US 2021/0048660 A1 · MULTICORE FIBER IMAGING

Abstract

The invention relates to multicore fiber imaging, such as used in endoscopy. Methods are described for processing images captured with such systems to achieve an improved depth of field image or extract 3D information concerning the images, without requiring the addition of additional optical components. One method for generating an image from light received by an imager via a multiplicity of waveguides includes receiving a digital image containing a plurality of pixels, the digital image including a plurality of regions within it wherein each of said regions corresponds to a waveguide core. Each region includes a plurality of pixels, and a first subset of pixels within each region is defined which at least partly correlates with light having been received at a corresponding core in a first spatial arrangement, the subset including less than all of the pixels within a region. A first image is generated from the first subset of pixels from said regions, combined to form an image over the whole waveguide array. The first spatial arrangement may correspond to a measure of angular dimension of the incident light for that region. In addition to increased depth of field, the modified images provided by the invention allow 3D visualisation of objects, eg. using stereographs or depth mapping techniques.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A method for generating an image from light received by an imager via a multiplicity of waveguides, the method including;

receiving a digital image containing a plurality of pixels;
the digital image including a plurality of regions within it wherein each of said regions corresponds to a waveguide core and includes a plurality of pixels, said digital image also including pixels that correspond to interstitial space between said waveguide cores;
defining a first subset of pixels within each region which at least partly correlates with light having been received at a corresponding core in a first spatial arrangement, wherein said subset includes less than all of the pixels within a region;
and
generating a first image from the first subset of pixels from said regions.

2 more elements

A method of determining a light field approximation corresponding to a pair of images generated from light received by an imager via a multiplicity of waveguides, said light field approximation to be used in image processing, the method including:

obtaining a pair of images, the first member image of the pair having a first depth of field and the second member image of the pair having a second depth of field;
wherein said first member image and second member image have the same focus position;
generating a difference image from the pair of images;
calculating a light field approximation from said difference image.

1 more element

A method for improving the apparent depth of field of a digital image captured via a multicore optical fiber (MOF), the digital image containing a plurality of pixels and the digital image including a plurality of regions within it wherein each of said regions corresponds to a core of the MOF and includes a plurality of pixels, said digital image also including pixels that correspond to interstitial space between said waveguide cores, said method including generating a first image with an improved depth of field by:

defining a first subset of pixels within each region which at least partly correlates with light having been received at a corresponding core in a first spatial arrangement, wherein said subset includes less than all of the pixels within a region;
for each region, determining the average pixel value for said pixels in the first subset and allocating said average pixel value as the pixel value for at least one pixel of said first subset of pixels;
and
generating pixel values for pixels not being said at least one pixel.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multicore fiber imaging

Life of this patent

Multicore fiber imaging

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29