US4870488A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Endoscope imaging system used with an electronic scope and an optical endoscope
Assignee: Olympus Corp
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Filing: 1988-02-09
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Granted: 1989-09-26
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Expires: 2008-02-09
Abstract
Abstract A system provided with an electronic scope containing a solid state imaging device on the tip side of the insertable part and a television camera containing an solid state imaging device and fitted to the eyepiece part of an optical endoscope provided with an optical image transmitting device within the insertable part. The number of pixels of the solid state imaging device of the television camera is made larger than the solid state imaging device of the electronic scope.
Inventors
- 👤 Yuji Ikuno
- 👤 Hiroki Hibino
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 02:16
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B1/00; A61B1/00064; A61B1/00105; H; H04; H04N; H04N13/00; H04N13/10; H04N13/20; H04N13/204; H04N13/239; H04N23/00; H04N23/50; H04N23/54; H04N23/555; H04N25/00; H04N13/106; H04N13/15; H04N13/189
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
An endoscope imaging system comprising: an electronic endoscope having, an elongate insertable part, an imaging means for imaging an object, said imaging means consisting of a first objective optical system fitted to said insertable part and a solid state imaging device arranged in a focal plane of said objective optical system, and a light emitting means, arranged on said insertable part, for illuminating said object; an optical endoscope having, an elongate insertable part, an observing optical system having a second objective optical system fitted to the insertable part of the optical endoscope, an optical image guide transmitting an optical image formed by said second objective optical system to an eyepiece part side on which an exit end surface side arranged, a light emitting means arranged on the insertable part of the optical endoscope, and a television camera fittable to said eyepiece part side of said optical endoscope and containing an imaging means consisting of a solid state imaging device with a number of pixels larger than that of said solid state imaging device of said electronic endoscope; a signal processing means for processing signals corresponding to the respective imaging means of said electronic endoscope and said television camera; and a monitor means for displaying predetermined video signals output from said signal processing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
213 words
An endoscope imaging system comprising: an electronic endoscope having, an elongate insertable part, an imaging means for imaging an object, said imaging means consisting of a first objective optical system fitted to said insertable part and a solid state imaging device arranged in a focal plane of said objective optical system, and a light emitting means, arranged on said insertable part, for illuminating said object; an optical endoscope having, an elongate insertable part, an observing optical system having a second objective optical system fitted to the insertable part of the optical endoscope, an optical image guide transmitting an optical image formed by said second objective optical system to an eyepiece part side on which an exit end surface side arranged, a light emitting means arranged on the insertable part of the optical endoscope, and a television camera fittable to said eyepiece part side of said optical endoscope and containing an imaging means consisting of a solid state imaging device with a number of pixels larger than that of said solid state imaging device of said electronic endoscope; a signal processing means for processing signals corresponding to the respective imaging means of said electronic endoscope and said television camera; and a monitor means for displaying predetermined video signals output from said signal processing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
An endoscope imaging system according to claim 1 wherein said light emitting means is formed of a light guide, said light guide has an exit end surface and an entrance end, said light guide emitting an illuminating light, input to the entrance end, from said exit end surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
An endoscope imaging system according to claim 2 further has a light source means for feeding the illuminating light to said light guide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
An endoscope imaging system according to claim 3 wherein said light source generates a white light.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
An endoscope imaging system according to claim 3 wherein said light source means sequentially outputs light of three wavelength ranges which are different from one another.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
An endoscope imaging system according to claim 3 wherein said light source means outputs a white light and a frame sequential light of three wavelength ranges which are different from one another in a time series as switched by a switching means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
An endoscope imaging system according to any one of claims 1, 3, 4, 5 or 6 wherein said optical endoscope is formed of a fiber scope and wherein said optical image guide is formed of a fiber bundle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
An endoscope imaging system according to any one of claims 1, 5 or 6 wherein said optical endoscope is formed of a rigid endoscope wherein said optical image guide is formed of a relay optical system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
An endoscope imaging system according to any one of claims 1, 5 or 6 wherein said electronic endoscope is provided with a color-separating color filter in front of an imaging surface of said solid state imaging device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
An endoscope imaging system according to any one of claims 1, 3, 4, 5 or 6 wherein said electronic endoscope is a frame sequential color imaging type having no color separating color filter on an imaging surface of said solid state imaging device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
An endoscope imaging system according to any one of claims 1, 3, 4, 5 or 6 wherein said solid state imaging device contained in said television camera is fitted with a color-separating color filter in front of an imaging surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
An endoscope imaging system according to any one of claims 1, 3, 4, 5 or 6 wherein said solid state imaging device contained in said television camera is of a frame sequential color imaging type having no color-separating color filter in front of an imaging surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
An endoscope imaging system according to claim 9 wherein said signal processing means processes signals corresponding to said solid state imaging device provided with said color-separating color filter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
An endoscope imaging system according to claim 10 wherein said signal processing means processes signals corresponding to said frame sequential color imaging electronic endoscope.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
