Abstract: A color video endoscope system including a light source, color wheel and light guide for directing sequential fields of red, green and blue (RGB) light into a cavity, a solid state image sensor for transmitting a signal in response to the intensity of the reflected fields of light, a video processor for converting the signal from the image sensor into a composite RGB video signal compatible with a color monitor, and a plurality of electronic color filters for altering the true color of the image on the monitor.

Abstract: An endoscope subsystem, for a video endoscope system of the type having an insertion tube employing a video sensor, an optical imaging system for forming images on the sensor, and a video display for displaying an image derived from the sensor, which subsystem is for electronically correcting the side-to-side image reversal of the image represented by signals derived from the sensor in response to light intensities in a scene viewed by the endoscope, which reversal may result from the use of a folded optic imaging system in order to achieve compactness in the distal end of the endoscope.

Abstract: A color video endoscope system having a control unit compatible with various endoscopes. Each endoscope generates unique signals to the control unit to optimize the clocking out of data from the solid state image sensor, to optimize the processing of data received from the image sensor, and to identify the size and location of the image formed on the image sensor so as to control the image formed on the monitor. The control unit generates alternating fields of red, green and blue light through the endoscope light guide with blank fields between the color fields, during which time data is clocked out of the image sensor, thereby preventing image "smear" caused by immediately successive color fields.