JP2714375B2 - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus using a solid-state image sensor. 2. Description of the Related Art An endoscope called a fiberscope has conventionally been used for observing and recording inside a living body cavity or inside a mechanical device. In recent years, CCD (Charge
An endoscope in which a small solid-state imaging device typified by a coupled device or the like is disposed at the tip has been developed. In this type of endoscope, a solid-state image pickup device for converting an optical image of an object into an electric signal is replaced with an image fiber used in a conventional fiberscope. Is displayed as an image on a display device such as a CRT monitor via a processing circuit that converts the video signal into a television signal. By using such a new technique for an endoscope, the resolution (number of pixels) conventionally determined by the number of fibers (tens of thousands) is determined by the number of pixels on the CCD light receiving surface. At present, it is possible to obtain about 2-3 times the resolution of the conventional fiber type endoscope. Further, since only an electric signal line is passed through the endoscope probe without using tens of thousands of fibers, the diameter of the probe can be reduced, and there is also an effect that pain given to a patient can be reduced. Some endoscope devices of this type have 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. The purpose of the present invention is to avoid the occurrence of blurring due to the image. In such a conventional endoscope apparatus, an image memory is used to freeze an image on a display screen of a monitor, and when an operator operates a switch or the like at an arbitrary timing, the image memory is stored in the image memory. The image at that moment is stored. Then, the stored image is projected on a monitor,
The operator determines whether or not the image to be captured is appropriate, and if the image is appropriate, the image is captured by a polaroid camera or the like. However, in a conventional endoscope device,
While the image is frozen during the diagnosis and this frozen image is projected on the monitor, only the frozen image is displayed on the monitor, so that the continuously changing real image cannot be seen. For example, at the time of treatment in which a polyp (lesion) is resected with forceps, it is extremely dangerous that a real image disappears from a monitor in particular. Therefore, in the conventional endoscope apparatus, the real image disappears from the monitor due to the display of the freeze image, so that the situation in the body cavity cannot be observed in real time, and the operator cannot view the freeze image. There is a problem that even if a dangerous state occurs in the living body during the operation of selecting a frozen image for observation or image recording, the operator cannot know the situation at all. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and enables a real-time state in a body cavity to be constantly observed even when a freeze image is displayed. It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope apparatus capable of providing an endoscope apparatus that allows an operator to observe a freeze image with peace of mind while checking that it does not occur. [0011] To achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, the photographic acquired by the endoscope
In the endoscope apparatus for displaying a real image of the body on the monitor means, an input means for arbitrarily inputting a freeze operation instruction, the freeze according to the operation instruction, before Symbol monitor means display the first screen from the normal screen of and variations Then simultaneously <br/> split screen having a second screen, the pre-Symbol to the first screen
A freeze image of a moving object and a control for displaying the real image on the second screen are performed , and the real image is displayed on the divided screen.
And when the freeze image is displayed,
When there is an instruction to move the screen, the screen of the monitor means is divided
Change from the screen to the normal screen
It is characterized in that it comprises a display control means for performing control to display the real image in terms. According to the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, the freeze movement
In accordance with the operation instruction , the screen of the monitor is changed from the normal screen to the divided screen having the first screen and the second screen , and at the same time, the frozen image of the subject is displayed on the first screen, and the screen is displayed on the second screen.
Performs control to display the Al image, the Li in split screen
When the image and the freeze image are displayed,
If there is a close operation instruction, the screen of the monitor
To the normal screen at the same time
By providing display control means for controlling the display of an image, the operator can observe a frozen image or select a frozen image for image recording, etc., while constantly observing the real-time state in the body cavity with confidence. it is Ru can. Also off
Entering a release operation command once changes the screen from a normal screen to a split screen and displays a freeze image on the first screen.
(Operation for displaying a frozen image ) can be performed, so that operability can be improved. And enter
Freeze operation instruction can be input arbitrarily by force means
This allows the surgeon to arbitrarily display and freeze the subject's frozen image.
Since the image display (freeze release) can be executed,
After judging whether the freeze image is appropriate for recording
Record, which in turn reduces waste
Can be. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a solid-state imaging device 11 such as CC
D is an endoscope probe having an image sensor, and 12 is a television circuit unit TV.TV which forms an output signal of the solid-state imaging device 11 into a video signal. C. , 13 are A / D converters for digitally converting a video signal output from the television circuit unit 12, and 31 is a digital converter.
