IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,524,989
Granted Patent B2
US 12,524,989 · App. 17/670,082 · Granted Jan 13, 2026

Method for classifying images

Inventors: Lingga Adidharma (Seattle, WA); Randall Bly (Seattle, WA); Christopher Young (Seattle, WA); Blake Hannaford (Seattle, WA); Ian Humphreys (Seattle, WA); Al-Waleed M. Abuzeid (Seattle, WA); Manuel Ferreira (Seattle, WA); Kristen S. Moe (Seattle, WA); Yangming Li (Rochester, NY); Daniel King (Seattle, WA)
Assignees: University of Washington; Seattle Children's Hospital
G06V10/764G06T7/0012G06T7/73G06T7/90G06V10/761G06V10/762G06V10/82G06T2207/10016G06T2207/10068G06T2207/20072G06T2207/20081G06T2207/20084G06T2207/30012G06T2207/30016G06T2207/30056G06T2207/30096G06T2207/30168G06V2201/03
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,524,989
App. No.
17/670,082
Granted
Jan 13, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method includes classifying, via a computational model, images of a source image stream as valid images or invalid images based on whether the images include biological tissue or a surgical tool; and generating a condensed image stream that includes the valid images. Another method includes classifying input images as valid images or invalid images using: a clustering algorithm that classifies each of the input images into either a first group or a second group and using labels that indicate whether the input images include a surgical tool. The method also includes training a computational model to identify the valid images based on whether the valid images include biological tissue or a surgical tool, or whether the valid images have at least a threshold level of clarity.

Claims (45)

1 . A method comprising:

classifying, via a computational model, images of a source image stream as valid images or invalid images based on whether the images include biological tissue or a surgical tool, wherein classifying the images comprises identifying the valid images based on whether the valid images have at least a threshold level of clarity;

generating a condensed image stream that includes the valid images;

generating feature vectors for the valid images, wherein the feature vectors each characterize one of the valid images based on multiple criteria;

identifying a subset of the valid images that corresponds to a phase of a surgical procedure by comparing the feature vectors; and

generating metadata that identifies the subset of the valid images within the condensed image stream.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the computational model was trained using input images labeled, by a clustering algorithm, as belonging to either a first group or a second group based on a hue, a saturation, or a brightness of the input images.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the computational model was trained using input images labeled as including a surgical tool.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the computational model was trained using input images labeled by a feature detection algorithm.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein classifying the images comprises classifying the images based on whether the images include the biological tissue and whether the images include a surgical tool.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein classifying the images comprises identifying the valid images based on the valid images including the biological tissue.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein identifying the valid images comprises identifying the valid images based on a level of a hue within the valid images that is associated with the biological tissue.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein classifying the images comprises identifying the valid images based on the valid images including a surgical tool.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the valid images based on whether the valid images have at least the threshold level of clarity comprises determining that the valid images have at least a threshold amount of features.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the feature vectors comprises applying a low pass filter to a pair of the feature vectors representing a pair of the valid images that are consecutive in time within the condensed image stream.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the feature vectors comprises identifying a distance between a consecutive pair of the feature vectors that exceeds a threshold distance.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the consecutive pair is a first consecutive pair, and wherein comparing the feature vectors further comprises:

identifying a second distance between a second consecutive pair of the feature vectors that exceeds a threshold distance, wherein the second consecutive pair chronologically follows the first consecutive pair; and

confirming that a duration separating the first consecutive pair and the second consecutive pair exceeds a threshold duration.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the threshold duration is a first threshold duration, wherein comparing the feature vectors further comprises:

identifying a third distance between a third consecutive pair of the feature vectors that exceeds a threshold distance, wherein the third consecutive pair chronologically follows the second consecutive pair; and

confirming that a second duration separating the second consecutive pair and the third consecutive pair exceeds the first threshold duration.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the threshold distance is a first threshold distance and the consecutive pair is a first consecutive pair, wherein comparing the feature vectors further comprises identifying a second distance between a second consecutive pair of the feature vectors that exceeds a second threshold distance that is greater than the first threshold distance, wherein the second consecutive pair chronologically follows the first consecutive pair.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving user input indicating a quantity of subsets,

wherein identifying the subset of the valid images comprises identifying subsets of the valid images equal in number to the quantity of subsets.

16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

evaluating, for each image of the subset, distances between the image and each other image of the subset; and

identifying a sub-segment of the subset of the valid images having a predetermined number of images and that has a minimum sum, a minimum median, or a minimum average of the distances.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the computational model was trained using input images labeled, by a clustering algorithm, as belonging to either a first group or a second group based on a hue of the input images.

18 . A computing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

classifying, via a computational model, images of a source image stream as valid images or invalid images based on whether the images include biological tissue or a surgical tool, wherein classifying the images comprises identifying the valid images based on whether the valid images have at least a threshold level of clarity;

generating a condensed image stream that includes the valid images;

generating feature vectors for the valid images, wherein the feature vectors each characterize one of the valid images based on multiple criteria;

identifying a subset of the valid images that corresponds to a phase of a surgical procedure by comparing the feature vectors; and

generating metadata that identifies the subset of the valid images within the condensed image stream.

19 . The computing device of claim 18 , wherein the computational model was trained using input images labeled, by a clustering algorithm, as belonging to either a first group or a second group based on a hue of the input images.

20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

classifying, via a computational model, images of a source image stream as valid images or invalid images based on whether the images include biological tissue or a surgical tool, wherein classifying the images comprises identifying the valid images based on whether the valid images have at least a threshold level of clarity;

generating a condensed image stream that includes the valid images;

generating feature vectors for the valid images, wherein the feature vectors each characterize one of the valid images based on multiple criteria;

identifying a subset of the valid images that corresponds to a phase of a surgical procedure by comparing the feature vectors; and

generating metadata that identifies the subset of the valid images within the condensed image stream.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2023
From: ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
To: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Reel/Frame 063929/0382 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NUMBER 63/358,958 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 060551 FRAME: 0191. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT . Recorded Jul 29, 2022
From: LI, YANGMING; YANG, ZIXIN
To: ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 061003/0958 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 19, 2022
From: LI, YANGMING; YANG, ZIXIN
To: ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 060551/0191 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2022
From: ADIDHARMA, LINGGA; YOUNG, CHRISTOPHER; HANNAFORD, BLAKE; HUMPHREYS, IAN; ABUZEID, AL-WALEED M; FERREIRA, MANUEL; MOE, KRISTEN S.
To: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Reel/Frame 060457/0809 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2022
From: KING, DANIEL
To: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Reel/Frame 060457/0821 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2022
From: BLY, RANDALL
To: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON; SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL D/B/A SEATTLE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Reel/Frame 060457/0863 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63149042 · Feb 12, 2021
Related Publication 20220262098A1 · Aug 18, 2022
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