Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 89
Claim 1
Independent Claim
235 words
An endoscope apparatus for measuring three-dimensional configurations comprising: measuring light generating means (23, 24, and 22) for generating simultaneously a plurality of measuring lights at different modulation frequencies; measuring light projecting means (20, 25, 9, and 14) for spatially separating said plurality of measuring lights such that they are projected simultaneously onto the whole surface of an object to be measured; light receiving means (11) for receiving the measuring lights reflected from the object; signal processing means (35 and 326) that preliminarily stores specific distance position information which is supplied with an output signal from said light receiving means to derive the distance to the object, wherein said signal processing means (35 and 326) has a plurality of separator circuits (42 or 53) for separating frequency components from the output signal from said light receiving means (11); a plurality of peak position detector circuits (43) coupled to output terminals of said separator circuits and which are supplied with outputs of the separator circuits operating at a same center frequency, a distance calculating circuit (44) coupled to said peak position detector circuits, and a three-dimensional configuration memory (45) coupled to said distance calculating circuit, said distance calculating circuit storing specific distance position information; and an endoscope unit (6) that transmits the measuring light from said measuring light generating means to the object and which transmits the reflected lights from the object to said light receiving means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
235 words
An endoscope apparatus for measuring three-dimensional configurations comprising: measuring light generating means (23, 24, and 22) for generating simultaneously a plurality of measuring lights at different modulation frequencies; measuring light projecting means (20, 25, 9, and 14) for spatially separating said plurality of measuring lights such that they are projected simultaneously onto the whole surface of an object to be measured; light receiving means (11) for receiving the measuring lights reflected from the object; signal processing means (35 and 326) that preliminarily stores specific distance position information which is supplied with an output signal from said light receiving means to derive the distance to the object, wherein said signal processing means (35 and 326) has a plurality of separator circuits (42 or 53) for separating frequency components from the output signal from said light receiving means (11); a plurality of peak position detector circuits (43) coupled to output terminals of said separator circuits and which are supplied with outputs of the separator circuits operating at a same center frequency, a distance calculating circuit (44) coupled to said peak position detector circuits, and a three-dimensional configuration memory (45) coupled to said distance calculating circuit, said distance calculating circuit storing specific distance position information; and an endoscope unit (6) that transmits the measuring light from said measuring light generating means to the object and which transmits the reflected lights from the object to said light receiving means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said measuring light generating means has a plurality of oscillator circuits (24) operating at different frequencies, a plurality of light source drive circuits (23) coupled respectively to said oscillator circuits, and a light source (22, 173 182) coupled to each of said light source drive circuits.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said measuring light generating means has a surface illuminant (47), a spatial optical modulator (48) provided in front of said surface illuminant, and a drive circuit (49) coupled to said spatial optical modulator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said measuring light projecting means has a plurality of light transmitting members (21) that are gathered at the entrance end and arranged parallel to each other at the exit end to form a flat plane (20), and an imaging lens (25) provided in front of said flat plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said measuring light projecting means has a light transmitting member (151) the first end face of which consists of individually separated elements and provided in front of said light source whereas the second end consists of linearly aligned elements, and a cylindrical lens (152) provided in front of the second end of said light transmitting member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said measuring light projecting means has a plurality of light transmitting elements (21) that couple said light source directly to a measuring light transmitting image guide fiber (9) in said endoscope unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, which further includes measuring light's position detecting means (33) and (34) for accepting the measuring light reflected from the object, the output of said measuring light's position detecting means being fed into said signal processing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 7, which further includes light-receiving member scanning means (36 or 121 or 131 and 132), with said measuring light's position detecting means having a light receiving member (33).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said light receiving member (33) consists of linearly aligned elements of said light-receiving member scanning means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said light-receiving member scanning means has a voice coil.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said light-receiving member scanning means has a piezoelectric device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 7, wherein an electro-optical deflector (121) is provided in front of said measuring light's position detecting means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a transparent medium (131) and a heater (132) are provided in front of said measuring light's position detecting means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said measuring light's position detecting means has a spatial optical modulator (141) and a photodiode array (142).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, which further includes first representation means (12) for representing a three-dimensional image as created by signal processing with said signal processing means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, which further includes an optical path splitting member (31) for splitting the optical path of the measuring light.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 16, wherein one of the optical paths emerging from said optical path splitting member (31) is transmitted toward said signal processing means and the other path is transmitted to an eyepiece lens (32).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 16, wherein one of the optical paths emerging from said optical path splitting member is transmitted toward said signal processing means and the other path is transmitted to video processing means (71, 72, 73 and 74), the output of which is transmitted to said signal processing means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said video processing means has an imaging device (71), an imaging device drive circuit (72), a video circuit (73) and an A/D converter (74).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said imaging device has a CCD.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said signal processing circuit has a 3-D image detecting circuit (111) and a 2-D image detecting circuit (112).
