Endoscope Brightness Control via Dual Light Sources
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopes using narrow-band light for special light observation face challenges in maintaining proper brightness levels when observation conditions or positions change, leading to difficulties in visualizing superficial blood vessels and requiring adjustments in imaging or display settings, which also limit frame rates for full-color real-time imaging.
Innovation Solution
The method involves controlling the amount of illumination light in an endoscope using a combination of a white light source and a narrow-band light source, where the imaging device captures signals from both light sources and adjusts the narrow-band light emission to maintain proper brightness levels, allowing for clear observation of body information regardless of changes in observation conditions or positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the intensity of narrow-band light is adjusted for closeup observation, then the brightness is proper for closeup view, but the illumination intensity becomes insufficient for distant view with wide angle of view
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging section detects the actual brightness level of the observed region and feeds this information back to the light source control section, which automatically adjusts the narrow-band light intensity to maintain proper brightness regardless of observation distance or angle
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the intensity of narrow-band light based on real-time observation conditions (distance, angle, target reflectivity), transitioning from static fixed-intensity illumination to adaptive dynamic control that responds to changing operational parameters
2Illumination intensity
If gain of imaging section or display section is adjusted to maintain proper brightness, then observation can be performed with proper brightness level, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback control where the imaging section monitors brightness and the light source control section automatically adjusts illumination intensity, eliminating the need for manual gain adjustments and reducing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The endoscope system performs self-regulation of brightness by automatically adjusting narrow-band light intensity based on detected observation conditions, without requiring external intervention or complex post-processing adjustments
3Loss of information
If color filter is used to change light from white light source in time division manner, then full-color observation image can be obtained, but the frame rate of observation image decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the illumination function into two independent light sources: white light source for full-color imaging and narrow-band light source for enhanced contrast imaging, allowing simultaneous operation without temporal multiplexing and maintaining high frame rates
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple light sources (white light and narrow-band light) into a single endoscope system, allowing both full-color information and enhanced contrast information to be captured simultaneously in real-time without sequential filtering
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 ensures consistent proper brightness levels for narrow-band light observation images, enabling clear visualization of superficial blood vessels and microstructures while maintaining high frame rates for real-time imaging, improving diagnostic accuracy and usability.
Implementation Method 1
a first light source which emits white illumination light
Implementation Method 2
a second light source which emits narrow-band light having a wavelength band narrower than that of the white illumination light
Implementation Method 3
an imaging section which images a region to be observed by an imaging device having a plurality of detection pixels
Data Source
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AI summary
An endoscope 100 includes a first light source 45 that emits white illumination light, a second light source 47 that emits narrow-band light and an imaging section that has an imaging device 21 having plural detection pixels and images a region to be observed. The imaging section is caused to output a captured image signal including both a return light component of the white illumination light from the region to be observed by and a return light component of the narrow-band light the white illumination light. From the captured image signal, the return light component of the narrow-band light is selectively extracted, and a brightness level of the extracted return light component of the narrow-band light is changed by changing a light amount of light emitted from the second light source 47.