JPH10262922A - Electronic endoscope equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic endoscope system capable of properly and accurately correcting white balance based on optimum irradiation light quantity at the time of white balance correction, and exactly reproducing colors. SOLUTION: When a correct switch 9 is operated for correcting white balance, a white balance correcting command is transmitted to a CPU 10 for processor. Then, a switching signal for forcedly switching the value of irradiation light quantity set by a switch 16 for light quantity setting to light quantity for white balance correction is outputted from a white balance correction circuit 10a to a CPU 12 for light source, and a command for correcting white balance is outputted to a white balance correction circuit 6. At the CPU 12 for light source where the switching signal for forcedly switching the value of irradiation light quantity to the light quantity for white balance correction is received, an instruct signal for switching emission light quantity to the light quantity for white balance correction is outputted to a diaphragm 14, and the irradiation light quantity is switched for white balance correction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an electronic endoscope that can accurately correct white balance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, an endoscope apparatus is capable of observing the inside of a living body or the like which cannot be directly viewed, and is widely used for observation and treatment mainly in the medical field. In recent years, an electronic endoscope device that converts a subject image into an electric signal by a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD and enables observation of a portion to be inspected on a monitor screen has become widespread.

This electronic endoscope apparatus has a higher resolution than a fiber type (optical type) endoscope, allows easy recording and reproduction of an image, enlarges an image, and compares two images. And other advantages such as easy image processing.

[0004] In the color endoscope system of the electronic endoscope device, a color sequential image pickup method is used in which the illumination light is sequentially switched to red (R), green (G), blue (B) or the like to irradiate a part to be inspected. And a simultaneous type in which a color filter array in which color filters transmitting R, G, B, and other color lights are arranged in a mosaic pattern or the like is provided on the front surface of the solid-state imaging device. The frame sequential method has an advantage that the number of pixels can be reduced as compared with the simultaneous method, while the simultaneous method has an advantage that color shift does not occur.

It is well known that when a color image of a region to be inspected is taken by the electronic endoscope apparatus, the white balance must be adjusted in order to obtain good color image quality.

[0006] As the simplest method, there is known a method of correcting the white balance of an electronic endoscope apparatus by using a white paper, a white gauze, or the like as an adjusting tool. In addition, there is known a method of correcting a white balance by inserting a distal end portion of an endoscope into a white tube for white balance correction during white balance correction of an electronic endoscope apparatus.

[0007]

However, when correcting the white balance of the electronic endoscope device, if the amount of light emitted from the lamp of the light source device is too bright or too dark, the range of the dimming control is not sufficient. There was a problem that accurate white balance correction could not be performed outside.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an electronic endoscope apparatus capable of performing appropriate white balance correction based on an optimum irradiation light amount at the time of white balance correction and obtaining accurate color reproduction. The purpose is to do.

[0009]

According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic endoscope apparatus comprising: a white balance correction means; and an illumination light quantity setting means capable of arbitrarily setting a value of an irradiation light quantity. When the balance correction means is operated, there is provided an irradiation light quantity switching means for switching the value of the irradiation light quantity set by the illumination light quantity setting means to a preset white balance correction light quantity value.

According to this configuration, at the time of white balance correction, the amount of light emitted from the lamp of the light source device is switched to the white balance correction light amount value, so that appropriate white balance correction can be performed.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic endoscope apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the electronic endoscope apparatus of the present embodiment has an electronic endoscope (hereinafter simply referred to as an endoscope) incorporating a charge imaging device (hereinafter abbreviated as CCD) 2 as an image pickup means. 1), a video processor 3 as a signal processing device for performing signal processing on the CCD 2 of the endoscope 1, a light source device 4 as illumination light supply means for supplying illumination light to the endoscope 1, and the video It is composed of a color monitor (not shown) that displays a video signal output via the processor 3. The endoscope 1 is detachably connected to the video processor 3 and the light source device 4.

A lamp 13 for irradiating observation light and a stop 14 are housed in the light source device 4. The stop 14 controls the value of the amount of light irradiated from the endoscope 1. It is possible. The lamp 13
The white light generated in step (1) passes through the condenser lens 15a and is irradiated and supplied to the incident end face of the light guide 15, and faces the distal end face of the light guide 15 extending to the distal end of the endoscope insertion section 1a. The light exits from the illumination window 1b, which is provided, toward the site to be inspected.

On the other hand, the front panel 4 of the light source device 4
A is provided with a light amount setting switch 16 which is an illumination light amount setting means for setting the irradiation light amount to a desired value. The value set by the light amount setting switch 16 is input to the light source CPU 12 provided in the light source device 4 and stored as the value of the irradiation light amount of the illumination light during observation. The light source CPU 12 outputs a predetermined voltage value based on the value of the illumination light amount set by the light amount setting switch 16, and compares this voltage value with the output from the dimming circuit 7, which will be described later, to stop the diaphragm 14. Is controlled to an appropriate state.

When the light source CPU 12 performs white balance correction, the amount of light emitted from the illumination window 1b does not become too bright or too dark.
The white balance correction light amount at the time of white balance correction is stored so that the optimum irradiation light amount is obtained. The light amount value for white balance correction is, for example, an intermediate value of a setting range that can be set by the light amount setting switch 16.

The part to be inspected illuminated by the illumination light supplied from the light source device 4 is subjected to CC by an optical system attached to an observation window 1c adjacent to the illumination window 1b.
An image is formed on the imaging surface of D2. The optical image of the part to be inspected formed on the imaging surface of the CCD 2 is photoelectrically converted by the CCD 2 into an electric signal, and the endoscope insertion portion 1a is output as a CCD output signal.
The signal is transmitted to the video processor 3 via the signal cable 2a passing therethrough. The CCD 2 is connected to a drive circuit (not shown) in the video processor 3 and a preamplifier 5 by a signal cable 2a passing through the endoscope insertion portion 1a. When a drive signal from the drive circuit is applied to the CCD 2, the photoelectrically converted signal is output from the CCD 2 as a CCD output signal.

A CCD output signal output from the CCD 2 of the electronic endoscope 1 is amplified by a preamplifier 5 provided in a video processor 3, and is provided with a white balance correction circuit 6 as white balance correction means and a dimming circuit. 7 is output. The electric signal input to the white balance correction circuit 6 and amplified by the preamplifier 5 is
After passing through the white balance correction circuit 6, the signal processing circuit 8
The video signal is generated by the signal processing circuit 8 and output to a monitor (not shown).

A white balance correction instruction switch (hereinafter abbreviated as a correction switch) 9 for outputting a white balance correction command is provided on a front panel 3a of the processor 3.
Is provided. By pressing the correction switch 9, the white balance correction command is issued to the processor CPU.
It is transmitted to 10.

The correction switch 9 also serves as an irradiation light amount switching unit. When a white balance correction command is input to the processor CPU 10, the white balance as the irradiation light amount switching unit provided in the processor CPU 10 is provided. A command signal corresponding to the white balance correction command is output from the correction circuit 10a to the light source CPU 12 provided in the light source device 4 via the connection cable 11 connected to the white balance correction circuit 6 and the rear panel 3b. It has become so.

The operation of the electronic endoscope apparatus configured as described above will be described. The correction switch 9 is operated to correct the white balance. Then, the white balance correction command is transmitted to the processor CPU 10, and the white balance correction circuit 10a of the processor CPU 10 is transmitted.
From the light source CPU 4 in the light source device 4, a switch signal for forcibly switching the value of the irradiation light amount set by the light amount setting switch 16 to the light amount for white balance correction is output, and the white balance correction circuit 6 A command to correct the white balance is output.

In the light source CPU 12, which receives the switching signal for forcibly switching the value of the irradiation light amount from the white balance correction circuit 10a to the white balance correction light amount,
An instruction signal for switching the output light amount to the white balance correction light amount stored in the light source CPU
4 to switch the irradiation light amount for white balance correction.

On the other hand, the white balance correction circuit 6 of the video processor 3 waits for stabilization of the dimming control after the instruction signal from the light source CPU 12 is output (for example, after a predetermined time has passed, the white balance correction circuit 6). After the light intensity has been completely switched, the white balance is corrected.

After the white balance correction is completed, the light source CPU 12 sets the white balance correction light amount by the light amount setting switch 16 and sets the white balance correction light amount.
Switching to the irradiation light amount value of the illumination light at the time of observation, which is stored in 12.

As described above, even when the value of the irradiation light amount set by the light amount setting switch is set to an inappropriate value for performing the white balance correction at the time of the white balance correction, the video processor is controlled by the video processor. In response to a white balance correction command from a provided white balance correction instruction switch, the irradiation light amount from the light source device is forcibly switched to the white balance correction light amount stored in the light source CPU, and then white balance correction is performed. Since it is performed, accurate white balance correction can be performed at any time.

After the white balance correction is completed, the light source CPU sets the light amount of the illumination light output from the lamp from the white balance correction light amount by a light amount setting switch. Since it is possible to switch to the light amount value, the trouble of operating the light amount adjustment switch is eliminated.

By the way, the difference in the spectral characteristics of the color filters or the difference in the characteristics of the light guide inserted into the endoscope, which is provided on the imaging surface of the CCD disposed at the end of the endoscope. For example, the color reproducibility of the subject image differs for each endoscope. For this reason, each time a different endoscope to be exchanged is connected to the video processor, the white balance of the endoscope is corrected to correct variations in individual differences.

However, since there is no means for recognizing whether or not the white balance of the endoscope connected to the video processor has been corrected, the inspection using the endoscope without the white balance correction has been performed. In this case, accurate color reproducibility could not be obtained, which could adversely affect the diagnosis. For this reason, it is possible to easily recognize whether or not the endoscope connected to the video processor has been white-balance corrected, using an endoscope that has reliably performed white balance correction, There has been a demand for an electronic endoscope apparatus capable of performing a diagnosis based on accurate color reproducibility.

2 and 3 relate to an embodiment of an electronic endoscope apparatus capable of recognizing whether or not white balance correction has been performed. FIG. 2 shows another configuration of the electronic endoscope apparatus. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a character string notifying whether or not white balance correction has been performed is displayed on a monitor.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the electronic endoscope apparatus according to the present embodiment, "W / B failed" and "W / B failed" are provided after the processor CPU 10 provided in the video processor 3.
A character generation circuit 17 for generating a character string (also referred to as a character signal) such as "O, K" is provided. Then, the character signal generated from the character generation circuit 17 and the video signal output processed and output by the signal processing circuit 8 are superimposed and monitored as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). A character string and an endoscope image are displayed on the screen.
Other configurations are the same as those of the above-described embodiment, and the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

The operation of the electronic endoscope apparatus configured as described above will be described. First, the endoscope 1 is connected to the video processor 3, for example. Then, connection detection contacts, which are attachment / detachment detection means provided in the endoscope and the video processor, are connected, and connection detection for notifying that the endoscope 1 is connected to the video processor 3 to the CPU 10 for the processor. A signal is input. At this time, the CPU for the processor
A signal notifying that the endoscope is connected is output from the character generation circuit 17 to the character generation circuit 17. Upon receiving this signal, a character string of "W / B failed" is output instantaneously from the character generation circuit 17. Then, as shown in FIG. 3A, a character string “W / B failed” indicating that white balance correction has not been performed is displayed on the monitor screen 81 of the monitor 80.
Thus, the user can easily confirm that the white balance of the endoscope connected to the video processor 3 has not been corrected by checking the monitor screen 81.

Next, the correction switch 9 is operated to correct the white balance. Then, the white balance correction command is transmitted to the processor CPU 10, and the white balance correction circuit 6 is transmitted from the processor CPU 10.
Then, a white balance correction command is output to the character generation circuit 17. Then, while the white balance correction is performed, a detection signal indicating that the white balance correction has been completed is output from the correction detection means provided in the white balance correction circuit 6 to the character generation circuit 17. The character generation circuit 17 receiving this detection signal switches the character string to be output from "W / B failed" to "W / BO, K".
As a result, the monitor screen 8 as shown in FIG.
1 indicates that white balance has been corrected.
Since the character string "/ BO, K" is displayed, the user can easily confirm that the white balance of the endoscope connected to the video processor 3 has been corrected by checking the monitor screen.

As described above, when the endoscope is connected to the video processor, whether or not the white balance of the endoscope connected to the video processor has been corrected on the monitor screen is determined. While displaying a character string that allows the user to recognize whether the white balance has been corrected by operating the correction switch, the character string indicating that the white balance has been corrected is displayed on the monitor screen. Accordingly, the operator can easily recognize whether or not the white balance correction of the endoscope connected to the video processor has been corrected, merely by checking the monitor screen. As a result, forgetting to correct the white balance is prevented, and diagnosis based on accurate color reproducibility can be reliably performed.

When the endoscope is removed from the video processor, no character string is displayed on the monitor screen. Further, when the white balance correction command is output, the output of the character signal from the character generation circuit may be stopped so that the character string “W / B failed” is not displayed on the monitor screen. Furthermore, the character strings displayed on the monitor screen are “W / B failed” and “W / B
The present invention is not limited to “O, K”, and the user may be notified of whether the white balance has been corrected using an illustration instead of a character string.

