Patent ID: 8310529

Claim:
An endoscopic image display apparatus comprising: a video processing device adapted for receiving image signals from an endoscope device having an imaging device for generating image signals of an object during an endoscopic examination, a first converting means for converting said image signals provided by a standard definition endoscope device into first resolution video image signals and converting said image signals provided by a high definition endoscope device into second higher resolution video image signals, depending on whether the standard definition endoscope device or the high definition endoscope device is attached; a second converting means for converting said second higher resolution video image signals converted and outputted by said first converting means into said first resolution video image signals; a processing node capable of receiving one of: said first resolution video image signals from said first converting means, or said first resolution video image signals from said second converting means, said processing node including image capture means adapted for capturing still images of said first resolution video image signals from said first converting means or said second converting means and, further routing back to said video processing device said first resolution video image signals from said processing node; and a switch means provided in said video processing device and configured for receiving said first resolution video image signals from said processing node and for routing said first resolution video image signals from said processing node to a first display device or, alternately, receiving one of said first resolution video image signals from said first converting means or said second higher resolution video image signals from said first converting means for routing respective said first resolution video image signals or second higher resolution video image signals to said first display device, said first display device coupled with said video processing device for real time viewing of said first resolution video image signals or second higher resolution video image signals from said first converting means or, said first resolution video image signals from said processing node, and said switch means switching source of endoscopic image signal such that said first resolution video image signals routed back from said second converting means are supplied to said first display device when the standard definition endoscope is attached, and said second higher resolution video image signals converted by said first converting means are supplied to said first display device when the high definition endoscope device is attached.