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
66 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 16, which further includes viewing light generating means (27, 28 and 26) and wherein said measuring light contains invisible light and a visible light transmissive filter (101) is provided at the first exit end of said optical path splitting member whereas an invisible light transmissive filter (102) is provided at the second exit end of said optical path splitting member.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a spot light position detecting means (185) is provided between said optical path splitting member and said light receiving means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
56 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said spot light position detecting means has a horizontal position detecting fiber (191), a horizontal position light-shielding member (192), a vertical position detecting fiber (194) and a vertical position light-shielding member (195), said horizontal position detecting fiber being crossed with said vertical position detecting fiber at right angles.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
44 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said measuring light generating means and said measuring light projecting means are provided within the light source unit (10) whereas said light receiving means and said signal processing means are provided within a measuring unit (11).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said measuring light generating means, said measuring light projecting means, said light receiving means and said signal processing means are provided within a measuring unit (11).
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
91 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 26, which further includes a first and a second optical path splitting member (31 and 83) for splitting the reflected measuring light and wherein one of the optical paths emerging from the first optical path splitting member is transmitted to a first imaging device (71) and one of the optical paths emerging from the second optical path splitting member is transmitted to a second imaging device (85), with the outputs of the first and second imaging devices being fed into an image signal processor (87).
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the output of said image signal processor is fed into a second display unit (88).
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, which further includes viewing light generating means (27, 28 and 26).
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said viewing light generating means has a rotating filter (91) for applying R, G and B light successively.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 30, which further includes a shutter (95) provided in front of the light receiving means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
14 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said separator circuits have filters (42).
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
17 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said separator circuits have fast Fourier transform circuits (53).
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
75 words
An apparatus endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said measuring light generating means has a modulating signal oscillator circuit (335) for generating a plurality of modulating signals at different frequencies, a carrier signal generator circuit (328) coupled to said modulating signal oscillator circuit, and an integrating circuit (336) that is supplied with the outputs of said modulating signal oscillator circuit and said carrier signal generator circuit and which produces an up-converted signal as an output.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
116 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said signal processing means (326) has a two-dimensional fast Fourier transform circuit (329), a plurality of separator circuits (330) for separating frequency components from the output signals from said light receiving means, a selector (331) coupled to the output terminal of said separator circuits for reading output signals from said output terminals in a selective and sequential manner, a two-dimensional inverse fast Fourier transform circuit (332) coupled to the output terminal of said selector, a distance calculating circuit (333) coupled to the output terminal of said inverse fast Fourier transform circuit, and a 3-D configuration memory (334), said distance calculating circuit storing position information on said specified distance.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
15 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said separator circuits have digital filters (330).
