ADAPTER SYSTEM FOR MOUNTING AN IMAGE AND VIDEO CAPTURING DEVICE TO AN OPTICAL VIEWING DEVICE AND A METHOD OF OBSERVING THE IMAGES AND VIDEOS

Abstract

An adapter system for mounting an image and video capturing device to an optical viewing device includes a video adapter tube, an adapter tube, a support plate and a cover. An image and video capturing device is connected to the adapter tube through a support plate affixed on the cover where the adapter tube is then connected to the video adapter tube which is further connected to an optical viewing device through an image divider beam splitter. Also, there are image rotation features which makes the adapter assembly unique and more convenient. A method is also disclosed of observing the images and videos with an optical viewing device, by using an adapter system.

Claims

1. An adapter system for mounting an image and video capturing device to an optical viewing device, wherein the said adapter system comprises: an image and video capturing device having a video adapter tube, an adapter tube, a support plate and a cover; a beam splitter connected to the optical viewing device which is oriented to receive light and divide it equally on the observer's eye and to an image and video capturing device through an optical coupler; an optical viewing device attached to an image and video capturing device through beam splitter wherein the optical viewing device has an entrance end configured to attach to an optical port of the optical viewing device in such a way that when incident light passes through the entrance end, it splits through beam splitter and half portion of the reflected light and enters to the an image and video capturing device through video adapter tube and rest half of the portion of incident light enters the observer's eye; wherein an image and video capturing device is connected to the adapter tube through support plate affixed on the cover wherein the adapter tube is further connected to video adapter tube which is coupled to optical viewing device through an image divider beam splitter.

2. The adapter system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical viewing device comprises a surgical microscope or a bio microscope.

3. The adapter system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image and video capturing device used is a Smartphone.

4. The adapter system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said adapter includes a rotating optical module that attaches to the image and video capturing device.

5. The adapter system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beam splitter is prepared by using two typically right angle prisms wherein the hypotenuse surface of one prism is coated with a mixture of silicon oxide and tantalum oxide wherein two such coated prisms are cemented together to obtain a cubic shaped structure wherein two such cubic shaped structures are used in the said beam splitter.

6. The adapter system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the said beam splitter directs a half portion of the incident light of optical viewing device to the image and video capturing device through an optical coupler and rest half portion of the incident light to the observer eye.

7. The adapter system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the beam splitter splits the incident light into reflection light and divided light having a wavelength ranges between 400-700 nm.

8. A method of observing the images and videos with an optical viewing device, by using an adapter system of claim 1, wherein the said method comprises the steps of: a) directing a beam of light to the beam splitter connected with the optical viewing device through an entrance end of optical viewing device; b) splitting the equal portion of the beam of light and directs it half portion of the incident to the image and video capturing device attached to the adapter tube and half portion of incident light to the observer's eye; and c) digital and video imaging to the adapter tube attached to the adapter system.

9. The method of observing the images and videos as claimed in claim 8, wherein the said beam splitter directs a half portion of the incident light of optical viewing device to the image and video capturing device through an optical coupler and half portion of the incident light to the observer's eye.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the images and videos are observed in any desired position without rotating the camera and digital rotating imager.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The disclosure will provide details in the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the following drawings, wherein:

[0023] FIG. 1 depicts the design of adapter system assembly.

[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates the elaborated version of the beam splitter, an image and video capturing device, an optical viewing device, where a video adapter tube, adapter tube, a support plate and a cover is shown.

[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates the cubic shaped structure of beam splitter which splits the incident light of optical viewing device equally to the image and video capturing device through an optical coupler and to the observer's eye.

[0026] The above summary, as well as the following detailed description of certain embodiments of the present invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, certain embodiments are shown in the drawings. It should be understood, however, that the present invention is not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The description is not intended to limit the application and uses of the various embodiments. Various modifications to the disclosed invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the methodology defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present disclosure.

[0028] The foregoing objects of the present disclosure are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, and approaches are overcome by the present disclosure, as described below in the preferred embodiments.

[0029] Accordingly, the present invention provides an adapter system for mounting an image and video capturing device to an optical viewing device, wherein the said adapter system comprising

[0030] a) an image and video capturing device having a video adapter tube, an adapter tube, a support plate and a cover;

[0031] b) beam splitter connected to the optical viewing device which is oriented to receive light and divide it equally on the observer's eye and to an image and video capturing device through an optical coupler;

[0032] c) an optical viewing device attached to an image and video capturing device through beam splitter wherein the optical viewing device having an entrance end configured to attach to an optical port of the optical viewing device in such a way that when incident light passes through the entrance end it splits through beam splitter and half portion of the reflected light enters to the image and video capturing device through video adapter tube and rest of the half portion of incident light enters to the observer's eye;

[0033] wherein an image and video capturing device is connected to the adapter tube through support plate affixed on the cover wherein the adapter tube is further connected to video adapter tube which is coupled to optical viewing device through an image divider beam splitter.

[0034] In an embodiment of the present invention, the optical viewing device comprises the surgical microscope or a biomicroscope.

[0035] In another embodiment of the present invention, the image and video capturing device used is Smartphone.

[0036] Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, the adapter further includes a rotating optical module that attaches to the image and video capturing device.

[0037] Yet, in an embodiment of the present invention, the beam splitter is prepared by using two typically right angle prisms wherein the hypotenuse surface of one prism is coated, and the two prisms are cemented together to obtain a cubic shaped structure wherein two such cubic shaped structures are used in the said beam splitter.

