Patent ID: 6419626
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
An endoscope for providing visualization of organ or tissue structures or foreign object, in a body, comprising:an elongate member having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end for being disposed externally and a distal end for being disposed in the body, said elongate member being adapted to be inserted through a portal into the body; a substantially planar complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip including an image sensor including a plurality of pixels and a pixel signal processing circuit generating a color image ready signal, converting image light energy into electrical color image ready signal energy, for transmission out of the body, said color image ready signal adapted to be viewed on a color image display; a repositionable mount carrying said image display and comprising a flexible stalk supporting an image display panel; said chip further including a physical parameter sensor; said CMOS image sensor being carried on said elongate member, adjacent said elongate member distal end; an objective lens carried on said elongate member distal end on an optical axis and focusing an image corresponding to an endoscope field of view at an image plane intersecting said optical axis; said CMOS image sensor being mounted with said CMOS image sensor pixels disposed substantially in said image plane and on said optical axis.