Color Sequential Illumination Patents (Class 348/70)
  • Patent number: 11963280
    Abstract: An illumination light adjusting system according to the present disclosures includes a color vision characteristics storage configured to store color vision characteristics of a user, and a wavelength characteristics changing unit configured to change wavelength characteristics of illumination light based on the color vision characteristics stored in the color vision characteristics storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignees: IRIS COMMUNICATION KABUSHIKI KAISHA, NICO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masafumi Yano
  • Patent number: 11717144
    Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes an illumination device generating illumination light including a first light, a second light, and a third light, an imaging device capturing an image based on return light from biological tissue, and a processor configured to perform image processing based on first, second, and third images respectively corresponding to the first light, the second light, and the third light. The first light has a peak wavelength within a predetermined wavelength range including a wavelength achieving a largest value of a hemoglobin absorption coefficient. The second light has a peak wavelength between a wavelength achieving a smallest value of the hemoglobin absorption coefficient and a wavelength achieving a first maximum value of the hemoglobin absorption coefficient on a shorter wavelength side of the wavelength achieving the smallest value. The third light has a peak wavelength between the peak wavelengths of the first light and the second light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasunori Morita
  • Patent number: 11700456
    Abstract: A medical control device includes: a driving mode switch configured to switch a driving mode of a rolling shutter type image sensor in which a plurality of pixels are two-dimensionally arrayed in units of horizontal lines; and a dimming controller configured to control a light emitting element configured to emit light according to a supplied current, and switch control of the light emitting element according to the driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Koji Kojima
  • Patent number: 11602265
    Abstract: A control device includes an image quality control unit configured to control image quality of an image for display on a basis of optical axis angle information with reference to a scope axis of an endoscope and an image signal acquired by an image sensor. The optical axis angle information is information detected by information obtained by acquiring light source angle information controlled by an imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takami Mizukura, Takeshi Uemori, Kentaro Fukazawa, Daisuke Kikuchi, Tsuneo Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11543747
    Abstract: Provided are a composition, in which, in a case where an absorbance of 500 nm is A500, an absorbance of 580 nm is B580, and an absorbance of 600 nm is C600, an absorbance of A500/B580 is 2.0 or more, and C600/B580 is 1.5 or more, a color filter, and a hemoglobin sensor having the color filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotaka Takishita, Kazuya Oota
  • Patent number: 11266294
    Abstract: Provided is an image processing device including: an image processing unit that generates image data for output from a captured image of an inside of a body cavity of a patient photographed by an endoscope. The image processing unit generates the image data in a manner that, when a lens barrel of the endoscope is moved in an optical axis direction of an objective lens during photographing, a display range in the captured image that is a range expressed in a display image displayed on a display device does not change, during the movement and after the movement, from a display range before the movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Hirayama, Daisuke Kikuchi, Yuki Sugie, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Daisuke Nagao, Takara Kasai
  • Patent number: 11083368
    Abstract: A method and system for computing an HDR image (38) from a digital color input image (4) of an object (30) containing a fluorescing fluorophore (22) acquires the input image using a color camera (2) having at least two different types (16, 17, 18) of color sensor (8), such as an R, G and B sensor. The input image may be recorded in a co-sensing wavelength band (64, 66, 68) wherein different spectral responsivities (58, 60, 62) of the different types of color sensor overlap. The input image comprises different digital monochrome input images (6), each recorded by a different type of color sensor. Light incident on the camera may be filtered using a band-pass filter (32) having a tunable pass band (34) which defines the co-sensing wavelength band and may be adjusted depending on spectral responsivities of the color sensors, the fluorophore, and characteristics of the monochrome input images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Leica Instruments (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: George Themelis
  • Patent number: 10901199
    Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an electric lens capable of changing a focal length by applying a voltage; an imaging unit configured to capture a subject image formed by the electric lens to generate image signals; a focus controller configured to perform control to periodically repeat sequential switching of the focal length of the electric lens between two or more values; and a video signal generator configured to generate a video signal to be provided to a display device from the image signals generated by the imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Takamasa Mikami, Yuichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 10891743
    Abstract: An image processing device is configured to perform enhancement processing on a specific image, using multiple images of types that are different from one another at least one of which is captured at a time different from a time at which other images are captured. The image processing device includes a processor comprising hardware, the processor being configured to execute: acquiring the multiple images; calculating information representing a state of at least one of the multiple images that is used for enhancement; and creating an enhanced image by performing the enhancement processing on an image to be enhanced based on the information representing the state and the multiple images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masashi Hirota
  • Patent number: 10729317
    Abstract: An intubation instrument includes a proximal end and a distal end, a handle positioned at the proximal end, a control interface disposed on or proximate to the handle, the control interface being configured to receive user input and to control a function of the instrument based on said user input, the control interface having a light source disposed within the control interface to illuminate at least a portion of the control interface, the light source alternately emitting light in different colors, each color indicating a different state of the function of the instrument. The instrument includes an imaging system for generating image data, and a monitor for displaying the image data and a graphical interface. A section of the graphical interface includes information about the state of the instrument and is displayed in a color corresponding to the color of light emitted by the light source of the control interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Karl Storz SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Armin Eggli, Cyrill Künzle, Dieter Hüls, Ulrich Merz
  • Patent number: 10732906
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for managing data in a multi-device data storage system. In some embodiments, a plurality of data storage devices are provided, each data storage device having a local driver circuit adapted to transfer data with a local memory module. A main driver circuit external to the plurality of data storage devices is configured to stream frequency modulated write data via parallel data transfer paths to the respective local driver circuits for concurrent transfer of the frequency modulated write data to the respective local memory modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Philip Jurey, Dale T. Riley, John W. Shaw
  • Patent number: 10542226
    Abstract: An imaging element includes: a pixel chip where a pixel unit and a vertical selecting unit are arranged, the pixel unit including plural pixels that are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, the pixels being configured to generate and output imaging signals; a transmission chip where at least a power source unit and a transmission unit are arranged; plural capacitative chips, each capacitative chip having capacitance functioning as a bypass condenser for a power source in the power source unit; and plural connecting portions configured to electrically connect the pixel chip, the transmission chip, and the capacitative chip respectively to another chip. The transmission chip is layered and connected at a back surface side of the pixel chip. The capacitative chips are layered and connected at a back surface side of the transmission chip. The connecting portions are arranged so as to overlap one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takanori Tanaka, Masashi Saito, Takatoshi Igarashi, Satoru Adachi, Katsumi Hosogai, Nana Akahane
  • Patent number: 10510233
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes how to reduce or eliminate negative effects caused by bright lights in a change detection system. As a result, false alarms caused by lighting changes may be significantly reduced or eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: JEMEZ TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventor: Melvin G. Duran
  • Patent number: 10356378
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: an image acquisition unit configured to acquire images including at least one narrow-band image and having different wavelength component distributions from one another; an absorption information extracting unit configured to extract absorption information from a first image on the basis of a specific frequency component in the first image and correlation between the first image and a second image, the first image being a narrow-band image among the images, the second image being an image different from the first image among the images, the absorption information being image information indicating a change in absorption caused by absorption of narrow-band light used in capturing of the first image by a light absorber; and a display image generating unit configured to generate an image for display by combining the absorption information with at least any one of the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masashi Hirota
  • Patent number: 10335073
    Abstract: An electronic endoscope has normal and high-sensitivity image sensors. In a special mode for imaging an oxygen saturation level of blood, one of the normal and high-sensitivity image sensors is selected in accordance with a reflected light amount of special illumination light. When the normal image sensor is selected, the normal image sensor captures an image under irradiation with the special illumination light and outputs a second normal-sensor image. When an average pixel value of the second normal-sensor image is less than a first sensor selection threshold value, the use of the high-sensitivity image sensor is started. When the high-sensitivity image sensor is selected, the high-sensitivity image sensor captures an image under irradiation with the special illumination light and outputs a high-sensitivity-sensor image. When the average pixel value of the high-sensitivity-sensor image is more than a second sensor selection threshold value, the use of the high-sensitivity image sensor is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiko Kaku, Jin Murayama
