JP2653633B2 - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus using a solid-state image pickup device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An endoscope called a fiberscope has been conventionally used for observing and recording the inside of a living body cavity or the inside of a mechanical device.

In recent years, CCD (Charge Coupled Device)
An endoscope in which a small solid-state image sensor represented by the above is arranged at the tip has been developed.

This type of endoscope has a solid-state image pickup device for converting an optical image of an object into an electric signal instead of the image fiber used in the conventional fiberscope. Is displayed as an image on a display device such as a CRT monitor via a processing circuit for converting the signal into a television signal.

By using such a new technique for an endoscope, the resolution (the number of pixels), which was conventionally determined by the number of fibers (tens of thousands), is determined by the number of pixels of the CCD light receiving surface. Currently, it is possible to obtain a resolution of about 2 to 3 times that of the conventional fiber type endoscope.

Furthermore, since an electric signal line is simply passed through the endoscope probe without requiring tens of thousands of fibers, there is an effect that it is possible to reduce the diameter of the probe and reduce the pain to the patient.

[0007]

By the way, there is an endoscope apparatus of this type having a function of freezing (stilling) an image. That is, generally, in endoscopic diagnosis, an image is recorded in a photograph or the like. However, the purpose of having a freeze function is to take a picture of an image on a monitor when the temporal movement of the target image is severe. This is to avoid blurring caused by.

In such a conventional endoscope apparatus, an image memory is used to freeze an image on a display screen of a monitor, and an operator operates a switch or the like at an arbitrary timing to store the image in the image memory. Memorize the image at that moment. Then, the stored image is displayed on the monitor,
The surgeon determines whether or not the image to be taken is appropriate, and if so, the image is taken with a polaroid camera or the like.

However, in the conventional endoscope apparatus,
While the image is frozen during the diagnosis and the frozen image is displayed on the monitor, only the frozen image is displayed on the monitor, so that the continuously changing real image cannot be seen. For example, it is extremely dangerous that the real image disappears from the monitor particularly during a treatment in which a polyp (lesion) is cut off with forceps.

Therefore, in the conventional endoscope apparatus, since the real image disappears from the monitor due to the display of the freeze image, the situation in the body cavity during that time cannot be observed in real time, and the surgeon does not see the freeze image. There is a problem that even if a dangerous state occurs in the living body while observing or selecting a freeze image for image recording, the operator cannot know the situation at all.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and shortens the freeze operation time to ensure safety for the subject.
And an object thereof is to provide an endoscope apparatus capable Rukoto improve all sexual.

[0012]

To achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention includes a monitor means for displaying an object image, a freeze instruction means for instructing the freeze operation, the full <br/> Leeds instructing means Follow the freeze instructions from the monitor hand
While the subject image displayed in the column is frozen ,
The subject image frozen by the recording means
Control to automatically release the freeze state after recording
Ru and display control means for performing.

[0013]

According to the endoscopic device of the present invention, a freeze-like shape is obtained.
Automatically after recording the subject image in the state
By releasing the freeze state, the recording means
Operation to release the freeze state each time a freeze image is recorded
It is not necessary to always perform
And thus reduce the burden on the surgeon,
The freeze operation time by improving the operability
Therefore, it is possible to improve the safety for the subject .

[0014]

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a solid-state imaging device 11 such as CC
An endoscope probe having a D image sensor, 12 is a television circuit unit TV. C. , 13 are A / D converters for digitally converting the video signal output from the television circuit section 12, and 14 is a digital memory D.D. M. , 15 are digital memories 14
Memory control unit M. C. , 16 is a D / A converter for converting the output of the digital memory into an analog signal, 1
7 is a TV monitor for displaying a video signal output from the television circuit section, 18 is a TV monitor for displaying a video signal output from the D / A converter 16, 19 is a TV monitor MON for taking a picture,
20 is a camera that shoots the image on the TV monitor 19 on film, 21 is a push button switch that freezes the image, 2
Reference numeral 2 denotes a shutter push button switch of the camera 20 for photographing a frozen image.

Next, the operation of the apparatus of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described.

The solid-state imaging device 11 converts an optical image in the body cavity illuminated by a light source (not shown) into an electric signal.

This electric signal is converted into a video signal by the television circuit section 12, one of which is directly used in the TV monitor 1
It is displayed on 7. The other is digitized by the A / D converter 13 and sequentially recorded in the digital memory 14.

The recorded image data is sequentially read and converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 16, and then the TV monitor 18 and the photographing monitor 1 are used.
9 is displayed.

