EP0046987A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Endoscope apparatus
Assignee: Olympus Corp
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Filing: 1981-08-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2001-08-27
Abstract
Abstract An endoscope apparatus includes an ultrasonic transducer (17) disposed at the distal end portion of an endoscope (11). The ultrasonic wave transmission/reception time of the ultrasonic transducer (17) is measured by a time counter (35). The measured time from the time counter (35) and the velocity of propagation of ultrasonic wave are operated by a calculator (36). and thus the distance between the distal end portion and a subject is calculated. The distance and the view angle of an optical system (13 to 15) for observation are operated by a calculator (37), the ratio between the size of an image in the field of view of the optical system (13 to 15) for observation and the size of the subject is calculated, and the scale of a scale display panel (23) disposed inside the field of view is indicated in accordance with such ratio.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuo Baba
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:04
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; A; A61; A61B; A61B1/00; A61B1/00064; A61B1/00071; A61B1/0008; A61B1/00097; A61B1/00163; A61B1/00165; A61B5/00; A61B5/103; A61B5/107; A61B5/1076; A61B8/00; A61B8/12; A61B8/44; A61B8/4444; A61B8/445
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
An endoscope apparatus comprising: an endoscope (11) including an optical system (13 to 15) for observation having an eyepiece section (llb) for the observation of a subject (28), an optical system (12) for illumination to transmit illumination light for illuminating the subject (28), an insertion section having a distal end portion, at least one ultrasonic transducer (17) disposed at said distal end portion and transmitting and receiving ultrasonic wave, and display means (22, 23) disposed inside a field of view of said optical system (13 to 15) for observation and indicating at least a scale; distance information output means (35, 36) for measuring the time between the transmission of the ultrasonic wave and the reception of the ultrasonic wave reflected from said subject, and calculating at least said measured time and a velocity of propagation of the ultrasonic wave, thereby calculating a distance between said distal end portion and the subject to deliver distance information; means (39) for delivering at least view angle information representing a view angle of said optical system for observation; and means for operation the distance information from said distance information output means (35, 36) and the view angle information from said view angle information output means (39) to calculate a ratio between the size of an observed image in said field of view and the size of said subject, setting a scale in accordance with said ratio, and causing said display means (23) to indicate said scale set.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
243 words
An endoscope apparatus comprising: an endoscope (11) including an optical system (13 to 15) for observation having an eyepiece section (llb) for the observation of a subject (28), an optical system (12) for illumination to transmit illumination light for illuminating the subject (28), an insertion section having a distal end portion, at least one ultrasonic transducer (17) disposed at said distal end portion and transmitting and receiving ultrasonic wave, and display means (22, 23) disposed inside a field of view of said optical system (13 to 15) for observation and indicating at least a scale; distance information output means (35, 36) for measuring the time between the transmission of the ultrasonic wave and the reception of the ultrasonic wave reflected from said subject, and calculating at least said measured time and a velocity of propagation of the ultrasonic wave, thereby calculating a distance between said distal end portion and the subject to deliver distance information; means (39) for delivering at least view angle information representing a view angle of said optical system for observation; and means for operation the distance information from said distance information output means (35, 36) and the view angle information from said view angle information output means (39) to calculate a ratio between the size of an observed image in said field of view and the size of said subject, setting a scale in accordance with said ratio, and causing said display means (23) to indicate said scale set.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display means (23) is formed of a plurality of light emitting diodes (23a) arranged in a row, said light emitting diodes glowing with every unit scale interval in accordance with said ratio.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display means (23) is formed of a liquid crystal display having a plurality of electrodes corresponding to the division of the scale, said display indicating the scale at unit scale intervals in accordance with said ratio.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ultrasonic transducer (17) is disposed in close vicinity to an optical axis of said optical system (13 to 15) for observation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ultrasonic transducer is a ring-shaped ultrasonic transducer (17a) disposed concentrically with an optical axis of said optical system (13 to 15) for observation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display means includes a distance display panel (22) for indicating distance.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
65 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said distance information output means includes a time counter (35) set to count time in response to the ultrasonic transmission of said ultrasonic transducer and reset in response to the reception of ultrasonic wave, and a calculator (36) for calculating the time measured by said time counter (35) and the velocity of propagation of said ultrasonic wave.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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