Fiberscope enhancement system

Claim 2

A fiber optic endoscope, comprising: an optical fiber bundle having a configuration of fibers and having a distal end and a proximal end for transmitting an image of an object from the distal end to the proximal end, the image having a spatial frequency content of image spatial frequencies, and the bundle, while transmitting the image spatial frequencies, introduces a distortion component relating to the configuration of fibers within the bundle and having a spatial frequency content of distortion spatial frequencies, and the bundle also limits in frequency the image spatial frequencies to provide limited image spatial frequencies which are more distinguishable from the distortion spatial frequencies than the image spatial frequencies; imaging means optically coupled to the proximal end of the bundle for receiving the image of the object as transmitted by the bundle and the distortion component, and for producing a signal having an image portion representative of the image of the object as transmitted by the bundle, and a distortion portion representative of the distortion component; output means; a signal path extending from the imaging means to the output means; and a filter, which is configured to substantially distinguish between the distortion and limited image spatial frequencies on the basis of frequency, and allow significant passage of the limited image spatial frequencies to the output means while preventing significant passage of the distortion spatial frequencies without significant degradation of image quality, and which is situated along the signal path to receive the signal having the image portion thereof, and pass a filtered version thereof to the output means such that the signal having the image portion thereof representative of the image of the object as transmitted by the bundle is replaced with the filtered version thereof.

Claim 3

The fiber optic endoscope of claim 1 wherein the signal is an analog signal, and the filter is a digital filter, further comprising: an analog-to-digital converter situated along the signal path between the imaging means and the filter for converting the analog signal to a digital signal, whereupon the digital signal is input to the filter which produces a filtered digital signal; and a digital-to-analog converter situated along the signal path between the filter and the output means for converting the filtered digital signal from the filter to an analog signal having a format determined appropriate for the output means.

Claim 4

The fiber optic endoscope of claim 2, further comprising: a digital processor situated along the signal path between the analog-to-digital converter and the filter for producing a Y, U, V signal which is input to the filter.

Claim 5

The fiber optic endoscope of claim 1 wherein the filter is a two-dimensional spatial filter.

Claim 6

The fiber optic endoscope of claim 1 wherein said filter is a low pass filter.

Claim 7

The fiber optic endoscope of claim 1 wherein said filter is a band stop filter.

Claim 8

The fiber optic endoscope of claim 1 wherein said filter is a band pass filter.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filter is an electronic filter.

Claim 10

The fiber optic endoscope of claim 1 wherein the filter has a variable frequency characteristic capable of being matched to a predetermined parameter of the bundle responsive to a signal indicative of said predetermined parameter.

Claim 11

The fiber optic endoscope of claim 9 further comprising a memory coupled to the filter for storing the predetermined parameter of the bundle.

Claim 12

The fiber optic endoscope of claim 9 wherein the variable frequency characteristic is a cutoff frequency.

Claim 13

The fiber optic endoscope of claim 9 wherein the variable frequency characteristic is a frequency response shape.

Claim 16

The method of claim 13 further comprising: matching a frequency characteristic of the filter to a predetermined parameter of the bundle responsive to a signal indicative of said predetermined parameter.

Claim 17

The method of claim 14 wherein said bundle has a density of individual fibers, and said predetermined parameter is said density.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14 wherein said bundle has a shape of individual fibers, and said predetermined parameter is said shape.

Claim 19

The method of claim 14 wherein said bundle has a size of individual fibers, and said predetermined parameter is said size.

Claim 20

The method of claim 14 wherein said bundle has a variability of size of individual fibers, and said predetermined parameter is said variability.

Claim 21

The method of claim 14 wherein said bundle has a size of spaces between individual fibers, and said predetermined parameter is said size.

Claim 22

The method of claim 14 wherein said bundle has a shape of spaces between individual fibers, and said predetermined parameter is said shape.

Claim 23

The method of claim 14 wherein said bundle has a variability of size of spaces between individual fibers, and said predetermined parameter is said variability.

Claim 24

The method of claim 14 wherein said bundle has a density of spaces between individual fibers, and said predetermined parameter is said density.

Claim 25

The method of claim 14 wherein said frequency characteristic is a cutoff frequency.

Claim 26

The method of claim 14 wherein said frequency characteristic is frequency response shape.

Claim 27

A fiber optic endoscope, comprising: an optical fiber bundle having a configuration of fibers and having a distal end and a proximal end for transmitting an image of an object from the distal end to the proximal end, the image having a spatial frequency content of image spatial frequencies, and the bundle, while transmitting the image spatial frequencies, introduces a distortion component relating to the configuration of fibers of the bundle and having a spatial frequency content of distortion spatial frequencies, and the bundle also limits in frequency the image spatial frequencies to provide limited image spatial frequencies which are more distinguishable from the distortion spatial frequencies than the image spatial frequencies; imaging means optically coupled to the proximal end of the bundle for receiving the image of the object as transmitted by the bundle and the distortion component, and for producing a signal having an image portion representative of the image of the object as transmitted by the bundle, and a distortion portion representative of the distortion component; output means; a signal path extending from the imaging means to the output means; and filter means configured to substantially distinguish between the distortion spatial frequencies and the limited image spatial frequencies on the basis of frequency, and allow significant passage of the limited image spatial frequencies to the output means while preventing significant passage of the distortion spatial frequencies without significant degradation of image quality, and which is situated along the signal path to receive the signal having the image portion thereof, and pass a filtered version thereof to the output means such that the signal having the image portion thereof representative of the image of the object as transmitted by the bundle is replaced by the filtered version thereof.

Claim 28

A fiber optic endoscope, comprising: an optical fiber bundle having a configuration of fibers and having a distal end and a proximal end for transmitting an image of an object from the distal end to the proximal end, the image having a spatial frequency content of image spatial frequencies, and the bundle, while transmitting the image spatial frequencies, introduces a distortion component relating to the configuration of fibers of the bundle and having a spatial frequency content of distortion spatial frequencies, and the bundle also limits in frequency the image spatial frequencies to provide limited image spatial frequencies which are more distinguishable from the distortion spatial frequencies than the image spatial frequencies; imaging means optically coupled to the proximal end of the bundle for receiving the image of the object as transmitted by the bundle and the distortion component, and for producing a signal having an image portion representative of the image of the object as transmitted by the bundle, and a distortion portion representative of the distortion component; output means; a signal path extending from the imaging means to the output means; and filter means configured to substantially distinguish between the distortion spatial frequencies and the limited image spatial frequencies on the basis of frequency, and allow significant passage of the limited image spatial frequencies to the output means while preventing significant passage of the distortion spatial frequencies without significant degradation of image quality, and which is situated along the signal path to receive the signal having the image portion thereof, and pass a filtered version thereof to the output means such that the signal having the image portion thereof representative of the image of the object as transmitted by the bundle is replaced by the filtered version thereof.

Claim 29

The endoscope of claim 25 wherein the filter means comprises a high pass filter and a means for subtracting from the signal an output of the high pass filter.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the filter means comprises a low pass filter.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the filter means comprises a band pass filter.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the filter means comprises a band stop filter.

Claim 35

The method of claim 30 wherein the filter means comprises a high pass filter and a means for subtracting from the signal an output of the high pass filter.

Claim 36

The method of claim 30 wherein the filter means comprises a low pass filter.

Claim 37

The method of claim 30 wherein the filter means comprises an electronic filter.

Claim 38

A fiber optic endoscope, comprising: an optical fiber bundle having a configuration of fibers and having a distal end and a proximal end for transmitting an image of an object from the distal end to the proximal end, the image having a spatial frequency content of image spatial frequencies wherein the bundle introduces a distortion into the image relating to the configuration of fibers of the bundle, and having a spatial frequency of distortion spatial frequencies, and the bundle also limits in frequency the image spatial frequencies to provide limited image spatial frequencies which are more distinguishable from the distortion spatial frequencies than the image spatial frequencies; imaging means optically coupled to the proximal end of the bundle for receiving the image of the object as transmitted by the bundle, and for producing a signal having an image portion representative of the image of the object as transmitted by the bundle; output means; a signal path extending from the imager to the output means; and filter means situated along the signal path for receiving the signal having the image portion, removing without significant degradation of image quality at least some of said distortion therefrom to produce a modified signal, and passing the modified signal to the output means.

Claim 39

A fiber optic endoscope, comprising: an optical fiber bundle having a configuration of fibers and having a distal end and a proximal end for transmitting an image of an object from the distal end to the proximal end, the image having a spatial frequency content of image spatial frequencies wherein the bundle introduces a distortion into the image relating to the configuration of fibers of the bundle, and having a spatial frequency of distortion spatial frequencies, and the bundle also limits in frequency the image spatial frequencies to provide limited image spatial frequencies which are more distinguishable from the distortion spatial frequencies than the image spatial frequencies; imaging means optically coupled to the proximal end of the bundle for receiving the image of the object as transmitted by the bundle, and for producing a signal having an image portion representative of the image of the object as transmitted by the bundle; output means; a signal path extending from the imager to the output means; and filter means situated along the signal path for receiving the signal having the image portion, removing without significant degradation of image quality at least some of said distortion therefrom to produce a modified signal, and passing the modified signal to the output means.

Claim 40

The endoscope of claim 34 wherein the filter means is a low pass filter.

Claim 41

The endoscope of claim 34 wherein the filter means comprises a high pass filter and a means for subtracting from the signal an output of the high pass filter.

Claim 44

The method of claim 37 wherein the removing step comprises filtering at least some distortion from the information.

Claim 45

The method of claim 38 wherein the removing step comprises subtracting at least some distortion from the information.