Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5209220?dq=5,973,252
Timestamp: 2015-11-28 08:26:05
Document Index: 185379925

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 912', 'art 898', 'art 920', 'art 920', 'art 921', 'art 922', 'art 923', 'art 924', 'art 898', 'art 899', 'art 920', 'art 921', 'art 922', 'art 204', 'art 897', 'art 923']

Patent US5209220 - Endoscope image data compressing apparatus - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsThis endoscope image data compressing apparatus comprises a plurality of image compressing apparatus not equivalent to each other for compressing input endoscope image data and outputting the compressed data and a selecting apparatus for selecting the compressed data output from at least one of the image...http://www.google.com/patents/US5209220?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5209220 - Endoscope image data compressing apparatusAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS5209220 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 07/574,401Publication dateMay 11, 1993Filing dateAug 28, 1990Priority dateOct 5, 1989Fee statusPaidPublication number07574401, 574401, US 5209220 A, US 5209220A, US-A-5209220, US5209220 A, US5209220AInventorsKeiichi Hiyama, Takao Tsuruoka, Kazunari Nakamura, Yutaka Konomura, Masahide Kanno, Shinichiro HattoriOriginal AssigneeOlympus Optical Co., Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (7), Non-Patent Citations (4), Referenced by (144), Classifications (65), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetEndoscope image data compressing apparatus
US 5209220 AAbstract
This endoscope image data compressing apparatus comprises a plurality of image compressing apparatus not equivalent to each other for compressing input endoscope image data and outputting the compressed data and a selecting apparatus for selecting the compressed data output from at least one of the image compressing apparatus. The selecting apparatus selects in response to the kind of the endoscope, characteristic of the image, picture quality of the compressed image, recording time intervals and others.
1. An endoscope image data compressing apparatus comprising:an image recording and reproducing apparatus: a plurality of image compressing means, each utilizing a different data compressing algorithm, connected in parallel in said image recording and reproducing apparatus, for outputting compressed data by compressing input endoscope image data; a selecting means for switchably selecting said compressed data output from at least one of said image compressing means; and a discriminating means for discriminating a unit kind of an endoscope operatively connected with said compressing means and communicating unit kind discrimination information to said selecting on the basis of the discriminated result of said discriminating means. 2. A compressing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selecting means selects and operates at least one of said compressing means.
3. A plurality of compressing means according to claim 1, wherein said compressing means differ in compressing rate.
4. An endoscope system, comprising:an endoscope comprising an elongate insertable part having a tip part, an emitting means for emitting an illuminating light from s said tip part, an objective optical system for forming an endoscope image provided in said tip part, and an imaging means for photoelectrically converting said endoscope image formed by said objective optical system into an electrical image signal; a signal processing means for processing said electrical image signal from said imaging means and outputting a video signal; a displaying means for inputting said video signal output from said signal processing means and displaying said endoscope image; a compressing apparatus for inputting and compressing said endoscope image which is capable of performing one of a plurality of compressing algorithms, wherein said compressing apparatus includes a plurality of compressing devices each arranged in a parallel selection arrangement and each corresponding to one of said plurality of compressing algorithms, respectively, wherein at least one of said compressing devices compresses data contained in said video signal; a selecting means for switchably selecting said compressed data output from at least one of said plurality of compressing devices; a discriminating means for discriminating a unit kind of said endoscope operatively connected with said plurality of compressing devices and communicating unit kind discrimination information to said selecting means, said selecting means selecting on the basis of the discriminated result of said discriminating means; and a recording apparatus for recording data compressed by said compressing apparatus. Description
This invention relates to an endoscope image data compressing apparatus for compressing endoscope image data.
In the medical field, generally, endoscope images are recorded so that an endoscope image in the case of an inspection with an endoscope may be later investigated in detail. In such a case, the endoscope image is photographed, and various electric recording and reproducing apparatus such as a VCR and photodisc apparatus, which provide an easy to record/reproduce image, are extensively used.
Generally, image information requires a recording capacity far larger than in the case of recording character information and therefore there are problems that, if an image is recorded so as to be able to be reproduced with a high fidelity, the number of recordable image sheets will become small and that, in the case of transmitting an image, the transmitting speed will be low.
Therefore, in the publication of Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 1700/1990 and others is suggested an image compressing and expanding apparatus wherein, at the time of recording, image data will be compressed and recorded but, at the time of reproducing, the compressed data will be expanded and will be displayed in a television monitor.
An example of an endoscope system including the above mentioned image compressing and expanding apparatus shall be explained in the following with reference to FIGS. 97 to 99.
FIG. 97 is a schematic view of a whole endoscope system comprising an electronic endoscope apparatus and image recording apparatus. An endoscope 891 inserted in a living body 892 is connected to an observing apparatus 893 to which are connected an observing monitor 894 and an image recording apparatus 896 including an image data compressing apparatus. A sucker 895 is connected to the endoscope 891.
FIG. 98 shows a flow of an image signal in the endoscope 891 and observing apparatus 893. The image signal from a CCD 901 in the tip of the endoscope 891 enters an amplifier 902, is amplified to a voltage level in a predetermined range, then enters a γ circuit 903 and has the γ corrected. In the case of an RGB frame sequential system, the signal having had the γ corrected is converted from an analog to a digital signal by an A/D converter 904, then enters a selector 905 and has R, G and B recorded in respective memories 906R, 906G and 906B. The image signals having had R, G and B recorded in the respective memories 906R, 906G and 906B are called out by the timing of a TV signal and are respectively converted from digital to analog signals by D/A converters 907R, 907G and 907B. The image signals of R, G and B, having become analog signals, are transmitted to RGB output terminals R, G and B together with a synchronizing signal (SYNC) of a synchronizing signal generating circuit 913. The resulting RGB signals are displayed in a monitor 894 to make an endoscope observation. Also, these RGB signals can be recorded by an image recording apparatus 896.
When a white color light of a lamp 910 is Passed through a rotary filter 909 rotated by a motor 911, respective red, green and blue color passing filters provided in this rotary filter 909 will be interposed in the light path and lights of respective wavelengths of red, green and blue will be radiated to a light guide 903 of said endoscope 891. Therefore, image signals imaged under respective illuminating lights of red, green and blue will be written into said R, G and B memories 906R, 906G and 906B. By the way, the motor 911, A/D converter 904, selector 905, memories 906R, 906G and 906B, D/A converters 907R, 907G and 907B and synchronizing signal generating circuit 913 are controlled by a control signal generating part 912.
FIG. 99 shows a flow of an image signal in an image recording apparatus 896. The image signals from the RGB signal output terminals R, G and B are input into an input part of the image recording apparatus 897. The RGB signals are converted from an analog to a digital signal by an A/D converter part 898 through a switching and are then led to a compressing circuit 899, whose construction is based on compression theory, such as a predictive coding. The compressed image data are recorded in such recording system part 920 on a photodisc or photomagnetic disc. In the case of reproducing the images, the image data on the recording system part 920 are restored to the original image signals in a expanding circuit part 921. The image signals are then converted from a digital to an analog signal by a D/A converter part 922 and are transmitted to an output part 923. On the other hand, a control signal generating part 924 controls the destinations of the image signals and the transferring timing at the time of transferring the image signals and is connected to the A/D converter part 898, compressing circuit part 899, recording system part 920, expanding circuit part 921 and D/A converter part 922. Also, from the control signal generating part 204, a synchronizing signal (SYNC) is transmitted to the input part 897 and output part 923.
Now, an imaging device such as an imaging means of an electronic endoscope or the like comprises of various numbers of pixels and, therefore, the spatial frequency of the obtained image may be different depending on the kind of electronic endoscope or the like. Also, the size and shape of the endoscope image on a television monitor may be different depending on the kind of the unit of the electronic endoscope or the like.
One problem with a conventional image compressing apparatus is that the data obtained from an endoscope having, for example, a large number of pixels will be compressed in excess but, on the contrary, the data obtained from an endoscope having a small number of pixels have too low a compressing race to make an efficient compression.
In the picture on the monitor, there is always an unessential portion of the image corresponding to an endoscope image. If a compression is made by excluding such part not essential, a high compression will be possible but, as the size and shape of the endoscope image on the television monitor differ depending on the kind of electronic endoscope, various endoscope images can not be effectively treated with one compressing mode.
Also, the endoscope image varies in relation with the observing position and method. However, in the conventional image compressing apparatus, the compression is in only one mode and therefore an optimum compression will not be always made and the picture quality will likely deteriorate depending on the image.
Now, various compressing means exist today. Among them, there are adapted a predictive coding means whereby, in the compression of an endoscope image having no movement at all or a movement small enough, if any, on the picture, the image is digitized, the value of pixels to be coded is predicted from the nearby pixels and the predictive error is quantized using and a discrete cosine converting means. For example, in the compression of an endoscope image by said predictive coding means, the predictive error determined by the predictive coding of respective RGB is quantized as it is in an ordinary density gradation, for example, a density gradation of 5 bits. Now, in analyzing an endoscope image, it is found that there are bright parts, such as an adjacent body wall, and dark parts, such as a comparatively far body wall in or around a hole. In this endoscope image, the part to be recorded in detail for later observation and investigation is a bright part. In the dark parts, the noise level is high such that the anticipation error become large or the minute part can not be definitely observed and therefore, even if the compressing rate is elevated, there will be no trouble. If such endoscope image is uniformly compressed, in case the compressing rate is high, the picture quality of the bright part will deteriorate and, in case the compressing rate is low, the data amount of the dark part will also become large and the efficiency will be low.
Now, in an ordinary endoscope image, the image color is so reddish and the correlation between the adjacent pixels is so high that, when an ordinary compressing method is used, a high compression will be able to be made. However, an observing method wherein a part to be inspected is painted with such dyeing agent as methylene blue so that the affected part may be definitely observed has recently come to be used for the observation with an endoscope. When this observing method is used, in the observed image, a bluish color and reddish color will be present as mixed and the correlativity between the adjacent pixels will be low. Therefore, there are problems that, if such image is compressed the same as in the ordinary observed image, the picture quality will deteriorate the compressing rate will reduce.
Also, there has recently come to be used an observing method wherein such fluorescent agent as fluorescein is injected into a part to be inspected to observe a fluorescence emitted by this fluorescent agent. If this observing method is carried out in a frame sequential system in which an illuminating light is sequentially switched to R, G and B, a fluorescence will be emitted from the fluorescent agent at the time of the illumination of B and therefore the observed image will be an image in which a blue color will be present as mixed in an image based on a reddish color and which will be different from an ordinary observed image. Therefore, there are the same problems as at the time of observing the above described dyed image.
Now, there are compressing methods, for example, wherein an intra-image correlation with an adjacent pixel within the same field or frame is utilized and wherein an inter-image correlation with an image of a past field or frame is utilized. In case the correlation between the present image and former image is large as in the case of recording a moving image, if the inter-image correlation is utilized, the image will be able to be efficiently compressed. On the other hand, in case the correlation between the present image and former image is small as in the case of recording an image in some time after the former image is recorded, if said inter-image correlation is utilized, no image will be able to be efficiently compressed.
On the other hand, in case the correlation with the former recorded image is small, it will be effective to use the intra-image correlation but, in case the correlation with the former recorded image is large, the image will not be able to be compressed more efficiently than in the case of utilizing the inter-image correlation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope image data compressing apparatus wherein the deterioration of the picture quality is little and a high compression is possible.
Another further object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope image data compressing apparatus which can efficiently compress endoscope image data.
Another further object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope image data compressing apparatus which can efficiently compress not only ordinary endoscope image data but also endoscope image data in such special observation as in dyeing.
Another further object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope image data compressing apparatus which can efficiently compress endoscope image data even in an environment which varies the correlation between endoscope images.
The endoscope image data compressing apparatus of the present invention comprises a plurality of image compressing means not equivalent to each other for compressing input endoscope image data and outputting the compressed data and a selecting means for selecting the compressed data output from at least one of said image compressing means. Said selecting means selects the compressed data in response to the kind of the endoscope, characteristics of the image, picture quality of the compressed image and recording time intervals. When said endoscope image data are dyed image data, said endoscope image data will be, for example, devalued for the compression and the difference between the devalued data and original data will be determined.
FIGS. 19 to 28 relate to the 11th embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 29 is a block diagram showing the formation of an image analyzing part in the 12th embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 30 to 33 relate to the 13th embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 32 is an explanatory view for explaining a predictive error calculating method.
FIGS. 34 to 37 relate to the 14th embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 38 to 42 relate to the 15th embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 43 to 45 relate to the 16th embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 44 is an explanatory view showing an (R-Y)(B-Y) plane.
FIGS. 46 to 49 relate to the 17th embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 47 is an explanatory view showing an (R-y)(B-y) plane.
FIG. 48 is an explanatory view showing divided images.
FIGS. 50 to 53 relate to the 18th embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 54 to 56 relate to the 19th embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 57 is a block diagram showing a compressing apparatus in the 20th embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 58 is a block diagram showing a compressing apparatus in the 21st embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 59 is a block diagram showing a compressing apparatus in the 22nd embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 60 to 64 relate to the 23rd embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 65 to 71 relate to the 24th embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 67 is a block diagram showing the formation of