Abstract: In an image pickup unit, a first optical system holding frame has a hole axis orthogonal to an optical axis of photographing light made incident on a first object lens group, and a through-hole portion through which a second optical system holding frame can be inserted and arranged is formed in the first optical system holding frame and the first optical system holding frame and the second optical system holding frame are set relatively movable in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the photographing light made incident on the first object lens group and the second optical system holding frame and a third optical system holding frame are set relatively movable in a direction along the optical axis of the photographing light made incident on a solid-state image pickup device such that predetermined optical performance adjustment can be performed during assembly.

Abstract: In a minimally invasive surgical system, a camera includes a prismatic element having a lens within the prismatic element. The lens corrects the resulting image focus for the non-visible light to make it substantially the same as the focus for the visible light. Alternatively, the lens corrects the resulting image focus for the visible light to make it substantially the same as the focus for the non-visible light.

Abstract: A cable connection structure includes: a cable including a core wire and an external covering layer covering the core wire; a board on which an electrode is formed, the core wire being electrically connected to the electrode at an end face of the cable; and a compressing member attached to an outer periphery of the cable and radially compressing a part in a longitudinal direction of the cable.

Abstract: An endoscope tracking system includes an endoscope, at least one endoscope tracking transmitter carried by the endoscope, a plurality of anatomy mapping transmitters, a receiver communicating with the at least one endoscope tracking transmitter and the anatomy mapping transmitters and a processor communicating with the receiver. The processor is adapted to generate an anatomical map based on input from the anatomy mapping transmitters and an endoscope tracking image based on input from the at least one endoscope tracking transmitter and superimpose the endoscope tracking image on the anatomical map.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus including an insertion portion for insertion into a body cavity; an image-acquisition unit disposed at a tip thereof that acquires an image of the inside of the body cavity; an insertion-length measuring unit disposed at a base end of the insertion portion that measures an insertion length of the insertion portion inside the body cavity; a storage unit that stores the image acquired by the image-acquisition unit in association with the insertion length measured by the insertion-length measuring unit; a following decision unit that determines whether insertion movement at the tip follows insertion movement at the base end; and a correcting unit that corrects the insertion length of the insertion portion associated with the acquired image to cancel a change in the insertion length measured in a non-following period on the basis of the result of that determination.

Abstract: In a minimally invasive surgical system, a camera includes a prismatic element having a lens within the prismatic element. The lens corrects the resulting image focus for the non-visible light to make it substantially the same as the focus for the visible light. Alternatively, the lens corrects the resulting image focus for the visible light to make it substantially the same as the focus for the non-visible light.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope has a video-scope with an image sensor, and a signal processor that generates digital component video signals from image-pixel signals that are read from the image sensor. The electronic endoscope has, further, a color-reverse detector that determines whether a color-reverse occurs in the digital component video signals, and a color correcting processor that changes color signal data associated with the color-reverse so as to correct the color-reverse when the color-reverse occurs.

Abstract: In a minimally invasive surgical system, a camera includes a prismatic element having a lens within the prismatic element. The lens corrects the resulting image focus for the non-visible light to make it substantially the same as the focus for the visible light. Alternatively, the lens corrects the resulting image focus for the visible light to make it substantially the same as the focus for the non-visible light.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a lens; a solid-state imaging device having, on its top surface, an imaging area in which pixels for converting incident light to a signal are arranged in rows and columns, a vertical scanning circuit located adjacent to the imaging area in a row direction, a peripheral circuit for processing the signal read from the imaging area, and a plurality of terminals; and a prism placed directly on the imaging area for leading the incident light to the imaging area. Light exposure is adjusted by varying brightness of light output from a processor according to a magnitude of the signal output from the solid-state imaging device.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope has a video-scope with an image sensor, a light source, a signal reading processor, a shading member, a driver, and a driving controller. The signal reading processor alternately reads odd-line image-pixel signals and even-line image-pixel signals over one-frame reading interval, when forming a still image on the basis of one frame worth of image-pixel signals generated by a one-time exposure. The shading member blocks the illuminating light. The driver selectively arranges the shading member at a non-shading position that enable the illuminating light to pass and at a shading position that blocks the light. The driving controller controls the driver by a sequence of pulse signals so as to position the shading member at the shading position for a shading-interval in the one-frame reading interval, and so as to position the shading member at the non-shading position for a remaining reading-interval.

Abstract: A dual objective endoscope for insertion into a cavity of a body for providing a stereoscopic image of a region of interest inside of the body including an imaging device at the distal end for obtaining optical images of the region of interest (ROI), and processing the optical images for forming video signals for wired and/or wireless transmission and display of 3D images on a rendering device. The imaging device includes a focal plane detector array (FPA) for obtaining the optical images of the ROI, and processing circuits behind the FPA. The processing circuits convert the optical images into the video signals. The imaging device includes right and left pupil for receiving a right and left images through a right and left conjugated multi-band pass filters. Illuminators illuminate the ROI through a multi-band pass filter having three right and three left pass bands that are matched to the right and left conjugated multi-band pass filters.

