Endoscope automatic light control apparatus and endoscope apparatus making use of the same
First Claim
1. An endoscope automatic light control apparatus comprising:
- an automatic light control means for controlling the quantity of light incident to an imaging means for imaging an endoscopic image so as to maintain a signal from said imaging means substantially at a constant level;
an automatic gain control means for inputting the signal from said imaging means and for controlling its output level so as to maintain the signal substantially at a constant level;
said automatic light control means and said automatic gain control means respectively having a plurality of brightness information generating means for generating brightness information based on the signal from said imaging means, said plurality of brightness information generating means being different from each other in a method of generating brightness information, and one of said plurality of brightness information generating means able to be selected;
automatic light control means and said automatic gain control means respectively having a selecting means for selecting the brightness information generating means of the same method as said automatic light control means and as said automatic gain control means in said plurality of brightness information generating means;
said automatic light control means controlling the quantity of light based on said brightness information generated by said brightness information generating means selected by said selecting means; and
said automatic gain control means controlling the output level based on said brightness information generated by said brightness information means selected by said selecting means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An endoscope automatic light control apparatus comprises an automatic light control apparatus for controlling the quantity of light incident to an imaging apparatus for imaging an endoscopic image so as to maintain a signal from the imaging apparatus substantially at a constant level. An automatic gaim control apparatus inputs a signal from the imaging apparatus and controls its output level so as to maintain the signal substantially at a constant level. The automatic light control apparatus and the automatic gain control apparatus respectively having a plurality of brightness information generating apparatuses generating brightness information based on the signal from the imaging apparatus. The plurality of brightness information generating apparatuses are different from each other in a method of generating brightness information and one of the plurality of brightness information generating apparatuses able to be selected. A selecting apparatus selects the brightness generating apparatus of the same method as the automatic light control apparatus and as the automatic gain control apparatus. The automatic light control apparatus controls the quantity of light based on the brightness information and the automatic gain control apparatus controls its output level based on the brightness information. The endoscope apparatus further comprises an endoscope unit having an insert section with an observation window and an image forming optical system, an imaging apparatus, a signal processing apparatus and an illuminating system.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. An endoscope automatic light control apparatus comprising:
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an automatic light control means for controlling the quantity of light incident to an imaging means for imaging an endoscopic image so as to maintain a signal from said imaging means substantially at a constant level; an automatic gain control means for inputting the signal from said imaging means and for controlling its output level so as to maintain the signal substantially at a constant level; said automatic light control means and said automatic gain control means respectively having a plurality of brightness information generating means for generating brightness information based on the signal from said imaging means, said plurality of brightness information generating means being different from each other in a method of generating brightness information, and one of said plurality of brightness information generating means able to be selected; automatic light control means and said automatic gain control means respectively having a selecting means for selecting the brightness information generating means of the same method as said automatic light control means and as said automatic gain control means in said plurality of brightness information generating means; said automatic light control means controlling the quantity of light based on said brightness information generated by said brightness information generating means selected by said selecting means; and said automatic gain control means controlling the output level based on said brightness information generated by said brightness information means selected by said selecting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An endoscope apparatus comprising:
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an endoscope unit having a elongated insert section provided at the tip part with an observation window and an image forming optical system for receiving light reflected from an object so as to form an image of an object; an imaging means for imaging an image of the object formed thereon through said image forming optical system; a signal processing means for processing a video signal derived from said imaging means; an illuminating means for supplying illuminating light to a visual field of said image forming optical system; an automatic light control means for controlling the quantity of light incident to said imaging means so as to maintain a signal from said imaging means substantially at a constant level; an automatic gain control means provided in said signal processing means for inputting the signal from said imaging means and controlling its output level so as to maintain the signal substantially at a constant level; said automatic light control means and said automatic gain control means respectively having a plurality of brightness information generating means for generating brightness information based on the signal from said imaging means, said plurality of brightness information generating means being different from each other in a method of generating brightness information, and one of said plurality of brightness information generating means able to be selected; said automatic light control means and said automatic gain control means respectively having a selecting means for selecting the brightness information generating means of the same method as said automatic light control means and as said automatic gain control means in said plurality of brightness information generating means; said automatic light control means controlling the quantity of light based on the brightness information generated by said brightness information generating means selected by said selecting means; and said automatic gain control means controlling the output level based on the brightness information generated by said brightness information generating means selected by said selecting means. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification