Electronic endoscope

• US 6,154,248 A
• Filed: 05/23/1997
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hoya Corporation
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ozawa, Ryo, Iketani, Kouhei
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, TUNG T
• Application Number:
  US08/863,080
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 348/45, 348/46, 348/49, 348/64, 348/65, 348/66, 348/69, 348/70, 348/71, 348/77, 348/262, 348/263, 348/441, 348/453, 348/445, 348/457, 382/128, 358/310, 364/526
• US Class Current: 348/65
• 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 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/14 Picture signal circuitry for video frequency region cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00

Abstract

An electronic endoscope has an image sensor for converting an optical image into analog electric image-pixel signals, and an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals on the basis of a first series of clock pulses. A number of the converted digital electric image-pixel signals included in a one-horizontal-scanning-line being is based upon a frequency of the first series of clock pulses. The endoscope has a pixel-number converter for converting the number of the converted digital electric image-pixel signals into another number of digital image-pixel signals so as to enable the digital electric image-pixel signals to be externally outputted on the basis of a second series of clock pulses having a frequency different from that of the first clock pulses.

Claims

1. An electronic endoscope, comprising:

an image sensor that converts an optical image into analog electric image-pixel signals;

an analog-to-digital converter that converts said analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals on a basis of a first series of clock pulses, a number of converted digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line being based upon a frequency of said first clock pulses;

a pixel-number converter that converts said number of converted digital electric image-pixel signals into another number of digital image-pixel signals so as to enable said digital electric image-pixel signals to be externally outputted on a basis of a second series of clock pulses having a frequency different from that of said first clock pulses; and

a determiner that determines whether said frequency of said first clock pulses is larger than said frequency of said second clock pulses,

wherein said digital electric image-pixel signals converted from said analog electric image-pixel signals by said analog-digital converter are subjected to a thinning-process executed by said pixel-number converter when it is determined by said determiner that said frequency of said first clock pulses is larger than said frequency of said second clock pulses, and said digital electric image-pixel signals converted from said analog electric image-pixel signals by said analog-digital converter are subjected to a interpolating-process executed by said pixel-number converter when it is determined by said determiner that said frequency of said first clock pulses is smaller than said frequency of said second clock pulses.

2. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a digital color-matrix converter that processes said digital electric image-pixel signals to thereby produce luminance signals and two kinds of color-difference signals, after conversion of said number of digital electric image-pixel signals into said another number of digital image-pixel signals.

3. An electric endoscope as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pixel-number converter comprises an eliminator that executes said thinning-process, to eliminate a predetermined number of image-pixel signals from said digital electric image-pixel signals, to thin said digital electric image-pixel signals;

an arithmetic operator that executes an arithmetic operation to allow said eliminated image-pixel signals to remain in said thinned digital electric image-pixel signals;

an interpolator that executes said interpolating-process, to interpolate a given number of image-pixel signals in said digital image-pixel signals, and an arithmetic operator that executes an arithmetic operation to produce said image-pixel signals to be interpolated, on said basis of said digital electric image-pixel signals.

4. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 3, said frequency of said first clock pulses is 14.3182 MHz, said frequency of said second clock pulses is 13.5 MHz, said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in said one-horizontal-scanning-line is 910 pixels, and said 910 pixels are converted into 858 pixels by said execution of said thinning-process with said pixel-number converter.

5. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 3, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 14.75 MHz, said frequency of said second series of clock pulses is 13.5 MHz, said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in said one-horizontal-scanning-line is 944 pixels, and said 944 pixels are converted into 864 pixels by said execution of said thinning-process with said pixel-number converter.

6. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 3, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 17.0625 MHz, said frequency of said second clock pulses is 13.5 MHz, said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in said one-horizontal-scanning-line is 1092 pixels, and said 1092 pixels are converted into 864 pixels by said execution of said thinning-process with said pixel-number converter.

7. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 3, wherein, said frequency of said first clock pulses is 12.2727 MHz, said frequency of said second clock pulses is 13.5 MHz, said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in said one-horizontal-scanning-line is 780 pixels, and said 780 pixels are converted into 858 pixels by said execution of said interpolating-process with said pixel-number converter.

11. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 14.3182 MHz so that said number of digital electric image-pixel signals based on said 14.3182 MHz is 910 pixels, said frequency of said second clock pulses is 12.2727 MHz so that said number of digital electric image-pixel signals based on said 12.272 MHz is 780 pixels, and said frequency of said third clock pulses is 13.5 MHz so that one of said 910 pixels and said 780 pixels are converted into 858 pixels based upon said frequency of 13.5 MHz of said third clock pulses.

