Endoscope

• US 5,879,284 A
• Filed: 12/10/1997
• Issued: 03/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsujita, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirsch, Paul J.
• Application Number:
  US08/988,186
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 600/101, 600/109, 600/160, 348/70, 348/71
• US Class Current: 600/109
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00188 with focusing or zooming features
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/043 for fluorescence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence

Abstract

An endoscope includes an objective optical system which is inserted into a body and an image taking device which takes an image formed by the objective optical system and outputs an image signal representing the image. An image restoration processing is carried out on a part of the image signal corresponding to a predetermined range in the image taking range of the image taking device.

Claims

1. An endoscope comprising:

an objective optical system which is insertable into a body;

an image taking means having an image taking range which takes an image formed by the objective optical system and outputs an image signal representing the image, the image taking range including a restoration range and a residual range; and

an image processing means which performs image restoration processing on a part of the image signal corresponding to the restoration range, but not on a part of the image signal corresponding to the residual range.

2. An endoscope as defined in claim 1 in which the image processing means carries out the image restoration processing by use of a point spread function of the objective optical system.

3. An endoscope as defined in claim 2 in which the image processing means uses different point spread functions for a plurality of substantially concentric areas having their center on the optical axis of the objective optical system.

4. An endoscope as defined in claim 2 in which an excitation light projecting system which projects excitation light onto a part inside the body with the image taking means arranged to be able to take an image formed by fluorescence emitted from the part, and the image processing means carries out the image restoration processing by use of a point spread function according to the wavelength of the fluorescence.

5. An endoscope as defined in claim 1 in which the image processing means carries out the image restoration processing on a part of the image signal corresponding to a part of the body which is on the far side of the range of focus as seen from the objective optical system.

6. An endoscope as defined in claim 1 in which the image processing means carries out the image restoration processing on the image signal which has been subjected to processing for reducing the number of the picture elements.

7. An endoscope as defined in claim 1 in which a variable diaphragm for changing the effective numerical aperture of the objective optical system is provided and the image processing means carries out the image restoration processing only when the diaphragm is fully opened.

8. An endoscope as defined in claim 1 further comprising a selecting means for selecting whether the image restoration processing is to be performed.

9. An endoscope as defined in claim 1 further comprising an image display means which can simultaneously display both an image reproduced on the basis of an image signal which has been subjected to the image restoration processing and an image reproduced on the basis of an image signal which has not been subjected to the image restoration processing.

10. An endoscope comprising:

an objective optical system which is insertable into a body;

an image taking means having an image taking range which takes an image formed by the objective optical system and outputs an image signal representing the image, the image taking range including a restoration range and a residual range;

a distance measuring means which detects the distance between (1) each point on a part of the body within the image taking range of the image taking means and (2) the objective optical system, the points on the part of the body which are greater than a predetermined distance from the objective optical system defining the restoration range of the image taking range; and

an image processing means which performs image restoration processing on a part of the image signal corresponding to the restoration range, but not on a part of the image signal corresponding to the residual range.

11. An endoscope as defined in claim 10 in which the image processing means carries out the image restoration processing by use of a point spread function of the objective optical system.

12. An endoscope as defined in claim 11 in which the image processing means uses different point spread functions for a plurality of substantially concentric areas having their center on the optical axis of the objective optical system.

13. An endoscope as defined in claim 11 in which an excitation light projecting system which projects excitation light onto a part inside the body with the image taking means arranged to be able to take an image formed by fluorescence emitted from the part, and the image processing means carries out the image restoration processing by use of a point spread function according to the wavelength of the fluorescence.

14. An endoscope as defined in claim 10 in which the predetermined distance is greater than a range of focus of the objective optical system.

15. An endoscope as defined in claim 10 in which the image processing means carries out the image restoration processing on the image signal which has been subjected to processing for reducing the number of the picture elements.

16. An endoscope as defined in claim 10 in which a variable diaphragm for changing the effective numerical aperture of the objective optical system is provided and the image processing means carries out the image restoration processing only when the diaphragm is fully opened.

17. An endoscope as defined in claim 10 further comprising a selecting means for selecting whether the image restoration processing is to be performed.

18. An endoscope as defined in claim 10 further comprising an image display means which can simultaneously display both an image reproduced on the basis of an image signal which has been subjected to the image restoration processing and an image reproduced on the basis of an image signal which has not been subjected to the image restoration processing.