JPH059991B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an endoscope device, and more specifically, the present invention relates to an endoscope device, and more specifically, a display means for displaying real-time images of, for example, an affected area in a body cavity of a living body, which are sequentially imaged. The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus that displays a desired portion of the real-time image, freezes it, takes it out, and permanently displays it simultaneously with the real-time image on a display means.

(Prior Art) Endoscopic devices are used to capture images of affected areas within body cavities of living bodies, the inside of mechanical devices, etc.
In recent years, so-called electronic endoscope devices have been developed that use a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD as an imaging means, and store images captured by the imaging device and then display them on, for example, a CRT display device.

In this type of endoscope device, for example, when images of an affected area in a body cavity of a living body are sequentially captured in real time, and the captured real-time images are displayed on a display device, a desired or important image is observed in the image inside the affected area. In this case, this important image is extracted and frozen, and displayed statically on the display device together with the real-time image, for example, in a window format. A device that takes a photograph of a partial image has also been developed.

In this way, an endoscope device that can freeze a desired partial image and display it stationary in a window format on the display device along with the real-time image can continuously display the real-time image even while the frozen partial image is being displayed. This allows the operator of the endoscope to constantly observe the image, so even when performing treatment such as removing a polyp with forceps from an affected area within a body cavity, the display also displays a frozen image. Treatment can be performed accurately by observing real-time images from the device and, in some cases, comparing them with frozen images.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the above-mentioned endoscope device, when observing a real-time image on a display device that also displays a frozen image, there is another important problem to be solved, and in some cases, When a frozen image is observed and another image to be photographed is observed, with conventional endoscopic devices, when the frozen image is already displayed on the display device, it is not possible to freeze another image from the real-time image. There is a problem in that the frozen image already displayed on the device cannot be updated to another new frozen image.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope apparatus in which a real image is displayed together with a frozen image when a frozen image is displayed on the display device. An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope device that can update images to new images.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for solving the problem) In order to solve the above problem, an imaging optical system,
The present invention provides an endoscope apparatus having a solid-state image sensor that converts an optical image of a subject formed by the optical system into an electrical signal, and a processing circuit that converts an output signal from this element into a television signal. real image creation means for creating real image data based on the television signal from the processing circuit;
a first freeze image data creating means for creating freeze image data under a timing of; and creating freeze image data under a second timing based on the television signal from the processing circuit; a second frozen image data creation means for;
Freeze image data output means for switching and outputting the freeze image data produced by the second freeze image data generation means and the freeze image data produced by the first freeze image data generation means;
When there is no output from the frozen image data output means, the real image data from the real image creation means is displayed, and when the first or second frozen image data is output, this frozen image data is displayed. The gist of the present invention is to have an image display means for displaying together with real image data.

(Operation) In the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, the television signal stored and displayed as image data at the first timing is updated with the television signal at the second timing, and is stored and displayed. At this time, of course, the real image is displayed together with the frozen image.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described using the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an endoscope apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The endoscope device shown in the figure has an endoscope probe 1 inserted into a body cavity of a living body, for example, and a CCD image sensor, for example, at the tip of the endoscope probe 1 for capturing an image of an affected area in the body cavity. A solid-state image sensing device 11 consisting of the like is provided. The endoscope probe 1 is connected to a processing circuit 3 housed in the main body of the apparatus, for example, and a TV monitor 34 and a photographing monitor 19 are connected via the processing circuit 3. A photographic camera 20 is connected.

This endoscope apparatus is equipped with a solid-state imaging device 11 at the base of the endoscope probe 1, which is the connection point between the endoscope probe 1 and the processing circuit 3, to capture an image to be displayed on the TV monitor 34. A freeze push button switch 21 for freezing the image, a shutter push button switch 22 for photographing the frozen image with the photographic camera 20 via the photographing monitor 19, A freeze update push button switch 23 is provided for updating and freezing another new image.

