Patent · US Active

Controlling the integral light energy of a laser pulse

US9777913B2 · kind B2 · utility

280Cited by
221References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 15, 2014
Grant dateOct 3, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 26, 2035

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B1/07
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An embodiment of an illumination system for use with an endoscope includes a laser source comprising laser light emitters, an electromagnetic sensor embedded within the laser source to sense light energy, and a control circuit in electronic communication with the electromagnetic sensor and at least one emitter. The control circuit is configured to cause the laser source to pulse light between pixel readout periods. The electromagnetic sensor receives light from at least one emitter and measures an amount of electromagnetic energy generated by at least one emitter. The control circuit controls a duty cycle of the emitters based on a predetermined, known output and in response the amount of electromagnetic energy generated by at least one of the emitters and obtains a desired exposure response for images captured by the image sensor.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.