Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
250 words
An electronic endoscope system, comprising: an illumination lamp; a rotary color light-blocking located in the path of illuminating light from said illumination lamp and formed with RGB filter zones successively and alternately with one of a plurality of color-shifting main zone to transmit illuminating light rays of red, green and blue wavelengths sequentially therethrough, and an intermediate light-blocking zone provided at a median point of each one of said RGB filter zones; a light guide adapted to guide said illuminating light rays of red, green and blue wavelengths from said color wheel sequentially to a subject under observation; a solid-state image sensor element for picking up the image of said subject under sequential irradiations by said red, green and blue light rays from said light guide; and an image sensor drive circuit switchable to operate in a single-field drive mode where signal charges are read out from said image sensor element only at each main blank period when said one color-shifting main light-blocking zone is in the path of said illuminating light, skipping over the intermediate light-blocking zones, and in a double-field drive mode where signal charges are read out from said image sensor element at each one of said main and at each one of a plurality of intermediate blank periods when a main and intermediate light-blocking zone is respectively in the path of said illuminating light, thereby obtaining two fields of picture data of each color of said RGB filter zones on each revolution of said color wheel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
250 words
An electronic endoscope system, comprising: an illumination lamp; a rotary color light-blocking located in the path of illuminating light from said illumination lamp and formed with RGB filter zones successively and alternately with one of a plurality of color-shifting main zone to transmit illuminating light rays of red, green and blue wavelengths sequentially therethrough, and an intermediate light-blocking zone provided at a median point of each one of said RGB filter zones; a light guide adapted to guide said illuminating light rays of red, green and blue wavelengths from said color wheel sequentially to a subject under observation; a solid-state image sensor element for picking up the image of said subject under sequential irradiations by said red, green and blue light rays from said light guide; and an image sensor drive circuit switchable to operate in a single-field drive mode where signal charges are read out from said image sensor element only at each main blank period when said one color-shifting main light-blocking zone is in the path of said illuminating light, skipping over the intermediate light-blocking zones, and in a double-field drive mode where signal charges are read out from said image sensor element at each one of said main and at each one of a plurality of intermediate blank periods when a main and intermediate light-blocking zone is respectively in the path of said illuminating light, thereby obtaining two fields of picture data of each color of said RGB filter zones on each revolution of said color wheel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
107 words
An electronic endoscope system as defined in claim 1, wherein said solid-state image sensor element is of single-field drive type connected to a memory circuit capable of storing one set of red, green and blue picture data of said subject and driven by said image sensor drive circuit to read out said signal charges at said main blank periods, or of double-field drive type connected to said memory circuit capable of storing two sets of red, green and blue picture data of said subject and driven by said image sensor drive circuit to read out said signal charges at both of said main and intermediate blank periods.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
An electronic endoscope system as defined in claim 2, wherein said memory circuits are incorporated into a single control unit, said control unit being connectible to an endoscope with said single-field drive type solid-state image sensor element as well as to an endoscope with said double-field drive type solid-state image sensor element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
An electronic endoscope system as defined in claim 3, wherein said control unit includes an ID mechanism capable of detecting whether a connected endoscope is of the single-field drive type or the double-field drive type, and switching the operation of said endoscope automatically to said single-field drive mode or said double-field drive mode.