By operating the light amount setting switch provided on the front panel of the light source device, the irradiation light amount can be adjusted. However, in an endoscope room where the surroundings are dark, the switch operation is performed. Erroneously set the light amount setting switch.
For this reason, there has been a demand for an electronic endoscope device including a light source device that prevents erroneous operation of a light amount setting switch disposed on a front panel and improves operability.

FIG. 4 relates to an embodiment of an electronic endoscope apparatus in which an erroneous operation of a light amount setting switch of the light source apparatus is prevented. FIG. 4A shows another configuration of the electronic endoscope apparatus. (B) is an explanatory view showing a light amount setting switch on the front panel.

As shown in FIG. 4A, a light amount setting switch 16 is provided on the front panel 4a of the light source device 4. The value of the irradiation light amount set by the light amount setting switch 16 is input to the light source CPU 12. Is stored.

As shown in FIG. 4 (b), the light quantity setting switch 16 is provided with an LED switch 19 in which LEDs for displaying are arranged. The LED is turned on by a predetermined value corresponding to the amount.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4A, a buzzer 18 is connected to the light source CPU 12 inside the light source device 4, and a different buzzer sound is generated according to the increase or decrease of the set amount by the light amount setting switch 16. Is caused to occur.

The buzzer sound generated from the buzzer 18 generates a continuous sound with a high pitch and a short sounding interval as the light amount setting switch 16 is operated in a direction to increase the irradiation light amount, and reduces the irradiation light amount. The setting is such that a continuous tone having a low pitch and a long generated sound interval is generated as the operation is performed in the direction in which the sound is generated. Other configurations and operations are the same as those of the above-described embodiment.

As described above, the buzzer is connected to the CPU for the light source, and a predetermined buzzer sound is generated in accordance with the increase or decrease of the irradiation light amount by operating the light amount setting switch provided on the front panel of the light source device. The operation direction of the light amount setting switch can be determined. As a result, even in a dark endoscope room or the like, it is possible to easily determine the operation direction in which the switch should be adjusted, and prevent a setting error.

In this embodiment, it is possible to recognize the increase or decrease of the irradiation light amount by the light amount setting switch provided on the front panel of the light source device by a buzzer sound. However, the present invention is not limited to the light amount setting switch. Instead, the present invention may be applied to a color tone adjustment switch provided on a front panel of a video processor.

In the electronic endoscope apparatus, when performing white balance correction, a white gauze is put on the end of the endoscope, or the endoscope is placed in the inner hole of the white tube for white balance correction. The white balance was corrected by operating the correction switch. For this reason, there has been a demand for an electronic endoscope apparatus that improves the workability of white balance correction.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a schematic configuration of an electronic endoscope apparatus for improving the operability of the white balance correction work.

As shown in the figure, the front panel 3a of the video processor 3 of the electronic endoscope apparatus according to the present embodiment has a white balance correcting tube portion (hereinafter abbreviated as a tube portion) 31 whose inner peripheral surface is colored white. Is provided. Photo switches 32a and 32b are arranged on the side peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 31. The photo switches 32a and 32b are formed by inserting a distal end portion of the endoscope into the cylindrical portion 31. By blocking the optical path, a white balance correction command is output to the processor CPU instead of the correction switch 9 of the above-described embodiment. In addition, when the inner peripheral surface of the tube portion 31 becomes dirty, the tube portion 31 is detachable from the front panel 3a so that the tube portion 31 can be removed from the video processor to remove the stain.

As described above, by providing the white balance correction cylinder having a white inner peripheral surface on the front panel of the video processor and providing the white balance correction cylinder with the photo switch also serving as the white balance correction instruction switch. The white balance can be automatically corrected simply by inserting the distal end portion of the endoscope through the white balance correction cylinder. This eliminates the hassle of preparing a white gauze or a white tube for white balance correction, and eliminates the need to press the switch for white balance correction, thereby greatly improving the workability of white balance correction. .

Conventionally, when performing white balance correction,
KNEEE processing was performed. For this reason, since the white balance correction had to be performed by the analog signal processing, it was necessary to perform circuit adjustment so that the input / output value became a predetermined value after the white balance correction.

On the other hand, when the white balance correction is performed by digital signal processing, the KNEE processing cannot be performed well because the circuit is located after the A / D converter.
As shown in (a), KNEE after white balance correction
Since it was difficult to perform processing so that points corresponded for each color component, accurate color reproducibility could not be obtained as shown in FIG. For this reason, an electronic endoscope apparatus that performs white balance correction by digital signal processing to eliminate the need for circuit adjustment and that does not change the KNEE characteristics even when white balance correction is performed after the KNEE processing is desired. Was rare.

