MEASURING ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS, PROGRAM AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20090043161A1
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evident Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Doi, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,496,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/117
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00006 of control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00181 for multiple fixed viewing angles A61B1/00193 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00193 adapted for stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2415 Stereoscopic endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2484 Arrangements in relation to a camera or imaging device processing or control of video signals generated by an endoscope H04N23/60, H04N23/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10068 Endoscopic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30164 Workpiece; Machine component
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods

Abstract

The present invention provides a measuring endoscope apparatus which includes an endoscope that photoelectrically converts an image of an object to generate an imaging signal, a signal processing section that processes the imaging signal to generate image data, a distance measuring section that calculates an object distance based on a principle of triangulation using the image data, and a display section that displays the image of the object based on the image data. The measuring endoscope apparatus further includes a measuring section that calculates a size of the mark indicating a size of the object based on the object distance and a view angle of the endoscope. The display section also displays a mark along with the image of the object based on the image data.

Claims

1. A measuring endoscope apparatus comprising:

an endoscope that photoelectrically converts an image of an object to generate an imaging signal,

a signal processing section that processes the imaging signal to generate image data,

a distance-measuring section that calculates an object distance using the image data, and

a display section that displays the image of the object based on the image data,

wherein the display section further displays a mark based on a real shape of the object.

2. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a measuring section that calculates a size of the mark indicating a size of the object based on the object distance and a view angle of the endoscope.

3. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the measuring section calculates a size of the mark on the object at a position apart by the object distance based on the object distance, the view angle of the endoscope and a display size of the mark.

4. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the measuring section calculates a display size of the mark based on the object distance, the view angle of the endoscope and a size of the mark on the object at a position apart by the object distance.

5. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display section displays the image of the object and displays the mark overlying an aim indicating an object distance measuring point of the object distance.

6. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display section displays the image of the object and the mark and displays a value of a size of the mark on the object at a position apart by the object distance.

7. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display section displays the image of the object and displays the mark around a frame of the image of the object.

8. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display section displays the image of the object and the mark and displays the object distance.

18. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a measuring section that calculates a size of a first mark indicating an inclination of the object in a depthwise direction of the image based on the object distances for a plurality of points on the object.

19. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the measuring section further calculates distances among the plurality of points on the object based on the spatial coordinates of the plurality of points, and calculates a size of a second mark indicating the size of the object and a distance between two points on the object based on positions of a plurality of points on the image forming surface corresponding to the plurality of points on the object.

20. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the measuring section further calculates distances among the plurality of points on the object based on the spatial coordinates of the plurality of points on the object, and calculates a size of a second mark indicating the size of the object based on a preset numerical value indicating a distance on the object and the distances among the plurality of points on the object calculated by the measuring section.

21. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the display section further displays the distances among the plurality of points on the object.

22. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the display section further displays the distances among the plurality of points on the object over the image of the object.

23. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the display section further displays the distances among the plurality of points on the object at a location other than where the image of the object is displayed.

24. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the display section further displays the distances among the plurality of points on the object in a vicinity of the second mark.

25. The measuring endoscope apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the first mark and the second mark are identical.

9. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a program for controlling an operation of a measuring endoscope apparatus comprising:

(i) an endoscope that photoelectrically converts an image of a object to generate an imaging signal, (ii) a signal processing section that processes the imaging signal to generate image data, (iii) a distance measuring section that calculates a object distance based on a principle of triangulation using the image data, and (iv) a display section that displays the image of the object based on the image data, the program executable by a computer to perform a function comprising;

allowing the measuring endoscope apparatus to execute a mark display process of displaying a mark on the display section based on a real shape of the object.

10. The computer readable medium according to claim 9, further comprising allowing the measuring endoscope apparatus to execute a measuring process of calculating a size of the mark indicating a size of the object based on the object distance and a view angle of the endoscope.

11. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the measuring process calculates a size of the mark on the object at a position apart by the object distance based on the object distance, the view angle of the endoscope and a display size of the mark.

12. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the measuring process calculates a display size of the mark based on the object distance, the view angle of the endoscope and a size of the mark on the object at a position apart by the object distance.

13. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the mark display process displays the image of the object and displays the mark overlying an aim indicating an object distance measuring point of the object distance.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the mark display process displays the image of the object and the mark and displays a value of a size of the mark on the object at a position apart by the object distance.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the mark display process displays the image of the object and displays the mark around a frame of the image of the object.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the mark display process displays the image of the object and the mark and displays the object distance.

26. The computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the distance measuring section calculates spatial coordinates of a point on the object and an object distance to an image forming surface of the endoscope from the point on the object using the image data, and the mark display process executes a process of displaying a first mark indicating an inclination of the object in a depthwise direction of the image based on the object distances for a plurality of points on the object.

17. (canceled)