parallel to one another. The controller activates a pair of optical channels that is at least as parallel relative to the horizon plane as any other pair of optical channels. The camera generates a first image representative of light captured by a first optical channel of the activated pair of optical channels, and a second image representative of light captured by a second optical channel of the activated pair of optical channels. The processor generates a 3D image using the first and second images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignees: Karl Storz Imaging, Inc., Karl Storz SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Heni, Markus Kupferschmid, Daniel Ulmschneider, Lawrence Natusch, George E. Duckett, III
  • Patent number: 10390688
    Abstract: An image pickup system includes a stereoscopic endoscope including image pickup optical systems having a parallax therebetween and a first image pickup device and a second image pickup device, and a processor including a first photometric measurement section configured to photometrically measure a luminance value of a first image pickup signal related to the first image pickup device, a second photometric measurement section configured to measure a luminance value of a second image pickup signal related to the second image pickup device, and a control section including a threshold value comparison section configured to compare the luminance value with a threshold value. When the luminance value of either one of the first image pickup signal and the second image pickup signal exceeds the threshold value, the image pickup system performs light adjustment control of a light source based on a photometric value of the other image pickup signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakazu Mizoguchi, Satoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10365554
    Abstract: A stereoscopic endoscope that includes at least one image sensor, one or more processing devices, and a display device. The image sensors sense a pair of stereo images, based on capturing light passing through apertures electronically defined at a first aperture location and a second aperture location, respectively, on a liquid crystal layer within the endoscope. The one or more processing devices determine an orientation of a line connecting the first and second aperture locations relative to a reference orientation, and adjust at least one of the first and second aperture locations, while maintaining a spacing between them, in response to movement of the stereoscopic endoscope. The image data captured through the apertures is used to generate control signals representing one or more views of a surgical scene. The views are then presented on a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian E. McDowall, Arthur Louis Berman
  • Patent number: 10264236
    Abstract: A camera device includes a camera head that captures an observation image of a target site which is obtained by a surgical microscope, and a camera control unit that processes a signal of the observation video captured by the camera head. The camera head captures right and left observation images having a parallax from the surgical microscope to obtain a high-resolution observation video including right and left parallax videos for one screen, and the camera control unit cuts out the right parallax video and the left parallax video from the observation video including the right and left parallax videos to generate a high-resolution 3D video which is displayed on a monitor in 3D and with which stereoscopic observation can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Kiniwa, Haruo Kogane, Emi Matsumoto, Kenji Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10245111
    Abstract: An operation support device includes a manipulation input unit and an operating section to which a surgical instrument is attached and which operates the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes a treatment section, a flexible insertion section, and a manipulation section which is fixed to the flexible insertion section. The manipulation input unit further includes a detection body which is attached to the manipulation section, and a detecting device which detects the detection body. The detecting device calculates information which is capable of specifying a position and/or an orientation of the detection body. On the basis of the information which is calculated by the detecting device, a control device controls an operation of the surgical instrument by outputting to the operating section an order of moving the surgical instrument as a manipulation order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shintaro Inoue, Kosuke Kishi
  • Patent number: 10201266
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing an image sequence using a capsule camera are disclosed. According to the present invention, a first energy-based frame time for the special images is determined based on first light energy perceived by the image sensor and a second energy-based frame time for the regular images is determined based on second light energy perceived by the image sensor. The capsule camera captures the image sequence comprising one or more sets of mixed-type images by configuring the capsule camera to cause a mixed-frame distance between the first energy-based frame time for one special image in a target set of mixed-type images and the second energy-based frame time for one regular image in the target set of mixed-type images smaller than an average frame period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Inventors: Kang-Huai Wang, Mark Hadley, Chung-Ta Lee, Chang-Wei Lin
  • Patent number: 10189161
    Abstract: A calibration system able to calibrate mechanical parameters of a wrist part by a simpler manner is provided. The calibration system utilizes a target fastened at a predetermined position with respect to the joint closest to a hand of a robot and an imaging device set around the robot so as to calibrate the parameters of a mechanical model representing the wrist part of the robot. The posture of the target is changed from a predetermined initial position to generate a plurality of preliminary positions. Using these preliminary positions as starting points, the end point position of the robot whereby the target becomes a predetermined positional relationship with respect to the imaging device on the image obtained by capturing an image of the target is calculated. The calibration system uses the calculated end point position as the basis to calibrate the mechanical parameters of the wrist part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Yoshino
  • Patent number: 9456735