  • Patent number: 10265004
    Abstract: In a blood information measuring apparatus, a plurality of types of light of a superficial layer wavelength set, a middle layer wavelength set, and a deep layer wavelength set are successively applied to a detected hypoxic region. A CCD captures an image under the light of each wavelength set, and an oxygen saturation image is produced independently from one wavelength set to another. A wavelength set determination section creates a histogram of each oxygen saturation image. The wavelength set determination section chooses one of the wavelength sets corresponding to the histogram having a maximum variance as an actual imaging wavelength set. Actual imaging operation is performed using the actual imaging wavelength set, and an oxygen saturation level of each pixel is calculated. The oxygen saturation level is reflected in the image, and the image is displayed on a monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Takaaki Saito
  • Patent number: 10165934
    Abstract: An endoscope apparatus has an image pickup device having a first pixel having a sensitivity in a predetermined wavelength band, and a second pixel having a sensitivity in a wavelength band including a part of the predetermined wavelength band, a light source section configured to generate a light for irradiating a subject, an intensity of which reaches a peak in the part of the predetermined wavelength band to which the second pixel has a sensitivity, and an addition section configured to generate an addition signal obtained by adding a first image pickup signal obtained by receiving a return light from the subject at a time of the subject being irradiated in the first pixel, and a second image pickup signal obtained by receiving a return light from the subject in the second pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Igarashi, Yasunori Morita, Kazuhiro Takizawa
  • Patent number: 10097804
    Abstract: Improvement of image quality is realizable. An adding unit generates a summed value corresponding to a sum of all values of respective pixel signals of a plurality of first pixels each of which has sensitivities to visible light and invisible light. The values are weighted by first weighting coefficients that are different from each other and determined such that a difference between a sum of the sensitivities of the first pixels to the visible light and a sensitivity of a second pixel to the visible light, which second pixel has sensitivities to the visible light and the invisible light, becomes smaller than a predetermined tolerance in a state that the sensitivities of the first pixels to the visible light are weighted by the first weighting coefficients and that the sensitivity of the second pixel to the visible light is weighted by a second weighting coefficient. A weighting processing unit weights a pixel signal of the second pixel by the second weighting coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasushi Sato, Masatsugu Fukunaga, Ping Wah Wong
  • Patent number: 10048484
    Abstract: An imaging system with an imaging lens system for imaging an object into an image plane is disclosed. The imaging lens system contains an optical component for a higher depth of field, of which the refractive power is alterable and the optical effect remains rotation-symmetrical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignees: Carl Zeiss AG, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Marco Pretorius, Markus Seesselberg, Artur Hoegele, Christoph Nieten, Enrico Geissler
  • Patent number: 10051166
    Abstract: A system and method for providing light to an optical scope having a lightport. A light device connects a camera to an optical scope and supplies light to the scope while allowing for scope rotation. The light device has a proximal end attached to the distal end of the camera, a distal end adapted to be attached to and detached from the scope, and a light source. The light source may be powered by electrical power received from the camera. A light cable extends from the light device and has a distal end adapted to be attached to and detached from the light post on the scope to supply light to the scope. The distal end of the light device is rotatable with respect to the distal end of the camera such that the light cable is able to rotate about the optical axis of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: KARL STORZ Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: George E. Duckett, III, Marc Amling, Dashiell Birnkrant
  • Patent number: 9538909
    Abstract: A microelectronics chip contains an integrated CMOS imaging sensor integrated with a LED die. Circuitry is established on the chip for a shared power arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Junzhao Lei, Guannho G. Tsau
  • Patent number: 9510730
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus and method are provided. The probe for an imaging apparatus includes a manually manipulable proximal portion; a straight distal portion with a distal tip for locating at a site to define an observational field; and a curved portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The imaging method includes the steps of locating a distal tip of an imaging probe at a site to define an observational field; irradiating the observational field from the distal tip; and collecting a return signal at the distal tip; wherein the probe comprises a manually manipulable proximal portion. The apparatus and method provided herein are useful for various applications including but not limited to endomicroscopy and other microsurgical procedures performed under optical stereoscopic magnified visualization, such as neurosurgery, ENT/facial surgery and spinal surgery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignees: Optiscan Pty Ltd., Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc.
