White balance enclosure for use with a multi-viewing elements endoscope
First Claim
1. A method for white balancing of a first viewing element and a second viewing element in a tip of an endoscope, wherein the first viewing element is positioned on a distal face of the tip and the second viewing element is positioned on a side of the tip, the method comprising:
- inserting the endoscope tip into a housing, the housing including an opening leading into an enclosed volume, wherein the opening is configured to receive the endoscope tip such that external light is prevented from entering through the opening when the endoscope tip is inserted therein, and such that a field of view of the first viewing element and a field of view of the second viewing element are only of an interior of the housing, wherein the endoscope tip is isolated from any influx of external light when positioned within the housing;
wherein the endoscope tip is inserted into the housing via the opening;
positioning the first viewing element at a first predefined distance from a first interior surface of the housing;
white balance processing images obtained by the first viewing element and the second viewing element; and
splitting a white balance command to a digital signal processor associated with said first viewing element and said second viewing element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The specification describes a white balance enclosure for use with a tip of a multi-viewing elements endoscope. The white balance enclosure is used to provide a reference white background to the plurality of viewing elements when the tip is positioned within the white balance enclosure and a white balance circuit is used to calculate and store reference white balance values based on white field/test feed signals generated by the plurality of viewing elements exposed to the reference white background.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for white balancing of a first viewing element and a second viewing element in a tip of an endoscope, wherein the first viewing element is positioned on a distal face of the tip and the second viewing element is positioned on a side of the tip, the method comprising:
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inserting the endoscope tip into a housing, the housing including an opening leading into an enclosed volume, wherein the opening is configured to receive the endoscope tip such that external light is prevented from entering through the opening when the endoscope tip is inserted therein, and such that a field of view of the first viewing element and a field of view of the second viewing element are only of an interior of the housing, wherein the endoscope tip is isolated from any influx of external light when positioned within the housing; wherein the endoscope tip is inserted into the housing via the opening; positioning the first viewing element at a first predefined distance from a first interior surface of the housing; white balance processing images obtained by the first viewing element and the second viewing element; and splitting a white balance command to a digital signal processor associated with said first viewing element and said second viewing element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for white balancing of a first viewing element and a second viewing element in a tip of an endoscope, wherein the first viewing element is positioned on a distal face of the tip and the second viewing element is positioned on a side of the tip, wherein the endoscope tip includes a cover with a cylindrical wall, a distal end wall at an end of the cylindrical wall, and openings in at least one of the cylindrical wall and the distal end wall for the first viewing element and the second viewing element, the method comprising:
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inserting the endoscope tip, including at least a portion of the cover, into a housing, the housing including an opening leading into an enclosed volume, wherein the opening is configured to receive the endoscope tip such that external light is prevented from entering through the opening when the endoscope tip is inserted therein, and such that a field of view of the first viewing element and the field of view of the second viewing element are only of an interior of the housing, wherein the endoscope tip is isolated from any influx of external light when positioned within the housing; wherein the endoscope tip is inserted into the housing via the opening; and white balance processing images obtained by the first viewing element and the second viewing element.
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Specification