FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an imaging endoscopic device, in particular for medical applications, comprising an endoscope with a shaft that is introducible into a subject under examination, and a data processing unit, and optical imaging units for providing image data sets for the data processing unit.

Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for the endoscopic examination of a subject under examination, in particular for medical applications, in which a shaft of an endoscope is introduced into a subject under examination and an object in the subject under examination is imaged, wherein image data sets are provided to a data processing unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is described below in particular with reference to a medical application, but is not restricted to this area of application. Endoscopic examinations may for example also be carried out in the context of the manufacture or maintenance of industrial articles. An example of application in this regard is the endoscopic examination of gas turbines, as described in WO 2013/045108 A1.

In medical applications, the shaft of the endoscope is introduced into the (human or animal) body as the subject under examination in order to image objects such as internal organs in cavities, assisting the surgical procedure. It is also possible to image surgical instruments used by the surgeon during the procedure. In this context, the use of stereo endoscopes to provide a spatial representation of an object to the surgeon is known.

WO 2006/005061 A2 describes a device in which three optical imaging units are used. Using two imaging units, a stereo image can be displayed to the surgeon at a display unit. It is further possible to generate an additional image using a third imaging unit and to represent it for example as an insert in the stereo image in order to provide the surgeon with additional information.

An object underlying the present invention is to provide an endoscopic device and a method for endoscopic examination by which additional information can be obtained for the purpose of a more comprehensive examination of the subject under examination.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect of the invention, an endoscopic device, in particular for medical applications, is provided, comprising an endoscope with a shaft that is introducible into a subject under examination, and a data processing unit, three or more optical imaging units having respective imaging elements arranged distally on the shaft and image sensors associated therewith for providing image data sets for the data processing unit. The data processing unit is configured and programmed such that it uses the image data sets to determine corresponding image points therein and generates a 3D surface data set of an object imaged by the imaging units in the subject under examination.

In a second aspect of the invention, a method for the endoscopic examination of a subject under examination, in particular for medical applications, is provided, in which a shaft of an endoscope is introduced into a subject under examination and an object in the subject under examination is imaged. Three or more optical imaging units having respective imaging elements that are arranged distally on the shaft and image sensors associated therewith are provided for the purpose of providing image data sets for the data processing unit. The data processing unit uses the image data sets to determine corresponding image points therein and generates a 3D surface data set of the object imaged by the imaging units.

