Abstract: There is provided an endoscope system, which is provided with an endoscope that has an image pick-up device having a plurality of cells for accumulating charge in response to an image formed on the plurality of cells, a light source that is capable of emitting excitation light, and a controlling system that controls the image pick-up device so that charges accumulated in two or more of the plurality of cells are added together when the excitation light is used.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope selector is used in an electronic endoscope system which shares peripheral devices, such as a TV monitor, VCR etc., among a plurality of electronic endoscopes. The electronic endoscope selector includes switching circuits for switching and selecting video signals and synchronizing signals fed from one of the plurality of electronic endoscopes in the system. The selector also has ON/OFF switches and a timer. The ON/OFF switch controls output of the selected video signals. When the switching circuits switch between the plurality of electronic endoscope and switch video signals and synchronizing signals to that of a newly selected electronic endoscope, the output of video signals are suspended during a predetermined period, by the timer. The synchronizing signals are output simultaneously with the above switching.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope system that shares peripheral devices, such as a TV monitor, VCR etc., among a plurality of electronic endoscopes via an electronic endoscope selector. Each of the electronic endoscopes is connected to the electronic endoscope selector and the electronic endoscope selector selectively switches between video signals of the electronic endoscopes and feeds them to the TV monitor. Further the electronic endoscope selector comprises image memories and is able to store an image captured by the electronic endoscopes. A stored image may be comparatively displayed on the screen of the TV monitor with the live video being captured by the selected endoscope units. Further, the comparative display is controlled by control buttons on the electronic endoscope. The electronic endoscope selector also comprises a memory for storing image parameters for each electronic endoscope, and adjusts images on the screen by utilizing the parameter for each electronic endoscope.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope selector that is used in an electronic endoscope system which shares peripheral devices, such as a TV monitor, VCR etc., among a plurality of electronic endoscopes. The electronic endoscope selector comprises switching circuits for switching and selecting video signals and synchronizing signals fed from one of the plurality of electronic endoscopes in the system. The selector also comprises ON/OFF switches and a timer. The ON/OFF switch controls output of the selected video signals. When the switching circuits switch between the plurality of electronic endoscope and switch video signals and synchronizing signals to that of a newly selected electronic endoscope, the output of video signals are suspended during a predetermined period, by the timer. On the other hand, the synchronizing signals are output simultaneously with the above switching.

Abstract: In an electronic endoscope system, a scope has a solid-state image sensor provided at a distal end thereof to generate image-pixel signals. An image-signal processing unit produces a video signal based on the image-pixel signals. An alteration system alters a peak-to-peak level of a synchronizing-signal component of the video signal. An manual setting system operates the alteration system to perform the alteration of the level of the synchronizing-signal component. An indicator system indicates the degree of alteration to the level of the synchronizing-signal component during the operation of the manual setting system.

Abstract: An advertising information memory area for storing advertising information for displaying prescribed advertisement, and a label information memory area for storing label information for presenting a space for displaying advertisement, are provided. A personal computer refers the label information memory area and the advertising information memory area, synthesizes advertisement images and character strings based on the advertising information, and displays the same in the label image based on the label information. An advertising environment is provided which is highly effective in a personal computer environment.

Abstract: In an electronic endoscope system, a scope has a solid image sensor provided at a distal end thereof to generate image-pixel signals. An image-signal processing unit produces a video signal based on the image-pixel signals. An alteration system alters a peak-to-peak level of a synchronizing-signal component of the video signal. An manual setting system manually operates the alteration system to perform the alteration of the peak-to-peak level of the synchronizing-signal component.

Abstract: A light transmitting part is formed on a second rotary shutter to intermittently transmit excitation light emitted from an excitation light source, which has a circumferential length substantially equal to a half of the entire periphery of the second rotary shutter in order to extend the period during which excitation light is emitted through a light distribution lens. As a living tissue is irradiated with excitation light, it generates autofluorescence. Although the autofluorescence is weak, a CCD can convert the image of the object under examination formed from the autofluorescence into a fluorescence video signal of a sufficient intensity level because excitation light is irradiated for an extended period of time. The obtained fluorescence video signal does not need to be amplified to an undesirable extent and hence can be processed with a high S/N to provide an appropriate diagnostic video signal that is free from noise.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope system that shares peripheral devices, such as a TV monitor, VCR etc., among a plurality of electronic endoscopes via an electronic endoscope selector. Each of the electronic endoscopes is connected to the electronic endoscope selector and the electronic endoscope selector selectively switches between video signals of the electronic endoscopes and feeds them to the TV monitor. Further the electronic endoscope selector comprises image memories and is able to store an image captured by the electronic endoscopes. A stored image may be comparatively displayed on the screen of the TV monitor with the live video being captured by the selected endoscope units. Further, the comparative display is controlled by control buttons on the electronic endoscope. The electronic endoscope selector also comprises a memory for storing image parameters for each electronic endoscope, and adjusts images on the screen by utilizing the parameter for each electronic endoscope.

Abstract: In an electronic endoscope system, a scope has an image sensor provided at a distal end thereof to generate image-pixel signals. A proximal end of the scope is connected to an image-signal processing unit, in which the image-pixel signals are processed to produce a video signal. A light source device is provided in the processing unit. An optical light guide extends through the scope. When the connection is established between the scope and the processing unit, the light guide is optically connected to the light source device. The light source device includes a white light lamp, and an ultraviolet lamp, and a mirror for selectively introducing either the white light or the ultraviolet light into the light guide.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope system including a scope unit for capturing an image of an object illuminated by light using an image sensor and an image processing unit that processes the captured image to generate a video signal, is provided with a first illuminating system that illuminates the object with white light, and a second illuminating system that illuminates the object with light having a special wavelength. At least one operable switch that is operated for switching the Illumination system between the first and second systems is provided, and a switching system that switches the illuminating system between the first and second illuminating systems in response to operation of the operable switch. In such a system, the operable switch is provided at a portion accessible to an operator who is operating the scope unit.

Abstract: White light that was emitted from a white light source and converged through a condenser lens enters a light guide with a maximum incidence angle &agr;. Since excitation light emitted from an excitation light source is adjusted by the adjustment optical system for its beam diameter, it enters the light guide with a maximum incidence angle &bgr; (&bgr;<&agr;) after being converged by the condenser lens. Then, a motion mechanism displaces a second lens in an adjustment optical system in the direction of the optical axis to vary the beam diameter and the maximum incidence angle &bgr; of the excitation light, whereby a divergence angle of the excitation light emitted through a light distribution lens is made to correspond to the divergence angle of the visible light.

Abstract: In an organ-region-indication system incorporated in an electronic endoscope system in which an endoscope image is displayed as a motion image on a monitor in accordance with a video signal produced therein, an organ-region-image data base is formed based on an organ map. A plurality of reference data indicating organ-regions and a plurality of image data representing the organ-region are correspondingly stored in the data base. Still image data is retrieved as referential image data from the video signal at suitable regular time intervals. The data base is searched for image data which coincides with the referential image data after the retrieval of the still image data. Corresponding reference data is displayed on the monitor only when the image data, which coincides with the referential image data, is found by the searching.

Abstract: A silver halide emulsion is disclosed, comprising silver halide grains, wherein a variation coefficient of grain diameter of the whole silver halide grains is not more than 25%, wherein at least 50% of the total grain projected area is accounted for by tabular grains having two twin planes and an aspect ratio of not less than 6 and meeting the following requirement, 1.0≦b/a≦1.3. Photographic materials containing the silver halide emulsion is also disclosed.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope selector that is used in an electronic endoscope system which shares peripheral devices, such as a TV monitor, VCR etc., among a plurality of electronic endoscopes. The electronic endoscope selector comprises switching circuits for switching and selecting video signals and synchronizing signals fed from one of the plurality of electronic endoscopes in the system. The selector also comprises ON/OFF switches and a timer. The ON/OFF switch controls output of the selected video signals. When the switching circuits switch between the plurality of electronic endoscope and switch video signals and synchronizing signals to that of a newly selected electronic endoscope, the output of video signals are suspended during a predetermined period, by the timer. On the other hand, the synchronizing signals are output simultaneously with the above switching.

Abstract: In a lightguide connector joint for an endoscopic system, the shape and dimensions of a lightguide connector (3) are determined in accordance with the size of the entrance end face (4a) of a lightguide (4) such that the smaller the size of the entrance end face (4a), the closer to the converging position of the rays of illuminating light is the position of the entrance end face (4a) that is established when the lightguide connector (3) is connected to a connector receptacle (20).

Abstract: A light transmitting part is formed on a second rotary shutter to intermittently transmit excitation light emitted from an excitation light source, which has a circumferential length substantially equal to a half of the entire periphery of the second rotary shutter in order to extend the period during which excitation light is emitted through a light distribution lens. As a living tissue is irradiated with excitation light, it generates autofluorescence. Although the autofluorescence is weak, a CCD can convert the image of the object under examination formed from the autofluorescence into a fluorescence video signal of a sufficient intensity level because excitation light is irradiated for an extended period of time. The obtained fluorescence video signal does not need to be amplified to an undesirable extent and hence can be processed with a high S/N to provide an appropriate diagnostic video signal that is free from noise.

Abstract: White light that was emitted from a white light source and converged through a condenser lens enters a light guide with a maximum incidence angle &agr;. Since excitation light emitted from an excitation light source is adjusted by the adjustment optical system for its beam diameter, it enters the light guide with a maximum incidence angle &bgr; (&bgr;<&agr;) after being converged by the condenser lens. Then, a motion mechanism displaces a second lens in an adjustment optical system in the direction of the optical axis to vary the beam diameter and the maximum incidence angle &bgr; of the excitation light, whereby a divergence angle of the excitation light emitted through a light distribution lens is made to correspond to the divergence angle of the visible light.

Abstract: In an electronic endoscope system, a scope has a solid-state image sensor provided at a distal end thereof to generate image-pixel signals. An image-signal processing unit produces a video signal based on the image-pixel signals. An alteration system alters a peak-to-peak level of a synchronizing-signal component of the video signal. An manual setting system operates the alteration system to perform the alteration of the level of the synchronizing-signal component. An indicator system indicates the degree of alteration to the level of the synchronizing-signal component during the operation of the manual setting system.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope selector that is used in an electronic endoscope system which shares peripheral devices, such as a TV monitor, VCR etc., among a plurality of electronic endoscopes. The electronic endoscope selector comprises switching circuits for switching and selecting video signals and synchronization signals fed from one of the plurality of electronic endoscopes. The selector also comprises amplifiers, gamma correction circuits, a system control circuit and memory. The amplifiers and gamma correction circuits are for adjusting gains and gamma correction of RGB video signals fed from the selected electronic endoscope. Parameters for appropriate gains and gamma correction corresponding to each endoscope are stored in the memory. The system control circuit controls the amplifiers and gamma correction circuits in accordance with the parameters that correspond to the selected electronic endoscope.