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Miesner, Christoph Hauger, Werner Nahm, Frank Rudolph, Guido Hattendorf, Peter M. Delaney, John D. Allen
  • Patent number: 9420153
    Abstract: An electronic endo scope system includes a light source that emits light including at least a visible light band, an optical filter that has a transmittance peak at a particular wavelength within a continuous wavelength band including at least the visible light band and that has a transmittance distribution which is based on the transmittance peak within an entire of the continuous wavelength band except the transmittance peak, an optical filter switching unit that inserts and retracts the optical filter into and out of an illumination optical path of the light source, a color solid state image pick-up device that receives reflected light from a subject illuminated with illumination light which has passed, or not passed, through the optical filter, and an image generating unit that generates a color image displayable on a monitor by processing an imaging signal output by the solid state image pick-up device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chinari Tanaka, Shinichi Takayama, Tetsuya Utsui, Yoshimi Obara
  • Patent number: 9412214
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes: a light source that emits light at a plurality of wavelengths; and a rod-like light guide that shapes light emitted by the light source into a line, wherein the light guide is made of a material including a region in which transmittance of wavelengths is not constant, the light source is arranged at one end of the light guide in a longitudinal direction, the light source includes a wavelength of a region in which transmittance of the light guide is not constant, and a reflection surface including reflection member having reflectance differences for the light at a plurality of wavelengths is formed at the other end of the light guide in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: CANON COMPONENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Shuuichi Shimoda, Morio Tezuka, Taiji Migita, Takahiro Kaihotsu
  • Patent number: 9313388
    Abstract: Provided is a fluorescence observation device comprising an illuminating section that emits excitation light and illumination light onto a subject; a fluorescence-image capturing section that acquires a fluorescence image by image-capturing fluorescence generated in the subject by irradiation with the excitation light from the illuminating section; a return-light-image capturing section that acquires a return-light image by image-capturing return light that returns from the subject by irradiation with the illumination light from the illuminating section; a region extracting section that extracts a high-luminance region in which the fluorescence image acquired by the fluorescence-image capturing section has a gradation level higher than or equal to a set threshold value; and a threshold setting section that sets the threshold value higher as the gradation level of the return-light image acquired by the return-light-image capturing section increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiromi Shida
  • Patent number: 9265406
    Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes: an image pickup portion that, with respect to return light including a plurality of wavelength band components that is generated accompanying irradiation of illuminating light onto an object, receives the return light with a plurality of different spectral sensitivities and generates an image pickup signal for each of the spectral sensitivities; a correction portion that, based on a spectral distribution of the return light and spectral sensitivity characteristics of the image pickup portion, sets a correction coefficient so that spectral distributions for each of the plurality of wavelength band components included in the image pickup signals become a similar shape to each other; and a calculation portion that, based on the correction coefficient, performs a calculation that separates image pickup signals into each wavelength band component among the plurality of wavelength band components included in the return light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunji Takei, Nobuyuki Doguchi
  • Patent number: 9179074
    Abstract: The endoscope device includes a light source control section that controls emission of a narrow band light from a first light source section and a wide band light from a second light source section and light emission amounts of the narrow and wide band light, an imaging section that captures an image of a subject using returned light from the subject, a light amount calculating section that calculates a capturing light amount, a light amount ratio calculating section that calculates a ratio between light emission amounts of the narrow and wide band light, and an image processing section that performs a predetermined image processing. The light source control section controls the light emission amounts in accordance with the capturing light amount and the image processing section changes an image processing condition for adjusting a color tint in accordance with the ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Yasuda
  • Patent number: 9167960
