JP2012205704A - Video signal processor for magnifying endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform display of magnification set without delay with a simple structure in a magnifying endoscope.SOLUTION: At a counter 31, horizontally driven signals and vertically driven signals are counted. It is determined by an indicator position determination part 30 on the basis of a count value, whether an image signal currently output by an imaging element 18 corresponds to a pixel within an area which displays an indicator image. When an indicator display area is determined, a selector 29 is switched, an image signal from the imaging element 18 is replaced, and an image signal of an indicator image showing optical magnification by which the image is generated by an indicator generator 27 is output to a processor device 12 from a scope body 11.

Description

  The present invention relates to a display function of optical magnification in an electronic endoscope provided with an optical scaling mechanism.

  2. Description of the Related Art There is a known magnifying endoscope in which an electronic endoscope is provided with an optical magnification function and the observation magnification is variable, and the magnification position information is displayed on a monitor by a meter. The meter display is generated by a character generator provided in the processor device based on the magnification position information sent from the scope body to the processor device, and is superimposed on the video signal in the subsequent processing of the video signal (Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 3936512

  However, in a configuration such as Patent Document 1, each time a scaling operation is performed, scaling position information is transmitted between the CPU of the scope body and the CPU of the processor device, and the CPU on the processor device side based on this information It is necessary to change the meter display and superimpose it on the video signal. For this reason, the burden on the CPU is large, and the display on the meter may be delayed to the scaling operation due to communication delay or the like. In addition, the meter display may not be performed smoothly.

  An object of the present invention is to display a magnification set with a simple configuration without delay in a magnifying endoscope.

  The video signal processing device of the magnifying endoscope of the present invention is a video signal processing device provided in the scope body of the magnifying endoscope, and magnification information acquisition means for acquiring magnification information in the optical zoom mechanism, Indicator image generation means for generating an indicator image indicating a magnification, indicator display area determination means for determining whether or not an output from the image sensor corresponds to an area for displaying the indicator image, and an output from the image sensor is an indicator image When corresponding to the display area, output switching means for outputting the image signal of the indicator image instead of the image signal from the image sensor is provided.

  For example, the indicator display area determination means has a predetermined horizontal count value of a horizontal drive signal counter that counts the number of horizontal drive signals of the image sensor and a vertical count value of a vertical drive signal counter that counts the number of vertical drive signals. It is preferable to make the above determination based on whether or not it is within the range.

  The indicator image preferably includes a variable gauge region that changes in accordance with the magnification, and the length of the variable gauge region is changed according to the magnification. The indicator image generation means generates a pixel signal different from the other times when the horizontal count value and the vertical count value correspond to the variable gauge region.

  The magnifying endoscope apparatus according to the present invention includes any one of the video signal processing apparatuses described above.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to display a magnification set without delay with a simple configuration in an magnifying endoscope.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a magnifying endoscope apparatus that is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a figure which shows arrangement | positioning of the indicator image for displaying the optical magnification embedded in an endoscopic image. It is a figure which shows the difference in the display of the indicator image with respect to two different magnifications. It is a flowchart of the embedding process to the endoscope image of an indicator image. It is a figure which shows the relationship between a horizontal count value, a vertical count value, and the position of the indicator image in each field.

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

  The electronic endoscope apparatus 10 generally includes a scope main body (electronic endoscope) 11, a processor device 12 to which the scope main body is detachably attached, and a monitor device 13 that displays an endoscopic image. The scope body 11 includes an insertion unit 14 made of a flexible tube and an operation unit 15 that is gripped and operated by a user. The operation unit 15 is coupled to the processor device 12 via a universal cord (not shown), and the scope main body 11 and the processor device 12 are electrically and optically connected via the universal cord.

  A light guide 16 is provided in the scope main body 11, and light is supplied from a light source device 17 provided in the processor device 12. The light is transmitted to the distal end of the insertion portion 14 through the light guide 16 and irradiated as illumination light. An imaging element 18 such as a CCD is provided at the distal end of the insertion unit 14 and imaging through a lens 19 is performed. The driving of the image sensor 18 is controlled based on a drive signal from a CCD drive circuit 20 provided in the operation unit 15, for example. Further, the image signal read from the image sensor 18 is A / D converted in an analog front end (AFE) 21 provided in the operation unit 15, for example, and input to the FPGA 22 of the operation unit 15.

  The lens 19 includes an optical zoom mechanism that is driven by a cam mechanism (lens position adjusting mechanism) 23, and the cam mechanism 23 is driven by a motor 24 provided in the operation unit 15. The motor 24 is controlled by a motor drive circuit 25.

  In the present embodiment, the FPGA 22 includes functions of a CCD drive timing generator (TG) 26, an indicator generator 27, a motor drive timing generator (TG) 28, a selector 29, an indicator position determination unit 30, and a counter 31. In the present embodiment, these configurations schematically represent functions given to the FPGA 22, and no specific circuit corresponding to each configuration exists. However, it is also possible to configure each function with an independent circuit.

