Abstract: A light source apparatus includes: a control section that acquires information relating to a ratio of a light amount value for light with second wavelength band to a light amount value for light with first wavelength band, obtains a light amount value for the light with the first wavelength band so that an observation image has a predetermined brightness, and, from the information relating to the ratio, determines a light amount value for the light with the second wavelength band, and generates light adjustment information for making first and second semiconductor light sources emit light with the light amount value for the light with the first wavelength band and the light amount value for the light with the second wavelength band; and a drive section that, based on the light adjustment information generated by the control section, drives the first and second semiconductor light sources.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an endoscope including an insertion portion, an image pickup portion that acquires a plurality of images by time-sequentially picking up optical images of a subject by means of an objective optical system provided in a distal end portion of the insertion portion, and a channel that opens at the distal end portion of the insertion portion; a laser probe that is inserted through the channel; an image analysis portion that detects an area showing the laser probe with respect to each image; and a control portion that permits laser output only in a case where it is determined that the laser probe protrudes from the opening of the channel based on detection results with respect to the area showing the laser probe for a plurality of images that are time-sequentially consecutive.

Abstract: A control apparatus includes a control unit configured to control a cycle from a first irradiation start timing to a second irradiation start timing to be shorter than a cycle of each of first and second picture periods. The first irradiation start timing is a timing at which a light source device starts radiating pulsed illumination light in the first picture period in which an image pickup device performs reading. The second irradiation start timing is a timing at which the light source device starts radiating the illumination light in the second picture period succeeding the first picture period and having the same cycle as the first picture period.

Abstract: An imaging system includes: an illumination unit configured to emit illumination light for illuminating a subject; a light receiving unit in which pixels are arranged two-dimensionally, each pixel being configured to receive light and generate an electric signal by performing photoelectric conversion of the light; a readout unit configured to sequentially read out the electric signal from the light receiving unit for every horizontal line; and an illumination controller configured to keep intensity of the illumination light emitted from the illumination unit constant in at least a part of a readout period where the readout unit reads out the horizontal line of the light receiving unit in one frame or one field period, and configured to variably control an illumination time of the illumination light emitted from the illumination unit, outside the readout period.

Abstract: An imaging system includes: an illumination unit that emits illumination light to illuminate a subject; a light receiving unit in which pixels that receive light and photoelectrically convert the received light to generate an electric signal are two-dimensionally arranged; a read unit that sequentially reads the electric signal from the pixels for each horizontal line; and an illumination controller that controls the illumination unit to emit a pulse of the illumination light during a period straddling a read period of the read unit for a first horizontal line and a read period for a second horizontal line which is adjacent to the first horizontal line and which is read immediately after the first horizontal line.

Abstract: An imaging system includes: an illumination unit configured to emit illumination light for illuminating a subject; a light receiving unit in which pixels are arranged two-dimensionally, each pixel being configured to receive light and generate an electric signal by performing photoelectric conversion of the light; a readout unit configured to sequentially read out the electric signal from the light receiving unit for every horizontal line; and an illumination controller configured to keep intensity of the illumination light emitted from the illumination unit constant in at least a part of a readout period where the readout unit reads out the horizontal line of the light receiving unit in one frame or one field period, and configured to variably control an illumination time of the illumination light emitted from the illumination unit, outside the readout period.

Abstract: A control apparatus includes a control unit configured to control a cycle from a first irradiation start timing to a second irradiation start timing to be shorter than a cycle of each of first and second picture periods. The first irradiation start timing is a timing at which a light source device starts radiating pulsed illumination light in the first picture period in which an image pickup device performs reading. The second irradiation start timing is a timing at which the light source device starts radiating the illumination light in the second picture period succeeding the first picture period and having the same cycle as the first picture period.

