Patent ID: 6097423
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
In an endoscope having a frame, an optical forwarding system, and a camera, said optical system having a central optical axis and forming relative to said frame an image with an upright axis and a lateral axis, said camera having a sensitive area centered on said central optical axis, and having relative to itself an upright axis and a lateral axis, the improvement comprising:an accelerometer responsive to the force of gravity;means mounting said accelerometer and camera to said frame for simultaneous rotation around said optical axis;bi-directional motor means adapted to rotate said camera and said accelerometer around said central optical axis; andservo control means responsive to a signal from said accelerometer to cause said motor to rotate said camera and accelerometer to seek to position said camera so its upright axis will be in a vertical plane that includes said central optical axis;whereby, when an image derived from said camera is displayed on a video display, the lateral axis of the image will coincide with the horizontally disposed lateral axis of the video display.