  The CCD drive circuit 20 is driven based on the clock signal from the CCD drive timing generator 23, and the motor drive circuit 25 is driven based on the clock signal from the motor drive timing generator 28. A signal indicating the rotational position (magnification information) of the motor 24 is output from the motor drive circuit 25 to the indicator generator 27 of the FPGA 22, and the image indicator generator 27 outputs the rotational position signal of the motor 24 and the counter 31 as will be described later. Based on this count value, an image signal (image data) of an indicator image indicating the optical magnification of the lens 19 is generated.

  The counter 31 includes a horizontal drive signal counter (not shown) that counts the horizontal drive signal and a vertical drive signal counter (not shown) that counts the vertical drive signal, and an image that is currently output based on both count values. The position of the signal on the screen is specified.

  The selector 29 switches the image signal output to the processor device 12 between the image signal input from the analog front end 21 and the image signal generated by the indicator generator 27. With this switching, the indicator image Embed in the endoscopic image.

  As will be described later, the selector 29 is switched based on the determination of the indicator position determination unit 30 that refers to the count value of the horizontal / vertical drive signal from the counter 31, and the image signal of one screen (one field or one frame) is changed. In outputting, when outputting the image signal in the indicator display area, the image signal of the generated indicator image is replaced. The image signal output from the FPGA 22 based on the switching of the selector 29 is output to the FPGA 32 provided in the processor device 12, and after appropriate signal processing, is output to the monitor 13.

  The operation unit 15 of the scope body 11 is provided with an operation member (button, lever, etc.) 33 for changing the optical magnification by the lens 19, and an operation signal is input to the CPU 34 of the operation unit 15. The CPU 34 transmits a control signal to the FPGA 22 based on the signal from the operation member 33, and the motor drive circuit 25 controls the rotation of the motor 24 based on this signal. That is, the position of the lens 19 is adjusted between the wide / tele end based on the user's operation, and the magnification of the image is changed.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an endoscopic image of the present embodiment in which an indicator is embedded. In the present embodiment, the indicator display is displayed at a predetermined position (for example, lower right) in the endoscopic image. The indicator display area A1 is, for example, a rectangular area with each side along horizontal and vertical lines, and is embedded in, for example, a mask area provided in the endoscopic image EI corresponding to the effective pixel area of the image sensor 18.

  In the indicator display area A1, a bar-shaped indicator (variable gauge area) A2 whose length changes corresponding to the rotational position (magnification information) of the motor 24 corresponding to the position of the lens 19 is displayed. The variable gauge area A2 has a color or brightness different from that of the indicator display area A1 serving as the background. In FIG. 2, the left end corresponds to a wide-angle wide end (W), and the right end corresponds to a telephoto end (T). The length of the variable gauge region A2 extends, for example, along the longitudinal direction of the indicator display region A1 with the wide end (W) as a base point.

  Further, FIG. 2 schematically shows the arrangement of the indicator display area A1 and the variable gauge area A2 in an enlarged manner, and exemplarily shows the relationship with horizontal lines and horizontal pixels. That is, a numerical value attached along the lower side of the enlarged view is an example of a horizontal drive signal count value (horizontal count value) Ch described later, and a numerical value attached along the left side indicates a vertical drive signal count described later. It is an example of a count value (vertical count value) Cv.

  FIGS. 3A and 3B are display examples of indicator images at two different optical magnifications. FIG. 3A is a display example when the magnification is closer to the wide (W) side, and FIG. 3B is a display example when the magnification is closer to the tele (T) side.

  Next, the indicator image embedding process of this embodiment performed by the FPGA 22 in the scope main body 11 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the indicator image embedding process, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the count values Ch and Cv of the horizontal drive signal counter and the vertical drive signal counter in the counter 31, and the screen of the even / odd field and the indicator image. is there. In FIG. 4, the upper side corresponds to the odd field, and the lower side corresponds to the even field.

  This process is started simultaneously with the start of imaging of an endoscopic image by the image sensor 18, for example. First, in step S100, initial setting is performed. That is, the horizontal count value Ch and the vertical count value Cv are reset, and the count values (pixel numbers) back_h_min and back_h_max that define the left and right (horizontal direction) boundaries of the indicator display area A1, and the upper and lower (vertical direction) boundaries The count values (line numbers) back_v_min and back_v_max that define the are initialized. In addition, the count value (pixel number) ind_h_min that defines the left boundary of the variable gauge region A2 and the count values (line numbers) ind_v_min and ind_v_max that define the upper and lower (vertical direction) boundaries are initialized.

