Endoscope for recording and displaying time-serial image

• US 6,388,702 B1
• Filed: 11/20/1995
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kazunari, Tsuruoka, Takao, Hiyama, Keiichi, Yajima, Akihiko, Nonami, Tetsuo, Konomura, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard
• Application Number:
  US08/561,118
• Time in Patent Office: 2,367 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.718, 348/45, 348/65, 348/74, 348/154, 348/155, 128/704, 128/706, 600/109, 600/160
• US Class Current: 348/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2175 with local image input
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3254 Orientation, e.g. landscape or portrait; Location or order of the image data, e.g. in memory
• 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 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums

Abstract

An image recording apparatus which includes a time-serial image recording arrangement for recording time-serial images of an object. The apparatus also includes an outputting arrangement capable of outputting an image information data of at least a part of the time-serial images to be recorded or having been recorded by the time-serial image recording arrangement, which is used as a standard for observing variations in the time-serial images of the object which occur with lapse of time. The outputting arrangement includes an extracting arrangement for extracting a selected feature of at least one image among the time-serial images as the image information to be a standard of the position and a composing arrangement for composing and outputting image information of the selected feature extracted by the extracting arrangement and for composing and outputting the time-serial images.

Claims

1. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope, comprising:

a time-serial image recording means for recording time-serial images of an object;

means for recording a standard image which comprises one still image among time-serial images of an object specified in a series of examinations, and another still image also among said time-signal images of said object, said another still image being recorded at a time interval determined by the differences in averages of successive image frames in comparison with said standard image; and

an outputting means for outputting image information data of at least a part of said time-serial images for recording by said time-serial image recording means which is used as said standard image for observing variations in the time-serial images of the object which occur with lapse of time.

2. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising means responsive to said outputting means for causing said time-serial image recording means to record said time-serial images.

3. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 2, further comprising means for controlling said outputting means to vary recording time intervals of said time-serial images for said time-serial image recording means.

4. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 3, wherein said outputting means includes a detecting means for detecting a variation amount of image data in time-sequential images with lapse of time of said object and a means for varying recording time intervals of said time-serial images for said time-serial image recording means in response to said variation amount detected by said detecting means.

5. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope comprising:

a time-serial image recording means for recording time-serial images of an object; and

an outputting means for outputting image information data of at least a part of said time-serial images which is used as a standard image information data for observing variations in said time-serial images of the object which occur with lapse of time;

means for recording said standard image information data as a standard image, said standard image being one still image among a plurality of time-serial images of an object specified in a series of examinations, and another still image also among said time-serial images of said object, said another still image being recorded at a time interval determined by the differences in averages of successive image frames in comparison with said standard image; and

wherein said standard image information data is an image information which is a standard of a position of said object within said time-serial images.

6. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 5, wherein said outputting means includes an extracting means for extracting a selected feature of at least one image among said time-serial images to serve as said image information and a composing means for outputting image information of said selected feature extracted by said extracting means and said time-serial images.

7. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 6, wherein said feature is an outline of a component of said at least one image.

8. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 6, further comprising a displaying means for displaying said time-serial images, and wherein said outputting means selects ones of said time-serial images for recording by said time-serial image recording means with the image information of said selected feature to serve as composed time-serial images, and outputs said composed time-serial images to the displaying means.

9. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 5, wherein said outputting means includes a recognizing means for determining one image among said time-serial images to be a standard representation of an object and for recognizing a corresponding portion of said one image and other images among said time-serial images, and for outputting the data corresponding to said same part.

10. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 9, wherein said recognizing means recognizes said corresponding portion by using a portion of an image having little spectral variation between said one image which is a standard representation of an object and a corresponding portion in other images among said time-serial images.

11. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 9, further comprising a means for calculating a variation amount of image data in time-sequential images for said one image to be a standard representation of an object.

12. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 11, further comprising a means for displaying said variation amount.

13. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope comprising:

a time-serial image recording means for recording time-serial images of an object;

means for recording said standard image information data as a standard image, said standard image being one still image among a plurality of time-serial images of an object specified in a series of examinations, and another still image also among said time-serial images of said object, said another still image being recorded at a time interval determined by the differences in averages of successive image frames in comparison with said standard image; and

an outputting means for outputting image information data of at least a part of said time-serial images for recording by said time-serial image recording means which is used as said standard image for observing variations in the time-serial images of the object which occur with lapse of time;

wherein said outputting means further includes a means for correcting luminance for data of said corresponding portion among respective ones of said time-serial images in order to eliminate influence of brightness among said respective ones of said time-serial images.

14. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 13 wherein said outputting means outputs said time-serial images recorded by said time-serial image recording means.

15. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope comprising:

a time-serial image recording means for recording time-serial images of an object; and

an outputting means for outputting image information data of at least a part of said time-serial images for recording by said time-serial image recording means which is used as a standard image information data for observing variations in the time-serial images of the object which occur with lapse of time;

means for recording said standard image information data as a standard image, said standard image being one still image among a plurality of time-serial images of an object specified in a series of examinations, and another still image also among said time-serial images of said object, said another still image being recorded at a time interval determined by the differences in averages of successive image frames in comparison with said standard image; and

wherein said outputting means includes (a) a selecting means for selecting as said image information at least one image from among said time-serial images recorded in said time-serial image recording means, and (b) a displaying means for simultaneously displaying said at least one image and other ones of said time-serial images recorded in said time-serial image recording means.

16. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 15, wherein said displaying means displays in a single apparatus said at least one image and other ones of said time-serial images.

17. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 15, wherein said displaying means comprises at least two separate displaying devices, and wherein said displaying means displays in respective different ones of said separate displaying devices said image selected by said selecting means and said time-serial images.

18. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope, comprising:

a time-serial image recording means for recording time-serial images of an object;

means for recording standard image information data as a standard image, said standard image being one still image among a plurality of said time-serial images of an object specified in a series of examinations, and for recording another still image also among said time-serial images of said object, said another still image being recorded at a time interval determined by the differences in averages of successive image frames in comparison with said standard image;

an outputting means for outputting image information data of at least a part of said time-serial images for recording by said time-serial image recording means which is used as said standard image for observing variations in the time-serial images of the object which occur with lapse of time; and

a still image recording means for recording the still image of said object;

wherein said outputting means includes a controlling means for controlling said time-serial image recording means and said still image recording means so that said still image for recording by said still image recording means serves as said image information.

19. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 18, additionally comprising a further recording means for recording a corresponding relation between said time-serial images and said still image, and wherein said controlling means controls said time-serial image recording means and said still image recording means on the basis of said corresponding relation recorded in said further recording means.

20. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 18, wherein said still image recording means records a plurality of still images, and said controlling means includes (a) a selecting means for selecting at least one still image from among said plural still images recorded in said still image recording means, and (b) a seeking means for seeking from said time-serial image recording means the time-serial image corresponding to said still image selected by said selecting means.

21. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope, comprising:

a time-serial image recording means for recording time-serial images of an object; and

an outputting means for outputting image information data of at least a part of said time-serial images for recording by said time-serial image recording means which is used as a standard image information data for observing variations in said time-serial images of the object which occur with lapse of time;

means for recording said standard image information data as a standard image, said standard image being one still image among a plurality of time-serial images of an object specified in a series of examinations, and another still image also among said time-serial images of said object, said another still image being recorded at a time interval determined by the differences in averages of successive image frames in comparison with said standard image;

wherein said time-serial image recording means also records a still image of said object to be said standard image information data, and wherein said outputting means includes a controlling means for causing said time-serial image recording means to record said time-serial images and said still image, wherein said still image is related to said variations in the time-serial images of the object.

22. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope, comprising:

a time-serial image recording means for recording time-serial images of an object;

means for recording said standard image information data as a standard image, said standard image being one still image among a plurality of time-serial images of an object specified in a series of examinations, and another still image also among said time-serial images of said object, said another still image being recorded at a time interval determined by the differences in averages of successive image frames in comparison with said standard image; and

an outputting means for outputting image information data of at least a part of said time-serial images for recording by said time-serial image recording means which is used as said standard image for observing variations in the time-serial images of the object which occur with lapse of time;

wherein said outputting means includes (a) a designating means for designating as a time index a respective specific time of each of the series of time-serial images recorded by said time-serial image recording means, (b) a means for selecting a specific image among said series of time-serial images to correspond to said specific time designated by said designating means, and (c) a reproducing means for reproducing from said time-serial image recording means said specific image.

23. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 22, wherein said designating means designates a plurality of said specific times.

24. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 23, wherein said outputting means further includes selecting means for selecting one of said plurality of specific times designated by said designating means, and said reproducing means selectively reproduces said specific image corresponding to the selected one of said plurality of specific times selected by said selecting means.

25. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 23, wherein said outputting means reproduces and simultaneously displays said respective specific images corresponding to said plural specific times designated by said designating means.

26. An endoscope observing apparatus for an endoscope comprising:

an endoscope body having an elongate insertable part including an illuminating window and an observing window in a tip portion of said elongate insertable part and an image forming optical system receiving an incident light from said observing window to form an image;

an illuminating means for radiating an illuminating light to an object from said illuminating window;

an imaging means for imaging said image of said object formed by said image forming optical system;

a signal processing means for outputting as time-serial images the image of said object imaged by said imaging means;

an extracting means for extracting as selected image information to be a standard of a position a feature of at least one chosen image among said time-serial images output from said signal processing means; and

a composing means for outputting said selected image information of the feature extracted by said extracting means and said time-serial images output from said image processing means.

27. An endoscope observing apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 26, wherein said feature is an outline of a component of said image.

28. An endoscope observing apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 26 further comprising a displaying means for displaying said selected image information of said feature and said time-serial images.