Further, the solid-state image sensor 11 provided at the tip of the endoscope probe 1 is connected to a television circuit section (TVC) 12 in the processing circuit 3.
The signal captured by the solid-state image sensor 11 and output is converted into an image signal. This image signal is A/D
The signal is converted into a digital image signal by a converter 13, and is input to and stored in a real-time image memory 31 and a frozen image memory 32. The image signals stored in these memories 31 and 32 are supplied via the D/A converter 16 to the TV monitor 34 and the photography monitor 19 for display, and frozen images can be photographed as needed. It is designed so that it can be photographed with a camera 20.

Further, the processing circuit 3 includes a memory controller 33, to which signals are supplied from the freeze push button switch 21, the shutter push button switch 22, and the freeze update push button switch 23. , the memory controller 33 is activated by these signals,
It controls the television circuit section 12, real-time image memory 31, and frozen image memory 32, thereby storing images captured by the solid-state image sensor 11 in the real-time image memory 31 and frozen image memory 32, and displaying them on the TV monitor 34. Also, the camera 20 for photographing is controlled to take a picture via the monitor 19 for photographing.

The memory controller 33 has a trigger generating section 33a that generates a trigger signal in response to signals from the freeze pushbutton switch 21, the shutter pushbutton switch 22, and the freeze update pushbutton switch 23. This trigger generation section 33a
is connected to the memory write control section 33d and the memory read control section 33e, and is adapted to supply the above-mentioned trigger signal. Also, memory controller 3
3 has a TV synchronization signal generator 33b, and this TV
The synchronization signal output from the synchronization signal generation section 33b is transmitted to the television circuit section 12 and the trigger generation section 33a.
is supplied to the memory address generator 3.
3c, and this memory address generator 3
The address information output from 3c and the memory write signal and memory read signal output from the memory write control section 33d and memory read control section 33e are supplied to the real-time image memory 31 and frozen image memory 32, thereby Real-time image signals sequentially captured by the solid-state image sensor 11 are stored in the real-time image memory 31,
In addition to being displayed on the TV monitor 34, the freeze image signal is stored in the freeze image memory 32 in response to the freeze push button switch 21 and the freeze update push button switch 23, and is displayed on the TV monitor 34 and the imaging monitor 19. Furthermore, in response to the operation of the shutter push button switch 22, the camera 20 for photographing is configured to take a frozen image.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the operating mode of the endoscope apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and the operating states of the real-time image memory 31 and the frozen image memory 32. As shown in FIG. 2a, this endoscope device operates in normal mode Mn, freeze mode Mf, and freeze update mode.
Mr. has a photography mode Mp, but the operating states during writing and reading of the real-time image memory 31 and frozen image memory 32 for each of these modes are shown in FIGS. 2b to 2b corresponding to each operation mode in FIG. It is shown in e.

In other words, write operations to the real-time image memory 31 are permitted in any operating mode, but write operations to the frozen image memory 32 are permitted only in the normal mode Mn and the first time in the freeze update mode Mr. has been done. Further, the read operation for the real-time image memory 31 is permitted in the normal mode Mn, and is conditionally permitted in the freeze mode Mf, freeze update mode Mr, and photography mode Mp. A read operation to the frozen image memory 32 is prohibited in the normal mode Mn, and is prohibited in the freeze mode Mf.
Conditionally allowed in case of freeze update mode Mr and allowed in case of photo shooting mode Mp.

The operation of the endoscope apparatus configured as described above will be explained next.

First, the case of normal mode Mn will be explained. Solid-state imaging device 11 at the tip of the endoscope probe 1
The images sequentially captured by the memory controller 33
Under the control of , the image is stored in the real-time image memory 31 via the television circuit section 12 and the A/D converter 13, and is also stored in the freeze image memory 32 at the same time. At this time, the image signal stored in the real-time image memory 31 is displayed on the TV monitor 34 via the D/A converter 16 as a real-time image PR as shown in FIG. 3a.

Note that in this normal mode Mn, writing operations to the frozen image memory 32 are always permitted and, as described above, are stored at the same time, but reading operations from the frozen image memory 32 are prohibited. It's summery.

