Abstract:
A camera system comprising:
       stereoscopic optics;   a right image sensor for acquiring a right image from the stereoscopic optics and a left image sensor for acquiring a left image from the stereoscopic optics;   a horizontal line switch for receiving the right image from the right image sensor and the left image from the left image sensor and creating a composite image wherein the horizontal line signals from the right image sensor are alternated with the horizontal line signals from the left image sensor; and   a single camera processor for receiving the composite image from the horizontal line switch for presenting to a display.

Description:
REFERENCE TO PENDING PRIOR PATENT APPLICATION 
     This patent application claims benefit of prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/909,066, filed Nov. 26, 2013 by ConMed Corporation and Yuri Kazakevich et al. for STEREOSCOPIC (3D) CAMERA SYSTEM UTILIZING A MONOSCOPIC (2D) CONTROL UNIT, which patent application is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to camera systems in general, and more particularly to stereoscopic (3D) camera systems. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Stereoscopic (3D) camera systems are well known in the art. 
     By way of example but not limitation, ConMed Corporation of Utica, N.Y. manufactures and sells stereoscopic (3D) camera systems which allow surgeons to visualize structures within the body, with the stereoscopic (3D) construction allowing the surgeons to perceive depth. 
     However, the current state of the art requires a doubling of many components in the stereoscopic (3D) camera system, leading to a higher cost of goods as compared to a monoscopic (2D) camera system. 
     By way of example but not limitation,  FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of the major components in a conventional stereoscopic (3D) camera system  5 . Note the duplication of the image sensors (i.e., the right image sensor  10  and the left image sensor  15 ) and the duplication of the camera processors (i.e., the right camera processor  20  and the left camera processor  25 ). Note also that the right image sensor  10  and the left image sensor  15  are typically packaged in a 3D camera head  30 , and the right camera processor  20  and the left camera processor  25  are typically packaged in a 3D control unit  35 . Note also that in the prior art stereoscopic (3D) camera system  5  shown in  FIG. 1 , the stereoscopic optics  40  (e.g., an endoscope) is mechanically connected to the 3D camera head  30  (e.g., using a mechanical connection  45 ), the 3D camera head  30  is cable connected to the 3D control unit  35  via cabling  50 , and the 3D control unit  35  is cable connected to the multiplexer (MUX) component  55  of the micro-polarization display  60  via cabling  65 . 
     In the prior art stereoscopic (3D) camera system  5  shown in  FIG. 1 , two identical camera processors (i.e., the right camera processor  20  and the left camera processor  25 , contained in the 3D control unit  35 ) are used to send two complete images to the multiplexer (MUX) component  55  of the micro-polarization display  60  (which then feeds the appropriate signals to the micro-polarization display  60 ). This type of display uses a micro-polarization technology (also known as XPol® technology), typically implemented as a film or screen located in front of the display pixels, so that the odd lines of pixels are polarized in one sense (e.g., right circular polarization) and the even lines of pixels are polarized in the opposite sense (e.g., left circular polarization). See  FIG. 2 . When two full resolution right and left image signals are sent to the display (e.g., by the stereoscopic optics  40 , the right image sensor  10  and the left image sensor  15  of the 3D camera head  30 , and the right camera processor  20  and the left camera processor  25  of the 3D control unit  35 ), the multiplexer (MUX) component  55  of the micro-polarization display  60  selects the “odd” TV lines from the right camera processor  20  of the 3D control unit  35  and displays them as the “odd” lines of the monitor, and the multiplexer (MUX) component  55  of the micro-polarization display  60  selects the “even” TV lines from the left camera processor  25  of the 3D control unit  35  and displays them as the “even” lines of the monitor. Thus, the TV lines of the display are essentially an interlaced composite of the right image signal from the right camera processor  20  and the left image signal from the left camera processor  25 . Viewers wear polarized glasses with right and left circular polarization for the right and left eyes, respectively. Thus, the viewer&#39;s right eye will see only the “odd” TV lines of the composite image, corresponding to the right eye image of the object, while the left eye image of the object will be blocked for the viewer&#39;s right eye; and, correspondingly, the viewer&#39;s left eye will see only the “even” TV lines of the composite image, corresponding to the left eye image of the object, while the right eye image of the object will be blocked for the viewer&#39;s left eye. The human brain “fuses” the right and left images and 3D perception occurs as a result. 
     In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the “even” TV lines information of the right camera processor  20  of the 3D control unit  35 , and the “odd” TV lines information of the left camera processor  25  of the 3D control unit  35 , is effectively discarded by the multiplexer (MUX) component  55  of the micro-polarization display  60  and is not utilized in the composite video signal displayed to the user. 
