Endoscope system with a plurality of synchronized light source apparatuses

• US 5,187,572 A
• Filed: 10/30/1991
• Issued: 02/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kazunari, Takasugi, Kei
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US07/785,402
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 358/98, 128/6
• US Class Current: 348/68
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0646 with illumination filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0655 Control therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means

Abstract

An electronic endoscope is provided with a photoelectrically converting solid state imaging device and a light guide transmitting an illuminating light. A video signal processing circuit processes signals for the solid state imaging device. The electronic endoscope, the light guide and the video signal processing circuit are selectively connected and have a first light source and second light source for supplying different illuminating lights, respectively. Where the two light sources receive synchronizing signals from the video signal processing circuit and synchronized each other, the two light sources can supply the illuminating lights to a light guide. When the connection of the light guide is changed, the disorder of a picture image can be reduced.

Claims

1. An endoscope system comprising:

an electronic type endoscope having an elongated insertable part, a light guide inserted into the insertable part transmitting an illuminating light supplied to an end surface of the light guide and emitting from the other end surface, an objective optical system provided on a tip side of said insertable part and a solid state imaging device photoelectrically converting an optical image based on the objective optical system;

a first light source apparatus frame sequentially supplying a plurality of illuminating lights in different wavelength ranges to the end surface of said light guide by connecting said electronic type endoscope to the first light source apparatus;

a second light source apparatus supplying illuminating lights in different wavelength ranges from the ranges of said illuminating lights emitted from said first light source apparatus by connecting said electronic type endoscope to the second light source apparatus;

synchronizing control means generating a synchronizing signal synchronizing at least an illuminating period of the plurality of illuminating lights emitted from said first light source apparatus with at least an illuminating period of the illuminating lights emitted from said second light source apparatus;

a driving circuit applying a driving signal to said solid state imaging device at a period synchronized with said synchronizing signal and outputting a picture signal photoelectrically converted;

a video signal processing circuit processing said picture signal at a period synchronized with said synchronizing signal and producing a video signal; and

a monitor means for displaying said video signal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said electronic type endoscope is an electronic scope provided with a photoelectrically converted surface of said solid state imaging device being arranged on the focal surface of said objective optical system.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said synchronizing control means is provided in a camera control unit housing said driving circuit and said video signal processing circuit.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said driving circuit synchronizes said driving signal with each shading period of said first light source apparatus without emitting said illuminating lights based on said synchronizing signal and emits said driving signal.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said driving circuit synchronizes said driving signal with each shading period of said second light source apparatus without emitting said illuminating lights based on said synchronizing signal and emits said driving signal.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second light source apparatus has a laser beam source emitting a laser beam of a single narrow wavelength range and said laser beam is supplied to said light guide through a plurality of apertures provided on a disk rotatively driven.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said video signal processing circuit processes common signals when said light guide is connected to one of the light source apparatuses.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the quantity of illuminating light supplied from said first light source apparatus and said second light source apparatus to said light guide is controlled corresponding to a control signal supplied from said video signal processing circuit.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first light source apparatus rotatively drives a rotary filter fitting a plurality of filters having different transmitting wavelength ranges in a circumference direction for a light emitted from a lamp by using a motor and emits said illuminating lights frame sequentially through said filter arranged in a position facing said lamp.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of filters transmit wavelength ranges in a visible range, respectively.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said first light source apparatus has detecting means for detecting a start/end of an emitting period emitting said illuminating lights and a PLL circuit for synchronizing output of the detecting means with said synchronizing signal of said synchronizing control means and controls a rotation of said motor by the output of said PLL circuit.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second light source rotatively drives a rotary filter fitting a plurality of a filters having different transmitting wavelength ranges in a circumference direction for a light emitted from a lamp by using a motor and emits said illuminating lights frame sequentially through said filter arranged in a position facing said lamp.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of filters have narrow range filters transmitting wavelengths of a narrow range in an infrared range.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said second light source apparatus has detecting means for detecting a start/end of an emitting period emitting said illuminating lights and a PLL circuit for synchronizing output of the detecting means with said synchronizing signal of said synchronizing control means and controls a rotation of said motor by the output of said PLL circuit.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first light source apparatus has quantity of light changing means changing quantity of illuminating light supplied to said light guide.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said quantity of light changing means can selectively and variably adjust quantity of light characteristics by a plurality of illuminating lights supplied to said light guide.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said quantity of light changing means can selectively and variably adjust said quantity of light characteristics so that levels of picture signal imaged by said solid state imaging device under illuminating lights, respectively, are equal.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second light source apparatus has quantity of light changing means changing quantity of illuminating light supplied to said light guide.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said second light source can selectively and variably adjust quantity of light characteristics for the plurality of illuminating lights when illuminating lights supplied to said light guide have a plurality of wavelength ranges.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said quantity of light changing means can selectively and variably adjust said quantity of light characteristics so that levels of picture signal imaged by said solid state imaging device under illuminating lights, respectively, are equal.

21. The system according to claim 1, wherein said video signal processing circuit has a first video signal processing function corresponding to a case of said light guide connected to said first light source apparatus and a second video signal processing function corresponding to a case of said light guide connected to said second light source apparatus.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said first video signal processing function is different from said second video processing function.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said first video signal processing function and said second video signal processing function can be selected.

24. The system according to claim 22, wherein said first video signal processing function and said second video signal processing function are selected corresponding to the light source apparatus connected with said light guide.