    Abstract: First and second white light is generated by excitations of phosphors with first and second laser beams having center wavelengths of 473 nm and 445 nm, respectively. The first and second white light is applied, in respective frames, sequentially to a region of interest in a subject. A color image sensor images the region of interest in the each frame. Based on a shift amount, calculated from green signals of first and second frames, between images, an image of a blue signal of the first frame is moved to be aligned with an image of a green signal and an image of a red signal of the second frame. After the alignment, an oxygen saturation image representing an oxygen saturation level of hemoglobin in blood is produced from the blue signal of the first frame and green and red signals of the second frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Takaaki Saito, Takayuki Iida
  • Patent number: 9083840
    Abstract: An illumination device and an image reading apparatus having improved heat resistance and spectral characteristics are provided. An illumination device used in an image reading apparatus that moves relative to a read area of a document includes: a light source; a light guide including an incident surface on which light from the light source is incident and an exit surface from which light from the light source exits; and a spectroscopic unit that is provided between the light source and the light guide and includes, on a surface of a glass substrate facing the light source, a multi-layer film for reflecting infrared light toward the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikutaro Mitsutake, Tadao Hayashide, Narumasa Ito
  • Patent number: 9044163
    Abstract: The endoscope apparatus includes an illumination unit for irradiating at least three kinds of illumination light having different wavelengths including standard light, first and second reference light onto a biological object, a switching unit for periodically switching the illumination light, an imaging unit for capturing image data by the illumination light in each imaging frame, and an acquisition unit for acquiring biological function information from the captured image data. The irradiation order of illumination light is switched at least in order of the first reference light, the standard light and the second reference light, a standard image by the standard light and reference images by the reference light are acquired, and the biological function information is calculated based on the standard image and the reference images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Takaaki Saito
  • Patent number: 9041807
    Abstract: An image processing device configured to be installed in a vehicle includes an image acquirer, an image selector, a first luminance adjuster, a synthetic image generator, and an image provider. The image acquirer acquires camera images captured by cameras provided on the vehicle. The image selector selects one of the camera images as a representative image based on luminances of the camera images. The first luminance adjuster adjusts a luminance of at least one of the other camera images based on a luminance of the representative image. The synthetic image generator generates a synthetic image showing a periphery of the vehicle, based on the representative image and the other camera images the luminance of at least one of which has been adjusted by the first adjuster. The image provider outputs, to a display device installed in the vehicle, information corresponding to the synthetic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignees: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED, FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahiko Murakami, Nobunori Asayama
  • Patent number: 9041793
    Abstract: A method of using a scanning microscope to rapidly form a digital image of an area. The method includes performing an initial set of scans to form a guide pixel set for the area and using the guide pixel set to identify regions representing structures of interest in the area. Then, performing additional scans of the regions representing structures of interest, to gather further data to further evaluate pixels in the regions, and not scanning elsewhere in the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: FEI COMPANY
    Inventors: Cliff Bugge, Brandon van Leer
  • Patent number: 9030541
    Abstract: An endoscope system includes: a photoelectric conversion element; a contour enhancing section that detects an edge component in a picked-up image subjected to the photoelectric conversion, thereby generating a contour enhancement signal; an electronic zoom region determining section that determines an electronic zoom region in the picked-up image based on a strength of the contour enhancement signal; an instruction section that provides an instruction for enlargement/reduction of the image; a parameter setting section that sets a zoom parameter for an electronic zoom section according to the instruction provided by the instruction section; and the electronic zoom section that performs an electronic zoom of the picked-up image for the electronic zoom region determined, according to the parameter set by the parameter setting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Yuji Kutsuma, Keisuke Tsutsui
  • Patent number: 9025017
    Abstract: A method for detecting a capsule camera entering into or exiting the GI tract, includes (a) taking a first test image under the condition that an illumination system of the capsule camera is disabled; (b) taking a second test image under the same condition as the first test image; (c) comparing selected corresponding pixel values of the first test image and the second test image to determine if a significant change in pixel values has occurred; and (d) upon detecting the significant change in pixel values, determining if the capsule camera has entered or exited the GI tract, and performing operations appropriate to follow such determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Capso Vision, Inc.