29. An endoscope observing apparatus for an endoscope comprising:

an endoscope body having an elongate insertable part, said insertable part having a tip portion, including an illuminating window and observing window in said tip portion, and an image forming optical system receiving an incident light from said observing window to form an image;

an illuminating means for radiating an illuminating light to an object from said illuminating window;

an imaging means for imaging said image of said object formed by said image forming optical system;

a signal processing means for outputting as time-serial images the image of said object imaged by said imaging means;

a recognizing means for selecting one image among said time-serial images output from said signal processing means as a standard of a position and recognizing a selected part between said one image and a corresponding part of other images among said time-serial images; and

a data outputting means for outputting the data of said selected part of said one image recognized by said recognizing means.

30. An endoscope observing apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 29, wherein said recognizing means recognizes said identical part by using an image component having little spectral variation between said one image and said other images among said time-serial images.

31. An endoscope observing apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 29, further comprising a means for calculating a variation amount of image data in time-sequential images for said one image of the data output by said data outputting means.

32. An endoscope observing apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 31, further comprising a means for displaying said variation amount.

33. An endoscope observing apparatus for an endoscope, comprising:

an endoscope body having an elongate insertable part, said insertable part having a tip portion, including an illuminating window and observing window in said tip portion, and an image forming optical system receiving an incident light from said observing window and forming an image;

an illuminating means for radiating an illuminating light to an object from said illuminating window;

an imaging means for imaging said image of said object formed by said image forming optical system;

a signal processing means for outputting as time-serial images the image of said object imaged by said imaging means;

a recognizing means for selecting one image among said time-serial images output from said signal processing means as a standard of a position and recognizing a selected part between said one image and a corresponding part of the other images among said time-serial images; and

a data outputting means for outputting the data of said selected part of said one image recognized by said recognizing means;

wherein said data outputting means includes a means for correcting luminance for data of said selected part in order to eliminate influence of variations in brightness between said respective time-serial images.

34. An endoscope observing apparatus for an endoscope comprising:

an endoscope body having an elongate insertable part, said insertable part having a tip portion, said tip portion of said endoscope body having an illuminating window and observing window;

an image forming optical system receiving an incident light from said observing window to form an image;

an illuminating means for radiating an illuminating light to an object from said illuminating window;

an imaging means for imaging the image of said object formed by said image forming optical system;

a signal processing means for outputting as time-serial images the image of said object imaged by said imaging means;

a recognizing means for designating one image among said time-serial images output from said signal processing means as a standard of a position and for recognizing a selected part between said one image and corresponding respective parts of other images among said time-serial images;

variation calculating means for calculating a variation amount of image data between said one image and ones of said other time-serial images; and

image processing means for correcting a position of each of said other time-serial images by said variation amount.

35. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 34, further comprising a displaying means receiving the output of said image processing means, for displaying said time-serial images.

36. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 34, wherein one of said time-serial images is formed using reflected visible light from the object, and other ones of said time-serial images are obtained using fluorescent light emanating from the object.

37. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 34, wherein said variation calculating means calculates said variation amount by performing a plurality of comparisons between said one image and another of said time-serial images.

38. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 37, wherein said variation calculating means-determines said variation amount by determining a numerical value representing a difference between said one image and said another of said time-serial images.

39. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 38, wherein said variation calculating means determines said variation amount after varying the distance between said one image and said another of said time-serial images, by selecting the distance in which differences are minimum between said selected portion of said one image and a corresponding portion of said another image.

40. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope in combination with an image input apparatus for fluorescent observation, comprising:

a time-serial image recording means for recording time-serial images of an object; and

an outputting means for outputting image information data of at least a part of said time-serial images for recording by said time-serial image recording means which is used as a standard image information data for observing variations in the time-serial images of the object which occur with lapse of time, said image information data including an R image, a G image, and a B image;

means for recording said standard image information data as a standard image, said standard image being one still image among a plurality of time-serial images of an object specified in a series of examinations;

comparator means using only said B image, for determining a mean value of image data in consecutive selected ones of the time-serial images and for comparing respective mean values of the image data in the consecutive selected ones of the time-serial images;

said comparator means including set data corresponding to a first recording interval and a second recording interval;

the consecutive selected ones of the time-serial images being selected by said comparator means at one of said first recording interval and said second recording interval, such that when said comparator means determines that said respective mean values are increasing such that a difference between successive ones of said respective mean values reaches a prescribed magnitude then said image information data is recorded using said second recording interval, and when said comparator means determines that said respective mean values are decreasing such that a difference between successive ones of said respective mean values reaches a prescribed magnitude then said image information data is recorded using said first recording interval;

said time-serial images being recorded by said means for recording being conducted with the first recording interval when a difference in the mean values of the image data in consecutive selected ones of the time-serial images is not greater than said set data, and the recording being conducted with the second recording interval when the difference in the mean values of the image data in consecutive selected ones of the time-serial images is greater than said set data.

41. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope as claimed in claim 40, wherein said first recording interval and said second recording interval of said comparator means are settable by an operator.

42. An image recording apparatus for an endoscope as claimed in claim 40, wherein when a second one of said time-serial images is different from a first one of said time-serial images, the second one of said time-serial images is recorded as time-serial image data at an interval different from that for said first one of said time-serial images.