Video imaging system and method using a single full frame sensor and sequential color object illumination

• US 5,408,268 A
• Filed: 11/22/1993
• Issued: 04/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Surgicon, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apollo Camera, LLC
• Inventors: Shipp, John I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US08/156,064
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 348/222, 348/234, 348/266, 348/268, 348/269, 348/317, 348/303, 348/320, 348/322
• US Class Current: 348/269
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/211 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/218 using spatial multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/84 for processing colour signals

Abstract

A sequential video imaging system uses a video sensor having full frame whereby image data is moved from sensor image elements to a video amplifier. The object being viewed is sequentially illuminated with colored light sources to produce RGB or luminance and chrominance video signals. A digital signal processor includes data buffering and summing circuits.

Claims

1. A sequential color video imaging system for viewing an object, said system comprising:

a. a full frame video sensor having an image array of horizontal and vertical photosensitive elements and shift register means to move video data from said sensor for processing, said horizontal and vertical photosensitive elements responsive to levels of light reflected from the object;

b. object illumination means to illuminate the object, said object illumination means including separately operable first, second, and third primary color light sources;

c. timing and driver means operably connected to said object illumination means to activate said first, second, and third primary color light sources in a pre-determined repeating sequence of illumination periods and to de-activate said light sources during video data readout periods;

d. sensor driver means operably connected to said sensor to shift from said sensor shift register means the video data responsive to the level of light reflected from the object during each of said illumination periods; and

e. processor means operably connected to said sensor, to read and transform said video data shifted from said sensor into a corresponding sequence of video signals representing the object viewed by said imaging system.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising video amplifier means to amplify the video data from said sensor before processing in said processor means.

3. The system of either of claims 1 or 2 further comprising means for wireless transmission of said video data to a remote location.

4. An improved method of processing video data in a sequential color video camera comprising the steps of:

a. illuminating an object to be viewed with repeating sequences of red and green, red, red and green, and blue light during corresponding luminance signal, first chrominance signal, luminance signal, and second chrominance signal illumination periods;

b. sensing and integrating in a sensor having a video data image array a level of light reflected by the object during each of said luminance signal and said first and second chrominance signal illumination periods, said sensor having full frame architecture;

c. shifting at the end of each of said luminance and first and second chrominance signal illumination periods, the video data from said video data image array into a video data storage array;

d. reading the video data stored in said video data storage array into a video amplifier;

e. processing the video data outputted from said video amplifier corresponding to said luminance signal illumination periods to produce a luminance video signal; and

f. processing the video data outputted from said video amplifier corresponding to said first and second chrominance signal illumination periods to produce first and second chrominance video signals.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of switching in a predetermined sequential manner said video data among Y memory and first and second chrominance memory units.