[0038] Still, in an embodiment of the present invention, the beam splitter directs a half portion of the incident light of optical viewing device to the image and video capturing device through an optical coupler and rest half portion of the incident light to the observer's eye.

[0039] Still, in an embodiment of the present invention, the beam splitter splits the incident light into reflection light and divided light having a wavelength ranges between 400-700 nm.

[0040] The present invention also provides a method of observing the images and videos with an optical viewing device, by using an adapter system wherein the said method comprising the steps of:

[0041] a) directing a beam of light to the beam splitter connected with the optical viewing device through an entrance end of optical viewing device;

[0042] b) splitting the equal portion of the beam of light and directs it half portion of the incident to the image and video capturing device attached to the adapter tube and half portion of incident light to the observer's eye;

[0043] c) digital and video imaging to the adapter tube attached to the adapter system. In an embodiment of the present invention, the beam splitter directs a half portion of the incident light of optical viewing device to the image and video capturing device through an optical coupler and half portion of the incident light to the observer's eye.

[0044] Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, the images and videos are observed in any desired position without rotating the camera and digital rotating imager.

[0045] Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept provide an adapter system for mounting an image and video capturing device (1) to an optical viewing device (3) which includes a video adapter tube (5), adapter tube (6), a support plate (7) and a cover (8), where an image and video capturing device (1) is connected to the adapter tube (6) through a support plate (7) which is affixed on the cover (8). Adapter tube (6) is further connected to a video adapter tube (5) which is then connected to an optical viewing device (3) through an image divider beam splitter (2).

[0046] Reference is now made to FIG. 1 where an adapter system is mounting on an image and video capturing device (1) which is then connected to the optical viewing device such as a surgical microscope (12). The image and video capturing device (1) includes a video adapter tube (5), an adapter tube (6), a support plate (7) and a cover (8). The said adapter system further includes a beam splitter (2) which is oriented to receive light (13) and divide it to an image and video capturing device (1) through an optical coupler (11).

[0047] The beam splitter (2) is constructed using two typically right angle prisms of the designed glass as shown in FIG. 3. The hypotenuse surface of one prism is coated with a mixture of silicon oxide and tantalum oxide, and the two prisms are cemented together so that a cubic shaped structure (16) is formed. The thickness of the coating layer is adjusted such that (for a certain wavelength) half of the incident light (13) passing through one port (i.e., face of the cube) is reflected as (14) after hitting the hypotenuse and the other half is transmitted as the divided light (15). The thickness of the coating layer is adjusted in such a manner by increasing or decreeing the layers of coatings so that reflected light and divided light can achieve the lights of wavelength in between 400 nm-700 nm.

[0048] In present beam splitter (2), there is two such cubics shaped structure (16) used in beam splitter housing to cover light rays for both eyes. Referring the FIG. 3, incident light (13) from an entrance end of optical viewing device (9) a divided light (15) goes into observer eye and light reflected as (14) goes to an image and video capturing device (1) through the adapter.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows the assembly of each component of present adapter system how it is mounted on image and video capturing device (1) and attached to an optical viewing device (3) through a beam splitter (2). The optical viewing device (3) having an entrance end (9) configured to attach to an optical port (10) of the optical viewing device (3). The incident light (13) passes through the entrance end (9) of the optical viewing device (3) where it divides through beam splitter (2) and the divided light (15) transmitted to observer's eye and reflected light (14) passed on an image and video capturing device (1) through video adapter tube (5), wherein reflected light (14) is equally in portion to the divided light (15).

[0050] The image and video capturing device (1) is connected to the adapter tube (6) through the support plate (7) which is affixed on the cover (8).

[0051] The adapter tube (6) is further connected to video adapter tube (5) which is attached to an optical viewing device (3) through an image divider beam splitter (2) as shown in FIGS. 1 & 2.

[0052] Here the surgical microscope is being used s an optical viewing device (3) however any kind of the microscope, bioscope can be used to execute the objective of the present invention. Likewise, a Smartphone as an image and video capturing device (1) is being used here to perform the objective of the technology, however, any camera and video with the high-performance device can be used.

[0053] Refereeing to FIGS. 1 and 2, a rotating optical module (4) is used in the adaptor which is connected to the image and video capturing device (1), which allows the image and video capturing device (1) in any desired position without rotating the camera and digital rotating imager.

[0054] Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0055] 1. an image and video capturing device [0056] 2. beam splitter [0057] 3. an optical viewing device [0058] 4. a rotating optical module [0059] 5. a video adapter tube [0060] 6. an adapter tube [0061] 7. a support plate [0062] 8. a cover [0063] 9. an entrance end of an optical viewing device [0064] 10. an optical port of the optical viewing device [0065] 11. an optical coupler [0066] 12. a surgical microscope [0067] 13 an incident light [0068] 14. reflected light [0069] 15. divided light [0070] 16. cubic shaped structure

Advantages of the Present Invention

[0071] 1. The present Smartphone adapter is inexpensive and easy to use for acquiring digital microscopic images.

[0072] 2. The present Smartphone adapter allows the adaptation of the smartphone in any desired position without rotating the camera and digital rotating imager.

[0073] 3. The present invention provides increased capabilities of image rotation by use of a rotating optical module without disturbing the smart phone.

[0074] 4. The present adapter provides an economically feasible method of acquiring and sharing digital pathology photomicrographs.