Endoscope Image Edge Correction for High-Luminance Contour Enhancement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contour enhancement methods for electronic endoscopes suppress contour enhancement in high-luminance portions, leading to blurred images due to the prevention of large undershoots, particularly in images with specular reflections from mucous membranes.
Innovation Solution
A processor for electronic endoscopes that includes an edge detection unit, an edge component correction unit, and an enhancement processing unit, which adjusts edge components based on threshold setting data and user-controlled intensity, to enhance contours while minimizing undershoots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a relatively lower weight is applied to a high-luminance portion of an image to prevent large undershoot in whitened portions, then occurrence of large undershoot is suppressed, but contour enhancement is suppressed even in high-luminance portions other than whitened portions, leading to blurred images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different weight values to different regions based on their local characteristics. Specifically, it identifies whitened portions (specular reflections) and applies a first weight value to suppress undershoot in those regions, while applying a second weight value (higher than the first) to other high-luminance portions to maintain contour enhancement. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by treating different high-luminance regions differently based on their specific characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts the weight applied to edge components based on the luminance characteristics of each pixel. By calculating the luminance value of each pixel and its surrounding pixels, the system determines whether to apply a lower weight (for whitened portions) or a higher weight (for other high-luminance portions), making the enhancement process adaptive rather than static. This dynamic approach allows simultaneous suppression of undershoot in whitened portions while maintaining contour enhancement in other regions.
2Manufacturing precision
If contour enhancement processing is performed on captured images with specular reflection, then contour visibility is improved, but large undershoot occurs in whitened portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent identifies whitened portions through luminance analysis and applies a specific weight value (first weight value) to edge components in those regions to suppress undershoot. For other regions, including non-whitened high-luminance portions, a different weight value (second weight value, higher than the first) is applied to maintain contour enhancement. This localized quality adjustment resolves the contradiction by tailoring the enhancement strategy to the specific characteristics of each region.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback from luminance value analysis to control the enhancement process. By calculating the luminance value of each pixel and comparing it with surrounding pixels, the system determines the appropriate weight to apply. This feedback mechanism allows the system to automatically distinguish between whitened portions (where undershoot suppression is prioritized) and other regions (where contour enhancement is prioritized), resolving the contradiction through adaptive control.
Data Source
AI summary
In an aspect of the present invention, an aspect of the present invention is a processor for an electronic endoscope that acquires a captured image of a living tissue and performs image processing. The processor for an electronic endoscope includes an enhancement calculation unit for the captured image of the living tissue. The enhancement calculation unit includes: an edge detection unit that detects an edge component for each of pixels of the captured image of the living tissue; an edge component correction unit that corrects the edge component of each of the pixels detected by the edge detection unit with reference to threshold setting data in which a threshold of the edge component in accordance with a luminance value is set; and an enhancement processing unit that performs contour enhancement processing on the captured image based on the edge component corrected by the edge component correction unit.