White balance and fixed pattern noise frame calibration using distal cap
AssigneeDePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
InventorLaurent Blanquart
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosure extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for producing an image in light deficient environments and correction of white balance and/or fixed pattern noise at startup or at any other time during a procedure.
Claims33
A method for adjusting fixed pattern noise in a digital imaging process for use with an endoscope in ambient light deficient environments comprising:
- providing, during a training period, a cap that fits over a lumen of the endoscope such that the cap is blocking external illumination to each pixel in a pixel array;
- creating, after the endoscope reaches its operating temperature during the training period, a first dark frame reference for use in removing fixed pattern noise while the cap is in place with no applied electromagnetic radiation
- removing the cap from the lumen at the operating temperature for the endoscope;
- in response to removing the cap from the lumen, sensing electromagnetic radiation with said pixel array to create an image frame;
- and
- correcting the image frame by removing fixed pattern noise from an image using the first dark frame reference.
A system for digital imaging for use in ambient light deficient environments comprising:
- an endoscope comprising a lumen and an image sensor, wherein the image sensor comprises a pixel array that senses electromagnetic radiation;
- a cap configured to selectively cover a distal end of the lumen to block external illumination to each pixel in said pixel array;
- a camera control unit in electrical communication with the image sensor;
- wherein the image sensor creates a dark frame reference, after the endoscope reaches its operating temperature during a training period, for use in removing fixed pattern noise while the cap is in place with no applied electromagnetic radiation, and, in response to removing the cap from the lumen at the operating temperature, senses electromagnetic radiation with said pixel array to create an image frame;
- and
- wherein the camera control unit corrects the image frame by removing fixed pattern noise from an image using the dark frame reference.
A method for adjusting fixed pattern noise in a digital imaging process for use with an endoscope in ambient light deficient environments comprising:
- providing, during a training period, a cap that fits over a lumen of the endoscope such that the cap is blocking external illumination to each pixel in a pixel array;
- creating a dark frame reference, after the endoscope reaches its operating temperature during a training period, for use in removing fixed pattern noise while the cap is in place with no applied electromagnetic radiation;
- illuminating, during the training period, an interior of the cap using a controlled source of electromagnetic radiation;
- determining, during the training period, white balance coefficients while the cap is in place and during illumination of the interior by a source of electromagnetic illumination at the operating temperature;
- removing the cap from the lumen at the operating temperature for the endoscope;
- in response to removing the cap from the lumen, sensing electromagnetic radiation with said pixel array to create an image frame;
- and
- correcting the image frame using the dark frame reference and the white balance coefficients.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.