JP2012024450A - Image storage system for electronic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a bright endoscope image with less noise by reducing a diameter of a light guide, while allowing an insertion part to have a smaller diameter, and also to store image data before super-resolution processing.SOLUTION: An image sensor 15 with a small pixel number and a large-sized photodiode for reducing the diameter of the light guide 19 is adopted. The image data before the super-resolution processing is stored in an image data memory 24, and the processing is performed to raise resolution in a super-resolution processor 23. The image data is output to an image selector 25 from the super-resolution processor 23 and the image memory 24. The image data from the image memory 24 is output later than the image data from the super-resolution processor 23 by one frame. When a stationary image storage switch 30 is operated, the image data input from the super-resolution processor 23 is stored in an external memory 29 via the image selector 25, and the input of the next frame is switched through the image memory 24, so as to store the image data before the super-resolution processing of the same frame in the external memory 29.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for reducing the diameter of an electronic endoscope insertion portion, and more particularly to an image storage system used for a reduced diameter electronic endoscope.

  In an electronic endoscope, a video signal from an image sensor provided at the distal end of an insertion portion is sent to a processor device through a long insertion portion and a universal cord, and after performing predetermined video signal processing, indicate. In addition, illumination light is transmitted to the distal end of the insertion portion through, for example, a light source disposed in the processor device through a universal cord and a light guide disposed through the insertion portion.

  Although the insertion portion is configured as a long flexible tube, the diameter of the insertion portion is always required to be reduced in order to reduce the burden on the patient and to enable application to a narrower part. In order to reduce the diameter of the insertion portion, it is effective to reduce the diameter of the light guide. However, since the amount of transmitted light is reduced, it is difficult to ensure sufficient brightness. If a large image sensor is used, the light receiving sensitivity can be increased, but this is contrary to the purpose of reducing the diameter and cannot be used. Although it is conceivable to increase the output gain of the image sensor, in this case, noise is increased and the visibility of the endoscopic image is deteriorated.

  In order to increase the amount of light without increasing the diameter of the insertion portion, a plurality of illumination tubes (light sources) are arranged along the flexible tube hand direction at the distal end portion of the insertion portion, and the light connected to each illumination tube A configuration has also been proposed in which guides are bundled at the tip and irradiated with light from these illumination tubes (see Patent Document 1).

JP-A-6-034890

  However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, the tip portion is enlarged, the structure is complicated, and the flexibility is deteriorated. Moreover, the temperature rise of a front-end | tip part is caused by arrange | positioning a light source at a front-end | tip part.

  An object of the present invention is to obtain a bright endoscopic image with less noise while reducing the diameter of the insertion portion by reducing the diameter of the light guide, and also enabling saving of image data before super-resolution processing. Yes.

  An image storage system for an electronic endoscope according to the present invention includes an image memory that can store image data before super-resolution processing for one frame, and super-resolution that performs super-resolution processing on image data before super-resolution processing. An image processing unit, an image data storage unit for selectively inputting one of the image data output from the image memory or the super-resolution processing unit, and storing the input image data in a nonvolatile memory, and an image storage unit Switching request means for requesting switching of the input, and the image data output from the image memory is data one frame before the image data output from the super-resolution processing unit, and the switching request When this occurs, the image data input from the super-resolution processing unit is stored in the nonvolatile memory, and at the next frame, the input is switched to the image data input from the image memory for one frame. It is characterized in that you want to save to.

  In an electronic endoscope apparatus including a scope main body in which a light guide is disposed and a processor device to which the scope main body is connected, a super-resolution processing unit and an image memory are provided in the processor device. At this time, the scope body includes, for example, a recording unit that records identification information, and the super-resolution processing unit performs super-resolution processing based on the identification information on the image data before the super-resolution processing. Further, the super-resolution processing unit and the image memory may be provided in the scope body.

  An electronic endoscope system according to the present invention includes the above-described electronic endoscope image storage system.

