Method and apparatus for travelled distance measuring by a capsule camera in the gastrointestinal tract
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Publication Number
US-10835113-B2
Publication Date
2020-11-17
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method and system for determining a travelled distance by a capsule camera are disclosed. A current global motion vector for a current image in the image sequence is determined, where the current global motion vector corresponds to movement made by the capsule camera between the current image and a reference image associated with the image sequence. A travelled distance by the capsule camera in the GI tract is determined according to the current global motion vector and prior global motion vectors derived for prior images between an initial image and the current image, where the travelled distance is measured from an initial location associated with the initial image to a current location associated with the current image. A method and system for displaying an image sequence captured by a capsule camera are also disclosed. The travelled distances associated with the image sequence are displayed on a display.
Core Innovation
The invention estimates and displays travelled distances by an endoscope in a human gastrointestinal tract using an image sequence captured by an endoscope camera as the endoscope travels through the gastrointestinal tract. The travelled distance is determined as an estimated distance between an initial location associated with an initial image and a current location associated with a current image in the image sequence, based on motion derived from image-to-image relationships using a current global motion vector and prior global motion vectors.
For the travelled distance, the method determines a current normalized global motion vector and prior normalized global motion vectors, respectively for the current image and previous images. Each normalized global motion vector is derived by normalizing a corresponding global motion vector with respect to a nominal object distance between the endoscope camera and a GI tract wall, so that the travelled distance estimation relies on normalized motion relationships rather than unnormalized global motion.
The invention further presents one or more graphic representations representative of travelled distances on a display according to locations on the one or more graphic representations. The displayed travelled distances correspond to the estimated distance measured from the endoscope at the initial location to the endoscope at the current location, and an indicator may be displayed on the graphic representations to show a corresponding image associated with a target location, with an anatomical part of the human GI tract indicated at the target location.
Claims Coverage
The document describes two independent claims, a method and a system, that share the same core inventive concept: travelled-distance display based on a current normalized global motion vector and prior normalized global motion vectors derived using a nominal object distance between the endoscope camera and a GI tract wall, with mapping of the estimated travelled distance onto graphic representations.
Displaying travelled distances using normalized global motion vectors
Present, on a display device, travelled distances by the endoscope within the human GI tract, wherein the travelled distance is determined according to a current normalized global motion vector and prior normalized global motion vectors; wherein the current travelled distance corresponds to an estimated distance measured from the endoscope at an initial location associated with an initial image to the endoscope at a current location associated with a current image; wherein the current normalized global motion vector and the prior normalized global motion vectors are determined for the current image and previous images respectively; and wherein each normalized global motion vector is derived by normalizing a corresponding global motion vector with respect to a nominal object distance between the endoscope camera and a GI tract wall.
Mapping estimated travelled distance to graphic representation locations
Display one or more graphic representations being representative of travelled distances by the endoscope according to locations on said one or more graphic representations.
Endoscope image sequence for travelled-distance display
Receive the image sequence, wherein the image sequence is captured by an endoscope camera of the endoscope when the endoscope travels through a human GI tract.
Indicator and corresponding image at target locations
Display an indicator on one or more graphic representations to show a corresponding image associated with a target location indicated by the indicator.
Anatomical part indication at target locations
Indicate an anatomical part of the human GI tract at a target location on at least one graphic representation, where images at that target location are associated with the specified anatomical part.
Across the independent method and system claims, the main inventive coverage centers on determining travelled distance from an endoscope image sequence using a current normalized global motion vector together with prior normalized global motion vectors, where normalization is performed with respect to a nominal object distance between the endoscope camera and the GI tract wall, and presenting the resulting estimated travelled distances as one or more graphic representations mapped to locations on the display.
Stated Advantages
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