Image freezing unit for obtaining still image at a precise timing from image data obtained by the imaging means

• US 5,617,136 A
• Filed: 03/17/1995
• Issued: 04/01/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Iso, Ryouichi, Nakamura, Kazunari
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boccio, Vincent F.
• Application Number:
  US08/405,991
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 348/65, 348/68, 348/70, 348/71, 348/77
• US Class Current: 348/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00 Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
• 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

Abstract

A freezing unit of the present invention includes a color discrepant magnitude detection unit for accumulating the color corrected magnitude for each pixel output from a color discrepancy correction circuit, and detecting it as the color discrepant magnitude for one field. The freezing unit also includes a comparator circuit including a memory for storing the color discrepant magnitudes for sixteen fields, and a comparator for comparing the color discrepant magnitudes for sixteen fields to search a field with the least color discrepant magnitude, and a memory for storing sixteen field images. The freezing unit further includes a reference position selection circuit for selecting the reference position of the image by the freezing signal, and an image selection circuit for selecting the address of an image of a field with the least color discrepant magnitude.

Claims

1. An image freezing unit comprising:

an imaging means for imaging an object;

an image data storing means for storing image data consisting of a plurality of still images obtained by said imaging means;

a variation calculation means for calculating the variation based on a relative position of said object and said imaging means on the basis of said still images consisting of said image data stored in said image data storage means;

a variation latch means for holding said variation calculated by said variation calculation means;

an image detection means for detecting said still image based on said variation held by said variation latch means; and

a control means for controlling said image data storage means on the basis of the detected result of said image detection means.

2. The image freezing unit according to claim 1, wherein said variation calculated by said variation calculation means is calculated from said plurality of still images.

3. The image freezing unit according to claim 1, wherein said variation calculated by said variation calculation means is calculated from the image data of a plurality of fields or frames of said still images stored by said image data storage means.

4. The image freezing unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said variation latch means holds the predetermined number of said variations calculated by said variation calculation means, and said image detection means detects a still image with the less variation out of said determined number of variations held by said variation latch means.

5. The image freezing unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said variation latch means compares said variation held with the next variation to be calculated by said variation calculation means, and then holds the smaller variation.

6. The image freezing unit according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said control means controls said image data storage means so as to output a still image with the least variation detected by said image detection means.

7. The image freezing unit according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said control means controls said image data storage means so as to output images of which said variation detected by said image detection means is below the determined value.

8. The image freezing unit according to claim 7, further comprising an execution means for executing the production of said still image, wherein said control means controls said image data storage means so as to output images which are below said determined value immediately when executed by said execution means.

9. The image freezing unit according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said control means controls said image data storage means so as to output an image which is stored in field unit, in the same frame.

10. The image freezing unit according to claim 1, further comprising a setting means for setting said plurality of fields or frames of images calculated by said variation calculation means upon receipt of the freeze command of said execution means.

11. The image freezing unit according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said still image is a color image, and said variation is the color discrepant magnitude of said color image.

12. The image freezing unit aacording to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said variation is an image blurred magnitude.

13. The image freezing unit according to claim 12, further comprising a luminance signal extract means for extracting the luminance signal of said plurality of still images, wherein said variation calculation means calculates said image blurred magnitude from the variation in said luminance signal.

14. The image freezing unit according to claim 13, wherein said variation calculation means comprises:

a delay means for delaying said luminance signal for one field; and

a difference detection means for detecting the difference between said luminance signal and a luminance signal delayed for one field by said delay means to calculate said image blurred magnitude.

15. The image freezing unit according to claim 12, wherein said still image is a color image, and said variation calculation means calculates said image blurred magnitude from the variation in at least one color signal of said color image.

16. The image freezing unit according to claim 15, wherein said variation calculation means comprises:

a delay means for delaying said color signal for one field; and

a difference detection means for detecting the difference between said color signal and a color signal delayed for one field by said delay means to calculate said image blurred magnitude.

17. An endoscope image freezing unit comprising:

an endoscope having an imaging means for imaging an object;

an image data storage means for storing image data consisting of a plurality of still images obtained by said endoscope;

a variation calculation means for calculating the variation based on a relative position of said object and said imaging means on the basis of said still images composed of said image data stored in said image data storage means;

a variation latch means for holding said variation calculated by said variation calculation means;

an image detection means for detecting said still image based on said variation held by said variation latch means; and

a control means for controlling said image data storage means on the basis of the detected result of said image detection means.