Electronic endoscope system

• US 6,778,208 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2001
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Hiroyuki, Takeshige, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parsons, Charles E
• Application Number:
  US09/990,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20020085091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 348/65, 348/159, 348/71, 348/74, 606/1
• US Class Current: 348/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/603 controlled by characteristics of the picture signal generator or the picture reproducer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An electronic endoscope system is provided with an outputting device specifying tool and a database having tables. In the tables, compensation data, for compensating image signals generated by the system in accordance with outputting devices, are recorded. When the model of outputting device is specified by the specifying tool, the tables are searched using the name of the specified model of outputting device as a search key, so that compensation data for compensating the image signals in accordance with the characteristics of the connected outputting device can be obtained. The image signals are output to the connected outputting device, after being compensated based on the compensation data.

Claims

1. An electronic endoscope system, provided with an image-signal processing unit that processes image signals obtained by a scope which is connected to said image-signal processing unit attachably and detachably, and at least one outputting device that is connected to said image-signal processing unit in order to output said image signals, said electronic endoscope system comprising:

an outputting device specifying tool that specifies the model of said at least one outputting device;

a database in which characteristic data concerning output characteristics of each model of said at least one outputting device are stored; and

an image-signal compensator that obtains said characteristic data from said database based on the model specified by said outputting device specifying tool, and compensates said image signals using said obtained characteristic data,

wherein said characteristic data are data concerning a picture quality of an image which is reproduced by said at least one outputting device, the image quality characteristic being directed to at least one of a compensation coefficient used for a contour correction process, a compensating value used for a color balance of said image signals, an output level value used for gamma correction of said image signals, and an output level value used for clamping a black level of said image signals.

2. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said image-signal processing unit comprises a plurality of output terminals to which said at least one outputting device can be connected, and the model of said at least one outputting device is specified by said outputting device specifying tool with respect to each of said output terminals.

3. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein said outputting device specifying tool comprises:

a menu displayer that displays a list of models of said at least one outputting device, said list being displayed corresponding to each of said output terminals; and

an input tool that selects one of the models corresponding to said at least one connected outputting device, from said list.

4. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein said outputting device specifying tool is a rotary switch that is provided for each of said output terminals.

5. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said database is stored in a storage medium that is able to be replaced.

6. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said image-signal processing unit is able to be connected to an information communication network, and said database is able to be maintained by a remote terminal unit which is connected to said information communication network.

7. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one outputting device is a monitor and a printer on which said image signals are reproduced.

8. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said characteristic data include the compensation coefficient used for the contour correction process.

9. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said characteristic data include the compensating value used for adjustment of the color balance of said image signals.

10. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said characteristic data includes the output level value used for gamma correction of said image signals.

11. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said characteristic data includes the output level value used for clamping the black level of said image signals.

12. An electronic endoscope system, provided with an image-signal processing unit that processes image signals obtained by a scope which is connected to said image-signal processing unit attachably and detachably, and at least one outputting device that is connected to said image-signal processing unit in order to output said image signals, said electronic endoscope system comprising:

means for specifying a model of said at least one outputting device;

a database in which characteristic data concerning output of each model of said at least one outputting device are stored; and

means for obtaining said characteristic data from said database based on the model specified by said specifying means, and

means for compensating said image signals by said obtained characteristic data,

wherein said characteristic data are data concerning a picture quality of an image which is reproduced by said at least one outputting device, the image quality characteristic being directed to at least one of a compensation coefficient used for a contour correction process, a color balance of said image signals, an output level value used for gamma correction of said image signals, and an output level value used for clamping a black level of said image signals.