Endoscope Color Component Calculation Using Multi-Frame Relational Expressions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional endoscope systems face challenges in efficiently capturing high-quality in-vivo images using sequential illumination with red, green, and blue light, as existing methods struggle to accurately calculate color components for each horizontal line within a frame, leading to suboptimal image processing and display.
Innovation Solution
The endoscope system employs a light source device that sequentially emits illumination light of three colors, an image sensor with a matrix of pixels for photoelectric conversion, and a color component calculation unit that uses relational expressions based on output values from multiple frames to calculate each color component signal for each horizontal line, allowing for precise color component extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sequential illumination with three colors is performed for each horizontal line, then color component accuracy is improved, but exposure time per color is reduced and afterimage effects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from temporal separation (sequential illumination per line) to spatial-temporal combination (simultaneous illumination across multiple lines with different colors). By illuminating multiple horizontal lines simultaneously with different colors and using a stacked sensor architecture, the system achieves full-color capture without sequential scanning, thereby increasing exposure time per color while maintaining color accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the image sensor into multiple stacked layers, with each layer dedicated to capturing a specific color component. This segmentation allows simultaneous capture of R, G, and B components across different horizontal lines in parallel, eliminating the time loss associated with sequential illumination while preserving measurement precision through dedicated photodetectors for each color.
2Device complexity
If sequential illumination with three colors is performed, then color component extraction is simplified, but image quality deteriorates due to afterimage effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a stacked three-dimensional sensor architecture where different color components are captured simultaneously on separate layers. This spatial arrangement eliminates the temporal sequencing that causes afterimage effects, maintaining image quality while preserving the computational simplicity of sequential color extraction through layered signal separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates duplicate sensor layers for different color components, allowing each layer to independently capture its designated color without interference from sequential switching. This copying approach eliminates afterimage effects caused by temporal sequencing while maintaining the simplicity of color component extraction through direct layer-specific signal reading.
3Measurement precision
If illumination light of three colors is emitted in different illumination periods, then color separation is improved, but cable transmission load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the color capture process into separate stacked sensor layers, with each layer dedicated to a specific color component. This segmentation allows simultaneous capture of all color components without temporal separation, reducing the data transmission burden on cables while maintaining excellent color separation through physical layer isolation and dedicated photodetectors.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the generation of high-quality RGB image signals by accurately calculating color components for each horizontal line, ensuring sufficient exposure periods for all pixels and reducing cable transmission load, while maintaining image sensor sensitivity and minimizing afterimage effects.
Implementation Method 1
an image sensor in which a plurality of pixels is arranged in a matrix, the plurality of pixels being configured to perform photoelectric conversion on light from the object irradiated with the illumination light to generate and output image signals
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope system includes: a light source device for sequentially emitting illumination light of three colors; an image sensor having pixels to perform photoelectric conversion on light from an object irradiated with the illumination light and output image signals; an illumination controller for causing the light source device to emit the illumination light of two colors during a one-line exposure period of the image sensor; and a calculation unit for calculating each color component signal for each horizontal line, based on a relational expression using an output value of a horizontal line, among output values of the image signals in a latest frame, a frame located one frame before the latest frame, and a frame located two frames before the latest frame, using each illumination period per one-line exposure period of each color in each frame, and using each exposure period of each color with respect to the horizontal line.