Abstract: An imaging system includes: an illumination unit that emits illumination light to illuminate a subject; a light receiving unit in which pixels that receive light and photoelectrically convert the received light to generate an electric signal are two-dimensionally arranged; a read unit that sequentially reads the electric signal from the pixels for each horizontal line; and an illumination controller that controls the illumination unit to emit a pulse of the illumination light during a period straddling a read period of the read unit for a first horizontal line and a read period for a second horizontal line which is adjacent to the first horizontal line and which is read immediately after the first horizontal line.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes: a region dividing portion that divides an image; a brightness mean calculation portion that has a peripheral brightness mean calculation portion that calculates a peripheral brightness mean value, and a center brightness mean calculation portion that calculates a center brightness mean; a first weighting factor calculation portion that calculates a first weighting factor ?; a first photometric value calculation portion that calculates a first photometric value based on a sum total of a value obtained by multiplying a center brightness mean by the first weighting factor ? and a value obtained by multiplying the peripheral brightness mean by (1??); and a brightness adjustment control portion that generates a brightness adjustment control signal for adjusting the brightness of the image based on the first photometric value.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an endoscope equipped with an insertion portion, and an image pickup unit disposed at a distal end portion of the insertion portion; an illumination unit detachably connected to the endoscope; an imaging mode input unit used to set an imaging mode of the endoscope to one of a normal-light mode and a special-light mode; a processing condition selection unit which selects a processing condition for a color correction process of an endoscopic image based on the imaging mode; and a processor detachably connected to the endoscope and equipped with an image processing unit which performs the color correction process, under the processing condition selected by the processing condition selection unit, with respect to each of hue regions partitioned by at least eight reference color axes including six reference color axes which divide a color space into R (red), M (magenta), B (blue), C (cyan), G (green), and Y (yellow) hue regions and at least two reference color axes established additio

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes: a region dividing portion that divides an image; a brightness mean calculation portion that has a peripheral brightness mean calculation portion that calculates a peripheral brightness mean value, and a center brightness mean calculation portion that calculates a center brightness mean; a first weighting factor calculation portion that calculates a first weighting factor ?; a first photometric value calculation portion that calculates a first photometric value based on a sum total of a value obtained by multiplying a center brightness mean by the first weighting factor ? and a value obtained by multiplying the peripheral brightness mean by (1??); and a brightness adjustment control portion that generates a brightness adjustment control signal for adjusting the brightness of the image based on the first photometric value.

Abstract: An endoscope device is proposed for dealing with an erroneous operation of a surgeon. An endoscope device has an endoscope and a processor, wherein the endoscope has a switch unit and the processor has a CPU and an operating panel. In the event that the CPU of the processor detects that, of a first instruction signal transmitted from the switch unit and a second instruction signal transmitted from the operating panel, the instructions for performing the predetermined operation are not performed normally with one of the instruction signals, and instructions for performing an operation other than the predetermined operation is performed normally with the other instruction signal, the CPU stops the transmission of one of the instruction signals, and validates the operation content instructed by the other instruction signal.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an endoscope equipped with an insertion portion, and an image pickup unit disposed at a distal end portion of the insertion portion; an illumination unit detachably connected to the endoscope; an imaging mode input unit used to set an imaging mode of the endoscope to one of a normal-light mode and a special-light mode; a processing condition selection unit which selects a processing condition for a color correction process of an endoscopic image based on the imaging mode; and a processor detachably connected to the endoscope and equipped with an image processing unit which performs the color correction process, under the processing condition selected by the processing condition selection unit, with respect to each of hue regions partitioned by at least eight reference color axes including six reference color axes which divide a color space into R (red), M (magenta), B (blue), C (cyan), G (green), and Y (yellow) hue regions and at least two reference color axes established additio

Abstract: To provide an image pickup system having CCDs 25 driven at different frequencies respectively which can drive each CCD 25 with a predetermined frequency if a detachable camera head (or electronic endoscope) 28 is used and also can process a signal processing clock of a video processing circuit 29 with one type of clock. A drive signal of the predetermined frequency supplied to the CCD is produced via a generating circuit CXO 155 in the video processing circuit 29, a frequency dividing circuit 132 and a timing generator (T.G.) 131. A CCD signal outputted from the CCD 25 is inputted to a line memory 139 in a floating circuit 135. As a writing clock (WCK) of the line memory 139, the one which is divided in the frequency dividing circuit 132 to a frequency in accordance with the CCD 25 to be used is used, and as a reading clock (RCK), the one of one type of frequency is used without regard to the CCD 25 to be used.

Abstract: This is an endoscope apparatus which has an endoscope which picks up an image of a sample using a solid state image pickup element and outputs an image pickup signal, and a processor which processes the above-mentioned image pickup signal, generates HDTV and SDTV serial digital video signals, switches one side of those selectively, and performs a serial output, in which the serial digital video signal switched selectively by the above-mentioned processor is output through a first connector, the above-mentioned processor is equipped with a discrimination signal generating section which is linked with selection switching of the above-mentioned HDTV or SDTV serial digital video signal to generate an HDTV/SDTV discrimination signal which can discriminate the above-mentioned HDTV or SDTV serial digital video signal, and the discrimination signal is output through a second connector different from the above-mentioned first connector.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus having an imaging device for imaging an object in cooperation with an endoscope is connected to a video processing unit for producing a standard video signal so that it can be disconnected freely. A signal delay occurs over a signal line linking the imaging device and the video processing unit. For this reason, a timing generator and a phase adjustment circuit are incorporated in the imaging apparatus. The timing generator generates driving signals used to drive the imaging device, and the phase adjustment circuit adjusts the phases of the driving signals so that an output signal of the imaging device will be input to the video processing unit according to predetermined timing. Even when the signal line has a different length from any other or the imaging device offers a different number of pixels from any other, the difference can be readily coped with owing to the imaging apparatus. This leads to alleviation of a load incurred by the video processing unit.

Abstract: An endoscope device is proposed for dealing with an erroneous operation of a surgeon. An endoscope device has an endoscope and a processor, wherein the endoscope has a switch unit and the processor has a CPU and an operating panel. In the event that the CPU of the processor detects that, of a first instruction signal transmitted from the switch unit and a second instruction signal transmitted from the operating panel, the instructions for performing the predetermined operation are not performed normally with one of the instruction signals, and instructions for performing an operation other than the predetermined operation is performed normally with the other instruction signal, the CPU stops the transmission of one of the instruction signals, and validates the operation content instructed by the other instruction signal.

Abstract: In an endoscopic imaging system, a signal representing an object image produced by a scope and projected by a camera head is processed by a CCU and displayed as an endoscopic image on a TV monitor. The object image is stored as digital image data on a memory in the CCU, read as image data of a still image, and recorded on a PC card mounted in a PC card slot. The PC card slot is formed in the front panel or the like of the CCU. A lid member or the like functioning as an anti-liquid invasion member and shield can be located at an opening of the slot.

Abstract: In an endoscopic imaging system, a signal representing an object image produced by a scope and projected by a camera head is processed by a CCU and displayed as an endoscopic image on a TV monitor. The object image is stored as digital image data on a memory in the CCU, read as image data of a still image, and recorded on a PC card mounted in a PC card slot. The PC card slot is formed in the front panel or the like of the CCU. A lid member or the like functioning as an anti-liquid invasion member and shield can be located at an opening of the slot.

Abstract: A camera control unit for processing a signal output from an imaging device incorporated in an endoscope is provided with an analog video signal output terminal through which a video signal is output to a monitor, and a digital video signal output terminal to which a still image-specific or motion picture-specific expansion unit is coupled in a freely detachable manner. By handling a release switch, a still image or motion picture can be recorded digitally. Even when the recorded image data is edited or subjected to any other processing, deterioration of image quality can be prevented. An imaging system having these advantages can be realized on a small scale.