JP2510259B2 - Image Freezing Signal Processor - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image freeze signal processing device capable of storing or recording a still image with little image blurring or color misregistration.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, there is known a device that records an image signal on a magnetic tape or a magnetic disk, or stores it in a storage element such as a CCD memory, a MOS memory, a magnetic bubble memory, or an IC memory to display the image. However, as a method for obtaining a still image, the prior art examples disclosed in JP-A-49-52912 and JP-A-54-140510 are known. or,
An electrophotographic camera that can be reproduced immediately after shooting with the same type of device and can be retaken is disclosed in JP-A-57-44374.
No. 6,086,045.

However, since these devices record or store data by pressing the release button, when the movement of the subject is faster than the shutter speed, or when the imaging device moves after the shutter is operated, so-called camera shake or the like occurs. In many cases, the imaged image is blurred and the image is taken again. For example, when a fast-moving subject is shot using an interlaced scanning type element as an image sensor, different images are recorded between fields,
It has a drawback that it causes flicker and makes the image very difficult to see.

In relation to this drawback, in order to prevent flicker between fields during still image storage, the motion of the subject is detected, frame freeze is performed when there is no motion, and field phrase is used when there is motion. A constructed device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,787. However, this device has a drawback in that the vertical resolution of a moving subject is deteriorated because the subject is automatically field-frozen when the subject is moving.

Further, in recent years, due to the progress of solid-state imaging technology, the density of pixels and the miniaturization of chips have been advanced, and an endoscope having a solid-state imaging element mounted at its tip, a so-called electronic endoscope apparatus has been developed. . These devices have the function of inserting the device into a body cavity and observing the region to be inspected, and recording the observation image of the region, and not only the observation function but also the quality of the recorded image is very important. Therefore, it has a great influence on the diagnosis of the inspected part. Therefore, at the time of recording, the operator of the endoscope freezes the image of the region to be inspected several times after keeping the patient still, and selects the most desirable image as the recorded image. Still images were recorded on a photographic device, a video printer, a still video floppy device, or the like. However, even if the patient is stationary, the movement of the inspected part is not small as long as the inside of the body is observed, and it may be necessary to freeze it again and again to eliminate the blurring of the image due to this movement. There was a problem.

The above-described deterioration of the recorded image due to the movement of the subject varies depending on the type of the image pickup element and the image pickup method. For example, as an image sensor, a frame transfer type
When a CCD (hereinafter referred to as FT type CCD) is used, the movement of the subject during the exposure period causes blurring of the image, and
When interlaced CCDs (hereinafter referred to as IT CCDs) were used for interlaced scanning, in addition to the blurring of the image due to the movement of the subject during the exposure period, it was due to the difference in the image between fields. Flicker occurs. In addition, in order to reduce the diameter of the endoscope, a monochrome CCD is mounted on the tip of the endoscope, and the illumination light is, for example, RGB sequential light.In the so-called color plane sequential method, RGB images sequentially captured in time series are used. Since the primary color images are displayed in synchronization with each other, the movement of the subject is displayed as a color shift, which is a so-called color shift.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the freeze function is activated and at the same time, a still image is not displayed on a monitor or the like, but an image blur (color shift or the like) is caused to an image signal input within a certain specific time. There has been proposed a device that detects and displays the image signal with the smallest detection amount as a still image on a monitor or the like.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, when observing the inside of a body cavity with an endoscopic device and recording a still image of an observation image with the above-mentioned device, since there is almost no movement like the large intestine, the bronchi The image moves slowly back and forth with each breathing (when observed with a direct-viewing endoscope), because of the gastric peristalsis (contractile movement), esophageal breathing, and rapid movement due to pulsation. Since the amount of movement differs depending on the angle of view of each endoscope even at the same observation site, if the detection time of the minimum value is fixed, the detection time will be insufficient for fast-moving images, and there will be almost no movement. As for the image, there was a problem that the detection time was too long to move to the next operation until the set time was over.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to perform storage or recording in which the best still image free of image blur (color misregistration) is always obtained with respect to the movement of a subject. An object is to provide a signal processing device for image freeze.

[Means for Solving the Problem] As shown in the conceptual diagram of FIG. 1, an image freeze signal processing apparatus of the present invention includes an image storing / recording unit 1 for storing or recording an input image signal, and the input image. The minimum value of the motion amount is detected by comparing the motion amount of the object detected from the signal with the motion detecting unit 2 which detects the motion of the object from the signal and the minimum value of the motion amount up to the previous time. A minimum value detection means 3 for storing a value, a detection time setting means 4 for arbitrarily setting an operation time of the minimum value detection means 3,
An image freeze instructing means 5 for instructing to activate the minimum value detecting means 3 and the detection time setting means 4 to freeze an image, and the image recording / storing based on the detection result from the minimum value detecting means 3. The writing / reading control means 6 for controlling the writing operation and the reading operation of the input image signal to the means 1 is provided.

[Operation] That is, in the image freeze signal processing apparatus of the present invention, the motion detecting unit 2 detects the amount of motion of the subject from the input image signal, and the motion amount is sent to the minimum value detecting unit 3. Then, the minimum value detecting means 3 and the detection time setting means 4 are activated by the instruction signal from the image freeze instructing means 5, and the detection time setting means 4 sets the detection time according to the input image signal and the time is set. Within the range, the minimum value detecting means detects the minimum value of the motion amount by comparing the motion amount of the subject from the motion detecting means 2 with the minimum value of the motion amount up to the previous time, and stores the minimum value. The detection result of the minimum value detecting means 3 is applied to the writing / reading control means 6, and the writing / reading control means 6 controls writing and reading of the input image signal to the storage / recording means 1. By the above operation, the detection time of the minimum value detecting means 3 is set according to the input image signal, and the image signal with the smallest amount of movement within the set time is stored or recorded.

Embodiments Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 to 6 relate to the first embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image freeze signal processing device, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a motion detection circuit, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing changes in motion amount with respect to time, and FIG. 5 is scope discrimination. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the scope discrimination circuit.

FIG. 2 shows an example in which the present invention is actually applied to an endoscope apparatus using the RGB frame sequential method.

Here, an image picked up by a color plane sequential type image pickup means (not shown) is converted into a digital signal by an A / D converter (not shown) as a color plane sequential signal generated corresponding to the reading period of each primary color image. After multiplexer 10
R memory 12, G memory 1 in the synchronization memory unit 11 via
The color is stored in the 3, B memory 14 for each color. The image signals stored in the R memory 12, G memory 13, and B memory 14 are read out in synchronization with each color signal, and the R memory 16, G memory 17, and G memory 17 in the freeze memory 15 are used as color plane synchronization signals. Each of them is sequentially written into the B memory 18. The RGB image signal written in each memory in the freeze memory 15 is sequentially read out in synchronization with a synchronizing signal of a display device or a processing device (not shown) connected in the subsequent stage.

The color plane synchronization signal read out from the synchronization memory 11 is also transmitted to the motion detection circuit 19 at the same time, and the motion detection circuit 19 detects the amount of motion of the object, and the minimum value detection circuit 21. To be sent to.

When the image freeze instruction circuit 23 issues an image freeze instruction signal, the detection time setting circuit 20 and the minimum value detection circuit 21 are activated. In this detection time setting circuit 20,
From the scope discrimination circuit 24, the scope discrimination signal according to the scope connected to this device is sent, and in this detection time setting circuit 20, the time to detect the minimum value according to the scope discrimination signal. Make settings.

Further, the minimum value detection circuit 21 is the detection time setting circuit.
Detects the minimum amount of movement within the time set by 20,
A detection signal is sent to the memory R / W controller 22 so that data is read from the freeze memory for the image signal determined to have the smallest amount of movement.

An example of the motion detection circuit 19 in this embodiment is shown in FIG. By the way, since the RGB primary color images picked up by the frame sequential method are generated in time series in the order of R, G, B, for example, the motion of the subject is R, G, G, B, B. And R appear as the difference between each image. Therefore, the difference between the images can be obtained for at least one of R and G, G and B, and B and R, and the motion detection amount can be calculated using this.
In the example shown in FIG. 3, for both R and G and G and B, the subtraction circuits 30 and 31 respectively obtain the differences, and the absolute value circuits 32 and 33 make the absolute values respectively, and then the addition circuit 3
4 is added and the amount of motion detection of the subject is output through the LPF 35.

