Patent ID: 6545703
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An electronic endoscope comprising:a flexible scope having an image sensor provided at a distal end of said scope; a video-signal processing unit, to which a proximal end of said flexible scope is connected, that processes image-pixel signals successively read from said image sensor; a light source provided in said video-signal processing unit such that light, emitted from said light source, is guided through said flexible scope and radiates from the distal end of said flexible scope; a light-emission regulator associated with said light source that regulates the radiation of light from the distal end of said flexible scope; a histogram generator that successively generates a luminance-signal-histogram in accordance with said processed image-pixel signals; a first controller that controls said light-emission regulator in accordance with said luminance-signal-histogram, such that an image having a constant luminance level is reproduced in accordance with said processed image-pixel signals; a determiner that determines whether a localized halation occurs on said reproduced image on the basis of said luminance-signal-histogram; and a second controller that controls said light-emission regulator to forcibly decrease the radiation of light from the distal end of said flexible scope, thereby avoiding said localized halation occurrence.