Patent · US Expired

Electronic-endoscope light source unit for setting shading period

US6413211B1 · kind B1 · utility

3Cited by
3References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 5, 2001
Grant dateJul 2, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 5, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N23/555
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention is a unit for eliminating the fluctuation of luminous energy reduction by keeping the response time of a shading mechanism constant even if a diaphragm opening degree differs when reading every pixel by setting a shading period. This unit is provided with a shading mask having a quadrangular or V-shaped opening and moves a shading shutter in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertically moving direction of a diaphragm plate. Therefore, a shading period is set in accordance with the constant response time of the shading shutter and the rate of luminous energy reduction becomes constant. Moreover, a high-quality static image having a stable brightness can be obtained by reading the signal of every pixel obtained by a CCD through one-time exposure while using the shading period and then pixel-mixing signals. Furthermore, it is possible to use the Archimedean spiral for the outer periphery of the diaphragm plate or the shading shutter.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.