Programmable spectral source and design tool for 3D imaging using complementary bandpass filters

1. An endoscopic illumination system for illuminating a subject for stereoscopic image capture, the illumination system comprising:

a light source which outputs multi-spectral light;

first and second light paths configured to transmit the multi-spectral light;

a first complementary multiband bandpass filter (CMBF) and a second CMBF, the first CMBF being situated in the first light path and the second CMBF being situated in the second light path, wherein the first CMBF and the second CMBF filter the multi-spectral light incident thereupon to output filtered light towards the subject for reflection as reflected light; and

a camera which captures video images of the subject and generates corresponding video information and a synchronization signal, the video information including a plurality of left and right image frame information, the camera receiving the reflected light reflected from the subject and passing through a pupil CMBF pair and a detection lens,

wherein the pupil CMBF includes a first pupil CMBF and a second pupil CMBF, the first pupil CMBF being identical to the first CMBF and the second pupil CMBF being identical to the second CMBF, and

wherein the detection lens includes one unpartitioned section that covers both the first pupil CMBF and the second pupil CMBF.

2. The endoscopic illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the camera is located at a distal end of an endoscope for capturing the video images of the subject located in front direction of the endoscope and providing a front view, and wherein the camera is movable to provide a different view which is different from the front view.

3. The endoscopic illumination system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a digital mirror array (DMA) which receives the multi-spectral light and directs the multi-spectral light to a selected light path of one of the first and second light paths; and

a controller which controls the DMA to direct the multi-spectral light to the selected light path in accordance with a time-multiplexing scheme.

4. The endoscopic illumination system of claim 3 , further comprising an optics portion which receives the multi-spectral light from the DMA and collimates the multi-spectral light which is to be incident on a selected CMBF of the first CMBF and the second CMBF.

5. The endoscopic illumination system of claim 3 , further comprising a synchronizer which determines a delay interval Δt in accordance with the plurality of left and right image frame information, and generates a trigger signal in accordance with the synchronization signal and the delay interval Δt for each of the left and right image frame information.

6. The endoscopic illumination system of claim 5 , wherein the DMA controls timing of illumination to the selected light path in accordance with the trigger signal.

7. The endoscopic illumination system of claim 1 , further comprising transport optics which integrates the filtered light from at least one of the first CMBF and the second CMBF and transmits the filtered light along a third light path to illuminate the subject.

8. An endoscopic illumination method for illuminating a subject for stereoscopic image capture, the illumination method controlled by a controller and comprising acts of:

outputting multi-spectral light by a light source;

filtering, by a selected complementary multiband bandpass filter (CMBF) of a first CMBF and a second CMBF, the multi-spectral light incident thereon and outputting filtered light;

illuminating the subject using the filtered light for reflection from the subject as filtered light;

receiving by a camera the filtered light reflected from the subject and passing through a pupil CMBF pair and a detection lens for forming video images of the subject;

capturing by the camera the video images of the subject; and

generating corresponding video information and a synchronization signal, the video information including a plurality of left and right image frame information, the synchronization signal corresponding to a start time of an act of capturing a left or a right image frame information of the plurality of left and right image frame information.

9. The endoscopic illumination method of claim 8 , wherein the pupil CMBF pair includes a first pupil CMBF and a second pupil CMBF, the first pupil CMBF being identical to the first CMBF and the second pupil CMBF being identical to the second CMBF, and wherein the detection lens includes one unpartitioned section that covers both the first pupil CMBF and the second pupil CMBF.

10. The endoscopic illumination method of claim 8 , further comprising an act of selectively passing, using a digital mirror array (DMA), the multi-spectral light to a selected light path of one of first and second light paths in accordance with a time-multiplexing scheme, the first light path including the first CMBF and the second light path including the second CMBF.

11. The endoscopic illumination method of claim 10 , further comprising acts of:

receiving the multi-spectral light passed by the DMA; and

collimating the multi-spectral light which is to be incident on the selected CMBF.

12. The endoscopic illumination method of claim 10 , further comprising acts of:

integrating the filtered light from the selected CMBF; and

transmitting the filtered light along a third light path to illuminate the subject.

13. The endoscopic illumination method of claim 10 , further comprising acts of:

determining a delay interval Δt in accordance with the plurality of left and right image frame information; and

generating a trigger signal in accordance with the synchronization signal and the delay interval Δt for each of the left and right image frames.

14. The endoscopic illumination method of claim 13 , further comprising an act of controlling timing of illumination to the selected light path in accordance with the trigger signal.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying computer instructions to control illumination of a subject for stereoscopic image capture, wherein the computer instructions, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to control a system for performing the act of:

causing a light source to output multi-spectral light for filtering, by a selected complementary multiband bandpass filter (CMBF) of the first CMBF and the second CMBF, the multi-spectral light incident on the selected CMBF, for outputting filtered light, and for illuminating the subject using the filtered light;

causing a camera to capture video images of the subject by receiving the filtered light reflected from the subject and passing through a pupil CMBF pair and a detection lens for forming the video images of the subject; and

generating corresponding video information and a synchronization signal, the video information including a plurality of left and right image frame information, the synchronization signal corresponding to a start time of an act of capturing a left or a right image frame information of the plurality of left and right image frame information.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the pupil CMBF pair includes a first pupil CMBF and a second pupil CMBF, the first pupil CMBF being identical to the first CMBF and the second pupil CMBF being identical to the second CMBF, and wherein the detection lens includes one unpartitioned section that covers both the first pupil CMBF and the second pupil CMBF.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer instructions further configure the processor to control the system for performing an act of causing a digital mirror array (DMA) to selectively pass the multi-spectral light to a selected light path of one of first and second light paths in accordance with a time-multiplexing scheme, the first light path including the first CMBF and the second light path including the second CMBF.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the computer instructions further configure the processor to control the system for performing the act of:

receiving the multi-spectral light passed by the DMA; and

collimating the multi-spectral light which is to be incident on the selected first or second CMBFs.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the computer instructions further configure the processor to control the system for performing the act of:

integrating the filtered light from the selected CMBF; and

transmitting the filtered light along a third light path to illuminate the subject.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the computer instructions further configure the processor to control the system for performing the act of:

determining a delay interval Δt in accordance with the plurality of left and right image frame information;

generating a trigger signal in accordance with the synchronization signal and the delay interval Δt for each of the left and right image frames; and

controlling timing of illumination to the selected light path in accordance with the trigger signal.

21. An endoscopic system for illuminating a subject for stereoscopic image capture, the illumination system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory operatively coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured to:

cause a light source to output multi-spectral light for filtering, by a selected complementary multiband bandpass filter (CMBF) of a first CMBF and a second CMBF, the multi-spectral light incident on the selected CMBF, for outputting filtered light, and for illuminating the subject using the filtered light;

cause a camera to capture video images of the subject by receiving the filtered light reflected from the subject and passing through a pupil CMBF pair and a detection lens for forming the video images of the subject; and

generate corresponding video information and a synchronization signal, the video information including a plurality of left and right image frame information, the synchronization signal corresponding to a start time of an act of capturing a left or a right image frame information of the plurality of left and right image frame information.

22. The endoscopic system of claim 21 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause a digital mirror array (DMA) to selectively pass the multi-spectral light to a selected light path of one of first and second light paths in accordance with a time-multiplexing scheme, the first light path including the first CMBF and the second light path including the second CMBF.