Electronic endoscope
US6414710B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 21, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jul 2, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 21, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B1/05
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In an electronic endoscope, a flexible scope has an image sensor provided at a distal end thereof, and an optical light guide extending therethrough. The scope is detachably connectable, at a proximal end thereof, to a processing unit, which processes image-pixel signals successively read from the image sensor. A light source is provided in the processing unit such that light, emitted from the light source, is guided through the guide and radiates from the distal end of the scope. An aperture-stop is associated with the source that regulates the radiation of light from the distal end of the scope. A histogram generator generates a luminance-signal-histogram based on the processed signals. An average luminance level-value is approximately calculated based on luminance signals exhibiting thinned luminance levels extracted from the histogram. The aperture-stop is controlled in accordance with the approximate average luminance level-value, such that an image having a constant brightness level is reproduced based on the processed signals.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.