    Abstract: A rear-viewing endoscope includes a rigid section having first and second ends, and a cavity situated between the first and second ends. The rigid section has a longitudinal length and defining a longitudinal axis (LAR). The endoscope further includes a flexible section having proximal and distal ends, where the proximal end is coupled to the second end of the rigid section; and an imaging unit having first and second ends and a cavity situated between the first and second ends, the second end of the imaging unit coupled to the distal end of the flexible section. An objective lens assembly of the endoscope includes a complementary multiband bandpass filter (CMBF) pair situated within the cavity of the imaging unit. The CMBF filter collimated image rays passing therethrough so as to output filtered image rays. A camera or detector receives the filtered image rays and forms corresponding video information for stereoscopic imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Inventors: Shahinian Karnig Hrayr, Shearn J. Michael, Manohara Harish, Mondry M. Jack, Korniski J. Ronald
  • Patent number: 9436158
    Abstract: Provided are modular volume holographic imaging system (VHIS) endoscopic systems, comprising: an endoscope attachment module having a microscope objective lens, a single or cascaded compensated relay system configured to preserve an optical wavefront for use with a single or multiplexed volume hologram to select wavefronts originating from different object depths, and a system aperture; and a handle module configured to be reversibly attachable for operative communication with the endoscope attachment module, and having a beam splitter; a relay having adjustable spacing for object space focus compensation, and a single or multiplexed volume hologram suitable in operation to select wavefronts originating from different object depths, and wherein the handle module is further configured for operative communication with an illumination source and imaging optics. Preferably, an illumination module and an imaging module are configured to be in operative, reversibly attachable communication with the handle module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: The Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona
    Inventors: Raymond K. Kostuk, Paul J. Gelsinger-Austin, Johnathan W. Brownlee, Jennifer K. Barton, Erich de Leon, Michael Gordon
  • Patent number: 9390488
    Abstract: A guiding method includes obtaining data of a first image, detecting with a computer reference image data corresponding to a reference object in the data of the first image, calculating with the computer a first condition based on an appearance of the reference object in the first image, the first condition indicating an operational condition of an imaging apparatus when first image was captured, and for a second image to be captured, outputting guide information that indicates how to adjust the first condition to match a reference condition, the reference condition corresponds to an appearance of the reference object in a reference image captured under the reference condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Ayumi Ueno, Ryouta Komatsu
  • Patent number: 9375235
    Abstract: Embodiments include a method of performing a medical procedure in a patient. The method includes creating an incision in an abdominal wall of the patient, inserting a flexible guide tube into the incision, and advancing a flexible instrument through the guide tube. The method also includes positioning a distal tip of the guide tube adjacent to a gastroesophageal junction and passing the instrument through an esophageal hiatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventor: Lee L. Swanstrom
  • Patent number: 9288472
    Abstract: An image processing device comprising: an image acquisition device; a parallax acquisition device; a first data transform device; an operation processing device; and a second data transform device transforming third frequency component data and fourth frequency component data respectively corresponding to the third image and the fourth image calculated by the operation processing device into data on a real space and for respectively selecting pixels at positions corresponding to the target pixels as one pixel of the third image and one pixel of the fourth image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Aoki, Katsutoshi Izawa
  • Patent number: 9277201
    Abstract: An image processing method according to the present invention acquires a first image and second image that are picked up through a single image-taking optical system, that are images after a pupil division, and that have a parallax to each other, and then performs a filtering process for each pixel of the first and second images, using first and second transform filters that correspond to the parallax for the pixel and that are of first and second transform filter groups to be respectively applied to the first and second images for the transform into third and fourth images in which the parallax amount and blur amount of the first and second images have been altered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Izawa, Shuji Ono, Junji Hayashi, Tomoyuki Kawai, Takashi Aoki
  • Patent number: 9271633
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an endoscopic camera for a robotic surgical system includes a stereo camera module mounted to a robotic arm of a patient side cart. The optical and electro-optic components of the camera module are hermetically sealed within a first housing. Signals from an electro-optic component travel through traces in a ceramic substrate forming one side of the hermetically sealed first housing. A second housing surrounds the first housing and optical fibers are dispersed between the housings to provide lighting in a body cavity. The camera module may be sterilized by an autoclave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: David D. Scott, David C. Shafer, Dominique Brichard, Peter M. Herzlinger
  • Patent number: 9192286
    Abstract: Apparatus for presenting a stereoscopic image to a viewer, the apparatus including an endoscope; and a stereoscopic video camera optically connected to the endoscope, wherein the stereoscopic video camera includes first and second optical channels for acquiring, respectively, first and second images of a scene from the endoscope; first and second image sensors for acquiring, respectively, the first and second images from the first and second optical channels, the first and second image sensors being positioned along an axis; and parallax adjusting means for adjusting the parallax of a stereoscopic image acquired by the first and second image sensors and presented on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Viking Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuri Kazakevich, John E. Kennedy