Image pickup apparatus for an electronic endoscope
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electronic endosope, comprising:
- (A) an operating portion, said operating portion having connections adapted to receive drive signals from an external drive circuit which can be removably coupled to said operating portion;
(B) a flexible insertable portion having a proximal and a distal end, said proximal end being coupled to said operating portion; and
(C) an image pickup unit located in said distal end of said flexible insertable portion, said image pickup unit including;
(1) a solid-state image sensor; and
(2) a drive voltage adjustment circuit located adjacent said solid-state sensor and electrically coupled to said operating portion, said drive voltage adjustment circuit receiving one or more drive signals applied to said operating portion, adjusting the level of one or more of said drive signals, and applying the so adjusted drive signals to said solid-state image sensor.
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Abstract
An image pickup apparatus comprises an image pickup unit including a solid-state image sensor and a drive voltage generator circuit disposed adjacent to the image sensor and having a drive voltage adjusting device for adjusting a drive voltage required to properly drive the image sensor, a signal processor unit for applying various voltages and signals to the image pickup unit and a signal cable system connecting the image pickup unit to the signal processor unit, whereby proper voltages can be applied to the image sensor with a reduced number of signal cables and a reduced size of the apparatus.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An electronic endosope, comprising:
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(A) an operating portion, said operating portion having connections adapted to receive drive signals from an external drive circuit which can be removably coupled to said operating portion; (B) a flexible insertable portion having a proximal and a distal end, said proximal end being coupled to said operating portion; and (C) an image pickup unit located in said distal end of said flexible insertable portion, said image pickup unit including; (1) a solid-state image sensor; and (2) a drive voltage adjustment circuit located adjacent said solid-state sensor and electrically coupled to said operating portion, said drive voltage adjustment circuit receiving one or more drive signals applied to said operating portion, adjusting the level of one or more of said drive signals, and applying the so adjusted drive signals to said solid-state image sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification