ELECTRONIC ENDOSCOPE SYSTEM

• US 20070046798A1
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hoya Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: FUKUYAMA, Mitsufumi, MATSUI, Go
• Granted Patent: US 7,728,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/296
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00057 provided with means for testing or calibration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/043 for fluorescence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2476 Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports
• 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 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/165 to maintain the black level constant

Abstract

An electronic endoscope system comprises a video-scope, an imaging device, and a black balance processor. The imaging device, which is provided on the video-scope, is exposed at a normal shutter speed so as to generate an image signal corresponding to an optical image that is formed thereon. The black balance processor generates a black balance value for adjusting the black balance of the image signal, based on a black image signal corresponding to a black image. The black image signal is generated by exposing the imaging device at a high shutter speed that is faster than the normal shutter speed.

Claims

1. An electronic endoscope system, comprising:

a video-scope;

an imaging device that is provided on said video-scope, and that is exposed at a normal shutter speed so as to generate an image signal corresponding to an optical image that is formed thereon; and

a black balance processor that generates a black balance value for adjusting the black balance of said image signal based on a black image signal corresponding to a black image, said black image signal being generated by exposing said imaging device at a high shutter speed that is faster than said normal shutter speed.

2. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an illumination apparatus that illuminates a light from said video-scope onto an object,

wherein said imaging device is exposed at said normal shutter speed so as to generate said image signal while said light is illuminated, and said optical image is formed from said light reflected off the object, and

said image signal device is exposed at said high shutter speed so as to generate said black image signal while said light is not illuminated.

3. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said black balance processor generates said black balance value based on said black image signal corresponding to a partial area of said black image.

4. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 3, wherein said black balance processor generates said black balance value based on said partial area having the lowest luminance value in a plurality of partial areas in said black image.

5. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said black image is based on one field or one frame of said black image signal.

6. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said black image is based on one frame of said black image signals which is an average of no fewer than two frames of said black image signal.

7. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said high speed shutter speed is not more than 1/1000 second.

8. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, further comprising a black adjustment processor that adjusts the black balance of said image signal based on said black balance value.