US 10,708,478 B2Granted

Image transformation and display for fluorescent and visible imaging

AssigneeKARL STORZ Imaging, Inc.

InventorMichael Steiner

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Abstract

Improved fluoresced imaging (FI) and other sensor data imaging processes, devices, and systems are provided to enhance display of different secondary types of images and reflected light images together. Reflected light images are converted to a larger color space in a manner that preserves the color information of the reflected light image. FI or secondary images are transformed to a color range within the larger color space, but outside the color area of the reflected light images, allowing the FI or secondary images to be combined with them in a manner with improved distinguishability of color. Hardware designs are provide to enable real-time processing of image streams from medical scopes. The combined images are encoded for an electronic display capable of displaying the larger color space.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An imaging scope system, comprising:

a light source configured to direct visible light and fluorescent excitation light toward a subject scene;
an optical assembly configured to direct received light from the subject scene toward an image sensor assembly;
the image sensor assembly including at least one image sensor, the image sensor assembly capable of detecting visible light and first fluoresced light from the subject scene and producing at least one output signal response;
image forming circuitry configured to receive the at least one output signal and produce a first image stream including visible light images having a first color space and a second image stream representing the first fluoresced light;
image processing circuitry configured to:
(a) convert a format of the first image stream into a second data format having a second color space larger, in terms of the range of colors, than the first color space, while preserving color space content of the first image stream;
(b) format the second image stream to the second data format and transform the second image stream to a first color range inside the second color space and outside the first color space;
(c) combine the converted first image stream and the transformed second image stream to produce a combined image stream;
and
video encoder circuitry configured to encode the combined image stream to a video encoding format configured for display on an electronic display capable of displaying the second color space.

7 more elements

A method of transforming information representing detected light, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a first image stream produced from detected visible light and formatted in a first bit depth expressing a first color space of visible light;
(b) receiving a second image stream produced from detected first fluoresced light;
(c) converting the format of the first image stream into a second color space format having a second bit depth larger than the first bit depth, the second color space larger, in terms of the range of colors, than the first color space, while preserving color space content of the first image stream;
(d) transforming the second image stream to a portion of the second color space outside the first color space;
(e) combining the converted first image stream and the transformed second image stream into a combined image stream and encoding the combined stream formatted for a display capable of displaying the second color space.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/078,276Filed 23 Mar 2016
Published: US 2017/0280029 A128 Sep 2017
Granted: 7 Jul 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification28 codes

H04N 23/56
Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof: provided with illuminating means
A61B 1/00009
Characterised by electronic signal processing: of image signals during a use of endoscope
A61B 1/0005
Display arrangement: combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled
A61B 1/043
Combined with photographic or television appliances: for fluorescence imaging