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
36 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 34, which further includes viewing light generating means (93, 92 and 91), said viewing light generating means has a rotating filter (91) for applying R, G and B light sequentially.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
29 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said endoscope unit has a scope characteristics memory circuit (51), the output of which is fed into said signal processing means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
29 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, which further includes a light source unit characteristics memory circuit (61), the output of which is fed into said signal processing means.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
17 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the modulation frequencies of said measuring light are intensity-modulated.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
19 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the modulation frequencies of said measuring light have a carrier frequency.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
32 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said signal processing means derives the distance to the object for each kind of said more than one measuring light having different modulation frequencies.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
33 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said endoscope unit has fluid supply means (202, 203, 204, 205 and 206) for supplying a fluid that enhances the reflection of the measuring light.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
233 words
A system for measuring three-dimensional configurations comprising; measuring light generating means (23, 24, and 22) for generating simultaneously a plurality of measuring lights at different modulation frequencies; measuring light projecting means 20, 25, 9, and 14 for spatially separating a plurality of measuring lights such that it is projected simultaneously onto the whole surface of an object to be measured; light receiving means (11) for receiving the measuring lights reflected from the object; signal processing means (35 and 326) that preliminarily stores specific distance position information which is supplied with an output signal from said light receiving means to derive the distance to the object, wherein said signal processing means (35 and 326) has a plurality of separator circuits (42 or 53) for separating frequency components from the output signal from said light receiving means (11); a plurality of peak position detector circuits (43) coupled to output terminals of said separator circuits and which are supplied with outputs of the separator circuits operating at a same center frequency, a distance calculating circuit (44) coupled to said peak position detector circuits, and a three-dimensional configuration memory (45) coupled to said distance calculating circuit, said distance calculating circuit storing specific distance position information; and transmission means (6) that transmits the measuring lights from said measuring light generating means to the object and which transmits the reflected light from the object to said light receiving means.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
233 words
A system for measuring three-dimensional configurations comprising; measuring light generating means (23, 24, and 22) for generating simultaneously a plurality of measuring lights at different modulation frequencies; measuring light projecting means 20, 25, 9, and 14 for spatially separating a plurality of measuring lights such that it is projected simultaneously onto the whole surface of an object to be measured; light receiving means (11) for receiving the measuring lights reflected from the object; signal processing means (35 and 326) that preliminarily stores specific distance position information which is supplied with an output signal from said light receiving means to derive the distance to the object, wherein said signal processing means (35 and 326) has a plurality of separator circuits (42 or 53) for separating frequency components from the output signal from said light receiving means (11); a plurality of peak position detector circuits (43) coupled to output terminals of said separator circuits and which are supplied with outputs of the separator circuits operating at a same center frequency, a distance calculating circuit (44) coupled to said peak position detector circuits, and a three-dimensional configuration memory (45) coupled to said distance calculating circuit, said distance calculating circuit storing specific distance position information; and transmission means (6) that transmits the measuring lights from said measuring light generating means to the object and which transmits the reflected light from the object to said light receiving means.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
54 words
A system according to claim 44, wherein said measuring light generating means has a plurality of oscillator circuits (24) operating at different frequencies, a plurality of light source drive circuits (23) coupled respectively to said oscillator circuits, and a light source (22, 173 and 182) coupled to each of said light source drive circuits.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system according to claim 45, wherein said measuring light projecting means has a plurality of light transmitting members (21) that are gathered at the entrance end and arranged parallel to each other at the exit end to form a flat plane (20), and an imaging lens (25) provided in front of said flat plane.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
63 words
A system according to claim 45, wherein said measuring light projecting means has a light transmitting member (151) the first end face of which consists of individually separated elements and provided in front of said light source whereas the second end consists of linearly aligned elements, and a cylindrical lens (152) provided in front of the second end of said light transmitting member.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system according to claim 45, wherein said measuring light projecting means has a plurality of light transmitting elements (21) that couple said light source directly to a measuring light-transmitting image guide fiber (9) in said transmission means.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system according to claim 44, wherein said measuring light generating means has a surface illuminant (47), a spatial optical modulator (48) provided in front of said surface illuminant, and a drive circuit 49 coupled to said spatial optical modulator.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
42 words
A system according to claim 44, which further includes measuring light's position detecting means (33 and 34) for accepting the measuring light reflected from the object, the output of said measuring light's position detecting means being fed into said signal processing means.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
34 words
An endoscope apparatus according to claim 50, which further includes light-receiving member scanning means (36 or 121 or 131 and 132), with said measuring light's position detecting means having a light receiving member (33).
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 51, wherein said light receiving member (33) consists of linearly aligned elements on said light-receiving member scanning means.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to claim 51, wherein said light-receiving member scanning means has a voice coil.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to claim 51, wherein said light-receiving member scanning means has a piezoelectric device.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system according to claim 51, wherein an electro-optical deflector (121) is provided in front of said measuring light's position detecting means.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 50, wherein a transparent medium (131) and a heater (132) are provided in front of said measuring light's position detecting means.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 50, wherein said measuring light's position detecting means has a spatial optical modulator (141) and a photodiode array (142).
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to claim 44, which further includes first representation means (12) for representing a three-dimensional image as created by signal processing with said signal processing means.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 44, which further includes an optical path splitting member (31) for splitting the optical path of the measuring light.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system according to claim 59, wherein one of the optical paths emerging from said optical path splitting member (31) is transmitted toward said signal processing means and the other path is transmitted to an eyepiece lens (32).
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system according to claim 59, wherein one of the optical paths emerging from said optical path splitting member is transmitted toward said signal processing means and the other path is transmitted to video processing means (71, 72, 73 and 74), the output of which is transmitted to said signal processing means.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system according to claim 61, wherein said video processing means has an imaging device (71), an imaging device drive circuit (72), a video circuit (73) and an A/D converter (74).
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 61, wherein said signal processing circuit has a 3-D image detecting circuit (111) and a 2-D image detecting circuit (112).
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
46 words
A system according to claim 59, wherein a visible light transmissive filter (101) is provided at the first exit end of said optical path splitting member whereas an invisible light transmissive filter (102) is provided at the second exit end of said optical path splitting member.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 59, wherein a spot light position detecting means (185) is provided between said optical path splitting member ad said light receiving means.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system according to claim 65, wherein said spot light position detecting means has a horizontal position detecting fiber (191), a horizontal position light-shielding member (192), a vertical position detecting fiber (194) and a vertical position light-shielding member (195), said horizontal position detecting fiber being crossed with said vertical position detecting fiber at right angles.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system according to claim 44, wherein said measuring light generating means and said measuring light projecting means are provided within the light source unit (10) whereas said light receiving means and said signal processing means are provided within a measuring unit (11).
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system according to claim 67, wherein said imaging device has a CCD.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system according to claim 44, wherein said measuring light generating means, said measuring light projecting means, said light receiving means and said signal processing means are provided within a measuring unit (11).
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
90 words
A system according to claim 69, which further includes a first and a second optical path splitting member (31) and (83) for splitting the reflected measuring light and wherein one of the optical paths emerging from the first optical path splitting member is transmitted to a first imaging device (71) and one of the optical paths emerging from the second optical path splitting member is transmitted to a second imaging device (85), with the outputs of the first and second imaging devices being fed into an image signal processor (87).
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system according to claim 70, wherein the output of said image signal processor is fed into a second display unit (88).
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 44, which further includes viewing light generating means (27, 28 and 26).
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 72, wherein said viewing light generating means has a rotating filter (91) for applying R, G and B light successively.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 73, which further includes a shutter (95) provided in front of the light receiving means.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system according to claim 44, wherein said separator circuits have filters (42).
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to claim 46, wherein said separator circuits have fast Fourier transform circuits (53).
Claim 79
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system according to claim 44, wherein said transmission means has an endoscope unit (6).
Claim 80
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to claim 77, wherein said endoscope unit has a scope characteristics memory circuit (51), the output of which is fed into said signal processing means.
Claim 81
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to claim 44, which further includes a light source unit characteristics memory circuit (61), the output of which is fed into said signal processing means.
Claim 82
Dependent Claim
74 words
A system according to claim 44, wherein said measuring light generating means has a modulating signal oscillator circuit (335) for generating a plurality of modulating signals at different frequencies, a carrier signal generator circuit (328) coupled to said modulating signal oscillator circuit, and an up-converting circuit (336) that is supplied with the outputs of said modulating signal oscillator circuit and said carrier signal generator circuit and which produces an up-converted signal as an output.
Claim 83
Dependent Claim
116 words
A system according to claim 80, wherein said signal processing means (326) has a two-dimensional fast Fourier transform circuit (329), a plurality of separator circuits (330) for separating frequency components from the output signals from said light receiving means, a selector (331) coupled to the output terminals of said separator circuits for reading output signals from said output terminals in a selective and sequential manner, a two-dimensional inverse fast Fourier transform circuit (332) coupled to the output terminal of said selector, a distance calculating circuit (333) coupled to the output terminal of said two-dimensional inverse fast Fourier transform circuit, and a 3-D configuration memory (334), said distance calculating circuit storing position information on said specified distance.
Claim 84
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system according to claim 81, wherein said separator circuits have digital filters (330).
Claim 85
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system according to claim 80, which further includes viewing light generating means (93, 92 and 91), said viewing light generating means has a rotating filter (91) for applying R, G and B light sequentially.
Claim 86
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to claim 44, wherein the modulation frequencies of said measuring light are intensity-modulated.
Claim 87
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system according to claim 44, wherein the modulation frequencies of said measuring light have a carrier frequency.
Claim 88
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system according to claim 44, wherein said signal processing means derives the distance to the object for each kind of said more than one measuring light having different modulation frequencies.
Claim 89
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system according to claim 44, wherein said transmission means has fluid supply means (202, 203, 204, 205 and 206) for supplying a fluid that enhances the reflection of the measuring light.