Patents by Inventor Yasuhiro Minetoma
Yasuhiro Minetoma has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9232883Abstract: To provide an endoscope apparatus in which the observation image can be varied continuously as the observation magnification is varied by a zoom magnification varying manipulation so that an observation image suitable for an endoscope diagnosis is obtained at each observation magnification, and to thereby prevent the operator from feeling uncomfortable and increase the accuracy of a diagnosis. An endoscope apparatus is equipped with illuminating unit having plural light sources which generate light beams having different spectra, for illuminating an observation subject; imaging unit for imaging the observation subject; observation magnification varying unit for varying observation magnification of the imaging of the imaging unit; and light quantity ratio varying unit for continuously varying an emission light quantity ratio between the plural light sources according to the observation magnification that is set by the observation magnification varying unit.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2011Date of Patent: January 12, 2016Assignee: FUJIFILM CORPORATIONInventors: Satoshi Ozawa, Takayuki Iida, Yasuhiro Minetoma, Akihiko Erikawa
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Patent number: 9028396Abstract: Broadband light and narrowband light are simultaneously projected toward a subject. The subject is imaged by a color CCD to obtain a blue signal, a green signal, and a green signal. A base image is generated from the signals of three colors. Based on a luminance ratio B/G between the blue signal and the red signal, a B/G image is generated. A high frequency component is extracted from the B/G image to obtain a superficial-blood-vessel extracted image, and a medium frequency component is extracted from the B/G image to obtain a middle-deep-blood-vessel extracted image. Based on the base image and one of the superficial-blood-vessel extracted image and the middle-deep-blood-vessel extracted image, a blood vessel emphasized/de-emphasized image, in which the superficial blood vessels or the middle-deep blood vessels are emphasized or de-emphasized, is generated. The blood vessel emphasized/de-emphasized image is displayed on a monitor.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2011Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Fujifilm CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro Minetoma
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Patent number: 8970685Abstract: An endoscope apparatus is provided for which a user does not need to adjust irradiation light quantity intentionally while confirming a captured image. A captured image which is bright and has stable tint can be obtained without being limited by an imaging distance with respect to the observation of the structure or components of living bodies. The endoscope apparatus includes a first light source section, a second light source section, a light source control unit which controls the irradiation and irradiation light quantity, an imaging unit which obtains a captured image, luminance value calculating unit which calculates the luminance value, a light source light quantity changing unit which changes the irradiation light quantity according to the luminance value, a white balance adjustment value calculating unit which calculates a white balance adjustment value, and a gain adjusting unit which adjusts the gain of the imaging unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2011Date of Patent: March 3, 2015Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Yasuhiro Minetoma, Hiroshi Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 8797393Abstract: Image capture is performed while broadband and narrow band light are simultaneously emitted to tissue site. B pixel sensing the narrow band light outputs a summed image signal having a brightness value of a B component of the broadband light and a brightness value of the narrow band light. G and R pixels, not sensing the narrow band light, output broadband image signals having brightness values of G and R components of the broadband light, respectively. Based on correlation information and the G component of the broadband light, the brightness value of the B component of the broadband light is obtained. The obtained brightness value is subtracted from the summed image signal to separate the brightness value of the narrow band light therefrom. A broadband image and a narrow band image are generated from the broadband image signals and the narrow band image signal, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2010Date of Patent: August 5, 2014Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro Minetoma
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Patent number: 8668636Abstract: Illumination light projected into a body cavity includes first to third narrowband rays of different wavelength ranges, at least one of these narrowband rays has a central wavelength of not more than 450 nm. Under these narrowband rays, first to third narrowband image signals are respectively obtained through an endoscope. Based on the first to third narrowband image signals, vascular areas containing blood vessels are determined, and a first luminance ratio between the first and third narrowband signals and a second luminance ratio between the second and third narrowband signals are calculated at every pixel of the vascular areas. From the calculated first and second luminance ratios, information about both the depth and oxygen saturation of the blood vessels is acquired with reference to correlation data that correlates the first and second luminance ratios to the vessel depth and the oxygen saturation.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2010Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Takaaki Saitou, Yasuhiro Minetoma, Minkyung Chun