     It is this realization which provides the opportunity to reduce the cost of a stereoscopic (3D) camera system by combining the functionality of two key components into a single key component, i.e., by replacing the right camera processor and the left camera processor of the 3D control unit with a single camera processor (i.e., such as is typically found in a 2D control unit). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a novel stereoscopic (3D) camera system utilizing a monoscopic (2D) control unit. This construction provides the opportunity to reduce the cost of the stereoscopic (3D) camera system by combining the functionality of two key components into a single key component, i.e., by replacing the right camera processor and the left camera processor of the 3D control unit with a single camera processor such as is typically found in a 2D control unit. 
     In one preferred form of the invention, there is provided a camera system comprising: 
     stereoscopic optics; 
     a right image sensor for acquiring a right image from the stereoscopic optics and a left image sensor for acquiring a left image from the stereoscopic optics; 
     a horizontal line switch for receiving the right image from the right image sensor and the left image from the left image sensor and creating a composite image wherein the horizontal line signals from the right image sensor are alternated with the horizontal line signals from the left image sensor; and 
     a single camera processor for receiving the composite image from the horizontal line switch for presenting to a display. 
     In another preferred form of the invention, there is provided a method for providing an image, the method comprising: 
     providing a camera system comprising:
         stereoscopic optics;   a right image sensor for acquiring a right image from the stereoscopic optics and a left image sensor for acquiring a left image from the stereoscopic optics;   a horizontal line switch for receiving the right image from the right image sensor and the left image from the left image sensor and creating a composite image wherein the horizontal line signals from the right image sensor are alternated with the horizontal line signals from the left image sensor; and   a single camera processor for receiving the composite image from the horizontal line switch for presenting to a display;       

     directing the stereoscopic optics at a field of view; 
     using the right image sensor to acquire a right image from the stereoscopic optics and the left image sensor to acquire a left image from the stereoscopic optics; 
     using a horizontal line switch to receive the right image from the right image sensor and the left image from the left image sensor and create a composite image wherein the horizontal line signals from the right image sensor are alternated with the horizontal line signals from the left image sensor; and 
     presenting the composite image to a display. 
     In another preferred form of the invention, there is provided a method for providing an image, the method comprising: 
     providing a camera system comprising:
         monoscopic optics;   an image sensor for acquiring an image from the monoscopic optics;       

     providing apparatus comprising:
         stereoscopic optics;   a right image sensor for acquiring a right image from the stereoscopic optics and a left image sensor for acquiring a left image from the stereoscopic optics;   a horizontal line switch for receiving the right image from the right image sensor and the left image from the left image sensor and creating a composite image wherein the horizontal line signals from the right image sensor are alternated with the horizontal line signals from the left image sensor; and   a single camera processor for receiving the composite image from the horizontal line switch and presenting the composite image to a display;       

     replacing the monoscopic optics with the stereoscopic optics, and replacing the image sensor with the right image sensor, the left image sensor and the horizontal line switch; 
     directing the stereoscopic optics at a field of view; 
     using the right image sensor to acquire a right image from the stereoscopic optics and the left image sensor to acquire a left image from the stereoscopic optics; 
     using a horizontal line switch to receive the right image from the right image sensor and the left image from the left image sensor and create a composite image wherein the horizontal line signals from the right image sensor are alternated with the horizontal line signals from the left image sensor; and 
     presenting the composite image to a display. 
     In another preferred form of the invention, there is provided apparatus comprising: 
     a 2D control unit comprising a single camera processor; and 
     a horizontal line switch downstream from a camera head and upstream of the single camera processor. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other objects and features of the present invention will be more fully disclosed or rendered obvious by the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which is to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts, and further wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing the major components in a conventional stereoscopic (3D) camera system; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing how micro-polarization technology is used to provide a right camera image to the right eye of a viewer and a left camera image to the left eye of a viewer; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing a novel stereoscopic (3D) camera system formed in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing another novel stereoscopic (3D) camera system formed in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Looking now at  FIG. 3 , there is shown a block diagram of the major components of a novel stereoscopic (3D) camera system  70 . This new system adds a horizontal line switch  75  (preferably packaged in the 3D camera head  30 ), but also eliminates one camera processor, in order to more efficiently generate the composite image displayed on the micro-polarization display  60 . In addition, the new stereoscopic (3D) camera system  70  also eliminates the multiplexer (MUX) component  55  of the conventional stereoscopic (3D) system  5  ( FIG. 1 ), which is frequently an expensive add-on component to the micro-polarization display  60 . In essence, and as will hereinafter be discussed, the present invention comprises a stereoscopic (3D) camera system utilizing a monoscopic (2D) control unit  80 , enabled by the provision of a horizontal line switch  75  between the right image sensor  10  and left image sensor  15  of the 3D camera head  30  and the single camera processor  85  of the 2D control unit  80 . 