The freeze operation of the minimum value detection circuit 21 is shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, ∘ indicates an image that has not been frozen, ● indicates an image that is frozen, and ⊚ indicates an image that is frozen at the end. Here, ts represents the time when the minimum value detection circuit starts to operate by the instruction signal from the image freeze instruction circuit, and te represents the detection end time of the minimum value detection circuit according to the time set by the detection time setting circuit.

As shown in this figure, in the minimum value detection circuit 21, the time ts
The amount of movement ms of the image signal is held, and the detection signal is sent to the memory R / W controller 22 assuming that the minimum value is detected. Based on the detection signal, the memory R / W controller 22 reads the image signal at time ts stored in the synchronization memory 11 and writes it in the freeze memory 15. Further, the image signal written in the freeze memory 15 is read out.

Next, the motion amount m1 at the time t1 is compared with the above ms, and the image signal having the smaller value is written in the freeze memory 15. In this case, since ms <m1, the image signal at the time t1 written in the synchronization memory 11 is not written in the freeze memory 15, and the image signal at the time ts is read from the freeze memory 15 to determine the motion amount. The value of ms is retained.

Similarly, in the image signal at time t2, since m2 <ms, it is read from the synchronization memory 11 and written in the freeze memory 15, and the value of the motion amount m2 is held.

The above operation is repeatedly performed until the time te determined by the detection time setting circuit 20, and the image signal having the smallest amount of motion within the time of te-ts is the freeze memory 15
Is read from.

An example of the scope discrimination circuit in this embodiment is shown in FIG. In this scope discrimination circuit, one end of the resistors 40 and 41 provided in the scope is connected to the reference voltage terminal Vcc of this device, and the other end is connected to the ground element GND of this device via switches 42 and 43. It has become so. A signal line is drawn out between the resistor and the switch, and the reference voltage terminal Vcc takes out a signal at the voltage level of the ground terminal GND by turning on / off the switches 42 and 43. As a result, four types of scopes can be discriminated, and ²ⁿ types can be discriminated by increasing the resistance number n.

Further, a resistor 50 is provided in the scope, and the voltage value VR between the constant current power source outside the scope and the resistor is compared with the comparator 56,
The voltage value VR applied to the resistor 50 is obtained by comparison with the reference voltage divided by the resistors 52, 53, 54 and 55 by 57 and 58. By changing the value of the resistor 50 according to the scope, the voltage value VR applied to the resistor 50 changes, so that the scope can be identified. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the following four types of scopes can be identified.

(1) VR <V ₁ (2) V ₁ ≦ VR <V ₂ (3) V ₂ ≦ VR <V ₃ (4) V ₃ ≦ VR FIG. 7 shows the configuration of the second embodiment of the present invention. It is a thing. In the second embodiment, the time for obtaining the minimum value of the movement amount set by the scope connected to the apparatus in the first embodiment is provided outside the scope (for example, the panel switch of the apparatus). The setting time switching circuit 25 is provided instead of the scope discrimination circuit 24 of the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows an example of setting the detection time by the setting time switching circuit 25. Here, ts indicates the time when the freeze switch is pressed and the minimum value detection circuit 21 starts operating. In this example, the time when the detection operation of the minimum value detection circuit ends can be arbitrarily set within the range of t _{1 to} tn by the changeover switch. Then, the minimum value of the amount of movement at each time is t ₁ → ms t ₂ → m ₄ t ₃ → m ₅ t ₄ → m ₆ ..., and the set time is switched according to the amount of movement of the subject, The image signal having the smallest amount can be read out from the freeze memory 15.

For example, the changeover switch may be provided on the panel of the device as shown in FIG. 9 so that each switch is changed over to set the minimum detection time.

Other configurations, operations and effects of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, the detection time for obtaining the minimum value set according to the scope connected to the apparatus in the first embodiment can be arbitrarily set from the outside. Instead of the scope discrimination circuit 24 of the first embodiment, a detection time arbitrary setting circuit 26 is provided.

The input of the setting signal to the detection time arbitrary setting circuit 26 is performed by, for example, the switches 81 and 82 provided on the panel of the apparatus as shown in FIG. The minimum detection time can be set arbitrarily, and the set time can be displayed on the graph display unit 80 by an LED or the like.

