# US 2025/0148740 A1 · Apparatuses, systems, and methods for managing auto-exposure of image frames based on signal region size > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0148740 A1 - Document ID: US20250148740A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/018,209 - Filed: 2025-01-13 - Published: 2025-05-08 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-10 - Assignees: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Applicants: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Inventors: Zhen He; Jeffrey M. DiCarlo; Max J. Trejo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250148740A1 ## CPC - G06V 10/141: Control of illumination - A61B 90/37: {Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation} - G06V 10/22: by selection of a specific region containing or referencing a pattern; Locating or processing of specific regions to guide the detection or recognition - H04N 23/71: Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation - H04N 23/72: Combination of two or more compensation controls - H04N 23/76: by influencing the image signals - A61B 2090/376: {using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy} - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An illustrative apparatus may perform a process comprising: identifying, within a first image frame captured by an image capture system using a first auto-exposure parameter, a first region including first pixels that satisfy a first auto-exposure related condition; changing, based on one or more characteristics of the first region, both the first auto-exposure parameter to a second auto-exposure parameter and the first auto-exposure related condition to a second auto-exposure related condition; and identifying, within a second image frame captured by the image capture system using the second auto-exposure parameter, a second region including second pixels that satisfy the second auto-exposure related condition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to perform a process comprising: identifying, within a first image frame captured by an image capture system using a first auto-exposure parameter, a first region including first pixels that satisfy a first auto-exposure related condition; changing, based on one or more characteristics of the first region, both the first auto-exposure parameter to a second auto-exposure parameter and the first auto-exposure related condition to a second auto-exposure related condition; and identifying, within a second image frame captured by the image capture system using the second auto-exposure parameter, a second region including second pixels that satisfy the second auto-exposure related condition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the first auto-exposure related condition is satisfied for pixels with auto-exposure values that exceed a first auto-exposure value threshold; and the second auto-exposure related condition is satisfied for pixels with auto-exposure values that exceed a second auto-exposure value threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the one or more characteristics of the first region include auto-exposure values of the first pixels; and the first auto-exposure parameter is changed to the second auto-exposure parameter based on the auto-exposure values of the first pixels. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the one or more characteristics of the first region include a size of the first region; and the first auto-exposure related condition is changed to the second auto-exposure related condition based on the size of the first region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein: the process further comprises determining that the size of the first region is less than a signal region size threshold; wherein the changing the first auto-exposure related condition to the second auto-exposure related condition is based on the determining that the size of the first region is less than the signal region size threshold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein: the process further comprises determining that the size of the first region is at or above a signal region size threshold; wherein the changing the first auto-exposure related condition to the second auto-exposure related condition is based on the determining that the size of the first region is at or above the signal region size threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the image capture system includes an endoscopic image capture device configured to capture the first image frame as part of an image frame sequence that depicts a view of a body undergoing a fluorescence-guided medical procedure; the first image frame depicts fluorescence content against a darkened background, the fluorescence content generated by a fluorescence imaging agent that fluoresces when illuminated by a fluorescence illumination source; and the first region identified within the first image frame corresponds to the fluorescence content. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the fluorescence imaging agent is diluted such that at least a portion of the fluorescence content is associated with an auto-exposure value less than an auto-exposure value associated with at least a portion of noise within the first image frame. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first auto-exposure parameter includes one or more of: an exposure time parameter; a shutter aperture parameter; an illumination intensity parameter; or a luminance gain parameter. ### Claim 10 A method comprising: identifying, within a first image frame captured by an image capture system using a first auto-exposure parameter, a first region including first pixels that satisfy a first auto-exposure related condition; changing, based on one or more characteristics of the first region, both the first auto-exposure parameter to a second auto-exposure parameter and the first auto-exposure related condition to a second auto-exposure related condition; and identifying, within a second image frame captured by the image capture system using the second auto-exposure parameter, a second region including second pixels that satisfy the second auto-exposure related condition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: the first auto-exposure related condition is satisfied for pixels with auto-exposure values that exceed a first auto-exposure value threshold; and the second auto-exposure related condition is satisfied for pixels with auto-exposure values that exceed a second auto-exposure value threshold. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: the one or more characteristics of the first region include auto-exposure values of the first pixels; and the first auto-exposure parameter is changed to the second auto-exposure parameter based on the auto-exposure values of the first pixels. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: the one or more characteristics of the first region include a size of the first region; and the first auto-exposure related condition is changed to the second auto-exposure related condition based on the size of the first region. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein: the method further comprises determining that the size of the first region is less than a signal region size threshold; wherein the changing the first auto-exposure related condition to the second auto-exposure related condition is based on the determining that the size of the first region is less than the signal region size threshold. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein: the method further comprises determining that the size of the first region is at or above a signal region size threshold; wherein the changing the first auto-exposure related condition to the second auto-exposure related condition is based on the determining that the size of the first region is at or above the signal region size threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: the image capture system includes an endoscopic image capture device configured to capture the first image frame as part of an image frame sequence that depicts a view of a body undergoing a fluorescence-guided medical procedure; the first image frame depicts fluorescence content against a darkened background, the fluorescence content generated by a fluorescence imaging agent that fluoresces when illuminated by a fluorescence illumination source; and the first region identified within the first image frame corresponds to the fluorescence content. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the first auto-exposure parameter includes one or more of: an exposure time parameter; a shutter aperture parameter; an illumination intensity parameter; or a luminance gain parameter. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, direct a processor of a computing device to perform a process comprising: identifying, within a first image frame captured by an image capture system using a first auto-exposure parameter, a first region including first pixels that satisfy a first auto-exposure related condition; changing, based on one or more characteristics of the first region, both the first auto-exposure parameter to a second auto-exposure parameter and the first auto-exposure related condition to a second auto-exposure related condition; and identifying, within a second image frame captured by the image capture system using the second auto-exposure parameter, a second region including second pixels that satisfy the second auto-exposure related condition. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein: the first auto-exposure related condition is satisfied for pixels with auto-exposure values that exceed a first auto-exposure value threshold; and the second auto-exposure related condition is satisfied for pixels with auto-exposure values that exceed a second auto-exposure value threshold. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein: the one or more characteristics of the first region include auto-exposure values of the first pixels; and the first auto-exposure parameter is changed to the second auto-exposure parameter based on the auto-exposure values of the first pixels.