Endoscopic imaging and display system
Medical endoscope imaging systems and methods of using the same are disclosed. The imaging systems can have an endoscope having an image sensor, a display housing having an image display, a communication link configured to couple the image sensor to the image display, and a camera housing having a camera-sensor. The display housing can be configured to be detachably coupled to the camera housing. The camera-sensor can be configured to receive signals from the image display.
1. An endoscopic imaging system comprising:
an endoscope having an image sensor;
a display housing having an image display configured to display an image from the image sensor;
a communication link configured to couple the image sensor to the image display; and
a camera housing having a camera-sensor, wherein the display housing is configured to be detachably coupled to the camera housing, such that when coupled, the camera-sensor is aligned with the image display to permit the camera-sensor to transmit image data of the image and the image display is confined completely within the camera housing and the display housing.
2. The endoscopic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the image display is a liquid crystal display (LCD), a liquid crystal on silicon display (LCOS), or an organic light-emitting diode display (OLED).
3. The endoscopic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is a complementary metal-oxide semi-conductor sensor.
4. The endoscopic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the communication link is an electrical cable.
5. The endoscopic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the communication link is a wireless link.
6. The endoscopic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the image display has a diagonal dimension of less than 2.0 inches, less than 1.5 inches, less than 1.0 inch, less than 0.9 inches, or less than 0.8 inches.
7. The endoscopic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the image display has at least 800×600 pixels.
8. The endoscopic imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising a moire fringe erasing filter coupled to the display housing.
9. The endoscopic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the endoscope comprises a rigid endoscope, a flexible endoscope, or an articulating endoscope, and wherein the image sensor is housed in, coupled to, or carried in the endoscope.
10. The endoscopic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the image display is in complementary alignment with a surface of the camera-sensor.
11. The endoscopic imaging system of claim 10 , wherein the image display is rotatable within the display housing such that the image display is rotatable relative to the camera-sensor.
12. The endoscopic imaging system of claim 10 , wherein the display housing comprises a wireless component for receiving signals from a transmitting component coupled to the image sensor.
13. The endoscopic imaging system of claim 10 , wherein the display housing is detachably coupled to the camera housing with a C-mount.
14. An endoscopic imaging method comprising:
transmitting signals from an image sensor to a display housing having an image display that produces a first image;
detachably coupling a camera housing having a camera sensor to the image display such that the camera sensor can generate a signal of the first image, when the image display is coupled to the camera sensor; and
wherein when coupled, the camera-sensor is aligned with the image display to permit to the camera sensor to transmit the signal of the first image and the image display is confined completely within the camera housing and the display housing.
15. An endoscope comprising:
an elongated member having a proximal housing and a distal end;
an image sensor disposed in the distal end;
an image display disposed in a proximal-facing recess of the proximal housing where the image display generates an image from the image sensor; and
wherein the proximal housing is detachably coupled to a camera housing such that when coupled, the camera-sensor is aligned with the image display to permit the camera sensor to transmit image data of the image and the image display is confined within the camera housing and the display housing.
16. The endoscope of claim 15 , wherein the image display has a diagonal dimension of less than 1.0 inch, less than 0.9 inches, or less than 0.8 inches.
17. The endoscope of claim 15 , wherein the image display has at least 800×600 pixels.
18. The endoscope of claim 15 , wherein the proximal-facing recess is configured such that a spacing from a proximal surface of the image display to a proximal face of the proximal housing is at least 0.2 inches.
19. The endoscope of claim 18 , wherein the spacing is at least 0.4 inches.
20. The endoscope of claim 18 , wherein the spacing is at least 0.6 inches.
21. The endoscope of claim 15 , further comprising a de-focusing lens proximate the image display.
22. The endoscope of claim 15 , further comprising a de-focusing lens disposed in the proximal housing proximal to the image display.
23. The endoscope of claim 15 , further comprising an adjustable de-focusing lens assembly disposed in the proximal housing proximal to the image display.
24. The endoscope of claim 15 , wherein the elongated member comprises a rigid assembly.
25. The endoscope of claim 15 , wherein the elongated member comprises a flexible assembly.
26. The endoscope of claim 15 , wherein the elongated member comprises an assembly that can be articulated by an actuation mechanism.
27. The endoscope of claim 15 , wherein the housing has a diagonal dimension of less than 2.5 inches, less than 2.0 inches, or less than 1.5 inches.