US 12,114,831 B2
Endoscope incorporating multiple image sensors for increased resolution
George E. Duckett, III, Castaic, CA (US)
Assigned to KARL STORZ Imaging, Inc., Goleta, CA (US)
Filed by KARL STORZ Imaging, Inc., Goleta, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/684,615.
Application 17/684,615 is a division of application No. 16/733,999, filed on Jan. 3, 2020, granted, now 11,294,166.
Application 16/733,999 is a continuation of application No. 15/400,137, filed on Jan. 6, 2017, granted, now 10,571,679, issued on Feb. 25, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0269064 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 1/05 (2006.01); G02B 23/04 (2006.01); G02B 23/10 (2006.01); G02B 23/24 (2006.01); H04N 23/45 (2023.01); H04N 23/56 (2023.01); G06T 3/4038 (2024.01); H04N 23/50 (2023.01)
CPC A61B 1/00009 (2013.01) [A61B 1/00096 (2013.01); A61B 1/00179 (2013.01); A61B 1/00188 (2013.01); A61B 1/051 (2013.01); G02B 23/04 (2013.01); G02B 23/10 (2013.01); G02B 23/243 (2013.01); G02B 23/2484 (2013.01); H04N 23/45 (2023.01); H04N 23/56 (2023.01); G06T 3/4038 (2013.01); H04N 23/555 (2023.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An endoscopic instrument comprising:
a shaft having a distal end portion and a longitudinal axis spanning distal and proximal sides of the distal end portion;
a single optical channel assembly, the single optical channel assembly comprising an objective lens with negative optical power positioned in the distal end portion to collect image light from a single perspective of an object space; focusing optics to focus the image light onto a first image sensor and a second image sensor;
a pair of light directing elements positioned within the optical channel, downstream from the focusing optics at a sufficient distance from the objective lens such that the light directing elements are positioned in an image space of the optical channel assembly, the first light directing element positioned to receive a first portion, but not all, of the image light and direct the first portion of the image light along an optical axis that is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis such that the first portion of the image light is focused on the first image sensor; and the second light directing element positioned to receive a second portion, but not all, of the image light, and direct the second portion of the image light along an optical axis that is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis such that the second portion of the image light is focused on the second image sensor, and
wherein the second portion of the image light corresponding to the second area of the collected image is at least substantially different from the first area of the collected image.