US 12,376,749 B2
System and method for specular reflection detection and reduction
Mahdi Azizian, San Jose, CA (US); and Jonathan Sorger, Belmont, CA (US)
Assigned to INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed by INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 7, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/435,905.
Application 18/435,905 is a division of application No. 16/562,121, filed on Sep. 5, 2019, granted, now 11,937,899.
Application 16/562,121 is a continuation of application No. 15/122,121, granted, now 10,426,347, issued on Oct. 1, 2019, previously published as PCT/US2015/017950, filed on Feb. 27, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/945,660, filed on Feb. 27, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2024/0298900 A1, Sep. 12, 2024
Int. Cl. A61B 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 5/0071 (2013.01) [A61B 5/0033 (2013.01); A61B 5/7405 (2013.01); A61B 5/742 (2013.01); A61B 2576/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An imaging system comprising:
a processing unit comprising one or more processors; and
an imaging unit coupled to the processing unit and comprising:
one or more first illuminators providing illumination of a region of interest; and
one or more first detectors for detecting reflections of the illumination;
wherein the processing unit is configured to:
receive a first image from the one or more first detectors, the first image including the detected reflections and being based on a first imaging geometry;
receive a second image from the one or more first detectors, the second image including the detected reflections and being based on a second imaging geometry different from the first imaging geometry;
determine a first region of high specular reflection in the first image and the second image;
estimate a first surface normal in the first region of high specular reflection based on differences between the first imaging geometry and the second imaging geometry; and
provide a move away hint based on the estimated first surface normal, the move away hint indicating a direction of movement of the imaging unit to reduce specular reflection.