JP6125159B2 - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus that images a subject such as an inner wall of an organ, and more particularly to adjustment of an exposure time during imaging.

  In an electronic endoscope apparatus, an image sensor (imaging device) is provided at the distal end portion of a video scope, and a color image signal is generated based on pixel signals read from the image sensor. At this time, when a CMOS sensor is used as the image sensor, the pixel signal is read for each horizontal line in accordance with raster scanning.

  In the case of endoscopic observation, since the observation target is in the lumen, the luminance difference in the image is large. If the luminance difference is very large, halation or blackout will occur even if the amount of light is adjusted by image processing or aperture, and it is difficult to display an image that accurately captures the affected area without noise.

  An exposure control method is known in which an exposure time is adjusted for each line in order to capture a dark portion in an image in which low luminance and high luminance are mixed (see Patent Document 1). In this case, the reset timing or pixel signal readout timing is adjusted for each line, and the exposure period is set to be relatively long for an image area with low luminance.

  By adjusting the exposure time as described above, clear images can be displayed in both bright and dark areas without occurrence of halation or blackout even for images having a luminance difference in the vertical direction of the screen.

JP 2011-244951 A

  When individually adjusting the exposure time of the line, it is necessary to provide a dedicated control circuit in the imaging unit. In particular, in the case of a CMOS sensor, since a drive circuit or the like is mounted inside the sensor, the size of the sensor is increased. This makes it difficult to place the image sensor at the distal end of the endoscope where space is limited. In addition, the operation of the control circuit may cause noise in the read pixel signal.

  Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the exposure time of each line without providing a dedicated control circuit for the sensor.

  An endoscope apparatus according to the present invention controls an XY-independent image sensor, a reset unit that performs reset processing on the entire pixels of the image sensor at predetermined time intervals, a pixel signal read timing, and a subject image. In accordance with the luminance of each line, a reading order adjustment unit that sets the order of lines (horizontal lines) when reading out pixel signals, and after reset processing, pixel signals for one frame / field are set from the image sensor. An image sensor driving unit that reads in line order and a pixel signal alignment unit that aligns the read pixel signals for one frame / field so as to obtain a pixel signal array during normal raster scanning.

  Then, the reading order adjustment unit reads the pixel signal on the line with higher luminance first than the pixel signal on the line with lower luminance. For example, the reading order adjustment unit can determine the line order when reading the order of lines with high luminance values.

  For example, it is possible to include a first light source unit that continuously irradiates light on the subject. Alternatively, it is possible to provide a second light source unit that has a light blocking member disposed on the optical path and that irradiates the subject with intermittent light by alternately transmitting and blocking light.

  When the second light source unit is provided, a timing adjusting unit that adjusts the readout timing of the pixel signal can be further provided. If the timing adjustment unit is configured to shift the readout timing of the pixel signal with respect to the light shielding period start timing, it is possible to change the exposure time for each line.

  Alternatively, it is also possible to provide a timing adjustment unit that drives and controls the light shielding member to adjust the transmission period start timing. In this case, the timing adjustment unit can shift the transmission period start timing with respect to the pixel signal readout start timing.

  For example, it is possible to provide a luminance detection unit that detects the luminance value of each line from the pixel signal of one frame / field read in the line order according to the pixel arrangement.

  Thus, according to the present invention, the exposure time can be adjusted for each line even with a simple and general-purpose circuit configuration.

It is a block diagram of the electronic endoscope apparatus which is 1st Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the timing chart of exposure time adjustment processing. It is the figure which showed the observation image with a luminance difference. It is the figure which showed the graph of the luminance distribution of an observation image. It is the figure which showed the flowchart of the exposure time adjustment process by a scope controller. It is the figure which showed the light quantity adjustment member. It is a timing chart which showed the exposure time adjustment process in 2nd Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the flowchart of the exposure time adjustment process in 2nd Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the timing chart of the exposure time adjustment process in 3rd Embodiment. It is a block diagram of the electronic endoscope apparatus which is 4th Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the observation image with a big luminance difference between areas. It is the figure which showed the observation image with a big luminance difference between areas. It is the figure which showed the timing chart of the exposure time process in 4th Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the reading order of a pixel signal. It is the figure which showed the flowchart of the exposure time adjustment process in 4th Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the timing chart of the exposure time process in 5th Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the flowchart of the exposure time adjustment process in 5th Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the timing chart of the exposure time process in 6th Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, the electronic endoscope apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic endoscope apparatus according to this embodiment.

  The electronic endoscope apparatus includes a video scope 10 whose insertion portion is inserted into the body, and a processor 30, and the video scope 10 is detachably connected to the processor 30. A monitor (not shown) is connected to the processor 30.

The processor 30 includes a lamp 32 that emits white light, and the light emitted from the lamp enters the light guide 12 provided in the video scope 10 through the diaphragm 34. The light incident on the light guide 12 exits from the scope distal end 10T via a light distribution lens (not shown) and is irradiated onto the subject (observation site).

  An imaging module 13 including an image sensor 14 is mounted on the scope distal end portion 10T. The light reflected by the subject is imaged by an objective lens (not shown) disposed at the scope tip 10T, and a subject image is formed on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 14.

  The image sensor 14 is an XY independent image sensor that can read out a pixel signal for each pixel, and a CMOS image sensor is applied here. On the light receiving surface of the image sensor 14, a color filter (not shown) is arranged in which color filter elements made of Cy, Ye, G, Mg, or R, G, B are arranged in a mosaic pattern.

  The imaging module 13 is provided with a read control unit 16 and a drive circuit 18. In the image sensor 14, according to the drive signal sent from the drive circuit 18, the image signal for one field or one frame is a predetermined time interval (for example, 1/60 second interval in the NTSC system, 1 / in the PAL system). Read at intervals of 50 seconds). The read analog pixel signal is sent to an initial signal processing circuit 24 provided on the processor side of the video scope 10. Note that serial transmission may be performed as a digital pixel signal.

  In the initial signal processing circuit 24, initial processing such as amplification processing is performed on the analog pixel signal and digitized. The digitized pixel signals for one field / frame are sequentially sent to the processor 30 via the sort circuit 26. The initial signal processing circuit 24 calculates the luminance value of each line and transmits it to the scope controller 20.

  The image signal processing circuit 36 performs gamma processing, white balance processing, color conversion processing, and the like on the pixel signal to generate an image signal. The generated image signal is temporarily stored in the image memory 38, and then output to the monitor via the post-processing circuit 42. Thereby, the observation image is displayed on the monitor.

  The system control circuit 40 outputs a control signal to the aperture 34, the timing generator 44, etc., and controls the operation of the entire processor. The timing generator 44 outputs a clock pulse signal to each circuit, and adjusts signal input / output timing, pixel signal readout timing, and the like.

  On the other hand, the scope controller 20 provided in the video scope 10 outputs control signals to the read control unit 16, the timing generator 22, the sort circuit 26, and the like, and controls the operation of the entire video scope 10. The scope controller 20 can communicate data with the system control circuit 40.

  In the present embodiment, the mode can be switched between the normal observation mode and the exposure time adjustment mode by an input operation on a keyboard (not shown) connected to the processor 30. In the normal observation mode, pixel signals for one frame / field are read out according to raster scanning as usual.

  On the other hand, in the exposure time adjustment mode, when the system control circuit 40 transmits mode switching information to the scope controller 20, the scope controller 20 performs pixel signal based on the luminance value of each line sent from the initial signal processing circuit 24. Is set / determined, and a control signal is output to the read control unit 16.

  The read control unit 16 controls the image sensor 14 so that pixel signals are read for each line according to the set line order. Further, the timing generator 22 outputs a timing adjustment signal or the like to the drive circuit 18 in accordance with a control signal from the scope controller 20. In the drive circuit 18, a drive signal including a reset signal, a pixel signal readout start signal, and the like is output to the image sensor 14.

  On the other hand, the sort circuit 26 returns the original pixel signal arrangement order according to the pixel arrangement of the image sensor 14 based on the data related to the line readout order sent from the scope controller 20, and therefore sort processing is performed on the pixel signals. I do.

  Below, an exposure time adjustment process is demonstrated using FIGS.

