JPS63127220A - Electronic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To selectively set a direction where a forceps comes out on a screen, without lengthening the length of the tip of an inserting part, by executing freely read-out from a memory in which a video signal from a solid-state image element is written. CONSTITUTION:Each color video signal from a solid-state image element of an endoscope, which passes through an A/D converter 21 and a data selector 22 is written in each color channel memory of R, G and B 23-25 through a column address counter 32 for executing read-out by up, and a row address down-counter 31 for executing read-out by down, respectively. When these memories 23-25 are read out through the counters 32, 31, a forceps is set to the upper part on a screen. On the other hand, when an address selector 29 is controlled by a mode selector 33 read in, the memories 23-25 are up by the counter 32, and read out by a row address up-counter 30, and by inversion read-out, the forceps is set to the lower part on the screen. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to move the inserting tip part to the corresponding image sensor position in order to invert the screen, and a direction where the forceps comes out on the screen can be set selectively without lengthening the inserting tip part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an electronic endoscope, and particularly to an electronic endoscope in which the direction of delivery of a treatment instrument such as forceps within the screen can be selected. It is something.

(Prior art) Electronic endoscopes that have a solid-state imaging device such as a face plate-shaped COD at the tip of the insertion section are already being put into practical use. Patent application No. 58-212947 filed by the applicant on November 11, 1983
There is one disclosed in No. (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 104915/1982). This electronic endoscope uses a solid-state imaging device with a size close to the outer diameter of the insertion section, and in consideration of securing internal space without increasing the outer diameter of the insertion section, an optical path conversion prism is used in the imaging optical system. A solid-state image sensor is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the insertion section. Also, by the same applicant, on May 1, 1985
Japanese Patent Application No. 105684/1984 (Patent Application No. 258515/1982) filed on the 7th discloses the use of a frame transfer type solid-state imaging device as the solid-state imaging device. This frame transfer type solid-state image sensor has a larger aperture ratio than an interline type solid-state image sensor and is more sensitive to constant light input, so it is advantageous for endoscopes due to the brightness of the light source, power, etc. It is said that there is [
There is.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, when using a frame transfer type solid-state imaging probe and disposing it along the longitudinal direction of the insertion section as described above, the following problems exist. do. As can be seen in each of the above patent applications, the forceps channel that guides treatment instruments such as forceps for collecting tissue inside a living body cavity uses a solid-state imaging device arranged along the longitudinal direction of the insertion section. In order to solve the space problem, it is arranged so that it has a front-to-back arrangement relationship with the imaging optical system at the center. Therefore, on the monitor screen based on the video signal from the solid-state imaging cord, the forceps image extended from the forceps channel appears to come out from above or below. However, some doctors who use such electronic endoscopes find it easier to aim at the target area if the forceps image appears from above on the screen due to their own sensory issues. They are divided into those who say it is better to start from the bottom and get rice. As one measure to provide an electronic endoscope that satisfies both of these requirements, it is conceivable to arrange the solid-state imaging device with the front and back reversed. That is, as shown in FIG. 3 (4), the frame transfer type solid-state image sensor 4 is attached to the imaging optical system 3 consisting of the objective lens 1 and the optical path converting prism 2, so that the storage area 4a is on the tip side. Figure 3 (B
) As shown in Fig. 3 (4), the direction in which the forceps appear on the screen can be selected to be either up or down depending on the case where the image area 4b is placed on the tip side.
If the storage area 4a is placed on the distal end side as shown in Figure 3 (4), the hard section at the distal end of the insertion tube can be shortened.
), when the image area 4b is placed on the distal end side, the rigid section at the distal end of the insertion section becomes longer by the length t, which is disadvantageous for endoscopes where it is desired that the rigid section be as short as possible. .

(Means for Solving the Problems) Therefore, in view of the above, the present invention maintains the hard section at the tip of the insertion section in a short state, and raises the direction in which the forceps image appears in the screen. , along the longitudinal axis of the insertion tube, so that it can be selected in either direction.
In addition, there is a frame transfer type solid-state image sensor arranged so that the image area is on the hand side and the storage area is on the tip side, and an imaging optical system arranged so that it is front and back with this solid-state image sensor as the center. The present invention provides an electronic endoscope equipped with a forceps channel and a forceps channel, which is inverted when reading out from a memory storing video signals from the solid-state imaging probe.

(Example) Hereinafter, an electronic endoscope according to the present invention will be explained to ffPM based on an example shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of the tip of the insertion portion of the internal mirror, and FIG. 2 shows the video signal processing circuit. In FIG. 1, 10 indicates the tip of the insertion section in the electronic endoscope, and the frame transfer ff1ccD11 has its image area 11m on the near side,
It is disposed in a plane along the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion and substantially close to the axis. Reference numeral 12 denotes an imaging optical system consisting of an objective lens 12& and an optical path converting prism 12b, and reference numeral 13
indicates a forceps channel, and the configuration of each of these channels is as disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application No. 6O-1 (J5684, etc.). In FIG. A/D to input
Converter, reference numeral 22 is a data selector bus, )!
23, 24, and 25 indicate an R (red) channel memory, a G (green) channel memory, and a B (blue) channel memory. The video signals stored field by field in the R and QB channel memories 23, 24 and 25 are sent to the address selector 29 and the row address up counter (ROW ADDRESS UP).
C0UN-TER) 3 G, Row address down counter (ROW ADDRESS DOWN C
0UNTER) 31, Column address counter (
COLUM ADDRESS COUNT-TER)
32 and mode selector (MoDEsELEc-TOR
) 33, it is possible to reverse the direction in which the memories 23, 24 and 25 are read when reading data, and also to reverse the horizontal direction. The symbols 36°, 37, and 38 indicate D/A converters, respectively.Memo! The outputs of 723.24 and 25 are converted into analog signals and input to an encoder (not shown).

In the endoscope configured as described above, if the forceps are to come out from above on the monitor screen, the mode selector 33 is read out by the column address counter 32 in the up position, and the column address counter 32 is read out in the up position, and the column address down counter 3
Set to read at 1. Further, when the forceps are to come out from the bottom on the monitor screen, the mode selector 33 is set so that the column address counter 32 reads up and the row address up counter 30 reads out.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the endoscope according to the present invention, while the hard section at the tip of the insertion section is kept short as before, the
The direction of the forceps used in combination can be electrically switched from above or from below, so the forceps will appear on the screen according to the surgeon's preference. The direction can be selected and set.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of essential parts of an embodiment of an endoscope according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram thereof, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the distal end of the endoscope. It is. 11...Frame transfer type CCD, 12...
Imaging optical system, 13...forceps channel, 23.24.
25... RGB each channel memory, 29... Address selector, 30... Row address up counter, 31... Row address down counter,
32...Column address counter, 33...Mode selector. Patent applicant: Fuji Photo Co., Ltd.'t52

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A frame transfer type solid-state image sensor arranged along the longitudinal axis of the insertion section with the image area facing toward the hand; In an electronic endoscope equipped with an imaging optical system and a forceps channel, it is possible to select a mode in which the image signal from the solid-state image sensor is inverted when reading it from the memory into which it is written, and the image signal is displayed on the display screen. An electronic endoscope characterized in that a forceps image transmitted through a forceps channel can be set to be from above or below.