Other configurations, operations and effects of the third embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 12 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the first to third embodiments, the present invention is applied to the image pickup apparatus of the RGB frame sequential system.
The embodiment is applied to an apparatus of a color simultaneous image pickup system using a mosaic filter type element as an image pickup element.

In the fourth embodiment, the optical image of the subject imaged by the image pickup optical system 85 and formed on the image pickup surface of the image pickup device 86 is processed by the signal processing circuit 90 under the control of the scanning circuit 95. A / D as the luminance signal AY and the color line sequential signal AC
It is input to the converter 91, converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 91, and written in the image memory 92. The signal read from the image memory 92 is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 93, and then the NTSC encoder 94
Is converted into an NTSC signal and displayed on the external monitor 96. The configuration of the other parts is the same as that of the second embodiment, and the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals. In the present embodiment, in the above configuration, the amount of movement is detected from the luminance digital signal DY, and freeze control is performed based on the detected amount, but this is because the visibility of the human eye is taken into consideration. If it is desired to detect the motion by paying particular attention to the color of the subject, the motion may be detected using the color digital signal DC.

With respect to the motion amount detected by the motion detection circuit 19, the minimum value of the motion amount within the set time is detected by the minimum value detection circuit 21, and the image signal determined to be the minimum value is displayed on the monitor 96.

The detection time can be set according to the method shown in the first to third embodiments.

Other configurations, operations and effects of the fourth embodiment are similar to those of the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention. When the motion amount is detected from the image signals sequentially input and the freeze control is performed based on the value, and when the motion detecting unit includes the delay unit, the images are continuously input. It is conceivable that a new image input has already started when the amount of motion is detected to determine whether or not the image can be frozen, and the image at the time next to the image in which the image is detected is frozen. The above-mentioned configuration can sufficiently achieve the object of the present invention if the motion of the subject is not so sudden. However, if the motion is fast, the image is detected even if the motion detection circuit is operating correctly. There is a problem that an image with blur or color shift is frozen.

The fifth embodiment is an example in which the above problems are eliminated, and the image signal delay means 110 is provided at the input stage of the image memory 111.
In addition, the image signal delay means 110 corrects the delay amount of the motion detection means 19 so that the image determined to have a motion amount of the subject equal to or less than a predetermined value matches the frozen image. is there.

From the motion amount detected by the motion detection circuit 19, the minimum value of the motion amount within the set time is detected by the minimum value detection circuit 21, and the image signal determined to be the minimum value is displayed on the monitor (not shown). At this time, the write inhibit gate 112 stores the memory based on the output from the minimum value detection circuit 21.
The write operation from the R / W controller 22 is controlled.

The detection time can be set according to the method shown in the first to third embodiments.

Other configurations, operations and effects of the fifth embodiment are similar to those of the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 shows a sixth embodiment of the present invention. The sixth embodiment is one in which the present invention is applied to an apparatus which images a subject and records a still image of the subject on a recording medium. The present embodiment will be briefly described below. The optical image of the subject which is picked up by the image pickup optical system 120 and formed on the image pickup surface of the image pickup element 121 is photoelectrically converted by the image pickup element 121 and scanned under the control of the scanning circuit 125 to be an image signal. The signal is input to the signal processing circuit 122, subjected to various kinds of processing, and transmitted to the header 123 of the recording medium. At the same time, this signal is also transmitted to the motion detection circuit 126, and the amount of motion of the subject is detected. Now, when a recording instruction signal is issued from the recording instruction means 132 (corresponding to the image freeze instruction means in each of the above embodiments), the detection time setting circuit 129 and the minimum value detection circuit 130 are activated to switch the detection time. A control signal is sent to the detection time setting circuit 129 so that the circuit 128 sets the detection time according to the subject. Within the time set by the detection time setting circuit 129, the minimum value detection circuit 130
Calculates the minimum value of the amount of movement of the input image signal, and records the image at that time on the recording medium 124 under the control of the header 123 and the drive circuit 127 by the control circuit 131.

Various media such as a magnetic tape, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a still video floppy can be used as the recording medium 124.

Other configurations, operations and effects of the sixth embodiment are similar to those of the second embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image freeze signal processing apparatus according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment,
A part of the signal processing device for image freeze of the present invention is formed outside the main body device to be an auxiliary device. As shown in FIG. 15, the image freeze apparatus of the present embodiment includes a main body device 160 and an auxiliary device provided outside the main body device 160.
161 and.

The main body device 160 is configured as follows. That is, the optical image of the subject formed on the image pickup surface of the image pickup element 141 by the image pickup optical system 140 is photoelectrically converted by the image pickup element 141, and a signal processing circuit as an image signal under the control of the scanning circuit 147. It is designed to be input to 142.
Then, after various processing is performed by the signal processing circuit 142, it is A / D converted by the A / D converter 143 and written in the image memory 144. The image signal read from the image memory 144 is D / A converted by the D / A converter 145, then signal-processed by the signal processing circuit 146, and is displayed on the monitor 152 provided outside the main body device 160. The image is to be displayed. The image memory 14
Writing and reading of 4 are controlled by a memory R / W controller 148 provided in the main body device 160. Further, the synchronization signal from the scanning circuit 147 is input to the memory R / W controller 148 and is synchronized with the image pickup device 141 and the signal processing circuit 146.

On the other hand, in the accessory device 161, a motion detecting means 151 for detecting the motion of the subject from the image signal output from the signal processing circuit 146, and a minimum detecting the minimum value of the motion amount detected by the motion detecting means. Value detection means 150, a detection time setting circuit 154 for setting the detection time of the minimum value detection circuit 150, freeze instruction means 149 for activating the minimum value detection circuit 150 and the detection time setting circuit 154, and the detection A detection time switching circuit 153 for switching the detection time of the time setting circuit 154 is provided. Then, the detection result detected by the minimum value detection circuit 150 is sent to the memory R / W controller 148 in the main body device.

In the seventh embodiment, when the freeze instructing means 149 issues a freeze instructing signal, it is set according to the subject based on the amount of movement of the subject detected by the motion detecting means 151 from the output image signal of the main body device 160. Detect the image signal with the least amount of motion within the
A detection signal is sent to the internal memory R / W controller 148 to control the freeze.

Other configurations, operations and effects of the seventh embodiment are similar to those of the second embodiment.

FIG. 16 shows an eighth embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the input image signal to the motion detecting means is an analog type image signal, and accordingly, the structure of the motion detecting circuit is as described below.
The other points are the same as those in the second embodiment.

In the eighth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 16, an analog input image signal is digitally converted by the A / D converter 170 and input to the image memory 171.
Then, after being read out from the image memory 171, the D / A converter 172 performs analog conversion again and outputs as an analog type image signal. The analog type input image signal is also input to the motion detection circuit 173 to detect the motion of the subject.
The subsequent signal processing is the same as in the second embodiment.

The motion detection circuit 173 is composed of an analog circuit, as shown in FIG. The input analog image signal is delayed by one horizontal period by the CCD delay line 191 controlled by the controller 190, and after the clock component is removed by the LPF 192, the subtraction circuit 193 subtracts the image signal after one horizontal period. The calculated amount of motion is output via the absolute value circuit 194 and the LPF 195.

As for the detected motion amount, the minimum value detection circuit 173 detects the minimum value of the motion amount within the set time, the image signal determined to be the minimum value is read from the image memory 171, and the D / A converter 172 Are sent to the digital camera, where they are D / A converted and output as analog type image signals.

The detection time can be set by using any of the methods shown in the first to third embodiments.

Other configurations, operations and effects of the eighth embodiment are similar to those of the second embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image freeze signal processing apparatus according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention. The ninth embodiment shows an example in which an image signal input to the motion detecting means 19 is converted into an analog type signal by analog-converting it from the image memory 200 via the D / A converter 201.

Other configurations, operations and effects of the ninth embodiment are similar to those of the second embodiment.

FIG. 19 shows a tenth embodiment of the present invention. The tenth embodiment is configured so that the minimum value detection time setting method of the first embodiment and the third embodiment can be used together. In the first embodiment, the scope discrimination circuit 24 is used. The detection time set according to the scope discrimination signal can be set by the detection time arbitrary setting circuit 26. The other parts of the tenth embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment.

In FIG. 19, the motion detection circuit 19 detects the amount of motion of the subject from the input image signal and sends the detected value to the minimum value detection circuit 21. Now, when the freeze signal is sent from the image freeze instruction circuit 23, the detection time setting circuit 20 and the minimum value detection circuit 21 are activated, and the detection time setting circuit 20
The scope discrimination circuit 24 discriminates the endoscope scope connected to the apparatus, and the discrimination signal is the detection time setting circuit.
When supplied to 20, sets the detection time of the minimum value according to each endoscope scope. Also, at this time, when observing the same subject with endoscopes having different angles of view, the amount of movement of the input image is different (the amount of movement decreases as the angle of view widens). Provided with the detection time arbitrary setting circuit 26 so that the detection time suitable for the scope can be set,
In addition to setting the time by distinguishing the scope, the operator can also set the detection time arbitrarily, so that a more appropriate minimum value detection time can be set for the endoscope scope connected to this device. ing.

FIG. 20 shows an example of the display panel of the device of this example.

When the endoscope scope is discriminated by the scope discriminating circuit 24, each observation site is determined, so that the observation site can be displayed on the display panel by an LED or the like. Further, an adjustment mechanism is provided on the panel so that the detection time of the minimum value can be changed according to the type of endoscope and the difference in the angle of view even in the same observation site.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible for the observer to arbitrarily set the minimum detection time according to the movement of the inspected region by the scope. Since the detection time can also be set, the optimum minimum detection time can be set according to the subject.

Other configurations, operations and effects of the tenth embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be applied to, for example, a monitor image photographing device.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, in a device that stores or records a still image of a subject, when detecting a motion amount from an image signal and detecting a minimum value, it is possible to respond to each subject. Since the freeze operation is performed for the image signal having the smallest movement within the set time, it is possible to store or record a still image with little deterioration of the image due to the movement of the subject.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the constitution of the present invention, and FIGS.
FIG. 1 relates to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image freeze signal processing device, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a motion detection circuit, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the scope discrimination circuit, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the scope discrimination circuit, and FIGS. FIG. 7 relates to the second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a signal processing device for image freeze, FIG. 8 is a diagram showing changes in the amount of movement with respect to time, and FIG. 9 is a switching diagram. FIG. 10 is a front view of an operation panel provided with a switch, FIGS. 10 and 11 relate to a third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image freeze signal processing device, and FIG. FIG. 12 is a front view of an operation panel provided with a changeover switch, and FIG. 12 is for image freeze of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a signal processing device, FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a signal processing device for the fifth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 14 is a diagram for the image freezing of the sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a signal processing device, FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image freeze signal processing device according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 16 and 17 are the eighth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image freeze signal processing device, FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a motion detection circuit, and FIG. 18 is an image freeze signal of a ninth embodiment of the present invention. 19 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a processing device, FIGS. 19 and 20 are related to a tenth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a signal processing device for image freeze, and FIG. 20 is a changeover switch. It is a front view of the operation panel provided with. 1 ... Image storage / recording means 2 ... Motion detection means, 3 ... Minimum value detection means 4 ... Detection time setting means 5 ... Image freeze instruction means 6 ... Write / read control means

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Masahiko Sasaki 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Katsuyuki Saito 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Akinobu Uchiku 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Katsuyoshi Sasakawa 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yuta Nakagawa 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Shinji Yamashita 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image storing / recording means for storing or recording an input image signal generated in time series, a motion detecting means for sequentially detecting a motion amount of a subject from the input image signal, and a sequential input from the motion detecting means. With respect to the movement amount, the minimum value of the movement amount before each input time point of the movement amount from the start point of the predetermined period is held, and the input movement amount is compared with the held minimum value. A minimum value detecting means for updating the held minimum value, a detection time setting means for setting the predetermined period by determining an operating time of the minimum value detecting means, the minimum value detecting means and the detection time An image freeze instructing means for instructing to freeze an image by activating the setting means, and a pair of the image storing / recording means based on the detection result of the minimum value detecting means. That the input image signal writing operation and the image freeze signal processing apparatus comprising: the writing / reading control means for controlling, by comprising a read operation.