# US 11,439,477 B2 · Medical observation system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,439,477 B2 - Document ID: US11439477B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/282,345 - Filed: 2019-02-22 - Published: 2019-09-26 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-23 - Assignees: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc. - Applicants: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc. - Inventors: Kazuhiro Yamaguchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439477B2 ## CPC - A61B 90/20: Surgical microscopes characterised by non-optical aspects - A61B 90/30: Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure - G02B 21/0012: {Surgical microscopes (counterbalanced structures for surgical microscopes G02B7/001)} - G02B 27/20: for imaging minute objects, e.g. light-pointer - A61B 90/25: Supports therefor - A61B 90/36: {Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for} - A61B 90/50: Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms - A61B 2034/2048: {using an accelerometer or inertia sensor} - A61B 2090/306: {using optical fibres} - A61B 2090/309: {using white LEDs} - A61B 2090/508: {with releasable brake mechanisms} - G02B 27/34: illuminated - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A disclosed medical observation system includes a capturing unit operable to capture an image of an observation target; and a light projection unit operable to project light on the observation target, outside a capturing area that is captured by the capturing unit and in a periphery of the capturing area, the light enabling recognition of a capturing state of the capturing unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A medical observation system comprising: an image capture device operable to capture an image of an observation target; and a light projector operable to project periphery light on the observation target, outside a capturing area that is captured by the image capture device and in a periphery of the capturing area, the periphery light enabling determination of a capturing state of the image capture device, wherein the capturing state of the image capture device includes a direction of the capturing area, which includes a correspondence relationship between an up direction of the captured image that is displayed on a display device and an up direction of the image capture device, wherein the up direction of the image capture device is perpendicular to a first axis of a first joint portion of a support section, and wherein the correspondence relationship includes an angle between the up direction of the image capture device and a reference direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The medical observation system according to claim 1, wherein the light projection unit projects a pattern that enables recognition of the capturing area. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The medical observation system according to claim 2, wherein the light projection unit projects, as the pattern, a frame that enables recognition of a size of the capturing area or a marker that enables recognition of a top or bottom portion of the capturing area. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The medical observation system according to claim 1, further comprising an interface operable to receive an operation performed by an operator, wherein the light projector projects the periphery light according to an instruction that is received from the operator by the interface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The medical observation system according to claim 1, further comprising an interface operable to receive an operation for moving the capturing area by moving the image capture device, wherein the light projection projects the periphery light while the interface is receiving the input. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The medical observation system according to claim 1, further comprising an interface operable to receive operations for enlarging and reducing the capturing area, wherein the light projector changes a shape or a position of the periphery light according to the size of the capturing area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The medical observation system according to claim 1, further comprising an interface operable to receive operations for enlarging and reducing the capturing area, wherein the light projector projects the periphery light in such a way that the periphery light is positioned outside the capturing area, when the capturing area is enlarged and the periphery light is positioned within the capturing area. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The medical observation system according to claim 1, further comprising: circuitry configured to detect an angle that is formed by the up direction of the image capture device and a vertically downward direction, the up direction of the image capture device corresponding to an up direction of an image that is captured by the image capture device; and generate an image in which an indicator indicating the vertically downward direction is superimposed on the image captured by the image capture device, according to the angle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The medical observation system according to claim 8, wherein, when the angle that is formed by the up direction of the image capture device and the vertically downward direction exceeds a threshold, the circuitry generates an image in which the indicator indicating the vertically downward direction is superimposed on the image captured by the image capture device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The medical observation system according to claim 8, further comprising an interface operable to receive an operation performed by an operator, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate an image in which the indicator indicating the vertically downward direction is superimposed on the image captured by the image capture device, according to an instruction that is received from the operator by the interface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The medical observation system according to claim 8, further comprising an interface operable to receive an operation for moving the capturing area by moving the image capture device, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate an image in which the indicator indicating the vertically downward direction is superimposed on the image captured by the image capture device, while the interface is receiving the input. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The medical observation system according to claim 8, further comprising: a support section that supports the image capture device; and a drive controller configured to control the up direction of the image capture device by control of a drive operation of the support section, wherein the drive controller causes the up direction of the image capture device to be an opposite direction to the vertically downward direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The medical observation system according to claim 12, wherein, where the angle that is formed by the up direction of the image capture device and the vertically downward direction exceeds a threshold, the drive controller causes the up direction of the image capture device to be the opposite direction to the vertically downward direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The medical observation system according to claim 12, comprising an interface operable to receive an operation performed by an operator, wherein the drive controller causes the up direction of the image capture device to be the opposite direction of the vertically downward direction, according to an instruction that is received from the operator by the interface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The medical observation system according to claim 1, further comprising: a controller operable to control the image capture device and to perform image processing on an image that is captured by the image capture device; the display device operable to display an image that has undergone the image processing by the controller; and a detector operable to detect a position of at least one of the image capture device, the controller, the display device, a surgeon, or an assistant, wherein the controller generates an image in which an indicator indicating a position or a direction detected by the detector is superimposed on the image captured by the image capture device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The medical observation system according to claim 15, further comprising another detector operable to detect an angle that is formed by the up direction of the image capture device and a vertically downward direction, the up direction of the image capture device corresponding to an up direction of an image that is captured by the image capture device, wherein, when the angle that is formed by the up direction of the image capture device and the vertically downward direction exceeds a threshold, an image is generated in which the indicator indicating the position or the direction detected by the detector is superimposed on the image captured by the image capture device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The medical observation system according to claim 15, comprising an interface operable to receive an operation performed by an operator, wherein the controller generates an image in which the indicator indicating the position or the direction detected by the detector is superimposed on the image captured by the image capture device, according to an instruction that is received from the operator by the interface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The medical observation system according to claim 15, further comprising an interface operable to receive an operation for moving the capturing area by moving the image capture device, wherein the controller generates an image in which the indicator indicating the position or the direction detected by the detector is superimposed on the image captured by the image capture device, while the interface is receiving the input. ### Claim 19 A medical observation system comprising: an image capture device operable to capture an image of an observation target; and a light emitter operable to emit first illumination light in a capturing direction of the image capture device, wherein the light emitter radiates second periphery illumination light on the observation target, outside a capturing area that is captured by the image capture device and in a periphery of the capturing area, the second periphery illumination light enabling recognition of a capturing state of the image capture device, wherein the capturing state of the image capture device includes a direction of the capturing area, which includes a correspondence relationship between an up direction of the captured image that is displayed on a display device and an up direction of the image capture device, wherein the up direction of the image capture device is perpendicular to a first axis of a first joint portion of a support section, and wherein the correspondence relationship includes an angle between the up direction of the image capture device and a reference direction. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The medical observation system according to claim 19, wherein the light emitting emits the second periphery illumination light that enables recognition of a top or bottom portion of the capturing area.