Endoscope apparatus and video processor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11337593-B2
Application number	US-201816130007-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2018
Priority date	Mar 17, 2016
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

An endoscope apparatus includes a light emitting element, an image pickup device of a rolling shutter scheme, and a control section. The control section performs control for switching between a first illumination mode for irradiating light on a subject in a readout period in which readout of an electric signal is performed in order for each of lines in the image pickup device and a second illumination mode for not irradiating light on the subject in the readout period. The control section controls the image pickup device to perform electronic shutter processing in all-line exposure period in which exposure of a plurality of lines is simultaneously performed in a frame corresponding to timing when one of the first illumination mode and the second illumination mode is switched to the other illumination mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An endoscope apparatus comprising:
a light source configured to emit light for illuminating a subject;
an image sensor of a rolling shutter scheme including a plurality of lines each including a plurality of pixels that receive light reflected from the subject illuminated by the light emitted by the light source and generate an electric signal, the image sensor being configured to read out the electric signal in order for each of the lines, start exposure in order from a line for which readout of the electric signal is completed, and generate an image pickup signal of one frame; and
a controller comprising hardware, the controller being configured to:
control the light source to switch between a first pattern for irradiating the light on the subject in a readout period in which the readout of the electric signal is performed in order for each of the lines in the image sensor and a second pattern for not irradiating the light on the subject in the readout period;
control the image sensor to perform electronic shutter processing so as to reset electric charges of the line for which the readout of the electric signal is completed in the readout period, and
control the image sensor to perform the electronic shutter processing in an all-line exposure period in which exposure of the plurality of lines is simultaneously performed, the electronic shutter processing being performed before the light source emits light, in a frame corresponding to timing when one of the first pattern and the second pattern is switched to an other of the first pattern and the second pattern, the electronic shutter processing being performed such that electric charges, which are accumulated in the frame, are reset in the all-line exposure period.

2. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the second pattern is a pattern for not irradiating the light on the subject in the readout period and irradiating the light in the all-line exposure period, and
the controller performs the electronic shutter processing of a rolling shutter scheme in a period before irradiation of the light is started in the all-line exposure period of a frame corresponding to timing when the first pattern is switched to the second pattern.

3. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first pattern is a pattern for irradiating the light in the readout period and the all-line exposure period, and
the controller performs the electronic shutter processing of a rolling shutter scheme in a period in which irradiation of the light is performed in the all-line exposure period of a frame corresponding to timing when the second pattern is switched to the first pattern.

4. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the image sensor not to perform the electronic shutter processing in the all-line exposure period of a frame after a frame in which the electronic shutter processing is performed.

5. A video processor that receives an input of an electric signal from an image sensor of a rolling shutter scheme and generates an endoscopic image, the image sensor including a plurality of lines each including a plurality of pixels that receive light reflected from a subject illuminated by light emitted by a light source that emits light for illuminating the subject, and generates an electric signal, the image sensor being configured to read out the electric signal in order for each of the lines, start exposure in order from a line for which readout of the electric signal is completed, and generate an image pickup signal of one frame,
the video processor comprising a controller comprising hardware, the controller being configured to:
control the light source to switch between a first pattern for irradiating the light on the subject in a readout period in which the readout of the electric signal is performed in order for each of the lines in the image sensor and a second pattern for not irradiating the light on the subject in the readout period;
control the image sensor to perform electronic shutter processing so as to reset electric charges of the line for which the readout of the electric signal is completed in the readout period, and
control the image sensor to perform the electronic shutter processing in an all-line exposure period in which exposure of the plurality of lines is simultaneously performed, the electronic shutter processing being performed before the light source emits light, in a frame corresponding to timing when one pattern of the first pattern and the second pattern is switched to an other of the first pattern and the second pattern, the electronic shutter processing being performed such that electric charges, which are accumulated in the frame, are reset in the all-line exposure period.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Tanaka Satoshi
• SAKANOUE Yoichiro

Classifications

• A61B1/04 Primary

  combined with photographic or television appliances · CPC title

• A61B1/0655 Primary

  Control therefor · CPC title

• H04N7/18

  Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast · CPC title

• A61B1/00

  Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes (examination of body cavities or body tracts using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/12; endoscopic instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/04); Illuminating arrangements therefor (for the eyes A61B3/00) · CPC title

• A61B1/0676

  at distal tip of an endoscope · CPC title