Endoscope device with lens moving unit for changing observation depth based on captured images
US10070776B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 25, 2016 |
| Grant date | Sep 11, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 25, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N23/555
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
This endoscope device can simplify the determination of the moving direction of a focusing lens, and can improve the accuracy of auto focusing. The endoscope has the following elements: an optical system having a focusing lens; a lens moving unit which moves the focusing lens along an optical axis thereof; an image capturing unit which obtains an optical image of an object from the optical system as a plurality of images each of which has a different focal position from each other; a moving direction determining section which determines whether to change the observation depth on the basis of the plurality of images, and determines a moving direction toward which the focusing lens is to be moved on the bases of the images; and a drive control unit which controls the lens moving unit to move the focusing lens toward a determined moving direction.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.