LIQUID LENS AUTO FOCUS FOR ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY VISUALIZATION

1 . A method of focusing a medical camera, comprising:

providing a camera head assembly including a housing, an image sensor in the housing, a lens assembly in the housing including a liquid lens, and a liquid lens driver capable of sending a voltage to the liquid lens;

providing a camera control unit which includes an algorithm capable of calculating a desired voltage based on image signal data and transmitting a signal to the liquid lens driver;

the image sensor obtaining an optical image after the optical image has passed through the liquid lens;

the image sensor converting the optical image to optical image data based on characteristics of the optical image;

the image sensor transmitting the optical image data to the camera control unit;

the algorithm of the camera control unit analyzing the optical image data and based on the analysis forwarding a signal to the liquid lens driver; and

the liquid lens driver transmitting a voltage to the liquid lens based on the signal received from the camera control unit to achieve a focused optical image.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the algorithm estimates an amount of misfocus of the optical image based on the optical image data.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera control unit adjusts the focus of the optical image through a continuous procedure.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera control unit adjusts the focus of the optical image through a trigger procedure.

5 . A method of determining an adjustment for the lens of a camera comprising:

(a) determining if liquid lens hardware is present;

(b) in accordance with determining that liquid lens hardware is present, commanding an initial voltage for the liquid lens hardware;

(c) setting a high threshold focus metric;

(d) the camera capturing an image frame and converting the image frame to data;

(e) calculating a focus metric of the image frame data and comparing the image frame data focus metric to the high threshold focus metric; and

(f) in accordance with the image frame data focus metric being higher than the high threshold focus metric, commanding a change in voltage to be delivered to the liquid lens hardware.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising estimating the type of scope connected to the camera.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein steps (b) through (f) are repeated until a predetermined satisfactory focus level is achieved.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein if the image frame data focus metric is not higher than the high threshold focus metric, commanding delivery of a voltage to the liquid lens based on the high threshold focus metric.

9 . The method of claim 5 , wherein at least steps (d) through (f) are performed during lymphatic imaging, blood flow imaging, tissue perfusion imaging, or a combination thereof.