  In step S102, information on the rotational position of the motor 24 from the motor drive circuit 25, that is, optical magnification (lens position) is acquired, and the count value ind_h_max that defines the right boundary of the variable gauge region A2 is a value corresponding to the acquired information. The horizontal count value Ch and the vertical count value Cv of the counter 31 are updated in accordance with the output of the vertical and horizontal drive signals.

  In step S104, the indicator position determination unit 30 determines whether or not the output pixel data corresponds to a pixel in the indicator display area A1. In other words, it is determined whether the horizontal count value Ch and the vertical count value Cv satisfy the conditions of back_h_min ≦ Ch ≦ back_h_max and back_v_min ≦ Cv ≦ back_v_max.

  When it is determined that the pixel is a pixel in the area A1, the selector 29 selects the output of the indicator image signal in step S106, and in step S108, it is determined whether or not the pixel is a pixel in the area A2. The That is, it is determined whether the horizontal count value Ch and the vertical count Cv satisfy the conditions of ind_h_min ≦ Ch ≦ ind_h_max and ind_v_min ≦ Cv ≦ ind_v_max. Here, the variables are set under the conditions of back_h_min <ind_h_min, ind_h_max <back_h_max, back_v_min <ind_v_min, ind_v_max <back_v_max.

  If it is determined that the pixel is a pixel in the area A2, the indicator generator 27 generates a pixel value corresponding to the color of the variable gauge and outputs it to the selector 29 in step S110. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S108 that the pixel is not in the area A2, the indicator generator 27 generates a pixel value corresponding to the background color in step S112, and outputs it to the selector 29. When the process of step S110 or step S112 ends, the process returns to step S102 and the same process is repeated.

  If it is determined in step S104 that the pixel is not a pixel in the area A1, the selection of the selector 29 is made the output of the image signal from the image sensor 18 in step S114, and the process returns to step S102. In this process, the horizontal count value Ch is reset for each horizontal line, and the vertical count value Cv is reset for each field.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the indicator image indicating the current optical magnification is embedded in the RAW data of the endoscope image on the scope main body side, so information such as the lens position is transmitted to the processor device. It is not necessary, and it is not necessary to superimpose the indicator image on the endoscope image in the subsequent processing, so that it is possible to display the indicator in response to the scaling operation.

  Further, since the embedding of the indicator image is completed on the scope side, it is possible to display the magnification only by adopting this configuration in the scope of the magnifying endoscope without depending on the processor device.

  In the present embodiment, the CCD has been described as an example. However, the present invention can also be applied to a case where a CMOS is used as the image sensor. In this embodiment, a bar graph display is used as an indicator, but the display method is not limited to this embodiment. For example, it may be a display in which a mark serving as an index slides between the wide end and the tele end, or may be a display in which the variable gauge portion is enlarged as the magnification increases instead of a rectangle.

  In this embodiment, the area is determined using the vertical count value in addition to the horizontal count value. However, the counter that counts the horizontal drive signal through one screen (one field or one frame) is used, and the area is determined from only the horizontal count value. Can also make decisions.

10 Electronic endoscope device 11 Scope body (electronic endoscope)
12 processor unit 13 monitor unit 14 insertion unit 15 operation unit 18 image sensor (CCD)
19 Lens 20 CCD drive circuit 22 FPGA
23 Cam (Lens position adjustment mechanism)
25 Motor Drive Circuit 26 CCD Drive Timing Generator 27 Indicator Generator 28 Motor Drive Timing Generator 29 Selector 30 Indicator Position Judgment Unit 31 Counter 33 Magnification Button / Lever

Claims (5)

A video signal processing device provided in the scope body of the magnifying endoscope,
Magnification information acquisition means for acquiring magnification information in the optical zoom mechanism;
Indicator image generating means for generating an indicator image indicating the magnification;
Indicator display area determination means for determining whether an output from the image sensor corresponds to an area for displaying the indicator image;
Video signal processing for an magnifying endoscope, comprising: output switching means for outputting an image signal of the indicator image instead of an image signal from the imaging device when the output corresponds to an indicator image display region apparatus.   The indicator display area determining means has a horizontal count value of a horizontal drive signal counter for counting the number of horizontal drive signals of the image sensor and a vertical count value of a vertical drive signal counter for counting the number of vertical drive signals, respectively. The video signal processing apparatus of the magnifying endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the determination is performed based on whether or not the range is within a range of the video signal.   The magnifying endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the indicator image includes a variable gauge region that changes in accordance with the magnification, and a length of the variable gauge region is changed according to the magnification. Video signal processing device.   The said indicator image production | generation means produces | generates a pixel signal different from the time other than that when the value of the said horizontal count value and the said vertical count value respond | corresponds to the said variable gauge area | region. Video signal processing device for magnifying endoscope.   An magnifying endoscope apparatus comprising the video signal processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.