  FIG. 2 is a timing chart of the exposure time adjustment process. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an observation image having a luminance difference.

  In the normal observation mode, the CMOS image sensor 14 reads out pixel signals by normal raster scanning. That is, pixel signals are sequentially read out line by line from the highest line (row) in the sensor area toward the lowest line (here, the number of effective lines of the image sensor 14 is N).

  When a period W during which pixel signals are read from the first line to the Nth line elapses, the pixel signals of the first line to the Nth line are read again after a predetermined period Q. In each line, a reset signal is output simultaneously with the completion of pixel signal readout for all lines (not shown in FIG. 2A), and exposure for each line is started again immediately thereafter.

  When pixel signals are read by raster scanning and a reset signal is output for each line, the pixel signal reading period is the same for all lines, and therefore the exposure time T0 for each line is the same. The exposure time T0 depends on the predetermined period Q and the pixel signal readout period W for all lines. The pixel signal readout period W for all lines depends on the operating characteristics of the CMOS image sensor 14 and the like.

  On the other hand, when an observation image with a large luminance difference is displayed in the display area, the exposure time adjustment mode is set by the user. In endoscopic observation, illumination light is strongly applied to an observation site close to the scope tip, and conversely, the surroundings are often displayed extremely dark. FIG. 3 shows an observation image Z1 having a large luminance difference along the top and bottom of the screen. The vicinity of the central portion of the observation image Z1 is very bright and the peripheral portion is very dark.

  If such an observation image is displayed as it is, halation (white image) is likely to occur in a high-luminance area, while blackout tends to occur in a low-luminance area. In this embodiment, the order of lines from which pixel signals are read out in order to suppress extreme luminance differences in the observed image and display low luminance areas and high luminance areas with high resolution and high image quality while maintaining contrast in an appropriate luminance range. change.

  In the case of the observation image Z1 shown in FIG. 3, the luminance is highest near the center (N / 2 line), and the luminance decreases as the distance from the central area in both the upper and lower directions is the highest line, the lowest line (1, N lines). The brightness is lowest in the vicinity. However, here, it is assumed that the number of horizontal lines of the observation image Z1 is substantially equal to the number of horizontal lines of the image sensor.

  Therefore, while matching the exposure start timing for the entire pixels, the order of lines having pixel signals with high luminance is set as the order of readout lines. Specifically, a reset signal is output to all the pixels of the image sensor 14, and all accumulated charges are swept out from all the pixels (see FIG. 2). As a result, the exposure start timing is equal for all lines.

  Then, pixel signals for one frame / field are read out in the order of high luminance lines. The line that is read out first is the line with the highest luminance, and the order in which the lines are read out becomes lower in the line with lower luminance. In the case of the observation image Z1 shown in FIG. 3, pixel signals are read out in the order of N / 2, N / 2 + 1, N / 2-1,..., 2, N-1, 1, and N lines.

  The pixel signal readout period for each line is the same as in the normal observation mode. For this reason, the exposure period is shorter for the pixels on the line read out earlier, and the exposure time is longer for the pixels on the line for which readout starts later. In FIG. 2, exposure times T1 and T2 are shown.

  When the order of the readout lines is changed, the arrangement of the read pixel signals does not match the pixel arrangement of the image sensor 14. If the image is displayed as it is, the subject and the observation image will not correspond. Therefore, the sort process is executed so as to reproduce the arrangement order of the pixel signals obtained in the normal observation mode.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a graph of the luminance distribution of the observation image. The horizontal axis of the graph represents the line number in the observation image shown in FIG. 3, and the vertical axis represents the luminance. The luminance distribution when the exposure time is not adjusted is indicated by Y0, and the luminance distribution when the exposure time is adjusted is indicated by Y. As shown in FIG. 4, the brightness range width is relatively narrowed by adjusting the exposure time, and an observation image in which the brightness difference is appropriately suppressed is obtained.

  The degree of luminance correction, that is, adjustment of the luminance range can be adjusted by changing the pixel signal readout period W for all lines. The longer the all-line readout period W, the smaller the exposure time difference between the first line and the last line, and the larger the luminance difference is resolved.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the exposure time adjustment process performed by the scope controller. When the exposure time adjustment mode is set, processing is performed at predetermined time intervals by receiving a signal from the processor. For example, it is executed as an interrupt process for the main routine.

