Method and system for eliminating image motion blur in a multiple viewing elements endoscope
US10524645B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 23, 2015 |
| Grant date | Jan 7, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 11, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B1/0684
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
In a multiple viewing elements endoscope, fuzziness and blur in the images due to movement of the endoscope is reduced by using flashing illuminators instead of continuous illumination. In one embodiment, LED illuminators are flashed at high intensity and for a very short duration. To address interlacing artifacts, LEDs are flashed once at the end of a field and again at the beginning of the following field to minimize the time difference between the capture of the two fields. In another embodiment, the LEDs are flashed once wherein the single flash overlaps the end of a field and the beginning of the following field. In some embodiments, still images may be captured with fine detail by pressing a button on the endoscope handle which activates the LEDs to flash along with the capture of an image. In one embodiment, pressing a button for still image capture results in the capture of two fields, each accompanied by a flash, which are interlaced to form a single still image frame.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.