Digital memory for recording / reproducing a digital image.
M. , 32 are for recording and reproducing the frozen image.
Digital memory D. M. , 33 are digital memories 32
Create a frozen image in the digital memory 31
Main controller M. for recording images C. , 16 are D / A for converting the output of the digital memory into an analog signal.
The converter 34 represents a video signal output from the D / A converter 16.
TV monitor shown , 19 is a TV monitor MO for photographing
Reference numerals N and 20 denote cameras for photographing an image on the TV monitor 19 on film, 21 a push button switch for freezing an image, and 22 a camera 20 for photographing a frozen image.
Push button switch for shutter . You, if you want to cancel the freeze image is name, button switch 2 press again
You just need to press 1 . FIG . 2 is a diagram for explaining the timing of an image displayed on the TV monitor 34 and a display method. Usually T
A real image is displayed on the V monitor 34, and the operator searches for a target image while observing the real image. When the target image is confirmed, the push button switch 21 in FIG. 1 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 frozen image in the digital memory 32, while recording a real image in the digital memory 31. When reading an image, FIG.
(B) As shown, the addresses of the memories 31 and 32 are controlled 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 (1), the address signal output from the memory controller 33 is supplied while the output to the digital memories 31 and 32 is selectively turned on / off. For example, when a real image is displayed small beside a freeze image as shown in FIG. 2B, an address signal from the memory controller 33 is first transmitted to the digital memory 32.
Is supplied only to the D / A converter 16 and is output without being read out where there is no affected part information at both ends in the horizontal direction.
Monitor 34 and photographing TV monitor 19 through the
Supplied to Then, as shown in FIG. 2 (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 on which the real image is recorded. In the latter half of each horizontal scanning line, the real image from the digital memory 31 is thinned out by a predetermined number of pixels (for example, 4 pixels) instead of the digital memory 32. TV monitor 3 via D / A converter 16
4 and 19 are supplied. When one field is completed in this way, a display is made as shown in FIG. Then, when the surgeon observes the TV monitor 34 and determines that the photographing is appropriate, the push button switch 22
push. 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, only the freeze image is displayed on the monitor at the time of actual photographing, so that only a freeze image without motion blur can be photographed without photographing a real image unnecessary for photographing. When the photographing is completed, the display on the TV monitor immediately returns 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 output until the next freeze signal is input. The displayed image can be used for observation of a real image of the operator without requiring the operator to perform a display image switching operation. [0021] That is, in the real施例of this, one TV
Since a real image can be observed on the monitor even during a freeze, even if the freeze image is displayed on the TV monitor to perform the freeze image observation, the operator confirms that the living body is not in a dangerous state during that time, The freeze image can be observed with care. When a photographing instruction is given in this state, the TV monitor performs display control so that only the frozen image is displayed from the state where the frozen image and the real image are simultaneously displayed. It is possible to capture a freeze image without motion blur without capturing an unnecessary real image. 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 operation can be performed with good operability. Can be used to observe a real image of a person. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be variously modified without changing the gist. According to the present invention described above, the operator observes a frozen image and selects a frozen image for image recording while constantly observing the real-time state in the body cavity. It can be performed with ease, the operability of the endoscope can be improved, and the
After determining whether the Leeds image is appropriate for recording, record
And reduce waste of records.
it can.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exemplary view for explaining a display example of a TV monitor according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS] 1 endoscope probe 3 processing circuit 11 solid-state imaging elements 31 and 32 digital memory 3 4 TV monitor 19 for imaging monitor 20 Camera

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In the endoscope apparatus for displaying a real image of the subject acquired by the endoscope on the monitor means, an input means for arbitrarily inputting a freeze operation instruction, in accordance with the freeze operation instruction, the previous screen Symbol monitor means changes from normal screen to split screen having a first screen and a second screen Then simultaneously, before Symbol subject to the first screen
Freeze image, wherein performs control to display the real image to the second screen, the in split screen and the real image and the freeze image is displayed
When the freeze operation instruction is issued,
The screen of the monitor is changed from the divided screen to the normal screen.
At the same time, display the real image on the normal screen.
Display control means for performing the following control :
That endoscope apparatus. 2. The second screen has a smaller display area than the first screen.
The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the decoction. 3. It said input means, the endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein Rukoto provided in said endoscope.