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Endoscope apparatus using programmable integrated circuit to constitute internal structure thereof

  • US 5,868,666 A
  • Filed: 05/06/1996
  • Issued: 02/09/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An endoscope apparatus comprising:

  • an endoscope;

    at least one peripheral unit connected to said endoscope having a function relating to an operation of said endoscope;

    supply means for supplying a required signal or energy to said peripheral unit; and

    control means for controlling said supply means,wherein said control means includes at least one field programmable gate array, and a function required by said peripheral unit is realized by receiving circuit information from an external source, said circuit information being selectively written on said field programmable gate array to form said control circuit for controlling said supply means to supply said required signal or energy to said peripheral unit,wherein said peripheral unit includes a light guide cable of said endoscope,said supply means includes a light source portion for supplying irradiation light to said light guide cable, andsaid control means includes light quantity adjustment means that controls quantity of light emitted from said light source portion to adjust brightness of an image obtainable by said endoscope,wherein said light quantity adjustment means has image brightness detection means for detecting brightness of an image obtained by said endoscope, a diaphragm for adjusting quantity of light emitted from said light source, and diaphragm drive control means for controlling drive of said diaphragm in accordance with said brightness detected by said image brightness detection means, and said diaphragm drive control means includes said field programmable gate array to form an automatic light adjustment circuit by selectively setting loop gain characteristics to have response characteristics of an adequate light adjustment operation to be adaptable to a unit or an apparatus to be combined;

    wherein said endoscope apparatus further comprises;

    calculation circuit data storage means forming and storing a calculation circuit for calculating loop gain of an automatic light adjustment circuit corresponding to each diaphragm position of said diaphragm; and

    automatic light adjustment circuit data storage means forming and storing an automatic light adjustment circuit that drives said diaphragm to control a predetermined light quantity,wherein said diaphragm drive control means forms a calculating circuit and an automatic light adjustment circuit in accordance with said calculation circuit stored in said calculating circuit data storage means and said automatic light adjustment circuit stored in said automatic light adjustment circuit data storage means in said field programmable gate array, said diaphragm drive control means further including a correction value storage means for storing a correction value of a loop gain obtained by said calculating circuit when said calculating circuit is formed, and has correction means for correcting said loop gain at each diaphragm position in accordance with said correction value stored in said correction value storage means when said automatic light adjustment circuit is formed so that an automatic light adjustment circuit is formed.

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