Electronic endoscope apparatus

• US 6,413,207 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2000
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Minami, Itsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): MULCAHY, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US09/666,183
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 600/109, 600/160, 600/168, 600/179, 600/180, 600/178, 348/68, 348/69, 348/220, 348/221
• US Class Current: 600/109
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0655 Control therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0669 at proximal end of an endoscope
• 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 23/73 by influencing the exposure time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means

Abstract

The present application relates to an electronic endoscope apparatus for forming a preferable static image by controlling blurring of an image at the time of picking up the image by using a variable-power mechanism. This endoscope emits stroboscopic light by a stroboscopic light emission circuit when a freeze button is pressed and sets a high shutter speed shorter than an exposure time for a dynamic image by an electronic shutter circuit. Moreover, observation distances can be changed by moving a movable lens through a variable-power motor section and a linear transmission member in accordance with operation of a variable-power switch. Therefore, a static image is formed trough short-time image pickup by strong illumination light and image blurring is eliminated which becomes remarkable in particular when the image is enlarged through variable-power operation.

Claims

1. An electronic endoscope apparatus, comprising:

a solid-state image pickup device for picking up an observation object;

an electronic shutter circuit comprising a timing generator for controlling a charge storing time of the solid-state image pickup device by adjusting a sweep-out time of the image pickup device using a sweep-out pulse;

a stroboscopic light emission section for instantaneously emitting the stroboscopic light stronger than an illumination light emitted to an observation object under normal observation;

an optical variable-power mechanism capable of optically enlarging an observation image by an objective optical system; and

a control circuit for setting a shutter speed faster than that for a dynamic image by the electronic shutter circuit when a static image is selected in accordance with a freeze signal while the optical variable-power mechanism is operated and controlling the stroboscopic light emission section so as to emit the stroboscopic light.

2. The electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stroboscopic light emission section is provided with a static-image-forming light source in addition to a light source used to form a dynamic image and the control circuit additionally turns on the static-image-forming light source when receiving a freeze signal.

3. The electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an LED is set to the front end of the electronic endoscope as the static-image-forming light source.