JPH03136631A - Electronic endoscopic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To find which part of the original observed image is enlarged at a glance when an endoscopic image is enlarged by displaying an index showing the range of the enlarged image on the image before enlargement. CONSTITUTION:The picture signal from a solid image pick-up element 17 undergoes signal processing such as correction in a preprocess circuit 19, and then is stored in a memory 21 through an A/D exchanger circuit 20. The output of the memory 21 is generally sent to a synthetic circuit 23 without being enlarged in an enlarging circuit 22, and synthesized as a general image. It is passed through an D/A exchanger circuit, processed in a post-process circuit 25, and displayed on a monitor 7 (a). When an enlarged image is obtained, a determined part of the picture signal is enlarged in the enlarging circuit by the control of an enlargement control circuit 27. On the other hand, in a contracting circuit 28, the data of the whole image stored in the memory is supplied, contracted, and sent to the synthetic circuit 23. Further, by the signal from the enlargement control circuit, a frame signal showing the enlarged area is generated in a frame generating circuit 29, and sent to the synthetic circuit, wherein the enlarged image, the contracted image, and the frame signal are synthesized and displayed on the monitor (b).

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] do.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic endoscope device of this embodiment includes an electronic endoscope ML, a light source device, and a signal processing circuit.
a video processor 6 to which the electronic endoscope l is connected;
A monitor 7 is connected to the video processor 6.

The electronic endoscope 1 includes an elongated, for example, flexible insertion section 2, and a large-diameter operation section 3 is connected to the rear end of the insertion section 2. A flexible universal cord 4 extends laterally from the operation section 3, and a connector 5 connected to a connector receiver 8 of the video processor 6 is provided at the tip of the universal cord 4.

On the distal end side of the insertion portion 2, a rigid distal end portion 9 and a bendable portion 10 adjacent to the distal end portion 9 and capable of bending toward the rear side are sequentially provided. Further, the operating section 3 is provided with a bending operation knob 11, and by rotating the bending operation knob 11, the bending section 10 can be bent in the vertical/horizontal direction.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG.
and an illumination lens 13 are provided.

A light guide is disposed within the insertion section 2. This light guide 14 converts the light from the illumination lamp 15 into a condensing lens 16.
The light enters at the tip and illuminates from the tip 9.

At the imaging position of the imaging optical system 12, a solid-state imaging device 17 having a mosaic filter on the front surface is disposed. The video signal output from the solid-state image sensor 17 is transmitted through the transmission cable 1
8 to the preprocessing circuit 19. This preprocessing circuit 19 has a function of performing signal processing such as T correction.

The output of the preprocessing circuit 19 is supplied to an A/D (analog/digital) converter 20 to be A/D converted. The signal A/D converted by the A/D converter 20 is stored in a memory 21 having a storage capacity for one screen of the solid-state image sensor 17.

The contents stored in this memory 21 are supplied to an enlargement circuit 22 and a reduction circuit 28.

The enlarging circuit 22 has the function of enlarging the contents stored in the memory 21 and supplying the enlarged content to the synthesizing circuit 23 under the control of the enlarging control circuit 27 . The reduction circuit 28 includes the memory 21
It has a function to reduce the content of and send it to the synthesis circuit 23. The enlargement control circuit 27 includes a switch 26 and a keyboard 3.
A signal from 0 is supplied. The switch 26 is a switch for instructing enlargement. The keyboard 30 has functions such as instructing the position to be enlarged in the observed image. The frame generation circuit 29 has a function of supplying a signal for displaying a frame indicating the enlarged position to the synthesis circuit 23 under the control of the enlargement control circuit 27. The output signal of the 0 synthesis circuit 23, which has the function of synthesizing the signals D/
A (digital/analog) converter, the signal is converted into an analog signal, and the signal is supplied to the post-processing circuit 25. This post-processing circuit processes the signal into, for example, an NTSC television signal, and supplies the video signal to the monitor 7 for display.

In the endoscope device configured in this way, the solid-state image sensor 1
The video signal that is the output of 7 is subjected to signal processing such as T correction 9 contour correction in this preprocessing circuit 19, and then sent to the A/D
It is supplied to the conversion circuit 20, A/D converted, and stored in the memory 21.
is memorized. The output of the memory 21 is normally expanded by a factor of 1 in the expansion circuit 22, that is, it is not expanded by the synthesis circuit 22.
3 and synthesized as a normal endoscopic image. Then, the output of this synthesis circuit 24 is converted into D/A converter circuit 24.
/A conversion, signal processing is performed in the post-processing circuit 25, and the signal is displayed on the monitor 7 as shown in FIG. 3(a).

When it is desired to obtain an enlarged image, the enlargement instruction switch 26 is closed, and the enlargement circuit 22 enlarges a predetermined portion of the video signal under the control of the enlargement control circuit 27.

On the other hand, the reduction circuit 28 is supplied with the data of the entire image stored in the memory 22 and reduced, and the synthesis circuit 23
sent to. Note that this reduction operation is performed even when the switch 26 is not closed.

