Apparatus and method for stereo viewing in variable direction-of-view endoscopy
US6648817B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 15, 2001 |
| Grant date | Nov 18, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 18, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N23/555
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A variable direction-of-view endoscope (74) with a spherical viewing window (34) symmetric about a symmetry plane (52) sealed to a distal end portion (18). The endoscope optical system can be adjusted to vary the direction of a view vector (22) through an unlimited range (50) about a pivot axis (23). The spherical viewing window (34) enables a process that switches the device between an initial configuration (54) and a final configuration (56), both having the same viewing direction (55). In addition to providing the user with an alternative to a possibly unfavorable viewpoint, this redundancy enables a stereo imaging process which captures (66) and displays (72) a stereo image pair (70) affording the user three-dimensional viewing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.