As shown in FIG. 7, in this embodiment, the CCD 2
Is amplified by the preamplifier 5 and output to the KNEE processing circuit 20 to perform the KNEE processing by the KNEE processing circuit 20, and then the A / D converter 21 converts the analog signal into a digital signal. Further, a digital multiplier 22 is connected to a stage subsequent to the A / D converter 21. For this reason, the output signal from the CCD 2 outputs a time-sequential plane-sequential video signal corresponding to the plane-sequential irradiation light irradiated through a rotary filter in a light source device (not shown).

The output of the A / D converter 21 is also input to an averaging circuit 23. And this averaging circuit 23
Calculates the white balance correction coefficient. The white balance correction coefficient is given to the digital multiplier 22 as a multiplication coefficient to perform white balance correction.
The output from the multiplier 22 is input to a synchronization memory 24, converted into a synchronization signal, and then converted into an analog signal by a D / A converter 25 connected for each of R, G, and B signals. It is converted and output.

It should be noted that the KNEE circuit is a one-fold line non-linear circuit for lowering the degree of amplification for a predetermined level or more of the input signal. The coefficient for white balance correction is D
The signal is converted into an analog signal by the / A converter 26 and input to the KNEE processing circuit 20.

That is, as shown in FIG. 8 (a), the KNEE processing circuit 20
After changing the KNEE point of the KNEE processing for each of the R, G, and B components of the frame-sequential video signal input to the device, and performing white balance correction as shown in FIG.
The processing is performed so that the KNEE points match in each color component. As a result, there is no change in color in the high luminance region, and accurate color reproducibility can be obtained.

The present invention is not limited to only the above-described embodiments, but can be variously modified without departing from the gist of the invention.

[Appendix] According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the following configuration can be obtained.

(1) When operating the white balance correction means in an electronic endoscope apparatus having a white balance correction means and an irradiation light quantity setting means capable of arbitrarily setting the value of the irradiation light quantity, the illumination light quantity setting means An electronic endoscope apparatus having an irradiation light amount switching means for switching a value of the irradiation light amount set by the above to a light amount value for white balance correction set in advance.

(2) White balance correcting means, correction detecting means for detecting completion of color correction by the white balance correcting means, attaching / detaching detecting means for detecting attachment / detachment of the endoscope from the processor, and a monitor screen In an electronic endoscope apparatus having a character generation circuit for generating a character string to be displayed above, a character string generated from the character generation circuit according to an output signal of the correction detection unit and the attachment / detachment detection unit. Electronic endoscope apparatus to be controlled (3) In an electronic endoscope apparatus that performs a knee process on a frame sequential video signal and performs a white balance correction process based on the knee process, the electronic endoscope device corresponds to a correction coefficient of the white balance correction circuit. An electronic endoscope for controlling the knee processing in the knee processing circuit.

[0056]

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided an electronic endoscope apparatus capable of performing appropriate white balance correction based on an optimum irradiation light amount at the time of white balance correction and obtaining accurate color reproduction. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an electronic endoscope apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 and 3 relate to an embodiment of an electronic endoscope apparatus capable of recognizing whether or not white balance correction has been performed, and FIG. 2 is another configuration of the electronic endoscope apparatus. Figure showing

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a character string notifying whether or not white balance correction has been performed is displayed on a monitor;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of an electronic endoscope apparatus which prevents erroneous operation of a light amount setting switch of a light source device and a light amount setting switch provided on a front panel.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an electronic endoscope apparatus that improves operability of a white balance correction operation.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a KNEE point and a color signal for each color after a conventional white balance correction.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing knee processing in the electronic endoscope apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing KNEE points after white balance correction and color signals for each color.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 electronic endoscope 3 video processor 4 light source device 6 white balance correction circuit (W / B) 9 white balance correction instruction switch (correction switch) 10 a white balance correction circuit 16 light amount setting switch

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Akihiko Mochida 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kiyoshi Tsuji 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Akira Watanabe 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] When operating the white balance correction means in an electronic endoscope apparatus having a white balance correction means and an irradiation light quantity setting means capable of arbitrarily setting an irradiation light value, the illumination light quantity setting means An electronic endoscope apparatus comprising: an irradiation light amount switching unit that switches a set irradiation light amount value to a preset white balance correction light amount value.