Endoscope apparatus

• US 7,995,093 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Abe, Kazunori, Takeuchi, Shinji, Ayame, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Nhan T
• Application Number:
  US11/355,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20060197830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 348/71, 348/72, 348/45, 348/68, 348/273, 348/65, 348/231.3, 348/231.6, 348/370
• US Class Current: 348/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/60 Colour correction or control H04N1/54 takes precedence

Abstract

In an endoscope apparatus in which a scope is connected to a processor unit in a freely attachable and detachable way, the endoscope apparatus wherein matrix calculation is conducted for RGB signals formed by using CCD, a color space conversion processing circuit is provided for forming spectral images of the arbitrarily selected wavelength range. CCD characteristics identification information including types of color filters of the CCD and spectral characteristics or scope characteristics information is stored in the ROM of the scope, a plurality of matrix data corresponding to characteristics identification information is stored in the memory of the processor unit, and matrix data corresponding to the obtained characteristics information is read from the memory, thereby forming an excellent spectral image by using data suitable for characteristics of the CCD or the scope.

Claims

1. An endoscope apparatus comprising:

an endoscope comprising an imaging device that forms color image signals of a body to be observed; and

a processor unit comprising an image signal processing circuit, wherein the endoscope is connected to the processor unit in a freely attachable and detachable way,

the apparatus comprising;

a spectral image forming circuit that conducts matrix calculation based on a color image signal obtained by the imaging device and forms a spectral image of an arbitrarily selected wavelength range, the spectral image forming circuit being arranged on the processor unit;

a characteristics information retaining/generating portion having endoscopic characteristics identification information influencing formation of the spectral image, wherein the endoscopic characteristics identification information includes information on at least one of types of color filters of the imaging device and spectral characteristics of the color filters, the characteristics information retaining/generating portion being arranged on the endoscope;

a characteristics information obtaining portion that obtains the endoscopic characteristics identification information at the characteristics information generating portion, the characteristics information obtaining portion being arranged on the processor unit;

a storage portion that stores a plurality of matrix data for forming a spectral image corresponding to the endoscopic characteristics identification information; and

a control portion that reads corresponding matrix data from the storage portion based on the endoscopic characteristics identification information obtained at the characteristics information obtaining portion and allows the spectral image forming circuit to conduct matrix calculation according to the read matrix calculation data;

wherein the characteristics information obtaining portion obtains information on types of light sources for emitting light illumination from the endoscope end part and selects matrix data according to a type of the light source by referring to a memory unit which stores the information of the types of the light sources by the control portion and which is arranged in the processor unit.

2. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processor unit recognizes and judges a type of light source, thereby forming a spectral image by using different matrix data which corresponds to both the characteristics of the imaging device or the endoscope and the characteristics information of the light source to conduct matrix calculations on read matrix calculation data.