Therefore, when the freeze push button switch 21 is operated in the normal mode Mn, the normal mode Mn changes to the freeze mode Mf, writing operations to the frozen image memory 32 are prohibited, and writing operations to the real-time image memory 31 and the frozen image memory 32 are disabled. The read operation is in a conditional read state, and when the freeze push button switch 21 is operated, the read operation is in a conditional read state.
A signal of the same image as the real-time image displayed on the TV monitor 34 is stored and held in the freeze image memory 32 as a freeze image signal, and this freeze image signal is sent to the TV monitor 34 via the D/A converter 16 as shown in FIG. As shown in b, the frozen image PF _W is displayed in a window format, and the real-time image _PR that was displayed as shown in FIG. In addition to being able to view an image of the affected area within the body cavity that is constantly being observed, this frozen image PF is also displayed on the photographing monitor 19.

When the frozen image is displayed in this way and the freeze mode Mf is entered, a write operation to the frozen image memory 32 is disabled.

In this freeze mode Mf, when the freeze update push button switch 23 is operated, the freeze update mode Mr is entered, and the freeze image memory 3
2, the instantaneous write operation is enabled, and at this time,
The image captured by the solid-state image sensor 11 in real time is written to the frozen image memory 32, and the previous frozen image is updated and stored as a new updated frozen image signal. In this way, the updated freeze image signal stored in the freeze image memory 32 by operating the freeze update push button switch 23 is updated in a window format as a freeze image PR _W together with the real time image PR _W , as shown in FIG. 3b. It will be displayed.

Then, in the case of this freeze update mode Mr and the above-mentioned freeze mode Mf, when the shutter push button switch 22 is operated, the photo shooting mode Mp is entered, and the TV monitor 34 is frozen.
The frozen image PF displayed on the photography monitor 19 is captured by the photography camera 20.
The photograph is taken as shown in Figure c.

In the above embodiment, the image signal captured by the solid-state image sensor 11 is always stored in the real-time image memory 3.
1 and the freeze image memory 32, and when the freeze pushbutton switch 21 is operated to enter the freeze mode Mf, the freeze pushbutton switch 21 is The configuration is such that the frozen image signal when the operation is performed is stored in the frozen image memory 32, but the invention is not limited to this; for example, the frozen image signal is stored in the frozen image memory 3 at all times.
The image signal from the solid-state image sensor 11 at the time when the freeze push button switch 21 is operated may be stored in the freeze image memory 32 instantly and frozen. Of course.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, in an endoscope apparatus in which a real image is displayed at the same time as a frozen image is displayed, a television signal stored and displayed as image data at a first timing is transferred to a television signal at a second timing. Since it is updated, stored, and displayed using a TV signal, frozen images can be easily updated, making it more appropriate and important when observing a real-time image on a display device that previously displayed a frozen image. Even if a new image is observed, the new image can be immediately replaced with the previous frozen image, and this new image can be frozen. An appropriate frozen image can be obtained by updating the frozen image at the appropriate timing. Furthermore, since the real image is displayed together with the frozen image, appropriate treatment can be performed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an endoscope apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation mode of the endoscope apparatus of FIG. 1 and the operation state of each memory, The figure is a diagram showing an example of a display diagram on a TV monitor of the endoscope apparatus of FIG. 1. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Endoscope probe, 3...Processing circuit, 11...Solid-state image sensor, 19...Monitor for photography, 20...Camera for photography, 31...Real-time image memory, 3
2...Freeze image memory, 33...Memory controller, 34...TV monitor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An endoscope that includes an imaging optical system, a solid-state imaging device that converts an optical image of a subject imaged by the imaging optical system into an electrical signal, and a processing circuit that converts the output signal from the solid-state imaging device into a television signal. In the mirror device, there is provided a real image creating means for creating real image data based on the television signal from the processing circuit, a freeze instruction means for instructing a freeze operation, and a freeze instruction by the freeze instruction means. a freeze image creation means for creating freeze image data based on the television signal from the processing circuit; a single display means; and a real image created by the real image creation means when there is no freeze instruction from the freeze instruction means. At the time of freezing when the first freeze instruction is given by the freeze instruction means, a real image smaller than the frozen image is displayed on the display means together with the frozen image, and the state at the time of freezing is displayed on the display means. and display control means for displaying, on the display means, a frozen image at the time of the second freezing instruction, instead of the frozen image, together with a real image smaller than the frozen image, at the time of freezing updating when a second freezing instruction is issued. An endoscope device comprising: