Signal processor circuit for endoscope systems of all-pixels readout type
US5929900A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 15, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 27, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 15, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N23/555
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A signal processor circuit which stabilizes a clamp processing of black levels even in an endoscope system of an all-pixels readout type and prevents image qualities from being degraded at a stage to shift from a still image to a moving image in particular. In this signal processor circuit, video signals of all picture elements obtained with a single exposure are read out of a CCD, odd line data is stored into a first memory, even line data is stored into a second memory, and mixed picture element signals are generated by a mixer circuit, whereafter a predetermined image processing is performed by a first DVP. A clamp circuit and an A/D converter are disposed at stages preceding the first and second memories, a through video signal output from the A/D converter is input into the first DVP by way of a selector circuit on the basis of an optical black pulse and a black level clamp signal generated on the basis of the through video signal is fed back to the clamp circuit. Accordingly, the signal processor circuit can perform a favorable clamp processing without using past data stored in the memories.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.