Electronic endoscope system

• US 6,215,517 B1
• Filed: 04/09/1998
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hoya Corporation
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Iketani, Kohei, Takahashi, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Application Number:
  US09/057,603
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 348/65-66, 348/61, 348/71-72, 348/77, 348/45, 600/101, 600/109-113, 600/166, 600/172
• US Class Current: 348/72
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic endoscope system which includes an endoscope unit having a solid-state imaging element which captures an image of an object and outputs an image signal, and a signal processing unit which receives the image signal from the imaging element and generates a plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats. The signal processing unit may have a plurality of signal output ports for outputting the plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats, respectively. Alternatively or optionally, the signal processing unit may have at least one signal selector which selects one of the plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats, and at least one output port through which the one of the plurality of digital video signal selected by the signal selector is output.

Claims

1. An electronic endoscope system, comprising:

an endoscope unit having a solid-state imaging element which captures an image of an object and outputs an image signal, said endoscope unit being provided with a connection unit;

an image signal processing device having a body to which said endoscope unit is detachably connected via said connection unit, said image signal processing device including a signal processing unit within said body, said signal processing unit receiving said image signal from said imaging element and generating a plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats, said signal processing unit comprising a plurality of converter circuits that generate said plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats, each converter circuit generating a digital video signal of a different format from every other convertor circuit;

a plurality of external digital output connectors on said body of said image signal processing device, each external digital output connector outputting one of said plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats, and wherein no digital-to-analog conversion intervenes between said connection unit and said external digital output connectors;

an analog output system for processing said image signal as a plurality of analog video signals having different analog signal formats; and

a plurality of external analog output connectors on said body of said image signal processing device, each external analog output connector outputting one of said analog video signals having differing analog signal formats.

2. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of external digital signal output connectors include at least one serial connector for outputting one of said plurality of digital video signals.

3. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of external digital signal output connectors include at least one parallel connector for outputting at least one of said plurality of digital video signals.

4. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of external digital signal output connectors include at least one pair of serial and parallel connectors for outputting at least one of said plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats as serial and parallel digital signals, respectively.

5. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of external digital signal output connectors include a plurality of pairs of serial and parallel connectors for outputting all of said plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats as serial and parallel digital signals, respectively.

6. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 5, wherein each pair of a parallel connector and a serial connector corresponding to the same signal format are arranged closely adjacent to each other.

7. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 6,

wherein each pair of a parallel connector and a serial connector corresponding to the same signal format are arranged closer to one another on said body than to any other pair of a parallel connector and a serial connector.

8. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 7,

wherein each pair of a parallel connector and a serial connector corresponding to the same signal format are arranged closer to one another on said body than to any other connector.

9. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of digital video signals comprises a signal having a D1 format.

10. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of digital video signals comprises a signal having a D2 format.

11. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of digital video signals comprises a digital luminance signal.

12. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of digital video signals comprises digital color difference signals.

13. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of digital video signals comprises a multiplexed signal which is generated by multiplexing color difference signals.

14. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of digital video signals comprises a multiplexed signal which is generated by multiplexing brightness and color difference signals.

15. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said signal processing device outputs a field indication signal indicating whether a currently output signal corresponds to an odd or even frame.

16. An electronic endoscope system, comprising:

an endoscope unit having a solid-state imaging element which captures an image of an object and outputs an image signal, said endoscope unit being provided with a connection unit;

an image signal processing device having a body to which said endoscope unit is detachably connected via said connection unit, said image signal processing device including a signal processing unit within said body, said signal processing unit receiving said image signal from said imaging element and generating a plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats, said signal processing unit comprising a plurality of converter circuits that generate said plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats, each converter circuit generating a digital video signal of a different format from every other convertor circuit;

an analog output system for processing said image signal as a plurality of analog video signals having different analog signal formats;

a plurality of external analog output connectors on said body of said image signal processing device, each external analog output connector outputting one of said analog video signals having different analog signal formats; and

at least one signal selector, which selects one of said plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats; and

at least one external digital output connector through which said one of said plurality of digital video signal selected by said signal selector is output, wherein no digital-to-analog conversion intervenes between said connection unit and said at least one external digital output connector.

17. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 16, wherein said at least one external digital output connector comprises a serial connector for outputting a serial digital signal.

18. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 16, wherein said at least one external digital output connector comprises a parallel connector for outputting a parallel digital signal.

19. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 16, wherein said signal processing unit comprises:

a first signal selector, which selects a first signal from among said plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats;

a second signal selector, which selects a second signal from among said plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats;

a parallel output connector through which said first signal is output as a parallel digital signal; and

a serial output connector through which said second signal is output as a serial digital signal.

20. An electronic endoscope system, comprising:

an endoscope unit having a solid-state imaging element which captures an image of an object and outputs an image signal, said endoscope unit being provided with a connection unit;

an image signal processing device having a body to which said endoscope unit is detachably connected via said connection unit, said image signal processing device including a signal processing unit within said body, said signal processing unit receiving said image signal from said imaging element and generating a plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats, said signal processing unit comprising;

a frame memory for receiving said image signal on a frame by frame basis and a plurality of converter circuits, each convertor circuit individually connected to said frame memory, that generate said plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats, each converter circuit generating a digital video signal of a different format from every other converter circuit;

a plurality of external digital output connectors on said body of said image processing device, each external digital output connector outputting one of said plurality of digital video signals having different signal formats, and wherein no digital-to-analog conversion intervenes between said connection unit and said external digital output connectors;

an analog output system for processing said image signal as a plurality of analog video signals having different analog signal formats; and

a plurality of external analog output connectors on said body of said image signal processing device, each external analog output connector outputting one of said analog video signals having differing analog signal formats.