Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a processor, an imaging device, and a light source. The processor is configured to determine whether or not the imaging device has gone out of space of which at least part is surrounded by an object when the imaging device is performing imaging after the imaging device is inserted into the space. The processor is configured to execute power-saving control when the processor determines that the imaging device has gone out of the space. In the power-saving control, the processor is configured to make power consumption of a control target less than power consumption of the control target before the power-saving control is executed. The control target is at least one of the imaging device and the light source.

Abstract: A medical image processing device includes a processor configured to: obtain image data; generate, based on the obtained image data, a captured image including color component signals including a red component signal representing a red component, a green component signal representing a green component, and a blue component signal representing a blue component; calculate an intensity ratio between a fluorescent component signal and a reflected light component signal in a pixel of the captured image; determine, based on the calculated intensity ratio in the pixel of the captured image, a fluorescence region and a background region in the captured image; and generate a fluorescence image by performing, based on a result of the determination, image processing with parameters different from each other for color component signals in pixels positioned in the fluorescence region and color component signals in pixels positioned in the background region.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a processor, an imaging device, and a light source. The processor is configured to determine whether or not the imaging device has gone out of space of which at least part is surrounded by an object when the imaging device is performing imaging after the imaging device is inserted into the space. The processor is configured to execute power-saving control when the processor determines that the imaging device has gone out of the space. In the power-saving control, the processor is configured to make power consumption of a control target less than power consumption of the control target before the power-saving control is executed. The control target is at least one of the imaging device and the light source.

Abstract: A biological observation system includes: a light source apparatus configured to supply a first illuminating light, and a second illuminating light, while switching between the first illuminating light and the second illuminating light; an image pickup device configured to receive light from an object at each of a plurality of pixels having different sensitivities, and picks up an image; a color separation processing portion configured to separate, from respective color components, a color component obtained when an image of light of a predetermined wavelength band is picked up by a pixel having the greatest sensitivity to the light in the predetermined wavelength band; and a control portion configured to cause different processing to be performed between a case where an inputted image pickup signal corresponds to the first illuminating light and a case where an inputted image pickup signal corresponds to the second illuminating light.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: an imaging unit configured to output an imaging signal; an illumination unit configured to emit respective beams of light of a plurality of colors; a color separation unit configured to separate the imaging signal into a plurality of signals corresponding to the plurality of colors; an interest color setting unit configured to set a color corresponding to a wavelength band of interest as an interest color; a comparison unit configured to compute a ratio between a detection value of a signal corresponding to an interest color set by the interest color setting unit and a detection value of a signal of another color corresponding to a wavelength band different from the wavelength band corresponding to the interest color; and a changing unit configured to change a light emission ratio between light corresponding to the interest color and light of the other color.

Abstract: An image pickup system includes an optical sensor configured to pick up an optical image of an object illuminated with light of a plurality of colors emitted from a plurality of semiconductor light emitting elements with an image pickup device and detect each of light amounts of the light emitted from the plurality of semiconductor light emitting elements, and a controller including hardware. The controller adjusts color balance based on the light amounts of the plurality of colors detected at the optical sensor and sets an exposure timing of a light amount detecting unit according to image pickup operation of the image pickup device.

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: A processing device includes a signal processing unit configured to: input first and second pixel signals from an image sensor having pixels for receiving light from a subject illuminated with pulsed light and generating a pixel signal, the first pixel signal being a one-frame signal read at read timing at least a part of which is included in an illumination period of the pulsed light, the second pixel signal being a one-frame signal read after the one frame of the first pixel signal; and generate a one-frame third pixel signal by synthesizing first and second overlap pixel signals, the first overlap pixel signal being defined as the first pixel signal corresponding to an overlap line of the pixels in which the illumination period of the pulsed light is overlapped with the read timing, the second overlap pixel signal being defined as the second pixel signal corresponding to the overlap line.

Abstract: A biological observation system includes: a light source apparatus configured to supply a first illuminating light, and a second illuminating light, while switching between the first illuminating light and the second illuminating light; an image pickup device configured to receive light from an object at each of a plurality of pixels having different sensitivities, and picks up an image; a color separation processing portion configured to separate, from respective color components, a color component obtained when an image of light of a predetermined wavelength band is picked up by a pixel having the greatest sensitivity to the light in the predetermined wavelength band; and a control portion configured to cause different processing to be performed between a case where an inputted image pickup signal corresponds to the first illuminating light and a case where an inputted image pickup signal corresponds to the second illuminating light.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: an imaging unit configured to output an imaging signal; an illumination unit configured to emit respective beams of light of a plurality of colors; a color separation unit configured to separate the imaging signal into a plurality of signals corresponding to the plurality of colors; an interest color setting unit configured to set a color corresponding to a wavelength band of interest as an interest color; a comparison unit configured to compute a ratio between a detection value of a signal corresponding to an interest color set by the interest color setting unit and a detection value of a signal of another color corresponding to a wavelength band different from the wavelength band corresponding to the interest color; and a changing unit configured to change a light emission ratio between light corresponding to the interest color and light of the other color.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an insertion portion; an illumination portion that emits a plurality of illuminating lights of different hues to each other; an image pickup portion that picks up an optical image formed by an objective optical system in a distal end portion of the insertion portion; a channel that opens in a distal end portion of the insertion portion; a laser probe that is inserted through the channel and has an irradiation portion in a distal end region; a hue range setting portion that sets a hue range of the laser probe in accordance with a hue of an illuminating light; an image analysis portion that detects a hue range portion in a color image obtained from the image pickup portion; and a control portion that permits laser output only in a case where the hue range portion is detected.

Abstract: There is provided an image pickup system for endoscope including: a light source; an image forming optical system; a focus lens driving section; an image pickup section outputting an image signal; an image signal amplifying section; an image brightness detecting section; a brightness adjusting section adjusting a brightness control condition such as a light quantity of the light source, an image pickup condition of the image pickup section and an amplification factor of the amplifying section so that brightness of an image becomes a predetermined brightness; an auxiliary AF section estimating a temporary focus position based on the brightness control condition; a control section setting a small scanning range including the temporary focus position; and a contrast AF section causing contrast AF to be performed in the scanning range.

Abstract: An image pickup system includes an optical sensor configured to pick up an optical image of an object illuminated with light of a plurality of colors emitted from a plurality of semiconductor light emitting elements with an image pickup device and detect each of light amounts of the light emitted from the plurality of semiconductor light emitting elements, and a controller including hardware. The controller adjusts color balance based on the light amounts of the plurality of colors detected at the optical sensor and sets an exposure timing of a light amount detecting unit according to image pickup operation of the image pickup device.

Abstract: A processing device includes a signal processing unit configured to: input first and second pixel signals from an image sensor having pixels for receiving light from a subject illuminated with pulsed light and generating a pixel signal, the first pixel signal being a one-frame signal read at read timing at least a part of which is included in an illumination period of the pulsed light, the second pixel signal being a one-frame signal read after the one frame of the first pixel signal; and generate a one-frame third pixel signal by synthesizing first and second overlap pixel signals, the first overlap pixel signal being defined as the first pixel signal corresponding to an overlap line of the pixels in which the illumination period of the pulsed light is overlapped with the read timing, the second overlap pixel signal being defined as the second pixel signal corresponding to the overlap line.

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: An imaging apparatus includes: an illumination unit that emits illumination light; a light receiving unit having pixels arranged on horizontal lines to receive light from an object irradiated with the illumination light, and to perform photoelectric conversion on the received light to generate pixel signals; an imaging controller that controls the pixels to sequentially start exposure for each horizontal line, and to sequentially read the pixel signals from the pixels belonging to the horizontal lines after a lapse of an exposure period from start of exposure; an illumination controller that switches between illumination states in a reading period for sequentially reading the pixel signals for each horizontal line, and controls an amount of the illumination light such that an integrated value of the amount of the illumination light during one frame period immediately after switching of the illumination states is the same as that during next one frame period.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus is provided with: an objective optical system; an image pickup device; a contrast AF section adjusting a focus so that a peak value of a contrast evaluation value of an image is taken; an amount-of-motion detecting section detecting, from a plurality of time-series images, amounts of motion of the subject; and a control section controlling the contrast AF section so as to calculate another contrast evaluation value in a region where a region to be excluded where an amount of motion is equal to or larger than a threshold is excluded from a calculation target region, and the contrast AF section corrects the other contrast evaluation value based on an area of the calculation target region and an area of the region where the region to be excluded is excluded from the calculation target region.

Abstract: There is provided an image pickup system for endoscope including: a light source; an image forming optical system; a focus lens driving section; an image pickup section outputting an image signal; an image signal amplifying section; an image brightness detecting section; a brightness adjusting section adjusting a brightness control condition such as a light quantity of the light source, an image pickup condition of the image pickup section and an amplification factor of the amplifying section so that brightness of an image becomes a predetermined brightness; an auxiliary AF section estimating a temporary focus position based on the brightness control condition; a control section setting a small scanning range including the temporary focus position; and a contrast AF section causing contrast AF to be performed in the scanning range.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus is provided with: an objective optical system; an image pickup device; a contrast AF section adjusting a focus so that a peak value of a contrast evaluation value of an image is taken; an amount-of-motion detecting section detecting, from a plurality of time-series images, amounts of motion of the subject; and a control section controlling the contrast AF section so as to calculate another contrast evaluation value in a region where a region to be excluded where an amount of motion is equal to or larger than a threshold is excluded from a calculation target region, and the contrast AF section corrects the other contrast evaluation value based on an area of the calculation target region and an area of the region where the region to be excluded is excluded from the calculation target region.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an insertion portion; an illumination portion that emits a plurality of illuminating lights of different hues to each other; an image pickup portion that picks up an optical image formed by an objective optical system in a distal end portion of the insertion portion; a channel that opens in a distal end portion of the insertion portion; a laser probe that is inserted through the channel and has an irradiation portion in a distal end region; a hue range setting portion that sets a hue range of the laser probe in accordance with a hue of an illuminating light; an image analysis portion that detects a hue range portion in a color image obtained from the image pickup portion; and a control portion that permits laser output only in a case where the hue range portion is detected.