Sony patents camera system that uses two lights to see inside tissue
Sony describes an imaging system that shines two specific colors of light onto a sample to make different materials glow. One sensor captures the glow from near-infrared light, while another captures visible light, using filters to separate the signals for clearer images.
In the filing’s own words
An imaging system includes a light source emitting light at least a first excitation wavelength band to excite a first fluorescence material emitting a first fluorescence in a near-infrared wavelength band and light a second excitation wavelength band to excite a second fluorescence material emitting a second fluorescence in a visible wavelength band, a first image sensor receiving light including the first fluorescence and outputs a first imaging signal, a second image sensor receives light including the second fluorescence and output a second imaging signal, an optical element that separates the first fluorescence into a first optical branch and the second fluorescence into a second optical branch; and a pass filter in the first optical branch transmitting light having a near-infrared wavelength band and block light having a wavelength equal to or less than a predetermined wavelength belonging the visible wavelength band.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. An imaging system comprising: a light source configured to emit light including a component in at least a first excitation wavelength band to excite a first fluorescence material emitting a first fluorescence belonging to a near-infrared wavelength band, and to emit light including a component in at least a second excitation wavelength band to excite a second fluorescence material emitting a second fluorescence belonging to a biological window wavelength band and being less than the near-infrared wavelength band of the first fluorescence; a first image sensor configured to receive light including a component of a visible wavelength band and output a first imaging signal; a second image sensor configured to receive light including a component of the first fluorescence and of the second fluorescence and output a second imaging signal; a dichroic film configured to separate light including the first fluorescence and the second fluorescence into a first optical branch and light including the visible wavelength band into a second optical branch; and a pass filter to transmit light that includes the biological window wavelength band and block light in the visible wavelength band that includes green and blue light.
Facts
- Company
- Sony (Sony Group Corporation)
- Official title
- Imaging system
- Patent number
- US12742733B2
- Application number
- 18945604
- Filed
- Nov 13, 2024
- Granted
- Sep 22, 2026
- Inventors
- 3
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G01N 21/6458 Physics & computingA61B 1/00 Human necessitiesA61B 1/043 Human necessitiesA61B 5/0071 Human necessitiesA61B 90/20 Human necessitiesA61B 90/361 Human necessitiesMore from Sony in Cameras & imaging
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.