Further, a frame signal indicating an enlarged area is generated in a frame generation circuit 29 according to a control signal from an enlargement control circuit 27, and a frame signal indicating an enlarged area is generated by a synthesis circuit 27.
Sent to 3. In this synthesis circuit 23, the enlarged image, the reduced image, and the frame signal are synthesized and displayed on the monitor 7 as shown in FIG. 3(b).

If it is desired to arbitrarily move the enlarged area, the enlarged area is specified using the keyboard 30, and the enlarged control circuit 27 controls the enlarged circuit 22 to enlarge the desired area. At that time, the frame generation circuit 29 also generates a frame signal that is an indicator of movement in accordance with the designated area. Then, an enlarged image LP of the designated portion and a reduced image SP displaying a frame WA serving as an index representing the enlarged area are displayed on the monitor 7. It would also be desirable to be able to erase the display of the frame by specifying frame erasure from the keyboard 30.Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 4(a) shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a field sequential type endoscope apparatus. In the case of this endoscope 31, no mosaic filter is attached to the front surface of the solid-state image sensor 32, and the light emitted from the light source device 33 is supplied to the end face of the light guide 14. The light source device 33 is equipped with a rotating filter 34. This rotating filter 34
are R, G, B (red, green,
A blue) filter is provided. The light source device 33 sequentially emits R, G, and B light. The output of the solid-state imaging device 32 is supplied to a preprocessing circuit 35. This preprocess circuit 35 has the same function as the preprocess circuit 19. The output of the preprocessing circuit 35 is an A/D
The signals are supplied to conversion circuits 36, 37 and 38, A/D converted and supplied to memories 39, 40 and 41. An image created by R light is stored in the memory 39, and a memory 17
40 stores an image of G light, and memory 41 stores an image of B light. memory 39,
The outputs of 40.41 are supplied to reduction circuits 42.43.44 and enlargement circuits 45.46.47, respectively. The outputs of the reduction circuit 42 and the enlargement circuit 45 are supplied to the synthesis circuit 48, the outputs of the reduction circuit 43 and the enlargement circuit 46 are supplied to the synthesis circuit 49, and the outputs of the reduction circuit 44 and the enlargement circuit 47 are supplied.
The output of 0 is adapted to be supplied to the synthesis circuit 50.
Outputs from a frame generation circuit 51 and an enlargement control circuit 52 are also supplied to the synthesis circuits 48 to 50. The enlargement control circuit 52.0 control signal is supplied to enlargement circuits 45 to 47, synthesis circuits 48 to 50, and frame generation circuit 51. The enlargement control circuit 52 is supplied with signals from a switch 53 and a keyboard 54.The outputs of the six synthesis circuits 48-50 are supplied to D/A conversion circuits 55-57, respectively, for D/A conversion. , and are supplied to post-processing circuits 58-60.

The supplied signals are sent to the post-processing circuits 58 to 60.
The signal is processed and displayed as an image on the monitor 61.

The frame-sequential endoscope apparatus configured in this manner also operates in the same manner as in the above embodiment. That is, as shown in FIG. 3(a), an enlarged image LP is displayed from the normal observation state as shown in FIG. 3(a), and a frame WA indicating the enlarged position is displayed on the reduced image SP. Note that, at this time, the enlargement is instructed by operating the switch 53, and the enlargement position is instructed by the keyboard 54, as in the previous embodiment.

Images from reduction circuits 42 to 44 and enlargement circuits 45 to 47 are supplied to composition circuits 48 to 50, respectively, and under the control of enlargement control circuit 52, an image as shown in FIG. 3(b) is displayed. be done.

In the case of this frame-sequential method, a higher resolution image can be obtained than in the case of the simultaneous method.

Note that, as shown in FIG. 5, a reduced image may be displayed within the enlarged image LP, and a frame WA may be displayed within the reduced image SP.

In addition, as shown in Fig. 6, two monitors are used, and the observation image KP is displayed on one monitor, and the enlarged image LP is displayed on the other monitor.
, and the frame WA may be displayed in the observation image KPO. In this way, a reduction circuit is not required.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, the frame may be displayed only at the corners of the frame, so that the frame display becomes less noticeable.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the frame is displayed using a broken line, but the frame may be displayed using a solid line.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, even if an endoscopic image is enlarged and the observation range becomes narrow, it is possible to see at a glance which area of the original image you are looking at, making it easier to observe. There is no chance of misdiagnosis due to getting lost.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the same embodiment, FIGS. 3(a) and (b) are diagrams showing display examples of the same embodiment, and FIG. Figure (a) is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 (b) is a diagram showing a rotating filter of the same embodiment, Figure 5 is a diagram showing another display example, and Figure 6 is a diagram showing a monitor. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display example when two frames are used, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another frame display example. 22, 45.46.47 Enlargement circuit 29, 51
Frame generation circuit. 1st Reyu” 2 (0) (b) 3rd Bi (b) 4th figure 5th figure 6th figure 7th figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] An imaging device using a solid-state imaging device that converts an optical image of a subject into an electrical image; a signal processing device that processes the output of the solid-state imaging device into a video signal; In an electronic endoscope apparatus having an image enlarging means for enlarging by processing and a display means for displaying images before and after enlargement, an index display means for displaying an index indicating the range of the enlarged image on the image before enlargement is provided. Characteristic electronic endoscope device.