    Inventor: Kang-Huai Wang
  • Patent number: 9001214
    Abstract: A method, system and reference target for estimating spectral data on a selected one of three spectral information types is disclosed. Spectral information types comprise illumination of a scene, spectral sensitivity of an imager imaging the scene and reflectance of a surface in the scene. The method comprises obtaining a ranking order for plural sensor responses produced by the imager, each sensor responses being produced from a reference target in the scene, obtaining, from an alternate source, data on the other two spectral information types, determining a set of constraints, the set including, for each sequential pair combination of sensor responses when taken in said ranking order, a constraint determined in dependence on the ranking and on the other two spectral information types for the respective sensor responses and, in dependence on the ranking order and on the set of constraints, determining said spectral data that optimally satisfies said constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: University of East Anglia
    Inventor: Graham Finlayson
  • Patent number: 8976231
    Abstract: A device for measuring three dimensional shape includes a first irradiation unit, a first grating control unit, a second irradiation unit, a second grating control unit, an imaging unit, and an image processing unit. After performance of a first imaging operation as imaging processing of a single operation among a multiplicity of imaging operations performed by irradiation of said first light pattern of multiply varied phases, a second imaging operation is performed as imaging processing of a single operation among a multiplicity of imaging operations performed by irradiation of said second light pattern of multiply varied phases. After completion of the first imaging operation and the second imaging operation, shifting or switching operation of the first grating and the second grating is performed simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: CKD Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Ishigaki
  • Patent number: 8970685
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Minetoma, Hiroshi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8957952
    Abstract: In a processor of a wireless image transmission system that transmits, by radio communication, an image signal obtained by converting an image obtained by an endoscope apparatus, a communication state detection unit monitors a communication state of radio communication. An editing unit edits the image signal according to a mode in which the endoscope apparatus obtains an image when the deterioration of a communication state is detected by the communication state detection unit. A transmission unit transmits the image signal output from the editing unit to a receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Junichi Tashiro, Masashi Umemura, Hideki Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20150022647
    Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes an illuminating section capable of irradiating a subject with a light in a first wavelength band and light in a second wavelength band, an image processing section including a color filter configured by a plurality of filters, the image processing section generating, from two image pickup signals respectively generated in a first pixel and a second pixel that respectively receive light in a predetermined wavelength band and light in a wavelength band different from the predetermined wavelength band among return lights from the subject, first and second image signals, a control section that determines whether the two image pickup signals can be separated into the first and second image signals, and an illumination control section that performs irradiation in a time division manner or simultaneous irradiation according to a determination result whether the separation is possible or not.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventors: Shunji TAKEI, Makoto IGARASHI
  • Publication number: 20140362200
    Abstract: An embodiment of an image processing apparatus includes: an illuminating section which sequentially irradiates an object with a first and second illuminating light beams polarized in different directions. The section emits the polarized light beams sequentially so that the wavelength ranges of the light beams do not overlap with each other. The apparatus further includes: a polarization image sensor; a polarization mosaic processing section which obtains a first polarization image while the object is being irradiated with the first illuminating light beam and a second polarization image while the object is being irradiated with the second illuminating light beam; a depressed area detecting section which detects a depressed area on the surface of the object based on the polarization images; and an image forming section which forms an image representing the depressed area in an enhanced form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Katsuhiro KANAMORI, Norihiro IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20140364690
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a light source capable of emitting multi-types of illumination light beams, an imaging unit including an imaging element driven by a rolling shutter method, a light source control unit, a frame image control unit, and an image generation unit. The frame image control unit controls the light source control unit and the imaging unit so as to obtain an output having a frame group, in which second exposure frames Exp2 and Exp4 are respectively disposed before and after a first exposure frame Exp3, as one period. The imaging signal generation unit generates an imaging signal according to illumination light using a ratio of a period from the exposure start timing of each horizontal pixel line to the switching timing of the illumination light and a period from the switching timing of the illumination light to the exposure end timing in the first and second exposure frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventor: Yasuhiro SETO
  • Patent number: 8860891
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the effective contrast ratio and brightness yields for digital light valve image projectors using a variable luminance control mechanism (VLCM), associated with the projector optics, for modifying the light output and provide a correction thereto; and an adaptive luminance control module (ALCM) for receiving signals from the video input board, the adaptive luminance control module producing a signal on a VLCM bus connecting the variable luminance control mechanism and the adaptive luminance control module, the signal causing the variable luminance control mechanism to change the luminance of the light output and provide a corrected video signal for the projector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Inventors: Eddie E. Allen, Thomas D. Strade, Christopher Coley
  • Patent number: 8850714
    Abstract: A chromaticity correction device corrects chromaticity of a video signal displayed on a display panel of a display device to correspond to a change in a luminance value of the display panel. The chromaticity correction device includes a luminance detection unit which detects the luminance value, a backlight driving level detection unit which detects a backlight driving level, a temperature detection unit which detects an internal device temperature or an ambient temperature, a reference luminance value calculation unit which estimates a reference luminance value in a characteristic of an initial state, a chromaticity calculation unit which obtains a chromaticity change amount of white point chromaticity and estimated white point chromaticity that is an estimated value of current white point chromaticity, a chromaticity correction value calculation unit which obtains a chromaticity correction value and a chromaticity correction circuit which corrects the chromaticity of the video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Display Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Matsui
  • Patent number: 8854445
    Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes an image pickup section equipped with a color separation section that picks up an image of returning light from a subject illuminated by an illumination section, an emphasis processing section that performs emphasis processing on sharpness of an image signal generated from the output signal of the image pickup section and a storage section that stores information for modifying processing contents of the emphasis processing, wherein the storage section stores information for setting image signals to be subjected to emphasis processing in first and second observation modes in which images are picked up under illumination of white light and narrow band light respectively to a luminance signal and a color difference signal, and the emphasis processing section performs emphasis processing on the luminance signal with a greater emphasis characteristic than the color difference signal over an entire frequency domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
    Inventor: Kenji Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8810651
    Abstract: A digital security camera system and method for pseudo-color covert night vision is provided. The system includes one or more light sources adapted for providing selective illumination at a plurality of infrared wavelengths, such as 730 nm, 830 nm and 940 nm. A monochrome digital image capture device records multiple images of a target illuminated in the plurality of wavelengths and stored in a storage device. A processor retrieves the set of recorded images and assigns each wavelength to a specific color channel. The color channels are combined into a composite color image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc
    Inventor: Cristian M. Calnegru
  • Patent number: 8810734
    Abstract: A portable digital television (DTV) comprises a processor, a channel and volume changing button arrangement, and a navigational button arrangement. Either or both button arrangements can be used in at least a bi-modal operation. In a first mode of operation, the button arrangements provide their normal functions, and in the second mode of operation, the button arrangements provide an interactive application interface to the user. Preferably, one of the two button arrangements is selected for the bi-modal operation. The selected button arrangement is associated with at least an optical element for lighting the button arrangement. The controller operates the optical element such that the selected button arrangement has one color in one mode of operation and has a different color in the other mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Eric Andrew Dorsey
  • Patent number: 8773522
    Abstract: A band-limiting filter of the invention exhibits a trimodal filter characteristic, and includes, for example, band-limiting transmittance filter characteristic portions Rb, Gb, and Bb for wavelength regions of red, green, and blue, respectively. More specifically, the band-limiting transmittance filter characteristic portions Rb, Gb, and Bb, for example, have bandpass characteristics in which the respective center wavelengths are 630 nm (full width at half maximum ?1=30 to 90 nm), 540 nm (full width at half maximum ?2=20 to 60 nm), and 440 nm (full width at half maximum ?3=50 to 80 nm). This makes it possible to obtain an image of a predetermined color tone by restraining an influence of spectral sensitivity characteristic of an image pickup device when the band-limiting filter is applied to a synchronous type endoscope for performing color image pickup to perform observation under normal illumination light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
    Inventor: Kenji Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8711167
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for generating and transmitting video frame data from a graphics processing unit (GPU) to a color field sequential display device. A frame buffer image comprising per-pixel packed color channels is transformed to a frame buffer image comprising regions corresponding to the color channels with vertical blanking regions inserted between color sub-field regions. Each region of the transformed frame buffer image is sequentially transmitted to the color field sequential display device for display of the corresponding color channel. Backlight illumination for each color channel is controlled by the GPU for temporal alignment with display of each color channel during a vertical blanking interval. The GPU may compensate an individual pixel's color channel value based on a corresponding previous color channel value in order to minimize crosstalk between neighboring color fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventor: David Wyatt
  • Patent number: 8704156
    Abstract: Disclosed is a solid-state image pickup apparatus including a photoelectric converter formed on a substrate, a wiring portion formed above the photoelectric converter and constituted of multilayer wirings, and an insulating portion in which the multilayer wirings of the wiring portion are embedded, the insulating portion having a refractive index larger than a silicon oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8704844
    Abstract: In embodiments of power saving field sequential color (FSC), an illumination source illuminates pixels of a displayable image by sequentially generating RGB (red, green, blue) components of a pixel in a timed sequence of field sequential color. The pixels of a displayable image may also include a white component derived from the RGB components. An illumination reduction algorithm is implemented to determine the highest RGB (or RGBW) components from any of the pixels of the displayable image. The highest RGB (or RGBW) components can be determined from any combination of the same or different pixels of the displayable image. The illumination reduction algorithm then divides each of the highest RGB (or RGBW) components by a maximum brightness value to generate respective RGB (or RGBW) component factors. A display controller then processes each pixel of the displayable image for display according to the RGB (or RGBW) component factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Rod G. Fleck, Derek Leslie Knee