Overall endoscopic control system
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Publication Number
US-11963666-B2
Publication Date
2024-04-23
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention provides a system for controlling an endoscope, comprising a. an endoscope adapted to provide real time images of FOV within a body cavity; said FOV defines FOVx-axis, FOVy-axis and FOVz-axis, b. a maneuvering system for maneuvering said endoscope; said maneuvering system defines an X-axis, a y-axis; and, a z-axis; c. control means adapted to receive commands of motions from a user to maneuver said endoscope; and d. a data processing system in communication with said control means, adapted to instruct said maneuvering system to maneuver said endoscope according to said commands of motions; wherein said data control means instructs said maneuvering system to maneuver said endoscope according to said commands of motions relative to said FOVx-axis, said FOVy-axis and said FOVz-axis, regardless of said X-axis, said y-axis and said z-axis as defined by said maneuvering system.
Core Innovation
The invention provides an endoscope control method that displays, in real time, images of a field of view (FOV) acquired by an endoscope within a body cavity. The displayed FOV defines at least two axes of a coordinate system fixed with respect to the camera and the displayed images, selected from FOVx-axis, FOVy-axis, and FOVz-axis, or any combination thereof, and the selected FOV axes are real time updated as at least a tip of the endoscope moves and the FOV changes.
The method receives user input FOV commands of motions to maneuver the tip of the endoscope in a desired direction. These FOV commands of motion are relative to at least two axes selected from the FOVx-axis, FOVy-axis, and FOVz-axis and are as real time displayed in the image. The method then converts the FOV commands of motion into maneuvering system commands of motions for a maneuvering system configured to maneuver the tip in at least two DOF.
The conversion is performed relative to a constant x-axis, a constant y-axis, and a constant z-axis defined by the maneuvering system. The maneuvering system commands of motion are commands relative to the constant x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis, and the maneuvering system is caused to maneuver the tip according to those commands. The arrangement supports orientation-invariant control, including updated FOV axes that change with endoscope tip movement and conversion that accounts for camera and tip orientation changes.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim establishes a control method with real-time FOV display, user input motion commands relative to displayed FOV axes, and conversion to maneuvering system commands relative to constant maneuvering system axes. Four inventive features are identified across the independent claims, with dependent claims refining orientation-invariance, user-command sources, and extension to a surgical tool.
Real-time FOV coordinate axes updated with endoscope tip movement
Displaying in real time images of a field of view (FOV) acquired by an endoscope within a body cavity, the FOV defining at least two axes of a coordinate system fixed with respect to the camera and the displayed images, the at least two axes selected from FOVx-axis, FOVy-axis and FOVz-axis and any combination thereof, configured to be real time updated as at least a tip of the endoscope moves and the FOV changes
Receiving user input FOV commands relative to displayed FOV axes
Receiving as user input FOV commands of motions to maneuver the at least a tip of the endoscope in real time in a desired direction, the FOV commands of motion being commands of motion relative to at least two axes selected from FOVx-axis, FOVy-axis and FOVz-axis, as real time displayed in said image
Converting FOV commands into maneuvering system commands relative to constant axes
Converting said FOV commands of motion to maneuvering system commands of motions for a maneuvering system configured to maneuver said at least a tip of said endoscope in at least two DOF, said maneuvering system defining a constant x-axis, a constant y-axis and a constant z-axis, the maneuvering system commands of motion being commands of motion relative to said x-axis, said y-axis and said z-axis
Causing maneuvering system to maneuver endoscope tip based on converted commands
Causing said maneuvering system to maneuver said at least a tip of said endoscope according to said maneuvering system commands of motions
Overall, the claims center on presenting a real-time, camera-fixed FOV coordinate system that updates with endoscope tip movement, accepting user motion commands relative to those displayed FOV axes, and converting them into maneuvering commands relative to constant maneuvering system axes. Dependent claims specify invariance with respect to camera orientation within the endoscope and invariance with respect to endoscope orientation relative to the maneuvering system, along with user-controller input sources such as a manual movement controller or a joystick and extension to maneuvering at least a surgical tool.
Stated Advantages
Intuitive, non-counterintuitive control relative to a FOV coordinate system (FOVx/FOVy/FOVz) that updates in real time.
Maintains FOV center/horizon during zoom and uncommanded motion [procedural detail omitted for safety].
Frame-of-reference invariance: maneuvering remains correct regardless of camera orientation within the endoscope and regardless of the endoscope’s orientation relative to the maneuvering system.
Documented Applications
Laparoscopy computerized system endoscopic control using an endoscope within a body cavity and real-time video/images of a FOV.
Object tracking and managing user motion control for tracked objects, including organs, veins, arteries, ligaments, membranes, fat tissue, and tools such as scalpel, forceps, retractor, swab, clamp, and needle.
Control of an articulated endoscope with user interface options including joystick variants and sensors including accelerometer and gyroscope.
Automated assistant/instrument selection workflows, including operator selection using a wearable operator [procedural detail omitted for safety].
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