JP2001251612A - Wireless video camera for endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a miniaturized wireless video camera for endoscope whose poser consumption can be reduced. SOLUTION: In the wireless video camera for endoscope having an image pickup means that picks up an image formed by an objective optical system provided to a tip of an intra-corporeal section and having a transmission means that transmits the image pickup by the image pickup means as an electric image signal, the image pickup section is provided with a solid-state image pickup element that integrates an image sensor and a scanning control means controlling the scanning of the image sensor on one chip.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wireless video camera for an endoscope that transmits a captured in-vivo image to a monitor device by radio.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional endoscope apparatus has a configuration in which an operation unit or an eyepiece disposed outside a human body and an imaging unit introduced into the human body are connected by a flexible tube. ing.
Furthermore, it is also possible to connect a video camera to the eyepiece and display an endoscope image on a monitor device.However, in recent years, in order to eliminate the inconvenience when using in a narrow place such as a bedside, A wireless video camera for an endoscope which is not connected to a monitor device or the like by a conductive cable is used. The endoscope wireless video camera wirelessly transmits an in-vivo image captured via the endoscope to the monitor device as an electric image signal. However, since the endoscope wireless video camera is equipped with electrical components for image processing and wireless transmission, the video camera body has been increased in size and power consumption has been increased.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a wireless video camera for an endoscope which can be reduced in size and consume less power.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image pickup section for picking up an image formed by an objective optical system provided at a distal end portion of a body insertion section, and a transmitting section for transmitting an image picked up by the image pickup section as an electric image signal. In the wireless video camera for an endoscope, the solid-state imaging device in which an image sensor and scanning control means for controlling scanning of the image sensor are integrated on the same chip is provided. Has features. According to this configuration, a space for providing the scanning control unit in the video camera is not required, and the size of the video camera can be reduced.

The image pickup section includes an A / D conversion circuit for A / D converting an output signal of the image sensor, an image processing circuit for performing image processing on the A / D converted output signal, and an image processing circuit. It is preferable that the solid-state imaging device integrates at least one of the A / D conversion circuit, the image processing circuit, and the encoding circuit. According to this configuration, the space in the video camera can be further reduced. The transmitting unit is configured to transmit T
It is preferable to perform radio transmission at the V broadcast channel frequency, and it is more preferable to provide a switching operation member for switching the transmission frequency of the transmission unit, since it is possible to perform radio transmission by switching to a frequency desired by the user. If a MOS image sensor is used as the image sensor, power consumption can be reduced as compared with the case where a CCD is used.

The wireless video camera for an endoscope can be used by being connected to an eyepiece of a fiberscope or a rigid scope. Alternatively, it can be used as an electronic endoscope having the solid-state imaging device at the distal end of the body insertion portion.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Video camera 10 to which the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is applied.
Is for wirelessly transmitting an image captured via the endoscope 20 to the receiver 40 as an electric image signal. The electronic image received by the receiver 40 is used by the printer 50, the image recording device 60, and the monitor device 70.

FIG. 2 shows the video camera 10 shown in FIG.
And a main configuration of the endoscope 20 is schematically illustrated. The endoscope 20 is a fiberscope including an operation unit 22 and a flexible tube 23. A light source unit 28 including a light source 28a and a light source battery 28b can be attached to and detached from the operation unit 22. Further, although not shown in detail, the operation unit 22 includes various operation members such as a bending operation mechanism for turning the flexible tube 23 in an arbitrary direction. At the tip of the flexible tube 23,
Illumination means 24 for illuminating the body and an objective optical system 25 are provided. The light emitted from the light source 28a is guided to the illumination means 24 by the light guide 29. The illumination unit 24 illuminates the inside of the body by projecting light guided by the light guide 29. When the flexible tube 23 is introduced into the body of the subject, the image of the portion illuminated by the illumination means 24 is converted by the objective optical system 25 into the end surface 26a
Formed. The image formed on the end face 26a is transmitted through the optical fiber 26 and emitted from the other end face 26b.
It is observed at the eyepiece 21 via the eyepiece optical system 27.

The video camera 10 can be mounted on the eyepiece 21 of the endoscope 20. The video camera 10
A photographing optical system 11; a solid-state imaging device 12 that captures an image formed by the imaging optical system 11 and performs image processing;
3 and transmission antenna 14, solid-state imaging device 12 and transmitter 13
A rechargeable battery 15 serving as a driving power source for the printer and an operation unit 17 are provided. The operation unit 17 includes a plurality of switching operation switches 18 for switching the transmission frequency of the transmitter 13, a printer operation member for causing the printer 50 to execute printing, and a recording operation member for starting and stopping recording of the image recording device 60. An operation member is provided.

Hereinafter, the solid-state imaging device 12 and the transmitter 13
Will be described with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG. The solid-state imaging device 12 includes an image sensor 110,
Sample hold circuit (hereinafter referred to as "S / H circuit")
113, A / D converter 115, video processing circuit 11
7, an encoding circuit 119, a timing generator 12 for generating a synchronization signal based on a clock signal of the oscillator 101
1 are all integrated on the same chip. The image sensor 110 is a MOS image sensor having an image unit 111 that photoelectrically converts received light for each cell and accumulates it, a horizontal shift register 112H and a vertical shift register 112V for specifying an address of each cell of the image unit 111. It operates with less driving power than a CCD image sensor. Each of the horizontal shift register 112H and the vertical shift register 112V sequentially scans each cell of the image section 111 based on the synchronization signal given from the timing generator 121, and sequentially reads out the accumulated charges. The stored charge read from the image sensor 110 is converted into a voltage for each cell by the S / H circuit 113, and the A / D converter 115
The video signal is converted into an image signal by the video processing circuit 117, encoded by the encoding circuit 119, and output to the transmitter 13.

