US 12,347,123 B2
Method of robust surface and depth estimation
Niraj Prasad Rauniyar, Plymouth, MN (US); Robert J. Riker, Sewickley, PA (US); and Longquan Chen, Andover, MA (US)
Assigned to BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC., Maple Grove, MN (US)
Filed by BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC., Maple Grove, MN (US)
Filed on Sep. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/940,610.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/242,547, filed on Sep. 10, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0078857 A1, Mar. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 34/20 (2016.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.01); G06T 7/40 (2017.01); G06T 7/521 (2017.01); G06T 7/73 (2017.01)
CPC G06T 7/521 (2017.01) [G06T 7/40 (2013.01); G06T 7/73 (2017.01); G06T 2207/10068 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30084 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of estimating the distance of a body structure from a medical device, the method comprising:
illuminating the body structure with a light source positioned on the distal end region of a medical device;
capturing a first input image of the body structure with a digital camera positioned on the distal end region of the medical device;
representing the first image with a first plurality of pixels, wherein the first plurality of pixels includes one or more pixels displaying a local intensity maxima;
defining a first pixel group from the one or more pixels displaying a local intensity maxima, wherein the first pixel group corresponds to a plurality of surface points of the body structure;
wherein the first pixel group further includes a first image intensity; and
calculating a relative distance r from the digital camera to a first surface point of the plurality of surface points by assuming custom character and S are parallel at the first surface point, that A is constant, and solving the relation for r:

OG Complex Work Unit Math
wherein:
I is an image intensity;
L is an illumination intensity;
A is a surface albedo factor;
custom character is a vector from the first surface point to the camera;
S is a vector normal to the first surface point.