  According to the present invention, by reducing the diameter of the light guide, it is possible to obtain a bright endoscopic image with little noise while reducing the diameter of the insertion portion, and also to save image data before super-resolution processing. it can.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the electronic endoscope system of 1st Embodiment. 3 is a timing chart of still image storage operation processing in the first embodiment. It is an image example when the information which specifies the kind of image is superimposed on a mask area | region. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the electronic endoscope system of 2nd Embodiment. It is a timing chart of still picture preservation operation processing in a 2nd embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the electronic endoscope system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  The electronic endoscope system mainly displays a scope main body 10, a processor device 11 that is detachably connected to the scope main body 10, and performs various types of image processing, and an image captured by the scope main body 10 connected to the processor device. It consists of a monitor device 12 and the like.

  The scope body 10 includes a flexible long tubular insertion portion to be inserted into the body or a tube hole, an operation portion to which the insertion portion is connected and held and operated by a user, an operation portion, and a processor device 11. Consists of connecting universal cords. An imaging lens 14 and an image sensor 15 are provided at the distal end portion 13 of the insertion portion, and the image sensor 15 is driven by, for example, a driver / signal processing portion 16 provided in the operation portion. The image signal detected by the image sensor 15 is subjected to predetermined processing by the driver / signal processing unit 16 and then sent to the processor device 11 via the universal code.

  Further, the processor device 11 of the present embodiment is provided with a lamp 17, and light from the lamp 17 is incident on the light guide 19 of the scope body 10 through the condenser lens 18. The light guide 19 is disposed up to the distal end portion 13 through the universal cord, the operation portion, and the insertion portion, and the incident light is irradiated through the illumination lens 20.

  In this embodiment, in order to reduce the diameter of the insertion portion, the number of fibers of the light guide 19 is reduced, and an image sensor 15 having a small total number of pixels and a large area of each photodiode is employed. In other words, in the present embodiment, the amount of light reduced by reducing the diameter of the light guide 19 is offset by improving the sensitivity of each pixel of the image sensor 15. The reduction in resolution due to the reduction in the number of pixels is compensated by the super-resolution technique as shown in the following configuration.

  That is, in the processor device 11, the image signal from the driver / signal processing unit 16 is first subjected to predetermined pre-processing in the pre-stage signal processing unit 21 and further subjected to predetermined image signal processing in the image processing unit 22. The data is output to the super-resolution processing unit 23 and the volatile image memory 24. The resolution of the image signal (image data) is increased by using the super-resolution technique in the super-resolution processing unit 23, and the input image data for one frame is held in the image memory 24.

  The image signal that has been subjected to the super-resolution processing in the super-resolution processing unit 23 is output to the image selector 25, and at this time, the image signal for one frame held in the image memory 24 is output to the image selector 25 almost simultaneously. Is done. The image selector 25 selectively inputs one of the image signals input from the super-resolution processing unit 23 or the image memory 24 based on an instruction from the system controller 26, and performs the subsequent-stage video signal processing unit 27 or the subsequent-stage video. The data is output to the signal processor 27 and / or the saved image signal processor 28.

  The post-stage video signal processing unit 27 converts the input image signal into a predetermined standard image signal and outputs the image signal to the monitor 12. On the other hand, the stored image signal processing unit 28 stores the input image signal in a predetermined image format in the nonvolatile external memory 29 attached to the processor device 11 in accordance with a command from the system controller 26 (in the processor device). May be built-in memory).

  The image selector 25 is switched when, for example, the system controller 26 provided in the processor device 11 detects that the still image storage switch 30 provided in the operation unit of the scope body 10 is operated (described later). ). The operation timing of each device in the driver / signal processing unit 16 and the processor device 11 is controlled by various clock signals from the timing controller 31 of the processor device 11.

  Further, the scope main body 10 may be provided with a memory 32 that records the model number and ID of the scope main body 10, for example, and the super-resolution processing in the super-resolution processing unit 23 is selected corresponding to the model number and ID. It can also be. The model number and ID may be recorded by a dip switch, a bar code or the like. In this case, the processor device 11 is provided with a corresponding reading means. Further, the switch 30 may be provided at a place other than the operation unit, such as the front panel of the processor device 11.

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a still image storage operation in the present embodiment that is executed when the still image storage switch 30 is operated will be described. FIG. 2 is a timing chart schematically showing the input / output timing of the frame image data in each component for explaining the processing of the still image saving operation.

  FIG. 2A shows vertical synchronization signals for six frames, and FIG. 2B shows output timings of image data of the first to sixth frames output from the image sensor 15 at this time. FIG. 2C shows the output timing of the image data of the first to sixth frames output from the image processing unit 22. 2D and 2E show the output timing of the image data of each frame output from the super-resolution processing unit 23 and the image memory 24. FIG. In FIG. 2, each hatched rectangular area represents image data of each frame that has undergone super-resolution processing. In addition, although the timings of FIGS. 2D and 2E are substantially simultaneous, there is actually a sequential delay between the timings of FIGS. 2B to 2D.

  On the other hand, FIG. 2 (f) shows an example of a still image data capturing (storing) request signal generated when the switch 30 is operated. FIG. 2G shows the timing of the frame image data stored in the external memory 29 when the request of FIG. 2F is issued.

  In the example of FIG. 2 (f), a case where a request for capturing still image data is issued in the latter half of the middle of reading out the second frame from the image sensor 15 is shown. At this time, the image data of the third frame after the super-resolution processing is first saved in the external memory 29, and the image data of the third frame held in the image memory 24 in the next frame is saved in the external memory 29. .

  That is, the image selector 25 normally outputs the image signal from the super-resolution processing unit 23 only to the subsequent video signal processing unit 27, and the monitor 12 displays the endoscopic image subjected to the super-resolution processing. Has been. However, when the switch 30 is operated and the system controller 26 issues a still image data capturing request, the image selector 25 sends the image data (super-resolution processed data) of the next frame to the stored image signal processing unit 28. And the image data at this time is stored in the external memory 29. The image selector 25 further switches to the input from the image memory 24 in the next frame and outputs it to the stored image signal processing unit 28. As a result, the image data held in the image memory 24 is stored in the external memory 29.

  Since the image memory 24 holds the image data delayed by one frame, the external memory 29 stores the image data after the super-resolution processing and the image data before the super-resolution processing of the same frame by the above processing. Saved. When image data is stored in the external memory 29, for example, EXIF of an image file is used to determine which is image data after super-resolution processing and which is image data before super-resolution processing. An index indicating whether the data is super-resolution processing or image data before super-resolution processing may be recorded in the data, or, as shown in FIG. An index indicating that may be superimposed on the painted area) and stored in the external memory 29.

  As described above, according to the configuration of the first embodiment, it is possible to acquire and display an endoscopic image while maintaining the brightness and resolution while reducing the diameter of the light guide. In the present embodiment, image data before super-resolution processing can be easily saved while using super-resolution processing. Furthermore, when storing a still image, in addition to image data that has been subjected to super-resolution processing, image data before super-resolution processing of the same frame before being subjected to super-resolution processing can also be stored. This makes it possible to check image data before super-resolution processing even when it is thought that inappropriate processing has been performed in super-resolution processing, and to perform more appropriate image processing later on a computer. It becomes possible.

  Next, an electronic endoscope system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an outline of the electronic endoscope system of the second embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a timing chart corresponding to FIG. 2 of the first embodiment.

  The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a super-resolution processing unit, a memory that holds image data before super-resolution processing, and an image selector are provided on the scope main body side. This is the same as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used for the same configurations as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

  In the second embodiment, the super-resolution processing unit 23, the image memory 24, and the image selector 42 are provided in the operation unit of the scope main body 40, for example. The image signal output from the driver / signal processing unit 16 is output to the super-resolution processing unit 23 and the image memory 24. The super-resolution processing unit 23 performs super-resolution processing on the image signal, and the image memory 24 holds the input image data (image signal) for one frame.

  When the processing in the super-resolution processor 23 is completed, the image signal is immediately output to the image selector 42 as shown in FIG. At substantially the same time, the image memory 24 outputs the image signal of the previous frame held as shown in FIG. 5D to the image selector 42. The image selector 42 receives from either the super-resolution processing unit 23 or the image memory 24 based on a still image data capture request signal as shown in FIG. 5 (f) issued from the system controller 26 of the processor device 41. Alternatively accept the input. Further, the image selector 42 sequentially outputs the alternatively input image signals to the preceding signal processing unit 21 of the processor device 41.

