Olympus Corporation

Olympus Medical Systems Corporation

Takayuki Hanawa

Nobuyuki Doguchi

Kazunari Nakamura

Sakae Takehana

Katsuichi Imaizumi

Fumiyuki Okawa

Yasuo Komatsu

Shinji Yamashita

Yasunori Matsui

Keisuke Tsutsui

Hideaki Ishihara

Yuzuru Tanabe

Hidehiro Joko

Shin Otsuka

An endoscope includes: an image sensor including: pixels for receiving light to generate image signals, and reading circuits sharing predetermined number of pixels with one another; a format converter configured to convert the image signals output from the image sensor into a predetermined format corresponding to a processing device for performing image processing on the image signals; and a connector including the format converter and configured to be connected to the processing device. The image sensor includes a color filter of a Bayer array in which a red filter for passing a red component and a first green filter for passing a green component are alternately arranged in even lines of horizontal lines of the pixels, and a second green filter for passing a green component and a blue filter for passing a blue component are alternately arranged in odd lines of the horizontal lines.

Endoscope

An image pickup apparatus includes: an image pickup device that outputs pixel signals picked up by a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional manner for picking up an image of an object; a white spot positional information storage portion that stores positional information of a white-spot pixel that exists in the image pickup device; an image pickup device drive portion; and a white spot correction portion that, based on positional information of the white-spot pixel that is read out from the white spot positional information storage portion, performs correction with respect to the pixel signal of the pixel that is determined to be the white-spot pixel based on a white spot correction value calculated based on seven pixels that surround a pixel that is determined to be the white-spot pixel.

Image pickup apparatus

The present invention relates to an endoscope to perform observation using a plurality of image pick up units and an endoscope system including such an endoscope, and its object is to provide an endoscope and an endoscope system having a simplified structure and a reduced cost. There is provided an endoscope including a plurality of image pick up units () to pick up an observation image, a connector () to be connected with an external device () to perform signal processing, and a switching circuit portion () electrically connected with each image pick up unit () and the connector () and configured to switch the plurality of image pick up units () so that one of the image pick up units () transmits/receives a signal to/from the connector ().

Endoscope, endoscope system, and switching circuit member for endoscope

An endoscope includes a solid image-pickup device having an image area and an optical black area for performing photoelectric conversion and including a function of varying an amplification ratio, and a first signal clamp circuit clamps the analog output signal that is outputted from the solid image-pickup device to adjust into an input range of the analog signal processing circuit with an analog reference signal which is unaffected by a defective pixel in the optical black area. The clamped signal is processed to extract signal components which are photoelectrically converted by the analog signal processing circuit by the image area. The output signal from the analog signal processing circuit clamps the signal in the optical black area by using output signals of at least the number of pixels larger than the number of pixels in a horizontal direction in the optical black area by the second signal clamp circuit.

Signal processing device for endoscope

An endoscopehas a CCDincorporated in the distal part of an insertion unitthereof. The sensitivity of the CCDcan be varied by applying a plurality of pulsating driving signals so as to change an electron multiplication rate. The endoscopeis connected to a processorso that it can be disconnected freely. Information representing a type of endoscope stored in advance in a ROMis transmitted to a controllerincorporated in the processor. The control meansuses a CCD sensitivity control meansto control the sensitivity of the CCDaccording to the type of connected endoscope. Consequently, a view image of proper brightness can be produced irrespective of the type of endoscope

Endoscope system with irradiated light switching feature

An endoscopehas a CCDincorporated in the distal part of an insertion unitthereof. The sensitivity of the CCDcan be varied by applying a plurality of pulsating driving signals so as to change an electron multiplication rate. The endoscopeis connected to a processorso that it can be disconnected freely. Information representing a type of endoscope stored in advance in a ROMis transmitted to a controllerincorporated in the processor. The control meansuses a CCD sensitivity control meansto control the sensitivity of the CCDaccording to the type of connected endoscope. In addition, an automatic gain control circuit supplementarily amplifies a signal output from the CCDso that the level of the signal becomes a predetermined level. Consequently, a view image of proper brightness can be produced irrespective of the type of endoscope

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Hachioji, Japan

Takayuki Hanawa