The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 03, 1993
Filed:
Jun. 30, 1992
Kiyoshi Inoue, Omiya, JP;
Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd., Omiya, JP;
Abstract
An electronic endoscope system compatible with solid-state image sensor elements of different types, including a rotary color wheel located in the path of illuminating light from a light source and provided with RGB filter zones successively and alternately with a color-shifting main light-blocking zone to transmit illuminating light rays of red, green and blue wavelength sequentially therethrough, and a light guide for directing the red, green and blue illuminating light rays from the color wheel toward an internal portion under observation, while picking up images of a subject under sequential irradiations by red, green and blue light rays from the light guide. Each one of the filter zones is bisected by an intermediate light blocking zone which is provided at a median point thereof. The electronic endoscope system further includes an image sensor drive which is operable either in a single-field drive mode where on each revolution of the color wheel signal charges are read out from the solid-state image sensor element only in main blank periods when a main light-blocking zone with a color shift is in the path of illuminating light and a double-field drive mode where signal charges are read out from the solid-state image sensor element in both main and intermediate blank periods when a main or intermediate light-blocking zone is in the path of illuminating light to obtain two fields of picture data of each color on each revolution of the color wheel.