Source: https://patents.justia.com/patent/5697885
Timestamp: 2019-12-14 21:42:29
Document Index: 225974753

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 9', 'art 9', 'art 6', 'art 3', 'art 38', 'art 49', 'art 49', 'art.\n4712133']

US Patent for Endoscope for recording and displaying time-serial images Patent (Patent # 5,697,885 issued December 16, 1997) - Justia Patents Search
Justia Patents With Camera Or Solid State ImagerUS Patent for Endoscope for recording and displaying time-serial images Patent (Patent # 5,697,885)
Feb 2, 1995 - Olympus
In FIG. 1, a solid state imaging device 18 (which shall be abbreviated as a CCD hereinafter) is provided in the tip part 9 and converts to an electric signal an optical image of a living body obtained through an objective lens system 19. The output signal from the CCD 18 is input into an amplifier 21 to be amplified to an electric signal in a predetermined range (for example, 0 to 1 volt). The amplifier 21 is connected to a switching switch 24 through a .gamma.-correcting circuit 22 and A/D converter 23. Three outputs of the switching switch 24 are led respectively to an R memory 26, G memory 27 and B memory 28 to memorize color signals from the switching switch 24. The respective RGB memories 26, 27 and 28 are connected to D/A converters 33, 34 and 35 which analogize the respective RGB color signals and output them to the monitor 4.
In FIG. 4, the video signal input into the feature amount extracting circuit 37 is memorized in a main memory 50 which is connected to a matrix counter 53 controlled by a reading-out address counter 52 which is a counter for reading out noted pixels on this main memory 50. This matrix counter 53 generates an address of a matrix of 9.times.9 with a noted pixel 56 as a center as shown in FIG. 3 in order to operate the noted pixels. The matrix counter 53 is connected with a coefficient ROM 54 memorizing the respective coefficients of the matrix in FIG. 3. This coefficient ROM 54 is connected to an accumulating multiplier 57 accumulating and multiplying respectively the pixel data in the range of 9.times.9 with the noted pixel 56 as a center read out of the above mentioned main memory 50 and the coefficients of the above mentioned coefficient ROM 54. The accumulating multiplier 57 is connected to an abnormal value correcting circuit 58 which will correct the value of this accumulating multiplier 57 in case the operation result is out of a predetermined dynamic range.
The CCD 18 provided in the tip part 9 of the insertable part 6 inserted into a body cavity electrically converts an object image and outputs it as an image signal which is converted by the amplifier 21 to be of a voltage in a predetermined range, for example, of 0 to 1 volt in this embodiment. This image signal is input into the .gamma.-correcting circuit 22, is converted to an image signal having a predetermined .gamma. characteristic and is then digitalized by a quantumizing level (for example, 8 bits) in the A/D converter 13. Then, by a control signal from the control signal generating part 3 through the switching switch 24, the optical image entering the CCD 18 will be memorized in the R memory 26 in the case of the red (R) illumination, in the G memory 27 in the case of the green (G) illumination and in the B memory 28 in the case of the blue (B) illumination. The inputs and outputs of the respective memories 26, 27 and 28 are independent and can be made respectively by their own timings. The R, G and B color signals output from the respective memories 26, 27 and 28 are transferred respectively to the D/A converters 33, 34 and 35 through the adders 29, 30 and 31. The image signals from the D/A converters 33, 34 and 35 are output to the monitor 4 as RGB image signal outputs together with the synchronizing signal SYNC made in the synchronizing signal generating circuit 39 under the control by the control signal generating part 38 to display the object image on the monitor 4 picture. The signals on the respective memories 26, 27 and 28 of RGB are recorded in the image recording part 49 under the control by the synchronizing signal generating circuit 39 at predetermined intervals (for example, at 30 frames per second) with the lapse of time. The image recording part 49 is a large capacity recording medium such as, for example, a photodisc or magnetic disc.
This operation shall be explained. The matrix counter 53 sequentially designates the addresses of the pixels in the square of 9.times.9 pixels with the noted pixel 56 as a center of the image data memorized in the main memory 50. The pixel data designated by the matrix counter 53 are read out of the main memory 50 and are input into the accumulating multiplier 57. The addresses designated by the matrix counter 53 simultaneously with them are input into the coefficient ROM 504 in which the respective coefficients shown in FIG. 3 are stored so that the coefficients corresponding to the input addresses may be read out and input into the accumulating multiplier 57. This accumulating multiplier 57 sequentially multiplies the pixel data of 9.times.9 with the noted pixel 56 as a center read out of the main memory by the coefficients corresponding to the pixel data read out of the coefficient ROM 54, accumulates and adds them and outputs the values to the abnormal value correcting circuit 58 which detects the values operated by the accumulating multiplier to see whether they are within the dynamic range in the case of displaying and will correct the values in case they are abnormal values outside the dynamic range so as to be values within the dynamic range.
The light returning from the observed part by this illuminating light is made to form an image on the solid state imaging device 116 by the objective lens system 115 and is photoelectrically converted. A driving pulse from a driver circuit 133 within the above mentioned video processor 3 is applied to this solid state imaging device 116 so that reading-out and transfer may be made by this driving pulse. The video signal read out of this solid state imaging device 116 is input into a pre-amplifier 132 provided within the above mentioned video processor 3 or electronic endoscope 2. The video signal amplified by this pre-amplifier 132 is input into a processing circuit 133, is subjected to such signal processing as the .gamma. correction and white balancing and is converted to a digital signal by an A/D converter 34. This digital video signal is selectively memorized in three memories, memory (1) 136a, memory (2) 136b and memory (3) 136c corresponding to the respective colors, for example, of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) by a selecting circuit 135. The signals in the above mentioned memory (1) 136a, memory (2) 136b and memory (3) 136c are simultaneously read out, are converted to analogue signals by a D/A converter 137 and are input as R, G and B signals into the color monitor 4 through an input and output interface 138 so that the observed part may be color-displayed by this color monitor 4.
The respective values of the RGB at the observing point P in the first image shall be represented by (r.sub.1, g.sub.1 and b.sub.1) and the respective values of the RGB at the observing point P in the second image shall be represented by (r.sub.2, g.sub.2 and b.sub.2). As the variation by the fluorescent agent will not substantially appear, by using the value, for example, of G, the light amount (luminance) is corrected as follows:
r.sub.2 '=kr.sub.2 (2)
g.sub.2 '=kg.sub.2 (3)
b.sub.2 '=kb.sub.2 (4)
k=g.sub.1 /g.sub.2.
The values (r.sub.2 ', g.sub.2 ' and b.sub.2 ') may be made data of the observing point at the time of obtaining the second image.
fn=log.sub.10 (Pn)-log.sub.10 (Po) (5)
Then, in S1-2, by the control of the image processing apparatus 204, the image has time information s+ik (wherein 0.ltoreq.k .ltoreq.n) added n times at the intervals of one second from the standard time s and is taken into the image file.
Then, in S3-5, the light amount is corrected for the value of Rs+ik (x, y) and the result is returned to Rs+ik (x, y). In the above mentioned light amount correction, the respective values of the RGB of Rs (x, y) are made (r.sub.1, g, and b.sub.1), the respective values of the RGB of Rs+ik (x, y) are made (r.sub.2, g.sub.2 and b.sub.2) and the values (r.sub.2 ', g.sub.2 ' and b.sub.2 ') after the correction are determined on the basis of the above mentioned formulae (2), (3) and (4).
Jx.times.n+Ts
1. An image filing system for recording a video signal to be retrievable comprising:
a time-serial image filing means for recording a video signal as it is as a time-serial image based on record start and stop signals;
a still image producing means for temporarily storing a video signal and obtaining a still image;
a still image filing means for recording a still image output from said still image producing means based on a release signal; and
an image data recording means, operably coupled to said time-serial image filing means and to said still image filing means, for recording data on images in which a still image and a time-serial image recorded in said still image filing means and a time-serial image filing means, respectively, in common are made to correspond to each other, wherein said image data recording means records data corresponding to recording characteristics of said still image and said time-serial image which relate to each other.
2. An image filing system according to claim 1, wherein said data on images in which a still image and a time-serial image recorded by said still image filing means and said time-serial image filing means, respectively, are made to correspond to each other indicate a release time of a recorded still image.
5. An image filing system for recording a video signal to be retrievable comprising:
a time-serial image filing means for recording a video signal as it is as a time-serial image;
an image memory for temporarily storing a video signal and obtaining a still image;
a still image filing means for recording a still image output from said image memory;
a data input means for obtaining record start and record stop signals and supplying these signals to said time-serial image filing means and at that time, for setting the beginning and end of said time-serial image recorded by said time-serial image filing means, said data input means for obtaining a release signal and supplying said release signal to said still image filing means and setting a still image to be recorded by said still image filing means; and
an image data recording means, operably coupled to said time-serial image filing means and to said still image filing means, for recording data on images in which a still image and a time-serial image recorded in said still image filing means and said time-serial image filing means, respectively, in common are made to correspond to each other, wherein said image data recording means records data corresponding to recording characteristics of said still image and said time-serial image which relate to each other.
6. An image filing method, comprising the steps of: recording video signals as a time-serial image in a time-serial image filing apparatus and recorded as a still image in a still image filing apparatus recording data on images in which a still image and a time-serial image recorded in said still image filing apparatus and said time-serial image filing apparatus, respectively, in common are made to correspond to each other; and retrieving said video signal, wherein the step of recording said video signals comprises the step of recording data corresponding to recording characteristics of said still image and said time-serial image which relate to each other.
7. An image filing system for recording a video signal to be retrievable comprising:
an image input apparatus having an image processing pan for convening an electric signal supplied from an imaging apparatus, which imaged an object, and photoelectrically converted into a video signal and for superimposing data related to said object on said video signal, a data input pan for inputting and producing a control signal for recording said data related to said object and an image of said object, an image memory selectively causing one of: (a) said video signal obtained by said image processing pan to be passed through without change based on the control signal by said data input part and (b) storing and outputting the video signal as a still image, and an interface for inputting and outputting said data related to said object and said control signal;
a time-serial image filing apparatus for recording a time-serial image by said image input apparatus;
a still image filing apparatus for recording a still image by said image input apparatus; and
an image file controller, operably coupled to said time-serial image filing apparatus and to said still image filing apparatus, including a first port, CPU, a memory part for temporarily storing data related to record of an image recorded in said CPU, said still image filing apparatus and said time-serial image filing apparatus during an examination, a record apparatus controlling pan for controlling a record apparatus, a second port for inputting and outputting a control signal related to a time-serial image filing apparatus, including record start and record stop signals, and a third port for inputting and outputting a control signal related to a still image filing apparatus, including a release signal, said first port for inputting and outputting data and a control signal to and from said interface of said image input apparatus and inputting and outputting data and a control signal among said CPU, said memory part, said record apparatus controlling part, said second port, and said third port, when the control signal input to said first port is one of record start and record stop signals, said CPU having a function of sending the control signal to said time-serial image filing apparatus through said second port and recording a time-serial image based on the record start and stop signals, when the control signal input to said first port is a release signal, said CPU having a function of sending the release signal to said still image filing apparatus through said third port and recording a still image based on the release signal, and further storing data on images temporarily recorded in said memory part which are made to correspond to said still image and time-serial image that are recorded in a recording apparatus through said record apparatus controlling part, wherein said image file controller controls data corresponding to recording characteristics of said still image and said time-serial image which relate to each other.
8. An image filing system according to claim 7, wherein said image file controller has a video signal distributing part for receiving a video signal from an image memory of said image input apparatus and for supplying said video signal, as a time-serial image signal, to said time-serial image filing apparatus and for further supplying said video signal, as a still image signal, to said still image filing apparatus through said memory part.
4712133 December 8, 1987 Kikuchi
4819059 April 4, 1989 Pape
Inventors: Yutaka Konomura (Tachikawa), Takao Tsuruoka (Hachioji), Kazunari Nakamura (Hachioji), Tetsuo Nonami (Tama), Keiichi Hiyama (Akishima), Akihiko Yajima (Kunitachi)
Application Number: 8/382,579
Current U.S. Class: With Camera Or Solid State Imager (600/109); 348/220; With Endoscope (348/65)
International Classification: A61G 104;