Electronic endoscope eliminating influence of light distribution in optical zooming

• US 7,123,288 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Abe, Kazunori, Higuchi, Mitsuru, Takeuchi, Shinji, Ayame, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Andy
• Application Number:
  US10/259,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20030063398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 348 65- 76
• US Class Current: 348/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2438 Zoom objectives

Abstract

The invention provides an endoscope having a scope that takes an image enlarged by driving a movable lens of an optical zoom mechanism by a CCD and displays an image of an object to be observed, wherein a multiplier multiplies RGB color signals by a coefficient set in view of light distribution of illumination light depending on focusing distances of the movable lens, thus eliminating uneven brightness resulting from varying light distribution depending on the focusing distances in enlargement photography. A red component cut filter for cutting a long wavelength side in a red band of the illumination light is provided in a light source unit to improve redness. Further, a coefficient for averaging a brightness signal for a predetermined number of pixels for each horizontal line is calculated, and this coefficient calculation may eliminate unevenness.

Claims

1. An electronic endoscope comprising:

a zoom mechanism having a movable lens incorporated into an objective optical system thereof for optically enlarging an image by driving the movable lens;

an image signal formation circuit for forming a predetermined image signal based on a signal output from an image pickup device via said objective optical system; and

a light distribution correction circuit for multiplying said image signal by a coefficient set in view of said light distribution depending on focusing distances by said movable lens in order to eliminate uneven brightness of an image resulting from the light distribution of varying illumination light in operation of said zoom mechanism.

2. The electronic endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a red component cut filter, placed in a supply line of the illumination light applied to the object to be observed, for cutting a long wavelength side in a red band of the illumination light, wherein a coefficient in view of light amount change by the red component cut filter is multiplied in said light distribution correction circuit.

3. The electronic endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a coefficient calculation circuit for calculating said coefficient in view of the light distribution.

4. The electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said light distribution correction circuit performs coefficient calculation when brightness levels of direct light illumination areas and an area other than those areas are more than predetermined values.

5. An electronic endoscope comprising:

a zoom mechanism having a movable lens incorporated into an objective optical system thereof for optically enlarging an image by driving the movable lens;

a signal formation circuit for forming a brightness signal and a color signal based on a signal output from an image pickup device via said objective optical system;

a coefficient calculation circuit for averaging the brightness signal for a predetermined number of pixels output from the signal formation circuit, comparing averages for the predetermined number of pixels for each horizontal line, and calculating a coefficient for eliminating uneven brightness of an image resulting from light distribution of illumination light; and

a multiplier for multiplying the color signal output from said signal formation circuit by the coefficient from the coefficient calculation circuit.

6. The electronic endoscope according to claim 5, further comprising a red component cut filter, placed in a supply line of the illumination light applied to the object to be observed, for cutting a long wavelength side in a red band of the illumination light.

7. The electronic endoscope according to claim 5, said coefficient calculation circuit performs coefficient calculation when a difference between the averages for each block on the horizontal line is more than a predetermined threshold value.

8. An electronic endoscope having an optical zooming mechanism comprising:

a zoom mechanism having a movable lens incorporated into an objective optical system thereof for optically enlarging an image by driving the movable lens;

a color signal formation circuit for forming a predetermined color signal based on a signal output from an image pickup device via said objective optical system; and

a red color reduction circuit for adjusting a predetermined color signal gain formed in said color signal formation circuit and reducing a red color level in an image, when said movable lens is driven to a close up photography area by said zoom mechanism.