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:
Oct. 09, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 24, 1999
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A device for controlling an amount of light of a lighting unit for use in an endoscope, used to view an image of an object. The device includes a plurality of light shields for shielding light generated by a light source and transmitted to the endoscope. A plurality of stepping motors drive the light shield for a series of predetermined time intervals. Brightness of the image is detected during each of the time intervals and pulses are generated during each of the time intervals. The number of pulses generated is determined in accordance with a difference between the brightness of the image detected during each of the time intervals and a desired brightness of the image. The pulses generated are used to control the drive of the plurality of stepping motors in each of the plurality of time intervals.