# US 2026/0090708 A1 · Imaging device and 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 2026/0090708 A1 - Document ID: US20260090708A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/109,718 - Filed: 2023-09-06 - Published: 2026-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2022-09-16 - Assignees: Sony Group Corporation - Applicants: Sony Group Corporation - Inventors: Shinya KUNIMATSU; Tomoyuki OKI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260090708A1 ## CPC - A61B 1/00186: {with imaging filters} - A61B 1/0646: {with illumination filters} - A61B 1/00096: {Optical elements} - A61B 1/042: {characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera} - A61B 1/043: {for fluorescence imaging} - A61B 1/046: {for infrared imaging} - A61B 1/051: {Details of CCD assembly} - A61B 1/0638: {providing two or more wavelengths} - A61B 1/0669: {at proximal end of an endoscope} - A61B 1/0684: {using light emitting diodes [LED]} - A61B 1/07: using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres - A61B 90/20: Surgical microscopes characterised by non-optical aspects - G02B 21/0012: {Surgical microscopes (counterbalanced structures for surgical microscopes G02B7/001)} - G02B 21/16: adapted for ultraviolet illumination {; Fluorescence microscopes (G02B21/0076 takes precedence)} - G02B 21/361: {Optical details, e.g. image relay to the camera or image sensor (G02B21/364 takes precedence; illumination details G02B21/06 and subgroups)} - G02B 27/1013: {for colour or multispectral image sensors, e.g. splitting an image into monochromatic image components on respective sensors (spectral imaging systems G01J)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An imaging device includes a prism that separates visible light and fluorescence included in light from a target to be observed, a visible-light imaging sensor that captures the visible light separated by the prism, and a fluorescence imaging sensor that captures the fluorescence separated by the prism, in which a ratio of a pixel spacing in the fluorescence imaging sensor to a pixel spacing in the visible-light imaging sensor is 1 or more and less than 5. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imaging device comprising: a prism that separates visible light and fluorescence included in light from a target to be observed; a visible-light imaging sensor that captures the visible light separated by the prism; and a fluorescence imaging sensor that captures the fluorescence separated by the prism, wherein a ratio of a pixel spacing in the fluorescence imaging sensor to a pixel spacing in the visible-light imaging sensor is 1 or more and less than 5. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, comprising a long-pass filter that is provided between the prism and the fluorescence imaging sensor to transmit the fluorescence. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a valid pixel area diagonal length of the fluorescence imaging sensor to a valid pixel area diagonal length of the visible-light imaging sensor is larger than 0.7 and less than 1.4. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein light after passing through an imaging lens is input into the prism, optical path lengths of the visible light and the fluorescence, from the input into the prism to imaging, are different from each other, the visible-light imaging sensor is directly or indirectly fixed to the prism to be located at an imaging position of the visible light, and the fluorescence imaging sensor is directly or indirectly fixed to the prism to be located at an imaging position of the fluorescence. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The imaging device according to claim 4, comprising a long-pass filter that is provided between the prism and the fluorescence imaging sensor to transmit the fluorescence, wherein the long-pass filter has an optical axial length designed according to an optical path length difference between the optical path lengths of the visible light and the fluorescence so as to position the fluorescence imaging sensor at the imaging position of the fluorescence. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The imaging device according to claim 4, wherein the prism has optical axial lengths designed according to an optical path length difference between the optical path lengths of the visible light and the fluorescence so as to position the visible-light imaging sensor at the imaging position of the visible light and position the fluorescence imaging sensor at the imaging position of the fluorescence. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The imaging device according to claim 4, comprising a gap that is positioned between the prism and at least one of the visible-light imaging sensor and the fluorescence imaging sensor, wherein the gap has optical axial lengths designed according to an optical path length difference between the optical path lengths of the visible light and the fluorescence so as to position the visible-light imaging sensor at the imaging position of the visible light and position the fluorescence imaging sensor at the imaging position of the fluorescence. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the fluorescence includes first fluorescence and second fluorescence, the prism separates the visible light, the first fluorescence, and the second fluorescence included in the light from the target to be observed, the fluorescence imaging sensor includes: a first fluorescence imaging sensor that captures the first fluorescence separated by the prism; and a second fluorescence imaging sensor that captures the second fluorescence separated by the prism, and both of a ratio of a pixel spacing in the first fluorescence imaging sensor to the pixel spacing in the visible-light imaging sensor and a ratio of a pixel spacing in the second fluorescence imaging sensor to the pixel spacing in the visible-light imaging sensor are 1 or more and less than 5. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein both of a ratio of a valid pixel area diagonal length of the first fluorescence imaging sensor to a valid pixel area diagonal length of the visible-light imaging sensor and a ratio of a valid pixel area diagonal length of the second fluorescence imaging sensor to the valid pixel area diagonal length of the visible-light imaging sensor are larger than 0.7 and less than 1.4. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein light after passing through an imaging lens is input into the prism, optical path lengths of the visible light, the first fluorescence, and the second fluorescence, from the input into the prism to imaging, are different from each other, the visible-light imaging sensor is directly or indirectly arranged at the prism so as to be located at an imaging position of the visible light, the first fluorescence imaging sensor is directly or indirectly fixed to the prism so as to be located at an imaging position of the first fluorescence, and the second fluorescence imaging sensor is directly or indirectly fixed to the prism so as to be located at an imaging position of the second fluorescence. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The imaging device according to claim 10, comprising: a first long-pass filter that is provided between the prism and the first fluorescence imaging sensor to transmit the first fluorescence; and a second long-pass filter that is provided between the prism and the second fluorescence imaging sensor to transmit the second fluorescence, wherein the first long-pass filter has an optical axial length designed according to an optical path length difference between the optical path lengths of the visible light and the first fluorescence so as to position the first fluorescence imaging sensor at the imaging position of the first fluorescence, and the second long-pass filter has an optical axial length designed according to an optical path length difference between the optical path lengths of the visible light and the second fluorescence so as to position the second fluorescence imaging sensor at the imaging position of the second fluorescence. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The imaging device according to claim 10, wherein the prism has optical axial lengths designed according to an optical path length difference between the optical path lengths of the visible light, the first fluorescence, and the second fluorescence so as to position the visible-light imaging sensor at the imaging position of the visible light, position the first fluorescence imaging sensor at the imaging position of the first fluorescence, and position the second fluorescence imaging sensor at the imaging position of the second fluorescence. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The imaging device according to claim 10, comprising a gap that is positioned between the prism and at least one of the visible-light imaging sensor, the first fluorescence imaging sensor, and the second fluorescence imaging sensor, wherein the gap has optical axial lengths designed according to an optical path length difference between the optical path lengths of the visible light, the first fluorescence, and the second fluorescence so as to position the visible-light imaging sensor at the imaging position of the visible light, position the first fluorescence imaging sensor at the imaging position of the first fluorescence, and position the second fluorescence imaging sensor at the imaging position of the second fluorescence. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the visible light includes green light, blue light, and red light, the fluorescence includes infrared light, the prism separates the green light, the blue light, the red light, and the infrared light included in the light from the target to be observed, the visible-light imaging sensor includes: a green light imaging sensor that captures the green light separated by the prism; a blue light imaging sensor that captures the blue light separated by the prism; and a red light imaging sensor that captures the red light separated by the prism, the fluorescence imaging sensor includes an infrared imaging sensor that captures the infrared light separated by the prism, and a ratio of a pixel spacing in the infrared imaging sensor to a pixel spacing in the green light imaging sensor is 1 or more and less than 5. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The imaging device according to claim 14, wherein a ratio of a valid pixel area diagonal length of the infrared imaging sensor to a valid pixel area diagonal length of the green light imaging sensor is larger than 0.7 and less than 1.4. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The imaging device according to claim 14, wherein light after passing through an imaging lens is input into the prism, optical path lengths of the green light and the infrared light, from the input into the prism to imaging, are different from each other, the green light imaging sensor is directly or indirectly fixed to the prism so as to be located at an imaging position of the green light, and the infrared imaging sensor is directly or indirectly fixed to the prism so as to be located at an imaging position of the infrared light. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The imaging device according to claim 16, comprising a long-pass filter that is provided between the prism and the infrared imaging sensor to transmit the infrared light, wherein the long-pass filter has an optical axial length designed according to an optical path length difference between the optical path lengths of the green light and the infrared light so as to position the infrared imaging sensor at the imaging position of the infrared light. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The imaging device according to claim 16, wherein the prism has optical axial lengths designed according to an optical path length difference between the optical path lengths of the green light and the infrared light so as to position the green light imaging sensor at the imaging position of the green light and position the infrared imaging sensor at the imaging position of the infrared light. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The imaging device according to claim 16, comprising a gap that is positioned between the prism and at least one of the green light imaging sensor and the infrared imaging sensor, wherein the gap has optical axial lengths designed according to an optical path length difference between the optical path lengths of the green light and the infrared light so as to position the green light imaging sensor at the imaging position of the green light and position the infrared imaging sensor at the imaging position of the infrared light. ### Claim 20 A medical observation system comprising an imaging device that captures a surgical site, wherein the imaging device includes: a prism that separates visible light and fluorescence included in light from the surgical site; a visible-light imaging sensor that captures the visible light separated by the prism; and a fluorescence imaging sensor that captures the fluorescence separated by the prism, and a ratio of a pixel spacing in the fluorescence imaging sensor to a pixel spacing in the visible-light imaging sensor is 1 or more and less than 5.