  In step S101, the luminance value for each line sent from the initial signal processing circuit 24 is detected. Here, the average luminance value of the pixel signal is calculated as the luminance value of the line. However, the representative luminance value of the line can be obtained by other calculation methods (sample pixel extraction or the like). It is also possible to obtain the luminance value for pixel signals of specific color components (R, G, B, etc.) or pixel signals of all color components.

  In step S102, the order of the pixel signal readout lines is determined so that the lines with higher luminance are read out earlier based on the luminance values of the lines. Immediately after setting the exposure time adjustment mode, pixel signals are read in the same reading order as in the normal observation mode. Thereby, the luminance distribution of the observation image is detected in a state where the exposure time is not adjusted, and the line order based on the luminance distribution is set.

  A reset signal for the entire pixel is output from the driving circuit 18 at predetermined time intervals, while reading of the pixel signal is started from the line having the largest luminance value based on the scanning control signal from the reading control unit 16; and Pixel signals are read in order of lines with higher luminance (S103).

  Data relating to the order of the read lines determined in step S102 is transmitted to the sort circuit 26 (S104). The sort circuit 26 changes the arrangement of the digital pixel signals input to the sort circuit 26 based on this data, and changes the original line order, that is, the line order when raster scanning is performed according to the pixel array of the CMOS image sensor 14 (first order). The pixel signals are aligned so as to obtain a pixel signal array according to 1 to Nth).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the electronic endoscope apparatus including the video scope 10 provided with the CMOS image sensor 14 at the distal end portion, the reset signal for all the pixels is output, and the luminance value is arranged in the order of the lines. Read the pixel signal. The read pixel signals are aligned so as to have the same array as the pixel signal array before the read line is changed.

  This makes it possible to obtain observation images with different exposure times for each line without mounting a dedicated readout control circuit on the imaging module. In particular, since the line order with the highest luminance value is the readout line order, it is possible to obtain an observation image with a reduced luminance difference while maintaining a smooth luminance distribution.

  The exposure time adjustment processing is executed at predetermined time intervals in order to maintain the line reading order for a while, but may be executed continuously. In this case, the luminance value of each line can be obtained with the line order changed.

  Next, the electronic endoscope apparatus according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the second embodiment, intermittent light is irradiated using a rotary shutter instead of continuously irradiating the subject with illumination light. The configuration of the electronic endoscope apparatus is substantially the same as that of the electronic endoscope apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and can be represented by an equivalent block diagram. However, the diaphragm 34 shown in FIG. 1 is replaced with a light amount adjusting member having a rotary shutter and a diaphragm.

  FIG. 6 is a view showing the light amount adjusting member 60. The light amount adjusting member 60 includes a rotary shutter 70 and a diaphragm 80, and the rotary shutter 70 rotates around the axis C at a constant speed. The aperture 80 is pivotable about the axis G.

  The rotary shutter 70 has an arcuate opening 72 at the peripheral edge thereof, and is formed over a substantially half circumference. The portion 74 other than the opening 72 is configured as a light shielding portion. The luminous flux LS of illumination light emitted from the lamp 32 intersects with the vicinity of the periphery of the rotary shutter 70. For this reason, while the rotary shutter 70 is rotating, transmission and shading of illumination light are repeated alternately. The diaphragm 80 has a tapered opening 82. When the aperture 80 rotates, the amount of light passing therethrough changes according to the shape of the opening 82. Thereby, the brightness can be adjusted.

  FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing exposure time adjustment processing in the second embodiment.

  The rotary shutter 70 rotates at a constant speed so that the transmission period and the light shielding period are equal. In the normal observation mode, the pixel signal readout start signal is synchronized with the switching timing of the transmission period and the light shielding period of the rotary shutter.

  When the pixel signal readout start signal is turned on during the light shielding period, the pixel signals for all lines are read during the light shielding period. Therefore, the exposure time T0 is the same for all lines and corresponds to the transmission period.