An endoscope imaging system according to any one of claims 1 or 4 wherein said electronic endoscope and said television camera have an output signal different from one another.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
An endoscope imaging system according to claim 15 wherein said signal processing means has a signal discriminating means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
An endoscope imaging system according to any one of claims 1 or 3 wherein said signal processing means has in common a signal processing system outputting a predetermined video signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
An endoscope imaging system according to claim 17 wherein said signal processing system is controlled in switching by a discriminating means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
An endoscope imaging system according to claim 11 wherein said signal processing means is to process signals corresponding to said solid state imaging device provided with said color-separating color filter.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
An endoscope imaging system according to claim 12 wherein said signal processing means is to process signals corresponding to said frame sequential color imaging type.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
200 words
An endoscope imaging system comprising: an electronic endoscope having, an elongate insertable part, an imaging means for imaging an object, said imaging means consisting of a first objective optical system fitted to said insertable part and a solid state imaging device arranged in a focal plane of said objective optical system, and a light emitting means, arranged on said insertable part, for illuminating said object; an optical endoscope having, an elongate insertable part, an observing optical system having a second objective optical system fitted to the insertable part of the optical endoscope, an optical image guide transmitting an optical image formed by said second objective optical system to an eyepiece part side on which an exit end surface side is arranged, a light emitting means arranged on the insertable part of the optical endoscope, and a television camera fittable to said eyepiece part side of said optical endoscope and containing an imaging device consisting of a solid state imaging device with a number of pixels larger than that of said solid state imaging device of said electronic endoscope; and a signal processing means for processing signals corresponding to the respective imaging means of said electronic endoscope and said television camera.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
200 words
An endoscope imaging system comprising: an electronic endoscope having, an elongate insertable part, an imaging means for imaging an object, said imaging means consisting of a first objective optical system fitted to said insertable part and a solid state imaging device arranged in a focal plane of said objective optical system, and a light emitting means, arranged on said insertable part, for illuminating said object; an optical endoscope having, an elongate insertable part, an observing optical system having a second objective optical system fitted to the insertable part of the optical endoscope, an optical image guide transmitting an optical image formed by said second objective optical system to an eyepiece part side on which an exit end surface side is arranged, a light emitting means arranged on the insertable part of the optical endoscope, and a television camera fittable to said eyepiece part side of said optical endoscope and containing an imaging device consisting of a solid state imaging device with a number of pixels larger than that of said solid state imaging device of said electronic endoscope; and a signal processing means for processing signals corresponding to the respective imaging means of said electronic endoscope and said television camera.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
201 words
An endoscope imaging system comprising: an electronic endoscope having, an elongate insertable part, an imaging means for imaging an object, said imaging means consisting of a first objective optical system fitted to said insertable part and a solid state imaging device arranged in a focal plane of said objective optical system, and a light emitting means, arranged on said insertable part, for illuminating said object; an optical endoscope having, an elongate insertable part, an observing optical system having a second objective optical system fitted to the insertable part of the optical endoscope, an optical image guide transmitting an optical image formed by said second objective optical system to an eyepiece part side on which an exit end surface side is arranged, a light emitting means arranged on the insertable part of the optical endoscope, and a television camera fittable to said eyepiece part side of said optical endoscope and containing an imaging means consisting of a solid state imaging device with a number of pixels larger than that of said solid state imaging device of said electronic endoscope; and a light source providing illuminating light to an incident plane of said light emitting means of said electronic endoscope or optical endoscope.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
201 words
An endoscope imaging system comprising: an electronic endoscope having, an elongate insertable part, an imaging means for imaging an object, said imaging means consisting of a first objective optical system fitted to said insertable part and a solid state imaging device arranged in a focal plane of said objective optical system, and a light emitting means, arranged on said insertable part, for illuminating said object; an optical endoscope having, an elongate insertable part, an observing optical system having a second objective optical system fitted to the insertable part of the optical endoscope, an optical image guide transmitting an optical image formed by said second objective optical system to an eyepiece part side on which an exit end surface side is arranged, a light emitting means arranged on the insertable part of the optical endoscope, and a television camera fittable to said eyepiece part side of said optical endoscope and containing an imaging means consisting of a solid state imaging device with a number of pixels larger than that of said solid state imaging device of said electronic endoscope; and a light source providing illuminating light to an incident plane of said light emitting means of said electronic endoscope or optical endoscope.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
The endoscope imaging apparatus according to claim 21 or 22 wherein said optical endoscope fitted with said television camera is a fiber scope transmitting an optical image by an image guide fiber bundle.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
32 words
The endoscope imaging apparatus according to claim 21 or 22 wherein said optical endoscope fitted with said television camera is a rigid endoscope transmitting an optical image by a relay optical system.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
The endoscope imaging apparatus according to claims 21 or 22 wherein said television camera has a mounting means fittable to said eyepiece part of said optical endoscope.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-09-25 | 1993-03-27 | 1993-09-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-09-25 | 1997-03-27 | 1997-09-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-09-25 | 2001-03-27 | 2001-09-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |