Abstract: An electronic endoscope apparatus serving as a frame sequential type imaging apparatus comprises an electronic endoscope for picking up an object, a CCU for driving and controlling the electronic endoscope and processing imaging signals originated from the electronic endoscope, and a high resolution monitor displaying video signals processed by the CCU. An imaging optical system is provided at the tip of the electronic endoscope to receive reflected light irradiated on an object. The imaging optical system is provided with specific wavelength optical path changing apparatus for shifting an optical path of reflected light of a predetermined wavelength range between an objective lens system and a CCD. The specific wavelength optical path changing apparatus is a plate glass which transmits frame sequential light reflected from an object through the objective lens system.

Abstract: N lines of line-shaped light are projected onto the object by means of a measuring light projecting lens. The light carrying the image of the object is passed through the eyepiece lens 17 in an endoscope 6 and the auxiliary lens 30 in a measuring head 11 and split into two beamlets by a beam splitter 31, with one beamlet being focused at a position coinciding with the entrance end faces of measuring light's position detecting fibers 33(l) to 33(m). The line-shaped light images of the object thus formed in positions coinciding with the entrance end faces of measuring light's position detecting fibers 33(l) to 33(m) are scanned linearly by those linearly aligned fibers as they are oscillated and driven by a fiber scanner 36. The scanned line-shaped light images are then subjected to the necessary signal processing in a signal processor circuit 35 such as to measure the three-dimensional configuration of the object.

Abstract: A medical instrument interfacing apparatus including a video instrument for outputting a video signal on which the pattern information of at least one of a character and device is superimposed, a video signal transmitting apparatus for transmitting the video signal of the video instrument, a pattern discriminating apparatus for extracting the pattern information from the video signal transmitted from the video signal transmitting apparatus and a controlled instrument in which the signal of the pattern discriminating apparatus is input.

Abstract: An endoscope image recording apparatus comprises a video endoscope having, at a forward end of an inserting section, an image pickup element, for image-picking-up the interior of a body cavity or the like, an image control unit for signal-processing a picture signal from the video endoscope, to generate an image signal, a portable IC memory card for recording the image signal from the image control unit as image data, a digital audio tape (DAT), a monitor for displaying the image signal from the image control unit or image data recorded on the IC memory card or the DATA, and indication means for indicating control operation to the image control unit. The IC memory card and the DAT tape record a serial number of the image, an INDEX image of the image, patient data, and image data. The IC memory card records an ID number of the DAT tape, while the DAT tape records an ID number of the IC memory card.

Abstract: Arranged within a measuring-light generating unit of an endoscope apparatus for three dimensional measurement, according to the invention, are measuring means, a lamp for outgoing a normal illuminating light, and a laser for outgoing a measuring light. Connected to the measuring means is a signal line which is connected to a CCD. Further, an illuminating light outgone from the lamp is condensed by a condenser lens, and is incident upon an incident end surface of a light guide. Furthermore, the measuring light outgone from the laser is condensed by the condensing lens, and is incident upon the incident end surface of the image guide. Moreover, the incident end of the image guide is connected to scanning means formed by a piezo-electric element, a speaker (voice coil) or the like through a connecting element. The scanning means is operated whereby the incident end of the image guide is reciprocally moved in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the measuring light.

Abstract: An endoscope image data compressing apparatus comprises a plurality of image compressing apparatus not equivalent to each other for compressing input endoscope image data and outputting the compressed data and a selecting apparatus for selecting the compressed data output from at least one of the image compressing apparatus. The selecting apparatus selects the compressing method in response to the kind of the endoscope, characteristic of the image, picture quality of the compressed image, recording time intervals and others.A method for compressing endoscope image data is realized by an image compressing apparatus capable of compressing image data at different compressing rates. The endoscope image data is determined to be either ordinary image data or dyed image data and, based on this determination, is compressed at different rates. The compressing rate for dyed image data is lowered below the rate for ordinary image data.

Abstract: A medical network system has an image sending device for sending medical image information, such as endoscopic image information, an image receiving device for receiving the medical image information, a centralized control device having sending and receiving functions for centrally controlling the transmission of the medical image information among the above devices, and an analog transmission line for transmitting the medical image information among the devices at high speed. The centralized control device controls the transmission of the medical image information by using digital signals.

Abstract: In an electronic endoscope apparatus each of the signals of a plurality of systems output from at least one solid state imaging device is judged by a signal monitoring device as to whether it is normal or not. On the basis of the judged result, the processing mode corresponding to each of the signals of the plurality of systems is changed and each signal is processed. If an abnormality occurs, an observed image with which the endoscope inspection can continue will be secured to be safe. Further, in the electronic endoscope apparatus, when the output signal from the solid state imaging device is judged to be abnormal, the amount of illuminating light will be attenuated, the danger by the excessive amount of illuminating light will be avoided and the safety of the person being monitored will be secured.

Abstract: This invention provides an endoscope image data filing system comprising: a plurality of endoscope devices and a plurality of ultrasonic endoscope devices; an image data recording device which records a plurality of image information after reversibly and irreversibly compressing image signals received from the plurality of the endoscope devices and from the plurality of the ultrasonic endoscope devices; an image reproducing device (A) and an image reproducing device (B) for reproducing the image information recorded in the image data recording device; a large capacity data recording device which as required reads and writes the compressed image information recorded in the image data recording device; and a data communication device for performing communication between the image data recording device and an external host computer via a data input/output terminal device.

Abstract: An endoscope image signal photoelectrically converted by an image sensing device in an endoscope is compressed by an image compressing apparatus and then recorded in a recording apparatus, whereby the number of image frames recordable in the recording apparatus can be increased. Also, the image compression is effectively performed, for example, by changing a compression ratio dependent on a quantity of respective image information contained in plural components of the endoscope image signal, whereby a quantity of information actually recorded can be reduced.

Abstract: This endoscope image data compressing apparatus comprises a plurality of image compressing apparatus not equivalent to each other for compressing input endoscope image data and outputting the compressed data and a selecting apparatus for selecting the compressed data output from at least one of the image compressing apparatus. The selecting apparatus selects in response to the kind of the endoscope, characteristic of the image, picture quality of the compressed image, recording time intervals and others.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus is disclosed in which the horizontal transfer of the charge of a solid imaging device such as a CCD and the resetting for the detection of the charge are conducted by a common drive signal. The signal transmitted from the solid imaging device is caused to contain a feed-through period by making the drive signal to be served by a multi-valued level horizontal transfer signal exceeding a trinary value. Therefore, reset noise or the like can be eliminated by processing the output signal by using a correlated double sampling circuit or the like so that a video signal exhibiting a good S/N ratio can be obtained.

Abstract: An endoscope image filing apparatus wherein endoscope image information and search information required to search this image information are recorded in the same medium by a recording apparatus, on the other hand, medium discriminating information is imparted to this medium by an imparting apparatus and the search information and medium discriminating information are memorized in a controlling apparatus so that, in case there are many recording media, when the search information is input into the controlling apparatus, the medium discriminating information of the medium in which the search information is recorded may be obtained.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus is arranged to convert the image signal output from an imaging device into a standard video signal, effect image processing, such as outline emphasis, of the image signal, and display a reproduced image on a display. The endoscope apparatus has the function of stopping input to a memory circuit in accordance with the on action of a freezing switch, switching from a moving image to a still image, and providing a display of the still image. Accordingly, it is possible to select appropriate image processing characteristics in accordance with whether a moving image or a still image is to be displayed.

Abstract: An endoscope light source apparatus which can feed an illuminating light adapted to a scope provided with a frame sequential type imaging device, a scope provided with a color mosaic type imaging device and a fiber scope has a light source lamp which can emit the illuminating light. A filter which can transmit the illuminating light is interposed in the light path connecting the light source lamp with the entrance end surface of a light guide capable of feeding the illuminating light to the scope and is provided within a cassette which is inserted through an inserting aperture provided on a housing containing the light source apparatus.

Abstract: An endoscope automatic light control apparatus comprises an automatic light control apparatus for controlling the quantity of light incident to an imaging apparatus for imaging an endoscopic image so as to maintain a signal from the imaging apparatus substantially at a constant level. An automatic gaim control apparatus inputs a signal from the imaging apparatus and controls its output level so as to maintain the signal substantially at a constant level. The automatic light control apparatus and the automatic gain control apparatus respectively having a plurality of brightness information generating apparatuses generating brightness information based on the signal from the imaging apparatus. The plurality of brightness information generating apparatuses are different from each other in a method of generating brightness information and one of the plurality of brightness information generating apparatuses able to be selected.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope apparatus whereby the position of the tip part of an insertable part inserted into a body cavity is confirmed from outside the body with the transmission out of the body from within the body cavity of a light emitted from an illuminating window provided in the tip part.

Abstract: An endoscope system has a signal processing circuit for converting an image signal output of a solid state imaging device into a standard image signal, a monitor for providing a display of the standard image signal, an automatic gain control circuit for outputting an image signal whose level is automatically adjusted in accordance with the level of the image signal; and a gain variation region setting circuit for outputting a control signal to set the gain variation region of the automatic gain control circuit. With this arrangement, it is possible to properly set the AGC variation region of the AGC of the signal processing apparatus in accordance with such factors as the number of pixels of the solid state imaging device which constitutes a part of an electronic endoscope connected.

Abstract: There is disclosed an endoscope apparatus wherein it is judged whether a still picture is to be displayed or not for the movement quantity from a movement detecting circuit wherein difference signals are produced between pixels approaching a plurality of image signals of the same object imaged at different times and further the correlation between the corresponding difference signals is detected and is then quantified in a period of one field/frame.

Abstract: The movement detecting circuit of this invention has a band detecting circuit for detecting the signal components of a plurality of image signals. The output signal of this band detecting circuit is input into a band varying circuit for varying the band characteristics of the image signals. The plural image signals having had the band characteristics varied in the band varying circuit are input into a difference signal producing circuit which produces a difference signal of pixel signals approaching respective plural image signals representing the images of an object imaged at different times. A correlation amount between the corresponding plural difference signals produced by the difference signal producing circuit is detected in a correlation detecting circuit. The signal output detected in the correlation detecting circuit is quantified in a quantifying circuit.