  On the other hand, in the exposure time adjustment mode, the pixel signal readout start timing is shifted overall. In FIG. 7, the pixel signal readout start timing of the first line is shifted so as to be advanced by a period K from the start time of the light shielding period.

  As a result, even during the illumination light transmission period, the exposure time T1 of the line from which the pixel signal is read first becomes shorter than the exposure time T2 of the line from which the pixel signal is read later. However, FIG. 7 shows exposure time adjustment in which the luminance values of some lines are equal to each other. By reading out pixel signals in order of lines with higher luminance values, an observation image in which the luminance difference is suppressed is displayed as in the first embodiment.

  FIG. 8 is a view showing a flowchart of exposure time adjustment processing in the second embodiment.

  As in the first embodiment, the read line order is determined based on the luminance value detected for each line (S201, S202). Then, the reset signal for all the pixels is output, and the timing generator 22 outputs a read start signal to the drive circuit 18. The drive circuit 18 reads the pixel signal in accordance with the read line control from the read control unit 16 and in accordance with the shifted read start timing (S203). The read line order data is output to the sort circuit 26 (S204).

  Thus, according to the second embodiment, the exposure time can be adjusted for each line even in the configuration in which the subject is intermittently irradiated with the illumination light.

  Next, an electronic endoscope apparatus according to a third embodiment will be described. In the third embodiment, the phase of the rotary shutter is shifted instead of shifting the pixel signal readout start timing. Other configurations are substantially the same as those in the second embodiment.

  FIG. 9 is a timing chart of the exposure time adjustment process in the third embodiment.

  In the third embodiment, the read start timing of the entire line is the same in both the normal observation mode and the exposure time adjustment mode, while the rotational phase of the rotary shutter 70 is shifted. The rotary shutter 70 rotates so as to shift the phase based on the control signal. As a result, the start time of the transmission period is shifted and delayed by the period P.

  As a result, as in the second embodiment, the exposure time T1 of the line from which the pixel signal is read first is shorter than the exposure time T2 of the line from which the pixel signal is read later. The exposure time adjustment process can also be represented by the same flowchart (not shown) as in the second embodiment.

  However, in this case, instead of shifting the read start timing (step S203 in FIG. 8), the phase shift process of the rotary shutter 70 is executed. This is realized by sending a control signal from the timing generator 22 to the timing generator 44 on the processor side.

  In the second and third embodiments, intermittent light is irradiated using a rotary shutter, but other configurations can also be applied.

  Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the fourth embodiment, the reading order is not determined for each line, but is determined for each pixel. Other configurations are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment.

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an electronic endoscope apparatus according to the fourth embodiment.

  The initial signal processing circuit 124 calculates the luminance value of each pixel signal for one frame field input. Then, the scope controller 20 sets the order of the pixel signals to be read so that the pixel signals with higher luminance are read out earlier. When the two-dimensional sorting circuit 260 receives the pixel signal readout order data, the two-dimensional sorting circuit 260 performs a sorting process for rearranging the input pixel signals so as to obtain a pixel array when the image sensor 14 is subjected to normal raster scanning.

  FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B are diagrams showing observation images having a large luminance difference between areas.

  In the observation image Z2 shown in FIG. 11A, the luminance is low in the left area and high in the right area. In the observation image Z3 shown in FIG. 11B, the luminance is high in the central area and the lower right corner area, and the luminance is low in other areas.

  In the case of such an observation image having a luminance difference in the left-right direction or an observation image having a random luminance difference, even if the readout line order is changed as in the first to third embodiments, the luminance difference is in the vertical direction. It is not effective because it does not appear in Therefore, in this embodiment, the reading order is adjusted in units of pixels.

  FIG. 12 is a timing chart of exposure time processing in the fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the readout order of pixel signals.

  In the exposure time adjustment mode, first, pixel signals for one field / frame are read as they are by raster scanning, and the luminance value of each pixel signal is calculated. FIG. 13 shows a block composed of 3 × 3 pixels (P1 to P9) as a partial area of the observation image. When pixel signals are arranged in order of increasing luminance, P5, P4,..., P1, P2 are obtained here.

