IP Library Granted Patent US 12,635,885
Granted Patent B2
US 12,635,885 · App. 17/086,133 · Granted May 26, 2026

Systems and methods for image reorientation for endoscopic imaging

Inventors: Chien Mien Pang (San Jose, CA); Eric Charles Huynh (San Ramon, CA)
Assignee: Stryker Corporation
A61B5/0077A61B1/00009A61B1/00105A61B1/00188A61B1/042A61B1/045H04N5/2628H04N23/55H04N23/555
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,635,885
App. No.
17/086,133
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for medical imaging, the method including receiving light from a scene at a camera assembly that comprises at least one reflecting optical element and an imaging sensor assembly; reflecting light received by the camera assembly from the scene toward the imaging sensor assembly via the at least one reflecting optical element, wherein reflecting the light causes the scene to be at least one of inverted and reverted at the imaging sensor assembly; focusing the reflected light onto the imaging sensor assembly with at least one focusing optical element; transmitting image data generated from the focused light from the imaging sensor assembly to a camera controller; and generating by the camera controller a non-inverted and non-reverted image of the scene from the data generated by the imaging sensor assembly.

Claims (41)

1 . A medical imaging system comprising:

a camera assembly comprising:

an imaging sensor assembly comprising at least one imaging sensor for imaging a scene;

at least one focusing optical element for focusing light onto the imaging sensor assembly;

at least one reflecting optical element for reflecting light received by the camera assembly from the scene toward the at least one focusing optical element, wherein reflecting the light causes the scene to be at least one of inverted and reverted at the imaging sensor assembly, and wherein the light from the scene is reflected only once before reaching the focusing optical element; and

a camera controller configured to reorient the scene to generate a non-reverted and non-inverted image of the scene based on image data received from the imaging sensor, wherein the camera controller can save one or more images with correctly oriented scenes.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the camera controller is configured to reorient the scene by controlling the camera assembly so that data is read from the at least one imaging sensor in reverse with respect to at least one dimension of the at least one imaging sensor.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the camera controller is configured to reorient the scene by reordering the image data received from the imaging sensor to generate the non-reverted and non-inverted image of the scene.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the camera controller is configured to detect a configuration of the camera assembly based on camera assembly configuration data stored in the camera assembly and generate the non-reverted and non-inverted image of the scene based on the camera assembly configuration data.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the camera controller is connected via a cable to a camera head comprising the imaging sensor assembly and the camera assembly configuration data is stored in the cable or in the camera head.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflecting optical elements is configured to invert the scene.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the imaging sensor assembly is configured so that the at least one imaging sensor receives a reverted scene.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflecting optical elements comprises a right angle prism.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the camera assembly is configured for mounting a scope at a right angle orientation relative to an optical axis of the at least one focusing optical element.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein a camera head comprises the imaging sensor assembly and the endoscope is removably mounted to the camera head.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein, when the scope is mounted to the camera assembly, an optical axis of the scope is perpendicular to the optical axis of the at least one focusing optical element.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflecting optical elements is configured to reflect light at a right angle.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more reflecting optical elements is configured to reflect light at an angle that is in a range from 80° to 100°.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging sensor assembly comprises at least one prism for reflecting the focused light to the at least one imaging sensor.

15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is an endoscopic imaging system, and the camera assembly is an endoscopic camera assembly that comprises an endoscope for receiving light from the scene.

16 . A method for medical imaging, the method comprising:

receiving light from a scene at a camera assembly that comprises at least one reflecting optical element and an imaging sensor assembly;

reflecting light received by the camera assembly from the scene toward the imaging sensor assembly via the at least one reflecting optical element, wherein reflecting the light causes the scene to be at least one of inverted and reverted at the imaging sensor assembly, and wherein the light from the scene is reflected only once before reaching the focusing optical element;

focusing the reflected light onto the imaging sensor assembly with at least one focusing optical element;

transmitting image data generated from the focused light from the imaging sensor assembly to a camera controller;

reorienting the scene by the camera controller to generate a non-inverted and non-reverted image of the scene from the image data generated by the imaging sensor assembly; and

saving by the camera controller the non-inverted and non-reverted image of the scene.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising receiving camera configuration data at the camera controller and generating the non-inverted and non-reverted image of the scene based on the camera configuration data being indicative of incorrect orientation of the scene at the imaging sensor assembly.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein reorienting the scene comprises reading data from at least one imaging sensor of the imaging sensor assembly in reverse with respect to at least one dimension of the at least one imaging sensor.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein reorienting the scene comprises reordering the image data received from the imaging sensor to generate the non-reverted and non-inverted image of the scene.

20 . The method of claim 16 , comprising detecting a configuration of the camera assembly based on camera assembly configuration data stored in the camera assembly and generating the non-reverted and non-inverted image of the scene based on the camera assembly configuration data.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the camera controller is connected via a cable to a camera head comprising the imaging sensor assembly and the camera assembly configuration data is stored in the cable or in the camera head.

22 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more reflecting optical elements inverts the scene.

23 . The method of claim 22 , comprising receiving a reverted scene at the imaging sensor assembly.

24 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more reflecting optical elements comprises a right angle prism.

25 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the camera assembly is configured for mounting a scope at a right angle orientation relative to an optical axis of the at least one focusing optical element.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein a camera head comprises the imaging sensor assembly and the endoscope is removably mounted to the camera head.

27 . The method of claim 25 , wherein, when the scope is mounted to the camera assembly, an optical axis of the scope is perpendicular to the optical axis of the at least one focusing optical element.

28 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more reflecting optical elements is configured to reflect light at a right angle.

29 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more reflecting optical elements is configured to reflect light at an angle that is in a range from 80° to 100°.

30 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the imaging sensor assembly comprises at least one prism for reflecting the focused light to the at least one imaging sensor.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Dec 18, 2024
From: STRYKER CORPORATION
To: STRYKER CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 069737/0184 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 7, 2021
From: PANG, CHIEN MIEN; HUYNH, ERIC CHARLES
To: STRYKER CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 056166/0155 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62929349 · Nov 1, 2019
Related Publication 20210127948A1 · May 6, 2021
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