Electronic endoscope

• US 7,623,150 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hoya Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hoya Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Senfi; Behrooz
• Application Number:
  US10/737,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20040125203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,168 Days
• Field of Search: 348/65, 348/69, 348/68, 348/71, 348/61, 348/645, 348/649, 348/230, 348/73, 348/75, 348/222.1, 348/45, 348/600, 348/589, 348/705, 348/72, 348/625, 600/160, 600/180, 600/109, 600/101, 600/181
• US Class Current: 348/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• 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 23/84 for processing colour signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/136 using complementary colours

Abstract

Analog pixel signals, which are read out from an image sensor, are subjected to predetermined signal processes, and are converted to digital pixel signals by an A/D converter. The digital pixel signals are separated to RGB signals. The RGB signals are multiplied by a predetermined color matrix coefficient. After that, luminance signals are extracted from the RGB signals. A light adjusting control signal for adjusting the quantity of light is calculated based on the luminance signals. The color matrix coefficient is changed based on the light adjusting control signal.

Claims

1. An electronic endoscope comprising:

a device that carries out photoelectric conversion of an image of an object of view and outputs pixel signals of said object image;

a converter that converts said pixel signals to color component signals for video signals;

a color adjuster that adjusts colors of said color component signals by multiplying the color component signals by a predetermined matrix coefficient;

a light adjusting controller that calculates a luminance of said object image from said color component signals, the colors of which are adjusted, and creates a control signal for adjusting the quantity of illumination light based on said calculated luminance of said object image;

a color adjusting controller that changes said predetermined matrix coefficient based on said control signal and based on spectral sensitivity characteristics of complementary color filters provided in said device.

2. An electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said color adjusting controller compares said control signal with a predetermined threshold, and selects one matrix coefficient from a plurality of matrix coefficients based on said comparison, said plurality of matrix coefficients having at least one different element.

3. An electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said color adjusting controller changes at least one element of said predetermined matrix coefficient based on a predetermined expression using said control signal.

4. An electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said light adjusting controller obtains said control signal by calculating an average value of luminance of all pixels which compose said object image and a peak value of luminance of pixels which are in the central portion of said object image.

5. An electronic endoscope according to claim 4, wherein said light adjusting controller weights each of said average values and said peak value.

6. An electronic endoscope according to claim 3, wherein said color adjusting controller changes a plurality of elements, of said predetermined matrix coefficient, which relate to one color component.

7. An electronic endoscope according to claim 3, wherein said color adjusting controller changes a plurality of elements, of said predetermined matrix coefficient, which relate to a plurality of color components.