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Patent number: 8303494Abstract: An image of a tissue site including a blood vessel is captured while broadband light and narrow band light are emitted to a body cavity. Thereby, broadband image data corresponding to the broadband light and narrow band image data corresponding to the narrow band light are obtained. Picture elements in the same positions are identified between the broadband image and the narrow band image to obtain a brightness ratio LM therebetween. Based on depth correlation information between the brightness ratio and blood vessel depth, a blood vessel depth D corresponding to the brightness ratio is obtained to determine whether each picture element includes a blood vessel and whether the blood vessel depth D is at the surface. Based on the determination, a surface blood vessel region is extracted. A broadband image having the surface blood vessel region with the reduced contrast is generated.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2010Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Fujifilm CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro Minetoma
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Publication number: 20120259232Abstract: An endoscope apparatus has: a light source device that includes a light source irradiating narrow band light and a fluorescent substance to emit predetermined fluorescent light and that irradiates illumination light; an endoscope body that includes an imaging element outputting an image signal; and a processing device that includes a signal dividing unit dividing the image signal into a first image signal corresponding to the narrow hand light and a second image signal corresponding to the fluorescent light, a blood vessel depth information calculating unit calculating blood vessel depth information based on the first image signal and the second image signal, a spectral estimation information calculating unit calculating spectral estimation information based on the second image signal, and an image processing unit generating a captured image from the first image signal, the second image signal, the blood vessel depth information, and the spectral estimation information.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2012Publication date: October 11, 2012Applicant: Fujifilm CorporationInventors: Yasuhiro MINETOMA, Toshihiko Kaku
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Publication number: 20120253122Abstract: An endoscope system includes an illumination apparatus for applying imaging light to body tissue in a tube of a body cavity. An electronic endoscope images the body tissue illuminated with the imaging light, and outputs a blue image signal of blue and a green image signal of green. A signal processing device detects specific body tissue (such as blood vessels) in the body tissue according to the blue and green image signals. A calibration device refers to a reference ratio predetermined according to a reflectivity of the body tissue in relation to the blue and green, and calibrates the blue and green image signals to set a ratio between the blue and green image signals equal to the reference ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2012Publication date: October 4, 2012Applicant: Fujifilm CorporationInventors: Yasuhiro MINETOMA, Toshihiko Kaku
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Publication number: 20120197076Abstract: Broadband light and narrowband light are simultaneously projected toward a subject. The subject is imaged by a color CCD to obtain a blue signal, a green signal, and a green signal. A base image is generated from the signals of three colors. Based on a luminance ratio B/G between the blue signal and the red signal, a B/G image is generated. A high frequency component is extracted from the B/G image to obtain a superficial-blood-vessel extracted image, and a medium frequency component is extracted from the B/G image to obtain a middle-deep-blood-vessel extracted image. Based on the base image and one of the superficial-blood-vessel extracted image and the middle-deep-blood-vessel extracted image, a blood vessel emphasized/de-emphasized image, in which the superficial blood vessels or the middle-deep blood vessels are emphasized or de-emphasized, is generated. The blood vessel emphasized/de-emphasized image is displayed on a monitor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2011Publication date: August 2, 2012Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATIONInventor: Yasuhiro MINETOMA
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Publication number: 20120147166Abstract: An endoscope apparatus is provided for which a user does not need to adjust irradiation light quantity intentionally while confirming a captured image. A captured image which is bright and has stable tint can be obtained without being limited by an imaging distance with respect to the observation of the structure or components of living bodies. The endoscope apparatus includes a first light source section, a second light source section, a light source control unit which controls the irradiation and irradiation light quantity, an imaging unit which obtains a captured image, luminance value calculating unit which calculates the luminance value, a light source light quantity changing unit which changes the irradiation light quantity according to the luminance value, a white balance adjustment value calculating unit which calculates a white balance adjustment value, and a gain adjusting unit which adjusts the gain of the imaging unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2011Publication date: June 14, 2012Inventors: Yasuhiro MINETOMA, Hiroshi Yamaguchi
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Publication number: 20120078044Abstract: The endoscope device includes an imaging section that captures an image of a subject using light returned from a living body after a narrow band light and a wide band light are simultaneously emitted from a first and second light source sections to the subject, and outputs captured image information, an image processing section that performs a predetermined image processing on the captured image information and an imaging information detecting section that detects as imaging information an automatic exposure value or an imaging magnification for capturing the subject, or subject information related to a structure and a component of the living body of the subject. Light emission conditions of the first and second light source sections and an image processing condition of the image processing section are changed based on the imaging information.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Yasuhiro Minetoma
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Publication number: 20110245642Abstract: An electronic endoscope system includes a light source device, an electronic endoscope for sequentially illuminating a subject tissue containing a blood vessel inside a body cavity with the light, and sequentially outputting image data of wavelength bands of the subject tissue corresponding to the different wavelength bands of received reflected light, a calculator for calculating a blood vessel characteristics amount in a subject tissue from the image data, a calculator for calculating an oxygen saturation level in the blood vessel from the image data, an image producer for producing a reference image of the subject tissue from the image data, an extractor for extracting a region of interest from the reference image, a producer for producing an enhanced image, and a display for displaying the enhanced image.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Inventor: Yasuhiro MINETOMA
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Publication number: 20110237894Abstract: To provide an endoscope apparatus in which the observation image can be varied continuously as the observation magnification is varied by a zoom magnification varying manipulation so that an observation image suitable for an endoscope diagnosis is obtained at each observation magnification, and to thereby prevent the operator from feeling uncomfortable and increase the accuracy of a diagnosis. An endoscope apparatus is equipped with illuminating unit having plural light sources which generate light beams having different spectra, for illuminating an observation subject; imaging unit for imaging the observation subject; observation magnification varying unit for varying observation magnification of the imaging of the imaging unit; and light quantity ratio varying unit for continuously varying an emission light quantity ratio between the plural light sources according to the observation magnification that is set by the observation magnification varying unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2011Publication date: September 29, 2011Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATIONInventors: Satoshi OZAWA, Takayuki IIDA, Yasuhiro MINETOMA, Akihiko ERIKAWA
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Publication number: 20110109734Abstract: Image capture is performed while broadband and narrow band light are simultaneously emitted to tissue site. B pixel sensing the narrow band light outputs a summed image signal having a brightness value of a B component of the broadband light and a brightness value of the narrow band light. G and R pixels, not sensing the narrow band light, output broadband image signals having brightness values of G and R components of the broadband light, respectively. Based on correlation information and the G component of the broadband light, the brightness value of the B component of the broadband light is obtained. The obtained brightness value is subtracted from the summed image signal to separate the brightness value of the narrow band light therefrom. A broadband image and a narrow band image are generated from the broadband image signals and the narrow band image signal, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2010Publication date: May 12, 2011Inventor: Yasuhiro MINETOMA
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Publication number: 20110112362Abstract: An image of a tissue site including a blood vessel is captured while broadband light and narrow band light are emitted to a body cavity. Thereby, broadband image data corresponding to the broadband light and narrow band image data corresponding to the narrow band light are obtained. Picture elements in the same positions are identified between the broadband image and the narrow band image to obtain a brightness ratio LM therebetween. Based on depth correlation information between the brightness ratio and blood vessel depth, a blood vessel depth D corresponding to the brightness ratio is obtained to determine whether each picture element includes a blood vessel and whether the blood vessel depth D is at the surface. Based on the determination, a surface blood vessel region is extracted. A broadband image having the surface blood vessel region with the reduced contrast is generated.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2010Publication date: May 12, 2011Inventor: Yasuhiro MINETOMA
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Publication number: 20110077462Abstract: Illumination light projected into a body cavity includes first to third narrowband rays of different wavelength ranges, at least one of these narrowband rays has a central wavelength of not more than 450 nm. Under these narrowband rays, first to third narrowband image signals are respectively obtained through an endoscope. Based on the first to third narrowband image signals, vascular areas containing blood vessels are determined, and a first luminance ratio between the first and third narrowband signals and a second luminance ratio between the second and third narrowband signals are calculated at every pixel of the vascular areas. From the calculated first and second luminance ratios, information about both the depth and oxygen saturation of the blood vessels is acquired with reference to correlation data that correlates the first and second luminance ratios to the vessel depth and the oxygen saturation.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2010Publication date: March 31, 2011Applicant: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Takaaki Saitou, Yasuhiro Minetoma, Minkyung Chun