JP3002224B2 - Electronic endoscope device - Google Patents

Description

Description: Object of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an electronic endoscope apparatus, and more particularly, to a flexure for connecting a plurality of scopes each having a built-in image sensor having a different drive frequency. Improving abilities.

(Prior Art) There are many types of scopes used for endoscopy, such as those having different diameters, depending on the application and purpose.
These scopes are used by being connected to an apparatus main body having a built-in air / water supply mechanism, a power supply, a light source, an image processing mechanism, and the like.

An imaging device (hereinafter, abbreviated as CCD) is provided at the distal end rigid portion of the scope, and the size of the CCD and operating conditions such as, for example, a driving frequency also differ due to a difference in the diameter of the scope. In addition, due to the progress of the CCD itself, there is a case where even the same size can be replaced by an element having a larger number of pixels and a higher resolution, and the driving frequency and the like also differ.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in order to be able to connect various types of scopes with built-in CCDs having different driving frequencies as described above,
The camera circuits for driving the CCD are also different. For this reason, as the types of scope increase, the camera circuit for driving them becomes more complicated. If the frequency is different, the impedance condition also changes, making adjustment difficult.

The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional situation, and an object of the present invention is to improve flexibility of connecting a scope having a different built-in CCD in an electronic endoscope apparatus.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve such an object, an electronic endoscope apparatus according to the present invention operates at a single frequency and receives signals from CCDs having different driving frequencies. A camera circuit for converting an input signal of a photographed image and outputting the converted signal to an image memory; a plurality of clocks for oscillating a frequency for reading image memory corresponding to each of a plurality of scopes having CCDs having different driving frequencies; And a control circuit for selecting a specific clock from a plurality of clocks according to the connected scope.

(Operation) With an electronic endoscope device having such a configuration, a camera that operates at a single frequency even when a plurality of scopes with built-in CCDs having different driving frequencies are connected and replaced. The circuit allows the scope to be connected at that time.
An input signal of a captured image input from the CCD is converted and output to an image memory. Then, a specific clock corresponding to the scope connected at that time is selected by the control circuit from a plurality of clocks that oscillate the frequency for reading the image memory corresponding to each of the plurality of scopes, and read out from the image memory. Will be used for.

In this way, even images captured by various types of CCDs can be correctly output and displayed on a monitor or the like, and the camera circuit can be operated at a single drive frequency, so that it can be simplified. (If any) is constant, so adjustments and the like are easy.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an electronic endoscope apparatus according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied.

There is a scope 1 in which a solid-state imaging device (referred to as a CCD) 2 is built in a rigid end portion, and a main body 20 of an electronic endoscope apparatus to which the scope 1 is connected. As the scope 1, there are a plurality of types in which CCDs having different driving frequencies are built.

Inside the main body 20, a camera circuit 3 that operates at a single basic driving frequency (basic clock) generated by the clock A8, drives the CCD 2, receives an input signal of a captured image, and converts it into a video signal, A / D converter 4 for converting a video signal into a digital value in synchronization with the basic clock, and image memory 5 for storing a photographed image of the converted digital value
Is provided.

Further, there are a D / A converter 6 for reconverting an output digital value from the image memory 5 into an analog signal, and a monitor 7 for observing an endoscope photographed image.

A plurality of clocks B10, C11, D12,... Oscillating a frequency for reading the image memory 5 corresponding to each of the plurality of scopes 1, and the plurality of clocks B10, C11, D
12, a system controller 13 for selecting a specific clock according to the connected scope 1, and an image memory 5
An address controller 9 that uses the basic drive frequency from the clock A8 for writing to the memory and uses a clock selected by the system controller 13 for reading is provided.

When the scope 1 is connected to the main body 2, for example, an identification signal (ID signal) for identifying the CCD 2 is transmitted from the scope 1 to the system controller 13. System controller 13
Corresponds to a plurality of clocks B10, C11, D12
.. Are controlled to select a read clock corresponding to the scope 1 from.

The CCD 2 is driven by a camera circuit 3 operated by a basic clock generated by a clock A8, and a video signal generated by the camera circuit 3 is digitized by an A / D converter 4 and then imaged by the same basic clock. The data is written to the memory 5 and held.

The image data held in the image memory 5 is read by a clock corresponding to the CCD 2 selected and supplied by the system controller 13 and the address controller 9. The digital signal thus read is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 6 and displayed on the monitor 7. Here, the clock selected corresponding to the CCD 2 is synchronized in the address controller 9 so as to have the same phase as the basic clock. Further, among the plurality of clocks B10, C11, D12,..., The non-selected clock is not oscillated so as not to affect other parts such as interference or resonance.

[Effect of the Invention] As described above, according to the electronic endoscope apparatus to which the present invention is applied, a correct image can be obtained even when operating a scope having an image pickup device (CCD) having a different drive frequency with the same camera circuit. Can be displayed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an electronic endoscope apparatus according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied. 1 scope 2 CCD 3 camera circuit 4 A / D converter 5 image memory 6 D / A converter 7 monitor 8 clock A 9 … Address controller 10… Clock B, 11… Clock C 12… Clock D, 13… System controller 20…

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An electronic endoscope apparatus which can be connected to a plurality of scopes having image pickup devices of different drive frequencies built therein, wherein the scope operates at a single frequency and receives an input signal of a captured image from the image pickup device. A camera circuit for converting and outputting to the image memory; a plurality of clocks for oscillating a frequency for reading the image memory corresponding to each of the plurality of scopes; and a specific clock according to the connected scope from the plurality of clocks An electronic endoscope device comprising: a control circuit for selecting the electronic endoscope.