8. An electronic endoscope, comprising:

an image sensor that converts an optical image into analog electric image-pixel signals;

an analog-to-digital converter that converts said analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals;

a clock-pulse generator that selectively outputs one of a first series of clock pulses and a second series of clock pulses to said analog-to-digital converter for conversion of said analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals by said analog-to-digital converter, a number of said converted digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line being based upon one of a frequency of said first clock pulses and a frequency of said second clock pulses;

a pixel-number converter that converts said number of digital electric image-pixel signals, based upon one of said frequency of said first clock pulses and said frequency of said second clock pulses, into another number of digital image-pixel signals so as to enable said digital electric image-pixel signals to be externally outputted on a basis of a third series of clock pulses having a frequency larger than said frequency of said first clock pulses but smaller than said frequency of said second clock pulses; and

a determiner that determines whether either said first clock pulses or said second clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator,

wherein said digital electric image-pixel signals converted from said analog electric image-pixel signals by said analog-digital converter are subjected to a thinning-process executed by said pixel-number converter when it is determined by said determiner that said first clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator, and said digital electric image-pixel signals converted from said analog electric image-pixel signals by said analog-digital converter are subjected to a interpolating-process executed by said pixel-number converter when it is determined by said determiner that said second clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator.

9. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 8, further comprising a digital color-matrix converter that processes said digital electric image-pixel signals to produce luminance signals and two kinds of color-difference signals, after conversion of said number of digital electric image-pixel signals into said another number of digital image-pixel signals.

10. An electric endoscope as set forth in claim 8, wherein said pixel-number converter comprises an eliminator that executes said thinning-process, to eliminate a given number of image-pixel signals from said digital electric image-pixel signals to thin said digital electric image-pixel signals, a first arithmetic operator that executes an arithmetic operation to allow said eliminated image-pixel signals to remain in said thinned digital electric image-pixel signals, an interpolator that executes said interpolating-process, to interpolate a predetermined number of image-pixel signals in said digital electric image-pixel signals, and a second arithmetic operator that executes an arithmetic operation to produce said image-pixel signals to be interpolated on a basis of said digital electric image-pixel signals.

12. An electronic endoscope having a flexible conduit, a video-signal processor being detachably connected thereto, said endoscope comprising:

an image sensor provided in said flexible conduit for converting an optical image into analog electric image-pixel signals;

an analog-to-digital converter that converts said analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals on a basis of a first series of clock pulses;

a memory provided in said flexible conduit that stores frequency information concerning a frequency of said first clock pulses;

a fetcher that fetches said frequency information from said memory when joining said flexible conduit to said video-signal processor;

a clock-pulse generator that outputs said first clock pulses to said analog-to-digital converter on a basis of said frequency information fetched by said fetcher for said conversion of said analog electric image-pixel signals into said digital electric image-pixel signals by said analog-to-digital converter, a number of said converted digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line being based upon said frequency of said first clock pulses; and

a pixel-number converter that converts said number of digital electric image-pixel signals, based upon said frequency of said first clock pulses, into another number of digital image-pixel signals so as to enable said digital electric image-pixel signals to be externally outputted on a basis of a second series of clock pulses having a frequency different from that of said first frequency.

13. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a digital color-matrix converter that processes said digital electric image-pixel signals to thereby produce luminance signals and two kinds of color-difference signals, after said conversion of said number of digital electric image-pixel signals into said another number of digital image-pixel signals.

14. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 12, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is larger than said frequency of said second clock pulses, said conversion of said number of digital electric image-pixel signals into said another number of digital electric image-pixel signals by said pixel-number converter being carried out by a thinning-process executed by said pixel-number converter.

15. An electric endoscope as set forth in claim 14, wherein said pixel-number converter includes an eliminator that executes said thinning-process to eliminate a given number of image-pixel signals from said digital electric image-pixel signals to thin said digital electric image-pixel signals, and an arithmetic operator that executes an arithmetic operation to allow said eliminated image-pixel signals to remain in said thinned digital electric image-pixel signals.

16. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 14, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 14.3182 MHz, said frequency of said second clock pulses is 13.5 MHz, said number of electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line is 910 pixels, and said 910 pixels are converted into 858 pixels by said pixel-number converter.

17. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 14, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 14.75 MHz, said frequency of said second clock pulses is 13.5 MHz, said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line is 944 pixels, and said 944 pixels are converted into 864 pixels by said pixel-number converter.

18. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 14, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 17.0625 MHz, said frequency of said second clock pulses is 13.5 MHz;

said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line is 1092 pixels, said 1092 pixels being converted into 864 pixels by said pixel-number converter.

19. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 12, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is smaller than said frequency of said second clock pulses, said conversion of said number of digital electric image-pixel into said another number of digital electric image-pixel signals by said pixel-number converter [is] being carried out by an interpolating-process executed by said pixel-number converter.

20. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 19, wherein said pixel-number converter includes an interpolator that executes said interpolating-process, to interpolate a given number of image-pixel signals in said digital electric image-pixel signals, and an arithmetic operator that executes an arithmetic operation, to produce said image-pixel signals to be interpolated on a basis of said digital electric image-pixel signals.

21. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 19, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 12.2727 MHz, said frequency of said second clock pulses is 13.5 MHz, said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line is 780 pixels, said 780 pixels being converted into 858 pixels by said pixel-number converter.

22. An electronic endoscope comprising:

image sensor means for converting an optical image into analog electric image-pixel signals;

analog-to-digital converter means for converting said analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals on the basis of a first series of clock pulses, a number of the converted digital electric image-pixel signals included in a one-horizontal-scanning-line being based upon a frequency of said first series of clock pulses;

pixel-number converter means for converting the number of the converted digital electric image-pixel signals into another number of digital image-pixel signals so as to enable said digital electric image-pixel signals to be externally outputted on the basis of a second series of clock pulses having a frequency different from that of said first clock pulses; and

a determiner that determines whether said frequency of said first clock pulses is larger than said frequency of said second clock pulses,

wherein said digital electric image-pixel signals converted from said analog electric image-pixel signals by said analog-digital converter are subjected to a thinning-process executed by said pixel-number converter when it is determined by said determiner that said frequency of said first clock pulses is larger than said frequency of said second clock pulses, and said digital electric image-pixel signals converted from said analog electric image-pixel signals by said analog-digital converter are subjected to a interpolating-process executed by said pixel-number converter when it is determined by said determiner that said frequency of said first clock pulses is smaller than said frequency of said second clock pulses.

23. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 22, further comprising digital color-matrix converter means for processing said digital electric image-pixel signals to thereby produce luminance signals and two kinds of color-difference signals, after conversion of said number of digital electric image-pixel signals into said another number of digital image-pixel signals.

24. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 22, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is larger than said frequency of said second clock pulses, said digital electric image-pixel signals converted from said analog electric image-pixel signals by said analog-digital converter means being subjected to a thinning-process executed by said pixel-number converter means.

25. An electric endoscope as set forth in claim 24, wherein said pixel-number converter means includes eliminator means for executing said thinning-process, to eliminate a given number of image-pixel signals from said digital electric image-pixel signals to thin said digital electric image-pixel signals;

and arithmetic operator means for executing an arithmetic operation to allow said eliminated image-pixel signals to remain in said thinned digital electric image-pixel signals.

26. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 25, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 14.3182 MHz, said frequency of said second clock pulses is 13.5 MHz, said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line is 910 pixels, said 910 pixels being converted into 858 pixels by said pixel-number converter means.

27. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 25, said frequency of said first clock pulses is 14.75 MHz, said frequency of said second series of clock pulses is 13.5 MHz, said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line is 944 pixels, said 944 pixels being converted into 864 pixels by said execution of said thinning-process with said pixel-number converter means.

28. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 25, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 17.0625 MHz, said frequency of said second clock pulses is 13.5 MHz, said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line is 1092 pixels, said 1092 pixels being converted into 864 pixels by said execution of said thinning-process with said pixel-number converter means.

29. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 22, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is smaller than said frequency of said second clock pulses, said digital electric image-pixel signals being subjected to an interpolating-process executed by said pixel-number converter means.

30. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 29, wherein said pixel-number converter means includes interpolator means for executing said interpolating-process, to interpolate a given number of image-pixel signals in said digital electric image-pixel signals;

and arithmetic operator means for executing an arithmetic operation, to produce said image-pixel signals to be interpolated on a basis of the digital electric image-pixel signals.

31. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 29, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 12.2727 MHz, said frequency of said second clock pulses is 13.5 MHz, said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line is 780 pixels, said 780 pixels being converted into 858 pixels by said execution of said interpolating-process with said pixel-number converter means.

32. An electronic endoscope, comprising:

image sensor means for converting an optical image into analog electric image-pixel signals;

analog-to-digital converter means for converting said analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals;

clock-pulse generator means for selectively outputting one of a first series of clock pulses and a second series of clock pulses to said analog-to-digital converter means for conversion of said analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals by said analog-to-digital converter means, a number of said converted digital electric image-pixel signals included in a one-horizontal-scanning-line being based upon one of a frequency of said first clock pulses and a frequency of said second clock pulses;

pixel-number converter means for converting said number of digital electric image-pixel signals, based upon one of said frequency of said first clock pulses and said frequency of said second clock pulses, into another number of digital image-pixel signals so as to enable said digital electric image-pixel signals to be externally outputted on a basis of a third series of clock pulses having a frequency larger than said frequency of said first clock pulses but smaller than said frequency of said second clock pulses; and

a determiner that determines whether either said first clock pulses or said second clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator means,

wherein said digital electric image-pixel signals converted from said analog electric image-pixel signals by said analog-digital converter means are subjected to a thinning-process executed by said pixel-number converter means when it is determined by said determiner that said first clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator means, and said digital electric image-pixel signals converted from said analog electric image-pixel signals by said analog-digital converter means are subjected to a interpolating-process executed by said pixel-number converter means when it is determined by said determiner that said second clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator.

33. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 32, further comprising digital color-matrix converter means for processing said digital electric image-pixel signals to produce luminance signals and two kinds of color-difference signals, after conversion of said number of digital electric image-pixel signals into said another number of digital image-pixel signals.

34. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 32, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is larger than said frequency of said third clock pulses, so that said conversion of said number of digital electric image-pixel signals, based upon said frequency of said first clock pulses, into said another number of digital electric image-pixel signals is carried out by a thinning-process executed by said pixel-number converter means, said frequency of said second clock pulses being smaller than said frequency of said third clock pulses, so that said conversion of said number of digital electric image-pixel signals, based upon said frequency of said second clock pulses, into said another number of digital electronic image-pixel signals is carried out by an interpolating-process executed by said pixel-number converter means.

35. An electric endoscope as set forth in claim 34, wherein said pixel-number converter means comprises means for executing said thinning-process, to eliminate a predetermined number of image-pixel signals from said digital electric image-pixel signals to thin said digital electric image-pixel signals;

first arithmetic operator means for executing an arithmetic operation to allow said eliminated image-pixel signals to remain in said thinned digital electric image-pixel signals;

interpolator means for executing said interpolating-process, to interpolate a predetermined number of image-pixel signals in said digital electric image-pixel signals; and

second arithmetic operator means for executing an arithmetic operation to produce said image-pixel signals to be interpolated, on a basis of said digital electric image-pixel signals.

36. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 34, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 14.3182 MHz so that said number of digital electric image-pixel signals based on 14.3182 MHz is 910 pixels, said frequency of said second clock pulses is 12.2727 MHz so that said number of digital electric image-pixel signals based on 12.2727 MHz is 780 pixels, and said frequency of said third clock pulses is 13.5 MHz so that one of said 910 pixels and said 780 pixels is converted into 858 pixels, based upon a frequency of 13.5 MHz of said third clock pulses.

37. An electronic endoscope having a flexible conduit and a video-signal processor detachable connected thereto, said endoscope comprising:

image sensor means, provided in said flexible conduit, for converting an optical image into analog electric image-pixel signals;

analog-to-digital converter means for converting said analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals on a basis of a first series of clock pulses;

memory means, provided in said flexible conduit, for storing frequency information concerning a frequency of said first clock pulses;

fetcher means for fetching said frequency information from said memory means when said flexible conduit is connected to said video-signal processor;

clock-pulse generator means for outputting said first clock pulses to said analog-to-digital converter means on the basis of said frequency information fetched by said fetcher means for conversion of said analog electric image-pixel signals into said digital electric image-pixel signals by said analog-to-digital converter means, a number of said converted digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line being based upon said frequency of said first clock pulses; and

pixel-number converter means for converting said number of digital electric image-pixel signals, based upon said frequency of said first clock pulses, into another number of digital image-pixel signals, so as to enable said digital electric image-pixel signals to be externally outputted on the basis of a second series of clock pulses having a frequency different from that of said first frequency.

38. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 37, further comprising a digital color-matrix converter means for processing said digital electric image-pixel signals to thereby produce luminance signals and two kinds of color-difference signals, after conversion of said number of digital electric image-pixel signals into said another number of digital image-pixel signals.

39. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 37, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is larger than said frequency of said second clock pulses, said conversion of said number of digital electric image-pixel signals into said another number of digital electric image-pixel signals by said pixel-number converter means being carried out by a thinning-process executed by said pixel-number converter means.

40. An electric endoscope as set forth in claim 39, wherein said pixel-number converter means includes eliminator means for executing said thinning-process, to eliminate a given number of image-pixel signals from said digital electric image-pixel signals to thin said digital electric image-pixel signals;

and arithmetic operator means for executing an arithmetic operation, to allow said eliminated image-pixel signals to remain in said thinned digital electric image-pixel signals.

41. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 39, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 14.3182 MHz;

said frequency of said second clock pulses is 13.5 MHz;

said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line being 910 pixels, said 910 pixels being converted into 858 pixels by said pixel-number converter means.

42. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 39, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 14.75 MHz;

said frequency of said second clock pulses is 13.5 MHz;

said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line being 944 pixels, said 944 pixels being converted into 864 pixels by said pixel-number converter means.

43. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 39, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 17.0625 MHz;

said frequency of said second clock pulses is 13.5 MHz;

said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line being 1092 pixels, said 1092 pixels being converted into 864 pixels by said pixel-number converter means.

44. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 37, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is smaller than said frequency of said second clock pulses, said conversion of said number of digital electric image-pixel into said another number of digital electric image-pixel signals, by said pixel-number converter means, being carried out by an interpolating-process executed by said pixel-number converter means.

45. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 44, wherein said pixel-number converter means includes interpolator means for executing said interpolating-process, to interpolate a given number of image-pixel signals in the digital electric image-pixel signals;

and arithmetic operator means for executing an arithmetic operation, to produce image-pixel signals to be interpolated, on the basis of said digital electric image-pixel signals.

46. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 44, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 12.2727 MHz;

said frequency of said second clock pulses is 13.5 MHz;

said number of digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line being 780 pixels, said 780 pixels being converted into 858 pixels by said pixel-number converter means.

47. An electronic endoscope, comprising:

image sensor means for converting an optical image into analog electric image-pixel signals;

analog-to-digital converter means for converting said analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals;

clock-pulse generator means for selectively outputting one of a first series of clock pulses and a second series of clock pulses to said analog-to-digital converter means for conversion of said analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals by said analog-to-digital converter means, a number of said converted digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line being based upon one of a frequency of said first clock pulses and a frequency of said second clock pulses;

pixel-number converter means for converting said number of digital electric image-pixel signals, based upon one of said frequency of said first clock pulses and said frequency of said second clock pulses, into another number of digital image-pixel signals so as to enable said digital electric image-pixel signals to be externally outputted on a basis of a third series of clock pulses having a frequency larger than said frequency of said first clock pulses and said frequency of said second clock pulses; and

determining means for determining whether either said first clock pulses or said second clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator means,

wherein said digital electric image-pixel signals converted from said analog electric image-pixel signals by said analog-digital converter means are subjected to a first thinning-process executed by said pixel-number converter means when it is determined by said determining means that said first clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator means, and said digital electric image-pixel signals converted from said analog electric image-pixel signals by said analog-digital converter means are subjected to a second thinning-process executed by said pixel-number converter means when it is determined by said determining means that said second clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator means.

48. An electric endoscope as set forth in claim 47, wherein said pixel-number converter means includes first eliminator means for executing said first thinning-process, to eliminate a predetermined number of image-pixel signals from said digital electric image-pixel signals to thin said digital electric image-pixel signals;

first arithmetic operator means for executing an arithmetic operation to allow said image-pixel signals, eliminated by said first eliminator means, to remain in said thinned digital electric image-pixel signals;

second eliminator means, for executing said second thinning-process, to eliminate a predetermined number of image-pixel signals from said digital electric image-pixel signals to thin said digital electric image-pixel signals; and

second arithmetic operator means, for executing an arithmetic operation, to allow said image-pixel signals, eliminated by said second eliminator means, to remain in said thinned digital electric image-pixel signals.

