Stereo imaging miniature endoscope with single imaging and conjugated multi-bandpass filters

An endoscope system for providing a stereoscopic three dimensional image of a region of interest inside a body, the endoscope comprising:

• an illuminator configured to illuminate the region of interest;
• a housing having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being insertable into a cavity of the body;
• an image capture device at the distal end configured to obtain the stereoscopic three dimensional image of the region of interest illuminated by the illuminator, and process the stereoscopic three dimensional image to form a video signal;
• and
• a folded substrate folded into a U-shape having first and second legs;
• the image capture device comprising:
• a lens system including a right multi-band pass filter having right pass bands and a left multi-band pass filter having left pass bands, the right pass bands being complements of the left pass bands, the lens system receiving the stereoscopic three dimensional image including right and left images;
• and
• a detector facing the lens system and configured to obtain the right and left images, and processing circuit facing the proximal end behind the detector and configured to process signals from the detector,
• wherein the folded substrate includes the detector at an outer side of the first leg facing the lens system and the processing circuit at an outer side of the second leg facing the proximal end.

A method for obtaining a stereoscopic three dimensional image of a region of interest inside a body from an endoscope, the method comprising acts of:

• illuminating the region of interest with an illuminator of the endoscope, the illuminator including an illumination right multi-band pass filter having right pass bands and an illumination left multi-band pass filter having left pass bands, the right pass bands being complements of the left pass bands;
• capturing, by an image capture device located on a folded substrate at a distal end of the endoscope, the stereoscopic three dimensional image including right and left images, the image capture device comprising a lens system including a right multi-band pass filter having the right pass bands and a left multi-band pass filter having the left pass bands, and a detector end facing the lens system and configured to obtain the right and left images, the folded substrate being folded into a U-shape having first and second legs;
• and
• processing the captured the right and left images by a processing circuit facing a proximal end of the endoscope behind the detector,
• wherein the folded substrate includes the detector at an outer side of the first leg facing the lens system and the processing circuit at an outer side of the second leg facing the proximal end.

An endoscope for providing a stereoscopic three dimensional image of a region of interest inside a body, the endoscope comprising:

• a housing having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being insertable into a cavity of the body;
• an imager at the distal end configured to obtain the stereoscopic three dimensional image of the region of interest;
• and
• a processor at the distal end configured to process the stereoscopic three dimensional image to form a signal.