Now, the desired body cavity image is displayed on the TV monitor 1
When confirmed by 7 or 18, the operator can obtain a freeze image by pressing the push button switch 21. That is, when the push button switch 21 is pressed, the memory controller 15 repeats the reading with the image in the memory fixed by the signal thereof. As a result, the frozen image is displayed on the TV monitors 18 and 19.

Next, the operator can press the push button switch 22 to capture the freeze image displayed on the TV monitor 19 on the camera 20. To cancel the freeze image, the push button switch 21 may be pressed again.

According to the above configuration, the real-time state inside the body cavity can be observed on the TV monitor 17 even during freeze display and taking a picture.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals.

In the figure, reference numeral 31 denotes a digital memory for recording / reproducing a real image, and 32 denotes a recording / reproduction of a frozen image.
It is a digital memory for reproduction.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the timing and display method of the image displayed on the TV monitor 34.

Normally, a real image is displayed on the TV monitor 34, and the operator looks for the desired image while observing it. When the target image is confirmed, the push button switch 21 in FIG. 2 is pressed. The signal that the switch 21 is turned on is transferred to the memory controller 33. In this case, the main controller 33 creates a freeze image in the digital memory 32, while recording a real image in the digital memory 31.

When reading an image, FIG.
As shown in (b), the address control of the memories 31 and 32 is executed so that the freeze image and the real image can be simultaneously displayed on the TV monitor 34. That is, the switch 21
When the freeze is turned on by the operation of, the address signal output from the memory controller 33 is supplied while selectively turning on / off the outputs to the digital memories 31 and 32.

For example, when a real image is displayed next to the freeze image in a small size as shown in FIG. 3B, the address signal from the memory controller 33 is first sent to the digital memory 32.
It is supplied only to the side, and is output without reading the portions at both ends in the horizontal direction where there is no affected area information.
Via the TV monitor 34 and the TV monitor 19 for photography.
Is supplied to.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), when the image is successively displayed to about 1/2 of the vertical direction of the TV monitor,
The address signal is also supplied to the digital memory 31 side on which the real image is recorded, and the second half of each horizontal scanning line replaces the digital memory 32 and the real image from the digital memory 31 thins out a predetermined number of pixels (for example, 4 pixels). While using the D / A converter 16, the TV monitor 3
4 and 19 are supplied. When one field is completed in this way, a display as shown in FIG.

When the surgeon observes the TV monitor 34 and determines that the photographing is appropriate, the push button switch 22
Press. As a result, the memory controller 33 supplies the address output only to the digital memory 32, displays only the freeze image on the TV monitors 34 and 19 as shown in FIG.

As described above, since only the freeze image is displayed on the monitor during the actual shooting, it is possible to shoot only the freeze image without motion blur without shooting a real image unnecessary for shooting.

When the photographing is completed, the display on the TV monitor is immediately returned to the original state, that is, the memory controller 33 supplies the address output only to the digital memory 31, and only the real image is displayed until the next freeze signal is inputted. It is possible to display and display the real image of the operator without needing to switch the display image by the operator.

That is, in the second embodiment, since a real image can be observed on one TV monitor even at the time of freezing, even when the freeze image is displayed on the TV monitor for observing the freeze image, The surgeon can perform freeze image observation with peace of mind while confirming that the living body is not in a dangerous state during that time.

When a shooting instruction is issued in this state, the TV monitor is controlled so that only the freeze image is displayed from the state in which the freeze image and the real image are simultaneously displayed. It is possible to capture freeze images without motion blur without capturing unnecessary real images.

Further, by performing display control so that the display on the TV monitor returns to the display of only the real image after the photographing is completed, the operator does not need to switch the displayed image each time, and the operability is improved. It can be used to observe the real image of the person.

Although the respective embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0037]

According to the present invention described above, the operability is improved.
Can reduce the burden on the surgeon
And reduce the freeze time
Can be, it is Rukoto is thus improved safety for the subject.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a TV monitor according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 Endoscope probe 2, 3 Processing circuit 11 Solid-state image sensor 14 Digital memory 17, 18, 34 TV monitor 19 Imaging monitor 20 Camera

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] It said monitor means for displaying 1. A subject image, a freeze instruction means for instructing the freeze operation, in accordance with a freeze instruction from the freeze instruction means Mo
The subject image displayed on the monitor means is set in a frozen state, and the recording means sets the subject image in the frozen state.
After recording the body image, it automatically releases the frozen state
The endoscope apparatus Ru and a display control means for performing control. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the display control means is configured to output the freeze instruction.
A frozen image of the subject image in a frozen state according to
And the real image smaller than the freeze image.
The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein you to view the data unit.