Patent ID: 6059722
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
An electronic endoscope which is capable of setting a light shading period, said endoscope comprising:a image processing means based on an all-pixels reading system that can obtain frame of an image by reading odd lines data and evens lines data of all pixels data formed with an image pickup device by a simultaneous exposure using a light shading period;a conventional image processing means based on a pixel mixture reading system that can read a mixture of vertical pixels from said image pickup device by a single exposure to obtain one field of an image;a light source for projecting illuminating light to an object of observation;a rotary shutter which is freely rotatable and which includes a light passing portion for passing light from a light source therethrough and a light shading portion for shading illuminating light;a motor for driving said rotary shutter;a judgement means for judging whether said endoscope has adopted either said all-pixels reading system or said pixel mixture reading system; anda controller executing a rotation mode to set said light shading period at the light shading portion of said shutter by rotating said rotary shutter when it judges that said all-pixels reading system has been selected, and executing a stop mode to supply the light emitted through the light passing portion of said shutter by stopping said rotary shutter when it judges that said pixel mixture reading system has been selected.