Endoscope and endoscopic system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016286187-A1
Application number	US-201615010307-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 29, 2016
Priority date	Mar 23, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed is an endoscope including: a four-color separation prism configured to separate light from an object into three primary colors of light and infrared light; four image sensors configured to convert optical images of the separated three primary colors of light and an optical image of the separated infrared light into electrical signals; and an output device configured to output the converted electrical signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An endoscope comprising:
a four-color separation prism configured to separate light from an object into three primary colors of light and infrared light; four image sensors configured to convert optical images of the separated three primary colors of light and an optical image of the separated infrared light into electrical signals; and an output device configured to output the converted electrical signals.

2 . The endoscope of claim 1 ,
wherein the image sensor adds the pixel values of adjacent pixels together when converting the optical image of the infrared light into the electrical signal using multiple pixels, and wherein the output device outputs an electrical signal having an added pixel value.

3 . An endoscopic system including an endoscope, a processor, a memory, and a display,
wherein the endoscope includes a four-color separation prism separating light from an object into three primary colors of light and infrared light, four image sensors converting optical images of the separated three primary colors of light and an optical image of the separated infrared light into electrical signals, and an output device outputting the converted electrical signals to the processor, wherein in collaboration with the memory, the processor converts a first electrical signal, which is converted from each of the optical images of the three primary colors of light, into a first image signal, and a second electrical signal, which is converted from the optical image of the infrared light, into a second image signal, and wherein the display displays an image based on the first image signal and the second image signal.

4 . The endoscopic system of claim 3 ,
wherein in collaboration with the memory, the processor performs adjustments such that the signal strength of the first image signal is substantially equal to the signal strength of the second image signal.

5 . The endoscopic system of claim 3 ,
wherein the display displays the first image signal and the second image signal at the same time.

6 . A image display method in an endoscopic system including an endoscope, a processor, a memory, and a display,
wherein the endoscope separates light from an object into three primary colors of light and infrared light, converts optical images of the separated three primary colors of light and an optical image of the infrared light into electrical signals, and outputs the converted electrical signals to the processor, wherein in collaboration with the memory, the processor converts a first electrical signal, which is converted from each of the optical images of the three primary colors of light, into a first image signal, and converts a second electrical signal, which is converted from the optical image of the infrared light, into a second image signal, and wherein the display displays an image based on the first image signal and the second image signal.

7 . The image display method in an endoscopic system of claim 6 ,
wherein in collaboration with the memory, the processor performs adjustment such that the signal strength of the first image signal is substantially equal to the signal strength of the second image signal.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Takenaga Yuuichi
• Katahira Haruyasu

Classifications

• H04N23/63

  by using electronic viewfinders · CPC title

• H04N23/13

  with multiple sensors · CPC title

• G01J3/502

  using a dispersive element, e.g. grating, prism · CPC title

• G02B27/1013

  for colour or multispectral image sensors, e.g. splitting an image into monochromatic image components on respective sensors (spectral imaging systems G01J) · CPC title

• A61B1/043

  for fluorescence imaging · CPC title