Method of measuring distance by an endoscope, and endoscope system
AssigneeOlympus Corporation
InventorShintaro Inoue
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of measuring distance by an endoscope includes a step of imaging and a step of measuring distance. the step of imaging includes a step of producing out an image taken by an imaging unit. The step of measuring distance includes a step of moving the axis of sighting of the imaging unit and a step of computing a distance to a subject of interest on the basis of a first image taken before the step of moving, a second image taken during the step of moving and the amount of distance-measurement control.
Claims4
A control method of measuring distance by an endoscope, the control method being carried out by a controller, the method comprising:
- acquiring a first image being imaged at a first visual axis by an image sensor disposed on a distal side of the endoscope;
- moving a joint of the endoscope so that the image sensor can acquire a second image at a second visual axis being angled a predetermined angle with regards to the first visual axis;
- acquiring the second image being imaged at the second visual axis by the image sensor;
- moving the joint so that the image sensor can image at the first visual axis;
- computing a distance between the image sensor and a subject of interest of the first image based on both the first image and the second image;
- and
- updating the predetermined angle based on the distance between the image sensor and the subject of interest.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.