  Such an arrangement is performed on the entire observation image, and an order when pixel signals are arranged in descending order of brightness is determined as a reading order. When the entire arrangement of pixel signals is divided by the number of pixels for one line, N pixel signal groups can be defined. In the following, in order to distinguish from the normal number of horizontal lines, 1 to M (= N) lines / groups are defined.

  When reading out the pixel signals, the pixel signals are read in order from the pixel having the highest luminance value in the first group. Similarly, for the second,..., Mth groups, pixel signals are read out in order of increasing luminance (see FIG. 12). As a result, the pixel signal with a higher luminance value has a shorter exposure time, while within the same group, the exposure time is equal even if there is a luminance difference.

  FIG. 14 is a view showing a flowchart of exposure time adjustment processing in the fourth embodiment.

  The luminance value of each pixel signal is detected by normal raster scanning, and the order of pixel signals to be read out is set in the order of luminance magnitude (S301, S302). The drive circuit 18 reads out the pixel signals from the image sensor 14 in accordance with the determined readout order of the pixel signals, and data related to the order of the pixel signals is transmitted to the two-dimensional sort circuit 260 (S304). In the two-dimensional sort circuit 260, a sort process is performed so as to match the pixel arrangement of the image sensor 14.

  As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, in the electronic endoscope apparatus including the video scope 10 provided with the CMOS image sensor 14 at the distal end portion, the reset signal for all the pixels is output, and the pixel order in which the luminance value is high is set. To read out the pixel signal. The read pixel signals are aligned so as to have the same array as the pixel signal array before the read order is changed.

  Thereby, even in an observation image having a luminance difference in the left-right direction and an observation image having a luminance difference randomly, an observation image with excellent resolution can be obtained by adjusting the exposure time to suppress the luminance difference. In particular, since pixels with higher luminance values are read out earlier, excessive luminance differences can be appropriately eliminated while maintaining the smoothness of the luminance distribution.

  Next, an electronic endoscope apparatus according to a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the fifth embodiment, an exposure time adjustment process based on intermittent illumination is performed as in the second embodiment. About another structure, it is substantially the same as 4th Embodiment.

  FIG. 15 is a view showing a timing chart of exposure time processing in the fifth embodiment. FIG. 16 is a view showing a flowchart of exposure time adjustment processing in the fifth embodiment.

  As in the second embodiment, the exposure start time of the pixel signal read out earlier is shortened by shifting the readout start signal. As in the fourth embodiment, the order of pixel signals to be read is read in descending order of luminance. Steps S401 to S404 shown in FIG. 16 are executed by combining the second embodiment and the fourth embodiment.

  Next, the electronic endoscope apparatus according to the sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the sixth embodiment, as in the third embodiment, the rotary shutter is phase-shifted. About another structure, it is substantially the same as 5th Embodiment.

  FIG. 17 is a view showing a timing chart of exposure time processing in the sixth embodiment. As in the third embodiment, the phase of the light shielding period is shifted, and pixel signal readout is started in the middle of the transmission period. This shortens the exposure time of the pixel signal read out first.

  The readout line order in the first to third embodiments and the pixel signal readout order in the fourth to sixth embodiments can be set in an order other than setting in order of the magnitude of the luminance values. Alternatively, the configuration may be such that lines and pixels with high luminance are read out before lines and pixels with relatively low luminance. It is also possible to use an XY independent image sensor other than the CMOS sensor.

10 Videoscope 14 Image sensor (imaging device)
16 Reading control unit (reading order adjustment unit)
18 Drive circuit (image sensor drive unit, reset unit)
20 Scope controller (luminance detection unit, readout order adjustment unit)
22 Timing generator (timing adjustment unit)
24 Initial signal processing circuit (luminance detector)
26 Sort circuit (pixel signal alignment unit)
32 lamps (first light source part, second light source part)
40 System Control Circuit 44 Timing Generator (Timing Adjustment Unit)
60 Light quantity adjusting member 70 Rotary shutter (light shielding member, first light source unit, second light source unit)
124 Initial signal processing circuit (luminance detection unit)
260 Two-dimensional sorting circuit (pixel signal alignment unit)