49. An electronic endsocope as set forth in claim 47, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 14.75 MHz so that the number of the digital electric image-pixel signals based on 14.75 MHz is 944 pixels, said frequency of said second clock pulses is 17.0625 MHz so that the number of digital electric image-pixel signals based on 17.0625 MHz is 1092 pixels, and said frequency of said third clock pulses is 13.5 MHz so that one of said 944 pixels and said 1092 pixels are converted into 864 pixels, based upon said frequency of 13.5 MHz of said third clock pulses.

50. An electronic endoscope, comprising:

an image sensor that converts an optical image into analog electric image-pixel signals;

an analog-to-digital converter that converts said analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals;

a clock-pulse generator that selectively outputs one of a first series of clock pulses and a second series of clock pulses to said analog-to-digital converter for conversion of said analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals by said analog-to-digital converter, a number of said converted digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line being based upon one of a frequency of said first clock pulses and a frequency of said second clock pulses;

a pixel-number converter that converts said number of digital electric image-pixel signals, based upon one of said frequency of said first clock pulses and said frequency of said second clock pulses, into another number of digital image-pixel signals so as to enable said digital electric image-pixel signals to be externally outputted on a basis of a third series of clock pulses having a frequency larger than said frequency of said first clock pulses and said frequency of said second clock pulses; and

a determiner that determines whether either said first clock pulses or said second clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator,

wherein said wherein said digital electric image-pixel signals converted from said analog electric image-pixel signals by said analog-digital converter are subjected to a first thinning-process executed by said pixel-number converter when it is determined by said determiner that said first clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator, and said digital electric image-pixel signals converted from said analog electric image-pixel signals by said analog-digital converter are subjected to a second thinning-process executed by said pixel-number converter when it is determined by said determiner that said second clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator.

51. An electric endoscope as set forth in claim 50, wherein said pixel-number converter comprises a first eliminator that executes said first thinning-process, to eliminate a given number of image-pixel signals from said digital electric image-pixel signals to thin said digital electric image-pixel signals, a first arithmetic operator that executes an arithmetic operation to allow said image-pixel signals, eliminated by said first eliminator, to remain in said thinned digital electric image-pixel signals, a second eliminator that executes said second thinning-process, to eliminate a predetermined number of image-pixel signals from said digital electric image-pixel signals to thin said digital electric image-pixel signals, and a second arithmetic operator that executes an arithmetic operation to allow said image-pixel signals, eliminated by said second eliminator, to remain in said thinned digital electric image-pixel signals.

52. An electronic endoscope as set forth in claim 50, wherein said frequency of said first clock pulses is 14.75 MHz so that said number of digital electric image-pixel signals based on 14.75 MHz is 944 pixels, said frequency of said second clock pulses is 17.0625 MHz so that said number of digital electric image-pixel signals based on 17.0625 MHz is 1092 pixels, and said frequency of said third clock pulses is 13.5 MHz so that one of said 944 pixels and said 1092 pixels are converted into 864 pixels based upon said frequency of 13.5 MHz of said third clock pulses.

53. An electronic endoscope, comprising:

an image sensor that converts an optical image into analog electric image-pixel signals;

an analog-to-digital converter that converts said analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals;

a clock-pulse generator that selectively outputs one of a first series of clock pulses and a second series of clock pulses to said analog-to-digital converter for conversion of said analog electric image-pixel signals into digital electric image-pixel signals by said analog-to-digital converter, a first number of said digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line, converted by the outputting of said first clock pulses, being based upon a frequency of said first clock pulses, a second number of said digital electric image-pixel signals included in one-horizontal-scanning-line, converted by the outputting of said second clock pulses, being based upon a frequency of said second clock pulses;

a determiner that determines whether either said first clock pulses or said second clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator;

a pixel-number converter that converts said first number of digital electric image-pixel signals, based upon said frequency of said first clock pulses, into a third number of digital image-pixel signals so as to enable said digital electric image-pixel signals to be externally outputted on a basis of a third series of clock pulses having a frequency different from said frequency of said first clock pulses and said frequency of said second clock pulses, when it is determined by said determiner that said first clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator and that converts said second number of digital electric image-pixel signals, based upon said frequency of said first clock pulses, into said third number of digital image-pixel signals so as to enable said digital electric image-pixel signals to be externally outputted on a basis of said third series of clock pulses, when it is determined by said determiner that said first clock pulses should be outputted from said clock-pulse generator.