Signal processing device for endoscope
US7889228B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 2, 2006 |
| Grant date | Feb 15, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 16, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10F39/15
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An endoscope includes a solid image-pickup device having an image area and an optical black area for performing photoelectric conversion and including a function of varying an amplification ratio, and a first signal clamp circuit clamps the analog output signal that is outputted from the solid image-pickup device to adjust into an input range of the analog signal processing circuit with an analog reference signal which is unaffected by a defective pixel in the optical black area. The clamped signal is processed to extract signal components which are photoelectrically converted by the analog signal processing circuit by the image area. The output signal from the analog signal processing circuit clamps the signal in the optical black area by using output signals of at least the number of pixels larger than the number of pixels in a horizontal direction in the optical black area by the second signal clamp circuit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.