Patent ID: 6471637
Filing Date: 2002-10-29
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A video camera system for modifying an image received by an endoscope, comprising:a) an image sensor attached to said video camera system, and having a sensor optical axis and a vertical reference, said sensor providing image signals representative of said image; b) an optical image rotator rotatably attached to said endoscope between said received image and said image sensor; c) at least one inertial sensor for providing a rotation signal representative of angular orientations of said image sensor; d) a processor to receive said rotation signal and provide a compensating rotator driver signal derived from said rotation signal and to receive and store a user supplied rotational offset signal to alter said vertical reference of said image sensor; and e) an optical image rotator driver being effectively responsive to said compensating rotator driver signal to rotate said optical image rotator to obtain a desired orientation of a display of the image signals.