# US 2014/0360271 A1 · Object information acquiring apparatus and method of controlling object information acquiring apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0360271 A1 - Document ID: US20140360271A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/287,337 - Filed: 2014-05-27 - Published: 2014-12-11 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-05 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Kazuhiko Fukutani - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140360271A1 ## CPC - G01N 29/0654: {Imaging} - A61B 5/0095: {by applying light and detecting acoustic waves, i.e. photoacoustic measurements} - A61B 5/4312: {Breast evaluation or disorder diagnosis (optical mammography A61B5/0091)} - A61B 2576/02: specially adapted for a particular organ or body part - G01N 2291/02475: Tissue characterisation - G16H 30/40: for processing medical images, e.g. editing - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract An object information acquiring apparatus comprises a light irradiation unit that irradiates an object with light; an acoustic probe that receives an acoustic wave generated within the object; a first data processing unit that generates a first image representing information within the object, on the basis of an acoustic wave received by the acoustic probe; a template acquisition unit that divides the first image into a plurality of regions on the basis of a spatial resolution within the image, and acquires a plurality of pieces of template data according to characteristics of each region after division; and a second data processing unit that performs deconvolution processing using corresponding template data with respect to each of the regions after division to generate a second image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An object information acquiring apparatus comprising: a light irradiation unit that irradiates an object with light; an acoustic probe that receives an acoustic wave generated within the object; a first data processing unit that generates a first image representing information within the object, on the basis of an acoustic wave received by the acoustic probe; a template acquisition unit that divides the first image into a plurality of regions on the basis of a spatial resolution within the image, and acquires a plurality of pieces of template data according to characteristics of each region after division; and a second data processing unit that performs deconvolution processing using corresponding template data with respect to each of the regions after division to generate a second image. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The object information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the template data is a point spread function representing response characteristics of a measurement system with respect to an acoustic wave from a corresponding region. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The object information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the template acquisition unit estimates a spatial resolution within the image on the basis of a distance from the acoustic probe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The object information acquiring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the acoustic probe receives the acoustic wave in a plurality of positions parallel to a surface of the object, and the template acquisition unit estimates that the spatial resolution is higher in a region located at a shorter distance from the acoustic probe. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The object information acquiring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the acoustic probe receives the acoustic wave in a plurality of positions at approximately the same distance from a surface of the object, and the template acquisition unit estimates that the spatial resolution is higher in a region that is closer to a point where distances from the plurality of positions are the same. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The object information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a characteristic acquisition unit that acquires characteristic information of the object, wherein the template acquisition unit acquires the template data further according to the acquired characteristic information of the object. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The object information acquiring apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the characteristic information of the object is at least one of a sound speed and an attenuation coefficient within the object. ### Claim 8 A method of controlling an object information acquiring apparatus including a light irradiation unit that irradiates an object with light, and an acoustic probe that receives an acoustic wave generated within the object, the method comprising: a first data processing step of generating a first image representing information within the object, on the basis of an acoustic wave received by the acoustic probe; a template acquisition step of dividing the first image into a plurality of regions on the basis of a spatial resolution within the image, and acquiring a plurality of pieces of template data according to characteristics of each region after division; and a second data processing step of performing deconvolution processing using corresponding template data with respect to each of the regions after division to generate a second image. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of controlling an object information acquiring apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the template data is a point spread function representing response characteristics of a measurement system with respect to an acoustic wave from a corresponding region. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of controlling an object information acquiring apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a spatial resolution within the image is estimated on the basis of a distance from the acoustic probe in the template acquisition step. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of controlling an object information acquiring apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the acoustic probe receives the acoustic wave in a plurality of positions parallel to a surface of the object, and the spatial resolution is estimated to be higher in a region located at a shorter distance from the acoustic probe in the template acquisition step. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of controlling an object information acquiring apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the acoustic probe receives the acoustic wave in a plurality of positions at approximately the same distance from a surface of the object, and the spatial resolution is estimated to be higher in a region that is closer to a point where distances from the plurality of positions are the same in the template acquisition step. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of controlling an object information acquiring apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a characteristic acquisition step of acquiring characteristic information of the object, wherein the template data is acquired further according to the acquired characteristic information of the object in the template acquisition step. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of controlling an object information acquiring apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the characteristic information of the object is at least one of a sound speed and an attenuation coefficient within the object.