Image pickup apparatus enlarging a dynamic range of an image pickup signal
US6441845B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 22, 1999 |
| Grant date | Aug 27, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 22, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N23/555
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An endoscopic image pickup apparatus includes a camera head incorporating image pickup apparatus, a scope to which the camera head is connected detachably, and a light source apparatus supplying illumination light to the scope. A camera control unit (CCU) is provided as a processor body performing signal processing for the image pickup means provided in the camera head. A monitor displays a standard picture signal processed by the CCU. A detection circuit in the CCU detects the luminance of an image from an RGB digital signal outputted by a color separation circuit, and a detection output of the detection circuit is outputted to a CPU. The CPU judges whether the luminance of an image is equal to or more than a predetermined value, and controls a peripheral interface (I/F) on the basis of the luminance value of the image. The peripheral I/F outputs set signals and a control signal to an exposure control circuit and a CCD driver.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.