Claims (8)

An XY stand-alone image sensor;
A reset unit that performs reset processing on the entire pixels of the image sensor at predetermined time intervals;
A readout order adjusting unit that controls the readout timing of the pixel signals and sets the order of readout of the pixel signals in units of pixels according to the calculated luminance level of each pixel signal;
After the reset processing, an image sensor driving unit that reads out a pixel signal for one frame / field from the image sensor in a readout order set by the readout order adjustment unit;
A pixel signal alignment unit that aligns the read pixel signals so as to obtain a pixel signal array during raster scanning ;
The calculated brightness level of each pixel signal is the brightness level calculated when the pixel signal for one frame / field is read out in the pixel order corresponding to the pixel arrangement,
An endoscope apparatus, wherein the reading order adjustment unit sets a reading order of pixel signals so that a pixel signal having a higher luminance than a pixel signal having a relatively lower luminance is read first . The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the readout order adjustment unit determines an order in which pixel signals are arranged in descending order of brightness as a readout order of pixel signals .   The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first light source unit that continuously emits light to the subject. An XY stand-alone image sensor;
A reset unit that performs reset processing on the entire pixels of the image sensor at predetermined time intervals;
A readout order adjusting unit that controls the readout timing of the pixel signals and sets the order of readout of the pixel signals in units of pixels according to the calculated luminance level of each pixel signal;
After the reset processing, an image sensor driving unit that reads out a pixel signal for one frame / field from the image sensor in a readout order set by the readout order adjustment unit;
A pixel signal alignment unit that aligns the read pixel signals so as to obtain a pixel signal array during raster scanning ;
A second light source unit that has a light shielding member disposed on the optical path and irradiates the subject with intermittent light by alternately performing light transmission and light shielding;
And a timing adjuster for adjusting the timing of reading pixel signals,
Wherein the timing adjusting unit, the endoscope apparatus you characterized by shifting the timing of reading pixel signals to the shading period start timing. An XY stand-alone image sensor;
A reset unit that performs reset processing on the entire pixels of the image sensor at predetermined time intervals;
A readout order adjusting unit that controls the readout timing of the pixel signals and sets the order of readout of the pixel signals in units of pixels according to the calculated luminance level of each pixel signal;
After the reset processing, an image sensor driving unit that reads out a pixel signal for one frame / field from the image sensor in a readout order set by the readout order adjustment unit;
A pixel signal alignment unit that aligns the read pixel signals so as to obtain a pixel signal array during raster scanning ;
A second light source unit that has a light shielding member disposed on the optical path and irradiates the subject with intermittent light by alternately performing light transmission and light shielding;
Wherein the light shielding member and the drive control, and a timing adjustment unit for adjusting the transmission period start timing,
Wherein the timing adjusting unit, the endoscope apparatus you characterized by shifting the transmission period start timing to the read start timing of the pixel signals.   6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a luminance detection unit that detects a luminance value of each pixel signal from one frame / field pixel signal read in pixel order according to the pixel arrangement. The endoscope apparatus described.   The endoscope apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a video scope that captures an image of the inside of the body as a subject. An XY stand-alone image sensor;
A reset unit that performs reset processing on the entire pixels of the image sensor at predetermined time intervals;
A readout order adjusting unit that controls the readout timing of the pixel signal and sets the order of the lines when the pixel signal is read out according to the luminance of each line of the subject image;
After the reset process, an image sensor driving unit that reads out pixel signals for one frame / field from the image sensor in a set line order;
A pixel signal alignment unit that aligns the read pixel signals for one frame / field so as to obtain a pixel signal array during raster scanning;
The readout order adjustment unit sets the readout order so that the pixel signal on the line with higher luminance is read out first than the pixel signal on the line with relatively lower luminance,
A second light source unit that has a light shielding member disposed on the optical path and irradiates the subject with intermittent light by alternately performing light transmission and light shielding;
A timing adjustment unit that drives and controls the light shielding member to adjust the transmission period start timing;
The endoscope apparatus, wherein the timing adjustment unit shifts a transmission period start timing with respect to a pixel signal readout start timing.

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