     More particularly, in the present invention, the right image sensor  10  and the left image sensor  15  of the 3D camera head  30  are connected to the single camera processor  85  of 2D control unit  80  through the horizontal line switch  75 . The horizontal line switch  75  is synchronized with the horizontal sync circuitry of the single camera processor  85  and appropriately switches the horizontal line video signals supplied to the single camera processor  85  by the right image sensor  10  and the left image sensor  15 , respectively. Thus, with the present invention, the single camera processor  85  receives the first horizontal line signal from the right image sensor  10  of the 3D camera head  30 , the second horizontal line signal from the left image sensor  15  of the 3D camera head  30 , and so on, whereby to compile the full camera image (i.e., as an interlaced composite of the outputs of the right image sensor  10  and left image sensor  15 ). This switching is done within the horizontal blanking period so that there is no loss of video signal. 
     By utilizing this technique, the single camera processor  85  receives signals from two different image sensors (i.e., the right image sensor  10  of the 3D camera head  30  and the left image sensor  15  of the 3D camera head  30 ), with the signals being appropriately selected upstream of the single camera processor  85  (i.e., by the horizontal line switch  75 ), so that the single camera processor  85  can compile the full composite image while functioning in exactly the same manner as a conventional monoscopic (2D) camera processor. As a result, a standard 2D camera processor (i.e., the 2D control unit  80 ) can be utilized in the stereoscopic (3D) camera system  70  shown in  FIG. 3 . The complexity and cost of the horizontal line switch  75  is considerably less than the cost of a second camera processor (i.e., the cost of a 2D control unit  80  is considerably less than the cost of a 3D control unit  35 ), thereby leading to significant cost savings. In addition, the present invention also eliminates the multiplexer (MUX) component  55  of the conventional stereoscopic (3D) system  5  of  FIG. 1 , which is frequently an expensive add-on component to the micro-polarization display  60 . 
     It will be appreciated that the advantages of the new stereoscopic (3D) camera system  70  include reduced system cost, reduced system complexity and reduced system size. 
     It should also be appreciated that, in one preferred form of the present invention, the stereoscopic optics  40  (e.g., an endoscope) is mechanically connected to the 3D camera head  30  (e.g., using a mechanical connection  45 ), the 3D camera head  30  is cable connected to the 2D control unit  80  via cabling  50 , and the 2D control unit  80  is cable connected to the micro-polarization display  60  via cabling  65 . 
     In addition, the advantages of the new system include modularity between 3D and 2D camera systems. 
     By way of example but not limitation, suppose a user is currently using a monoscopic (2D) camera system and they wish to use a stereoscopic (3D) camera system. In this case, with the present invention, the user simply switches out the monoscopic optics and 2D camera head, and switches in the stereoscopic optics  40  and 3D camera head  30  (which includes the horizontal line switch  75 ), in order to provide the 3D stereoscopic system of the present invention (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     By way of further example but not limitation, suppose a user is currently using the 3D stereoscopic system  70  of the present invention (see  FIG. 3 ) and they wish to use a monoscopic (2D) camera system. In this case, with the present invention, the user simply switches out the stereoscopic optics  40  and 3D camera head  30  (which includes the horizontal line switch  75 ), and switches in the 2D optics and 2D camera head, in order to provide a monoscopic (2D) camera system. 
     In the foregoing description of the invention, the horizontal line switch  75  is packaged with the 3D camera head  30 , e.g., in the manner shown in  FIG. 3 . However, if desired, the horizontal line switch  75  may be packaged with the 2D control unit  80 , such as is shown in  FIG. 4 . However, in this form of the invention, where a user is currently using the 3D stereoscopic system and they wish to use a monoscopic (2D) camera system, in addition to switching out the stereoscopic optics  40  and 3D camera head  30  and switching in the 2D optics and 2D camera head, the user must also turn off the horizontal line switch  75  in order to provide a monoscopic (2D) camera system. To this end, where horizontal line switch  75  is packaged with 2D control unit  80 , it can be desirable to provide a detector/control unit  95  upstream of horizontal line switch  75 , wherein detector/control unit  95  is configured to (i) detect whether the 2D control unit  80  is receiving a stereoscopic video signal or a monoscopic video signal, (ii) activate (i.e., turn on) horizontal line switch  75  where the 2D control unit  80  is receiving a stereoscopic video signal, and (iii) deactivate (i.e., turn off) horizontal line switch  75  where the 2D control unit  80  is receiving a monoscopic video signal. The construction and operation of detector/control unit  95  will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure. 
     Modifications of the Preferred Embodiments 
     It should be understood that many additional changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the present invention, may be made by those skilled in the art while still remaining within the principles and scope of the invention.