The transmitter 13 includes a modulator 131 for converting an input image signal into a modulated signal, an oscillator 132 for generating a carrier, a multiplier 133 for multiplying the modulated signal by the carrier, and amplifying the carrier on which the modulated signal is superimposed. Transmission amplifier 134
Is provided. The carrier amplified by the transmission amplifier 134 is transmitted to the receiver 40 (FIG. 1) via the transmission antenna 14 as a transmission signal. In this embodiment, a TV broadcast channel frequency is used as a transmission frequency,
The transmission frequency can be switched and set by the switching operation switch 18.

Based on the above configuration, the video camera 10
An outline of the use of the endoscope apparatus utilizing the method will be described.
When the flexible tube 23 of the endoscope 20 is introduced into the body of the subject,
The image of the portion illuminated by the illumination means 24 is imaged and image-processed by the solid-state imaging device 12 via the objective optical system 25, the optical fiber 26, the eyepiece optical system 27, and the imaging optical system 11, and the transmission signal and the transmission signal are transmitted by the transmitter 13. Being transmitted antenna 14
Is transmitted to the receiver 40 wirelessly. The signal transmitted from the transmitting antenna 14 is received by the receiver 40 via the receiving antenna 41 and is demodulated into an image signal.
The image is output to each of the image recording device 60 and the monitor device 70, and the image can be observed on the monitor device 70. While observing the image projected on the monitor device 70, the user operates the operation unit 22 to orient the flexible tube 23 in a desired direction to perform imaging and observation in the body cavity. If the image state is not good, the changeover switch 18 can be operated to change the transmission frequency of the transmitter 13. Further, the image projected on the monitor device 70 is printed by the printer 50 or the image recording device 6.
It can be used by recording at 0.

In this embodiment, an image sensor 110, an S / H circuit 113, an A / D
The converter 115, the video processing circuit 117, the encoding circuit 119, and the timing generator 121 are integrated on the same chip.
Integrate any of the electrical components, or
It is also possible to integrate electrical components. That is, if the peripheral circuits of the image sensor 110 can be integrated in the solid-state imaging device 12 to save space in the video camera 10, the video camera 10 can be downsized. In this embodiment, since a MOS image sensor is used as the image sensor 110, C
Power consumption can be reduced as compared with the case where a CD image sensor is used.

Although the embodiment using the fiberscope as the endoscope 20 has been described above, the present invention can be applied to an electronic endoscope. Further, the present invention can be applied not only to an endoscope provided with a flexible tube but also to a rigid endoscope.

[0015]

According to the present invention, since the solid-state imaging device in which the image sensor and the scanning control means for controlling the scanning of the image sensor are integrated on the same chip is provided, the space for disposing the respective means is reduced. There is no need to provide the video camera in the video camera body, and the wireless video camera for an endoscope can be reduced in size. When a MOS image sensor is used, power consumption can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an endoscope apparatus using a wireless video camera for an endoscope to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a main configuration of the video camera.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating main components of a solid-state imaging device and a transmitter provided in the video camera.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Video camera 11 Imaging optical system 12 Solid-state image sensor 13 Transmitter 14 Transmission antenna 15 Rechargeable battery 17 Operation part 18 Switching operation switch 20 Endoscope 21 Eyepiece part 22 Operation part 23 Flexible tube 24 Lighting means 25 Objective optical system 26 Optical fiber 27 Eyepiece optical system 28 Light source unit 29 Light guide 40 Receiver 50 Printer 60 Image recording device 70 Monitor device 101 132 Oscillator 110 Image sensor 113 Sample hold (S / H) circuit 115 A / D converter 117 Video processing circuit 119 Encoding Circuit 121 Timing generator 131 Modulator 133 Multiplier 134 Transmission amplifier

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Claims (8)

[Claims] An imaging unit configured to capture an image formed by an objective optical system provided at a distal end of the body insertion unit; and a transmission unit configured to transmit an image captured by the imaging unit as an electric image signal. A wireless video camera for an endoscope, wherein the imaging unit includes a solid-state imaging device in which an image sensor and scanning control means for controlling scanning of the image sensor are integrated on the same chip. Wireless video camera for endoscope. 2. The wireless video camera for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the imaging unit is configured to perform an A / D conversion on an output signal of the image sensor, and the A / D conversion circuit performs the A / D conversion. An image processing circuit that performs image processing on the output signal, and an encoding circuit that encodes the image-processed signal. The solid-state imaging device includes the A / D conversion circuit, the image processing circuit, and the encoding circuit. Wireless video camera for an endoscope, wherein at least one of the above is integrated. 3. The endoscope wireless video camera according to claim 1, wherein the image processing circuit includes an auto white balance circuit, and the image processing circuit is integrated in the solid-state imaging device. Wireless video camera for mirror. 4. The wireless video camera for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit includes
A wireless video camera for an endoscope that performs wireless transmission using a V broadcast channel frequency as a transmission frequency. 5. The wireless video camera for an endoscope according to claim 4, further comprising a switching operation member for switching a transmission frequency of said transmission unit. 6. The wireless video camera for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor is a MOS type image sensor. 7. The endoscope wireless video camera according to claim 1, wherein the endoscope wireless video camera is connectable to an eyepiece of a fiberscope or a rigid endoscope. 8. The endoscope wireless video camera according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the endoscope wireless video camera is an electronic endoscope having the solid-state imaging device at a distal end of a body insertion portion. Wireless video camera.