×

Image capture and video processing systems and methods for multiple viewing element endoscopes

  • US 9,706,908 B2
  • Filed: 01/22/2015
  • Issued: 07/18/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A daisy chain multiple sensor system comprising a plurality of daisy chained image sensors, wherein at least one of said daisy chained image sensors comprises:

  • a sensor array to capture images and generate video packets from said captured images;

    a compression unit to compress said video packets and generate compressed video packets;

    a self-packet buffer configured to store said compressed video packets;

    a de-serializer unit configured to receive serialized video packets from a previous-in-chain image sensor and convert said serialized video packets to parallel video packets;

    a chained packet buffer configured to store said parallel video packets corresponding to the previous-in-chain image sensor;

    an arbitration unit configured to interleave the video packets stored in the self-packet buffer and the chained packet buffer;

    a serial unit to serially output the interleaved video packets, wherein the serial unit is configured to transfer serial data at bitrates that depend on a position of the at least one of said daisy chained image sensors in the daisy chained multiple sensor system, and wherein a serial unit data transfer rate of the at least one of said daisy chained image sensors is n+1 times a serial unit data transfer rate of said previous-in-chain image sensor, where n is a number of preceding image sensors in said daisy chained multiple sensor system; and

    ,a central control circuit configured to manage said compression unit, self-packet buffer, de-serializer unit, chained packet buffer, arbitration unit and serial unit.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×