Abstract: An image pick up unit includes an optical member, a holding member holding the optical member and movable in an axial direction of an optical axis of the optical member, a driving member rotatable about the optical axis, a cam mechanism configured to convert rotation of the driving member about the optical axis to movement of the holding member in the axial direction of the optical axis, a coil provided in the driving member and movable together with the driving member, and a magnetic field generation portion provided along a rotating direction of the coil and configured to generate a magnetic field to interact with a current flowing in the coil to drive the coil in the rotating direction.

Abstract: A method for controlling a lighting source in a capsule camera improves image quality by avoiding over-exposure or under-exposure in all regions of an image, while concurrently reducing significantly power dissipation in the capsule camera. A capsule camera using the method includes: (1) one or more sensor arrays each having one or more pixels in one or more designated regions in the field of view of the capsule camera; (2) lighting elements each providing illumination to one or more of the designated regions; and (3) a control unit that (a) extracts a parameter value from the pixels of each region; (b) evaluates the parameter value at each region; and (c) adjusts the lighting elements providing illumination to each region according to the evaluation. The parameter value may be an average value of the pixels. The purpose of the adjustment is to bring the parameter value for the region to within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A camera hand piece (1) with camera housing (12) has a microscopic probe (2) at the front end. On the rear side is a transmission cable (13) which is attached to the camera hand piece (1) with the aid of a coupling nut (14). The camera housing (12) accommodates a microscope housing (11) and includes a motorized drive (4), which drives an eccentric (7) via a gear (6) mounted in a gear housing (9). The eccentric (7) actuates a pusher (5), which moves a connecting rod (8) and thereby displaces a focusing lens system (3) attached to it in the axial direction. This axially displaceable focusing lens system (3) together with a condenser lens system (10), forms a microscopic lens system arranged in a microscope housing (11).

Abstract: The present invention provides a three-dimensional endoscope system comprising a three-dimensional imaging device and a three-dimensional display device using a variable focal length micromirror array lens. The micromirror array lens has enough focusing speed and focusing depth range for three-dimensional imaging and realistic three-dimensional display.

Abstract: An objective optical system for endoscopes has, in order form the object side, a single lens with negative power, a cemented lens with positive power, and an image sensor unit. The cemented lens has a plano-convex lens, located at the image-side end, with a convex surface facing the image side and an aperture stop placed proximate to a cemented portion and the image sensor unit includes an optically cemented body of at least one optical part, a path bending prism, and a solid-state image sensor to satisfy the following conditions: 1.5<TB/f<3.5 2.4<TC/f<4 where f is the focal length of the whole of the objective optical system, TB is the optical path length of the cemented lens, and TC is the optical path length of the image sensor unit.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus including: an endoscope unit having: a lens units; a photographing unit for photographing an optical image picked up through the lens unit; and a lens unit driving motor for driving the lens unit for realizing at least one of a zoom function and a focus function; and a control unit having: an image processing circuit for processing an image signal output from the photographing unit, and for outputting the processed image signal to a monitor, wherein: at least one of the endoscope unit and the control unit comprises: a motor driving circuit for controlling the lens unit driving motor; and a motor control circuit for outputting a control signal that controls the motor driving circuit by detecting a switch signal generated by operation of a zoom switch or a focus switch.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope has a video-scope with an image sensor, a light source that emits illuminating-light to illuminate an object, an image sensor driver, a luminance detector, one rotary shutter, and a brightness adjuster. The luminance detector detects a luminance of an object image on the basis of image-pixel signals read from the image sensor. The rotary shutter has a light-transmitting portion that transmits the illuminating light, and a shield portion that blocks the illuminating light. The brightness adjuster controls the rotary shutter to adjust an irradiation-interval of the illuminating-light in accordance with a charge accumulation interval. The brightness adjuster shifts a rotation-phase of the rotary shutter by changing a rotation-speed on the basis of the detected luminance, so as to maintain a brightness of the object image at a proper brightness.

Abstract: Light emitted from the light source unit divided into measuring light and reference light. An optical path length of the measuring light or the reference light is adjusted and a probe guides the measuring light to an object. The reflected light from the object when the measuring light is projected onto the object and the reference light are multiplexed. Interference light of the reflected light and the reference light which have been multiplexed is detected, and a tomographic image of the object is obtained on the basis of the interference light. The probe is provided with a distance measuring circuit for measuring the distance from the probe to the object, and the optical path length of the measuring light or the reference light is adjusted by the use of the distance to the object measured by the distance measuring circuit to adjust the tomographic image obtainment initiating position.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting in-vivo content, may include an in-vivo imaging device for capturing a stream of image frames in a GI tract, a content detector for detecting and/or identifying one or more image frames from the stream of image streams that may show content, and a graphical user interface (GUI) to display image frames detected.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting in-vivo content, may include an in-vivo imaging device for capturing a stream of image frames in a GI tract, a content detector for detecting and/or identifying one or more image frames from the stream of image streams that may show content, and a graphical user interface (GUI) to display image frames detected.

Abstract: A method for automatic virtual endoscopy navigation, including: (a) using a fisheye camera to generate an endoscopic image and a depth image from a current position of the camera in lumen computed tomographic (CT) data; (b) segmenting a first region and a second region from the depth image, wherein the first region identifies a view direction of the camera and the second region is an area through which the camera can be moved without touching an inner surface of the lumen; (c) moving the camera from the current position, while pointing the camera in the view direction, to a next position in the second region; and (d) repeating steps (a-c) in sequence using the next position in step (c) as the current position in step (a).

Abstract: An electronic endoscope apparatus has a single coaxial cable installed between a scope A and a processor unit B. Waveform superimposing circuits superimpose a video signal on power transmitted through the coaxial cable and sequentially superimpose scope-side reference pulses and processor-side reference pulses alternately on horizontal scanning blanking periods in one field of the video signal. At the same time, the scope A and processor unit B generate reference signals and various timing signals synchronized with the reference pulses of the counterpart and perform video processing based on them. This enables accurate sampling even when scopes with different pixel counts are used. Also, a scope information signal and electronic shutter control signal may be superimposed on a predetermined blanking period in the video signal.

Abstract: A lighting device for an electronic endoscope system, includes a light source; a set of rotary shutters having at least two rotary shutters, having a rotational axis parallel to an optical axis of the light source, the rotary shutters alternately intercepting incident illuminating light emitted from the light source and allowing the incident illuminating light to pass through the set of rotary shutters to proceed toward a light guide, wherein the rotary shutters are associated with each other to be capable of integrally rotating about the rotational axis, each of the rotary shutters having at least one light-shielding portion and at least one opening; and an adjusting device which rotates one of the rotary shutters relative to the other to change an opening angle of each opening to adjust an amount of illuminating light which passes through the set of rotary shutters.

Abstract: A videoendoscopic system (1) including an endoscope optical system (2) and a camera portion (3), the endoscope optical system (2) having an elongated shaft (4) through which an optical image guide (5) and a fiber light guide (6) pass, and an end housing (7), which is proximally connected to the shaft (4) and has an image exit window (10) and a light entry window (8) with radiation directions that are parallel to one another and to the axis of the shaft (4). The camera portion (3) includes a camera housing (15), from which an image signal cable (24) and a light guide cable (20) pass out, and an image entry window (18) and a light exit window (19), which are arranged with parallel radiation directions at a distance from the windows (8, 10) in the end housing (7) and the end housing (7). The camera housing (15) is constructed with a rotationally fixedly lockable coupling device (7, 16, 25, 26, 19) for coupling the windows (8, 19; 10, 18) to one another in a centering manner.

Abstract: Signal charge that has accumulated in photodiodes of a photoreceptor area in a CCD is multiplied by a charge multiplier and then applied to a floating diffusion amplifier, which has been set to a small conversion coefficient, or to floating gate amplifier, which has been set to a large conversion coefficient. If the accumulated amount of signal charge is small, the charge is converted to a video signal by the floating gate amplifier having the large conversion coefficient. If the accumulated amount of signal charge is large, the charge is converted to a video signal by the floating diffusion amplifier having the small conversion coefficient. Thus a video signal having a high level is obtained even if the amount of signal charge is small. Since it is unnecessary to change driving pulses that are applied to the charge multiplier, the multiplication factor of the charge multiplier will not fluctuate.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for capturing and displaying images, using a system which synchronously controls a scanning image capture means and a scanning display means, is described with reference to an optical instrument such as a borescope or endoscope. The apparatus (10) comprises a scanning image capture means (32) receiving light from an object and producing an output representative thereof. Amplification means (46) amplifies the output and drives a light source (48) which provides light for a scanning image display system (52) which is operable to create a image of the object. Control means (56) is operable to synchronise operation of the scanning image capture means (32) and the scanning image display means (52). In this way, the invention provides a reel time high resolution image capture and display system.

Abstract: According to the invention, the lens system of a dental or endoscopic camera is designed in the form of a non-telecentric lens in which the field stop or an image thereof is located in the region of the lens arrangement on the converter side of said lens system.

Abstract: A high-performance image-forming optical system made compact and thin by folding an optical path using reflecting surfaces arranged to minimize the number of reflections. The image-forming optical system has a single prism. When image-side three surfaces of the prism are defined as a surface A, a surface B and a surface C in order from the image plane side thereof, at least one of the surfaces B and C has a rotationally asymmetric curved surface configuration that gives a power to a light beam and corrects aberrations due to decentration. The optical system leads light rays from an object to the image plane without forming an image in the prism and has a pupil in the prism. The surface A is a transmitting surface through which rays exit from the prism. The surfaces B and C are internally reflecting surfaces. Rays incident on the surface C and rays reflected from the surface B intersect each other in the prism.

Abstract: A device for monitoring a use of a medical video endoscope (1), comprising a processing system (4) having an input for receiving color data signals (5), comprising a set of color data components, said processing system (4) comprising a color analysis unit (21), provided for selecting at least one of said color data components, and for determining for each of said selected color data components an intensity value, said processing system further comprising a memory (10-12) for storing at least a first color value reference range, indicating first color intensity values obtained upon use of said endoscope, said memory being connected to an input of a verification unit (25), said verification unit being provided for determining a second color value on the basis of said intensity values, and for verifying if said second value is within said first color value reference range, said verification unit being also provided for generating a flag, indicating said use, upon establishing that said second color value is with

Abstract: An energy saving device for acquiring in vivo images of the gastro-intestinal tract is provided. The device, such as an autonomous capsule (10), includes at least one imaging unit (12), a control unit (14) connected to the imaging unit, and a power supply (24) connected to the control unit. The control unit includes a switching unit (18, 20), and an axial motion detector (22) connected to the switching unit, disconnects the power supply thereby preventing the acquisition of redundant images.

Abstract: A photographing method and apparatus for photographing a fluorescent image, composed of fluorescent light emitted by a living tissue that has been illuminated by a stimulating light, as an image having a higher S/N ratio. Fluorescent light emitted by a living tissue that has been illuminated by a stimulating light emitted from a light source and propagated along an endoscope enters an image fiber. The fluorescent light entering the image fiber is propagated along the image fiber to the output face of the image fiber and focused on the light-receiving zone of a photographing element, under photographing conditions set so that the relation between the pixels of aforementioned output face, upon which the fluorescent image is formed, to the pixels receiving the light of the fluorescent image within aforementioned light-receiving zone satisfies the condition expressed by the formula: Nf×4>Nd.

Abstract: A magnetically actuated optical focusing device is provided. The focusing device comprises a housing with an optical component being displaceably and rotatably arranged therein. The optical component is ferromagnetically coupled, via an internal magnet arranged thereon, to an external magnet arranged outside of the housing, the external magnet being fixed to a focusing ring which is rotatably mounted on the housing. When the focusing ring is rotated, the ferromagnetic attraction between the magnets is sufficient to drive the internal magnet through a helical channel defined on the internal surface of the housing, thus causing the optical component to be longitudinally displaced within the housing. The helical channel exerts sufficient restraining force on the inner magnet so that the inner magnet remains in a particular position along the channel even if the ferromagnetic coupling between the magnets is broken down.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for enclosing a non-sterile video camera, its trailing cables, and a standard optical connector such as a "C" mount for use of the camera in the sterile environment of an operating room. The apparatus includes a coupler having a first end for attachment to the unsterile optical connector and a second end for attachment to a sterile endoscope. A passageway is formed inside the coupler that extends from the first end to the second end providing an optical pathway whereby an image from the endoscope may be transmitted to the camera. A transparent window is mounted transversely across the passageway between the first and second ends of the coupler which provides a sterile barrier therebetween. A sterile drape is positioned over the first end of the coupler and is secured to a neck portion that joins the first and second ends of the coupler. The sterile drape is secured such that a fluid and airtight seal is formed between the ends of the coupler.

Abstract: A disposable and disinfected still frame camera for use in contamination sensitive areas includes an inner camera portion for securing still frame film, exposing frames of the film and for advancing the film. A camera housing is also provided for enclosing the inner camera portion. The invention also includes a fluid impervious casing which substantially encases the camera housing for protecting the camera and environment from contamination. The disposable camera may also include attachments for connecting the camera to optical medical devices, a measuring device for measuring the distance between the camera lens and the object being photographed, and sterilized or disinfected packaging.

Abstract: A photographing light quantity controller for an endoscope, which is used to control the quantity of illuminating light when a photograph is to be taken through the endoscope. The photographing light quantity controller comprises a device for supplying light for illuminating an object to the endoscope, a device for detecting a quantity of light that is reflected from the object and for outputting a signal in accordance with the detected quantity of light, and a device for amplifying the signal, with the amplifying device having a plurality of amplification factors which can be selected as desired. A photographing light quantity control device is provided for controlling the quantity of illuminating light that is supplied to the endoscope when a photographing operation is conducted, on the basis of the output signal from the amplifying device.