Endoscope output signal control device and endoscope apparatus making use of the same
First Claim
1. An endoscope output signal control device comprising:
- light quantity varying means for varying a quantity of light incident to an imaging means for forming an endoscopic image;
light quantity setting means for variably setting the quantity of incident light by driving said light quantity varying means;
automatic gain control means for conducting control to maintain a signal from said imaging means substantially at a constant level; and
automatic gain control eliminating means for eliminating, at least when a level of the signal from said imaging means is within range controllable by said light quantity varying means, any influence of said automatic gain control means on a change in the level of said signal caused by a change in a level of light quantity set by said light quantity setting means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An endoscope using a solid state imaging device characterized by comprising a solid state imaging device capable of imaging an object image, a light emitting means giving an illuminating light to said object, a first level detecting means fed with a video signal from said solid state imaging device and detecting the level of this signal, a first level comparing means comparing the detected level of this detecting means and a preset first reference level with each other and outputting a first control signal corresponding to the level difference, a light adjusting means fed with this first control signal and adjusting the illuminating light from said light emitting means on the basis of this signal, a gain variable amplifying means taking in the video signal from the detecting end in said first level detecting means and amplifying it, a second level detecting means detecting the level of the signal from this amplifying means and a circuit means comparing the detected level of this detecting means and a preset second reference level with each other, forming a second control signal corresponding to the level difference and making this signal a gain controlling signal to said amplifying means.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An endoscope output signal control device comprising:
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light quantity varying means for varying a quantity of light incident to an imaging means for forming an endoscopic image; light quantity setting means for variably setting the quantity of incident light by driving said light quantity varying means; automatic gain control means for conducting control to maintain a signal from said imaging means substantially at a constant level; and automatic gain control eliminating means for eliminating, at least when a level of the signal from said imaging means is within range controllable by said light quantity varying means, any influence of said automatic gain control means on a change in the level of said signal caused by a change in a level of light quantity set by said light quantity setting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An endoscope apparatus comprising:
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an endoscope unit including an elongated insert section provided at an end with an observation window and an image forming optical system for receiving light reflected from an object to focus an image of said object; imaging means for forming said image of said object focused thereon through said image forming optical system; signal processing means for conducting video signal processing on a signal derived from said imaging means; illuminating means for supplying illuminating light to a visual field of said image forming optical system; light quantity varying means for varying a quantity of light incident to said imaging means for forming an endoscopic image; light quantity setting means for variably setting a quantity of incident light by driving said light quantity varying means; automatic gain control means for conducting control to maintain the signal from said imaging means substantially at a constant level; and automatic gain control eliminating means for eliminating, at least when a level of the signal from said imaging means is within a range controllable by said light quantity varying means, any influence of said automatic gain control means on a change in the level of said signal caused by a change in a level of light quantity set by said light quantity setting means. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification