Abstract: In an electronic endoscope system, an imaging device images a subject at a first frame frequency. A signal generating unit receives image signals of the subject imaged by the imaging device to generate signals of a standard TV system having a second frame frequency that is approximately n/m-fold (where, n and m are natural numbers, and n is unequal to m) of the first frame frequency. Then, a timing control unit synchronizes the first frame frequency of the imaging device with the second frame frequency using a predetermined timing signal output by the signal generating unit. The timing controller can also synchronize a first frame frequency of a color field sequential illumination unit with a second frame frequency using a predetermined timing signal.

Abstract: A compound prism including a plurality of unit prisms which have reflective interfaces defined by outer and/or inner surfaces thereof and which are arranged so that light is reflected by an inner surface of the interface of one of the unit prisms and by an outer surface of the interface of another unit prism.

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: An optical axis adjusting apparatus is provided and includes a laser beam source, a beam shaping prism for shaping a laser beam of elliptical flux emitted from the laser beam source into a laser beam of circular flux, and an angle adjusting device which adjusts the angular direction of the outgoing laser beam emitted from the shaping prism.

Abstract: An optical axis adjusting apparatus is provided and includes a laser beam source, a beam shaping prism for shaping a laser beam of elliptical flux emitted from the laser beam source into a laser beam of circular flux, a parallel shift mechanism which shifts the light rays of the laser beam in a parallel fashion, and a rotation adjusting mechanism for rotatably adjusting a parallel plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a wave front aberration includes a light beam splitter for dividing a parallel laser light beam made incident from a measuring object into two beamfluxes, an image rotator disposed in at least one optical path of the divided beam fluxes for rotating the wave front on the optical axis, an interference device for interfering after superposing the beam fluxes whose wave fronts are rotated relatively, an imaging lens for forming the interfered beam into an image, and an observation device for observing the imaged interference fringes.

Abstract: A movement amount detected by a movement detection circuit on the basis of an image signal corresponding to an object image is input to a minimum value detection circuit. This detection circuit sets an operation time for the detection of the minimum value by using fuzzy inference on the basis of the movement amount and the gradient amount of the movement. An image signal corresponding to the smallest movement amount in this operation time is retained in a freeze memory. In this case, the operation time is set by fuzzy inference by using the movement amount and the gradient amount as factors for fuzzy inference so that the operation time can be set automatically to a time suitable for obtaining static images possessing a small amount of movement.

Abstract: An optical axis adjusting apparatus is provided and includes a laser beam source, a beam shaping prism for shaping a laser beam of elliptical flux emitted from the laser beam source into a laser beam of circular flux, and an angle adjusting device which adjusts the angular direction of the outgoing laser beam emitted from the shaping prism.

Abstract: A mechanism for adjusting an optical axis of an optical device, particularly in an optical information recording and reproducing system, in accordance with which the optical axis is movable in two directions, independently of each other. Various parts of the optical system, such as an anamorphic prism and a fixed prism, may be moved to adjust the degree of parallelism and/or displacement of a laser beam. A laser ray source in the system also may be movable independently in different directions.

Abstract: A compound prism including a plurality of unit prisms which have reflective interfaces defined by outer and/or inner surfaces thereof and which are arranged so that light is reflected by an inner surface of the interface of one of the unit prisms and by an outer surface of the interface of another unit prism.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image freezing signal-processing apparatus capable of eliminating a necessity of using a large number of memories, reducing a time lag and preventing an image deviation. Sequence signals for R, G and B are stored in a first memory via an A/D converter and as well as the same are supplied to a movement detection/control circuit so that an image which displays the minimum about of movement in a predetermined time passed from the freeze signal is read from the first memory so as to be written to a still picture memory. The movement detection/control circuit stops the movement detection operation in a case where the image which displays a small amount of movement is stored in the still picture memory so as to transmit the image stored in the still picture memory as a still picture in a state in which updating is inhibited.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a wave front aberration including a light beam splitter for dividing a parallel laser light beam incident from a measuring object into two beam fluxes, an image rotator disposed in at least one optical path of the divided beam fluxes for rotating the wave from on the optical axis, an interference device for interfering, after superposing the beam fluxes, whose wave fronts are rotated relatively, an imaging lens for forming the interfered beam into an image, and an observation device for observing the imaged interference fringes.

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 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 electronic endoscope having a light emitting unit for emitting illuminating light from the tip of the insertable part, a solid state imaging device at the tip for receiving an illuminated light image, a sample-holding circuit for sample-holding an output signal from the solid state imaging device, a light source for such light emitting unit and an iris device in such light source, the iris device comprising a diaphragm device for preventing the spectral characteristics of the endoscope from being changed due to the amount of light reduction which consists of a diaphragm assembly consisting of two dimensionally diaphragm units which consists of light passing openings with small sectional area and light shading parts formed by tubular surfaces surrounding the side surfaces of the openings, positioned in the beam emitted from illuminating lamp, and provided with means for turning diaphragm assembly from a position where the tubular surfaces are in parallel with the axis of the illumination beam to a position

Abstract: A charge detection circuit is capable of converting electrostatic charge quantities on a solid-state imaging chip into voltage signals of negative polarity. The voltage signals of the negative polarity are suppled to a DC-coupled polarity inversion circuit which inverts the polarity of the signals and amplifies the signals. In consequence, the generation of heat in the transistor of the outpout stage is reduced so as to suppress undesirable temperature rise of the solid-state imaging chip.

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 optical disk apparatus comprises an optical pickup having an optical pickup body carrying a laser and a photodetector responsive to light emitted from the laser and reflected by the optical disk for producing tracking error signals mounted on the optical pickup body for reciprocal movement in a tracking direction responsive to operation of an actuator, and supports an objective for focusing the beam on the disk. A position sensor produces position signals in response to displacement of the movable portion in the tracking direction. Finally a servo tracking circuit outputs driving signals to the actuator on the basis of tracking error signals produced either in response to tracking error signals produced from outputs of the photodetector and position signals produced from output signals of the position sensor, in response only to the latter.

Abstract: There is provided a frozen picture memorizing memory holding as a frozen picture image a picture image signal imaged by an electronic endoscope. By the operation of a frozen picture directing switch, whether the frozen picture is adapted to the memorizing condition or not is judged through a picture image movement detecting circuit. In case it is judged to be adapted to the memorizing condition, the picture image signal is memorized actually as a frozen picture image to obtain a clear frozen picture having little color smear and fogging.