  Thereafter, the image signal is further output to the subsequent-stage video signal processing unit 27 and the storage image signal processing unit 28 via the previous-stage signal processing unit 21 and the image processing unit 22. The post-stage video signal processing unit 27 converts the input image signal into an image signal of a predetermined standard and outputs it to the monitor 12, and the stored image signal processing unit 28 receives the input image according to a command from the system controller 26. The signal is stored in an external memory 29 attached to the processor device 11 in a predetermined image format.

  The image selector 42 normally accepts the input from the super-resolution processing unit 23, but when the still image data capture request signal is received, the input for the next next frame is switched to the input from the image memory 24, Thereafter, the input is switched to the input from the super-resolution processor 23 again. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 5E and 5F, for example, when a still image data capture request is generated during reading of the second frame, the image selector 42 sends the second and second super-resolution processed images. After the image signal of 3 frames is output, the image data before super-resolution processing corresponding to the third frame is output from the image memory 24, and then the fifth and sixth frame image signals subjected to super-resolution processing are output. Output sequentially.

  The saved image signal processing unit 28 saves the image signal of the next frame from which the still image data capture request signal is issued in the external memory 29 as shown in FIGS. 5 (f) and 5 (g). The image signal of the next frame is also stored in the external memory 29.

  As described above, also in the second embodiment, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

  Although the electronic endoscope system that stores images in the external memory 29 has been described so far, it can be configured to output an image before super-resolution processing to a monitor in response to an operator's request. For example, when this is applied to the first embodiment, when a request to switch an image output to the monitor 12 to an image before super-resolution processing is generated by a switch (not shown), the image selector 25 (second In the embodiment, the image selector 42) uses the bypass circuit that does not pass the super-resolution processing unit 23 and the image memory 24 to transfer the image before the super-resolution processing to the rear-stage video signal processing unit 27 (the front-stage processing circuit 21 in the second embodiment). Output. Further, while the image before the super-resolution processing is displayed on the monitor 12, an index indicating that is displayed in the electronic mask area of the endoscopic image so that it can be understood. When the operator requests image switching again, the image is restored to the super-resolution image. By providing such a bypass circuit, an image stored in the external memory 29 can be confirmed on a monitor.

10, 40 Scope body (electronic endoscope)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11, 41 Processor apparatus 12 Monitor 15 Image sensor 17 Lamp 19 Light guide 23 Super-resolution processing part 24 Image memory 25, 42 Image selector 26 System controller 28 Saved image signal processing part 29 External memory 30 Still image saving switch

Claims (5)

An image memory capable of holding image data before super-resolution processing for one frame;
A super-resolution processing unit that performs super-resolution processing on image data before super-resolution processing;
Image data storage means for selectively inputting one of the image data output from the image memory or the super-resolution processor and storing the input image data in a nonvolatile memory;
Switching request means for requesting input switching of the image storage means,
The image data output from the image memory is image data one frame before the image data output from the super-resolution processing unit. When the switching request is generated, the image data is input from the super-resolution processing unit. The image data to be stored is stored in the nonvolatile memory, and in the next frame, the input is switched to image data input from the image memory for one frame and stored in the nonvolatile memory. Endoscopic image storage system.   An electronic endoscope apparatus including a scope main body in which a light guide is disposed and a processor device to which the scope main body is connected, wherein the super-resolution processing unit and the image memory are provided in the processor device. The image storage system for an electronic endoscope according to claim 1.   The scope body includes recording means for recording identification information, and the super-resolution processing unit performs super-resolution processing based on the identification information on image data before the super-resolution processing. Item 3. The electronic endoscope image storage system according to Item 2.   In an electronic endoscope apparatus including a scope main body in which a light guide is disposed and a processor device to which the scope main body is connected, the super-resolution processing unit and the image memory are provided in the scope main body. The image storage system for an electronic endoscope according to claim 1.   An electronic endoscope system comprising the electronic endoscope image storage system according to claim 1.

Images