Abstract: The invention provides for capturing and displaying video images by (1) creating a video signal comprising a succession of video fields or frames containing optical image video data representing the captured optical image, with a plurality of first video fields or frames representing the optical image at a first exposure level and a plurality of second video fields or frames representing the optical image at a second exposure level different from the first exposure level, with the first field or frames being interspersed among said second fields or frames, and (2) utilizing that video signal to (a) generate a video display of the image represented by said first video fields or frames or the image represented by said second video fields or frames, or (b) concurrently generate a first video display of the image represented by said first video fields or frames and a second video display of the image represented by said second video fields or frames.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electronically processing video signals representing images of an object or scene so that details of some portion or all of the object or scene are enhanced in the video display reproduction of the images. Video image signals from a video camera are processed to derive digital color-representative signals and a digital luminance signal, and the luminance signal is filtered to remove higher spatial frequency components. The resulting low pass digital data is subtracted from the original luminance image data, leaving digital data representing the high-pass image components. The high-pass image digital data is passed to an amplification stage where all or only selected pixels are amplified by a factor that varies as a function of the low-pass data value of those pixels and by the location of the pixels within the image. This enables different degrees of enhancement of the light and dark areas of the image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for correcting for optical misalignment of the dual (left and right) images produced by a stereo electronic endoscope, or of the corresponding dual images produced by coupling electronic imaging devices to each of two monocular teaching ports of a stereo optical endoscope. The stereo image alignment technique comprises electronically capturing the video image data of the dual images, and subsequently processing that data electronically to correct for optical alignment errors. The method involves digitizing the electronic data and digitally performing the equivalent of vertical image shift, and/or image size change, and/or image rotation as required to correct for any visual image misalignment.

Abstract: A control system is provided for an endoscope of the type having an objective lens, a movable zoom lens, a movable solid state imaging device for picking up the image formed by said objective lens and transferred by said zoom lens, means for generating a visual display of the image seen by the objective lens, and control means for moving the zoom lens and the imaging device so as to assure that for each position occupied by the zoom lens the imaging device is positioned so that the its image-receiving surface is in the focal plane of the zoom lens. The system allows independent manual control of the zoom lens and imaging device by manually actuatable switches.

Abstract: A position-indicating video display system is provided for an endoscope of the type having an objective lens, a movable zoom lens, a movable solid state imaging device for picking up the image formed by said objective lens and transferred by said zoom lens, means for generating a visual display of the image seen by the objective lens, and control means for moving the zoom lens and the imaging device so as to assure that for each position occupied by the zoom lens the imaging device is positioned so that the its image-receiving surface is in the focal plane of the zoom lens. The position-indicating video display system comprises means for generating first and second movable markers indicative of the instantaneous positions of the zoom lens and the solid state imaging device along the optical axis, and additional limit markers indicative of the maximum and minimum limits of the travel paths of the zoom lens and the solid state imaging device.

Abstract: An endoscope having an objective lens, a zoom lens, a solid state imaging device for picking up the image formed by said objective lens and transferred by said zoom lens, and control means for moving the zoom lens and the imaging device so as to assure that for each position occupied by the zoom lens the imaging device is positioned so that the its image-receiving surface is in the focal plane of the zoom lens. The endoscope also comprises first and second motion-transmitting means for moving said zoom lens and said imaging device respectively along the optical axis of said objective lens, whereby the axial spacing between said zoom lens and said objective lens and also the axial spacing between said imaging device and said objective lens may be changed, and manually operable switch means for controlling movement of the zoom lens and the imaging device by said first and second motion transmitting means.

Abstract: A position-indicating video display system is provided for an endoscope of the type having an objective lens, a movable zoom lens, a movable solid state imaging device for picking up the image formed by said objective lens and transferred by said zoom lens, means for generating a visual display of the image seen by the objective lens, and control means for moving the zoom lens and the imaging device so as to assure that for each position occupied by the zoom lens the imaging device is positioned so that the its image-receiving surface is in the focal plane of the zoom lens. The position-indicating video display system comprises means for generating first and second movable markers indicative of the instantaneous positions of the zoom lens and the solid state imaging device along the optical axis, and additional limit markers indicative of the maximum and minimum limits of the travel paths of the zoom lens and the solid state imaging device.