Endoscope Illumination Timing for Live and Special-Light Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope systems struggle to display high-quality live images when switching between normal and special light due to reduced frame rates and shortened exposure times, leading to inferior image quality.
Innovation Solution
The endoscope system employs an imaging unit that captures images at a higher frame rate than the display unit, with the light source unit alternating between continuous normal light emission over multiple frames and special light emission over at least one frame, allowing for high-quality live image display while performing special light imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If imaging is performed while switching between normal light and special light, then special light imaging is achieved, but the frame rate of the live image is lowered and image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The light source unit alternates between normal light and special light in periodic cycles, with each cycle consisting of a normal light period followed by a special light period. This periodic switching enables the imaging unit to capture both normal light images and special light images sequentially, maintaining the ability to perform special light imaging while continuously updating the live image display with normal light frames.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by capturing multiple normal light frames continuously before switching to special light. This ensures that the live image display is updated with high-quality normal light images before the special light imaging period, thereby maintaining perceived frame rate and image quality in the live view.
2Adaptability or versatility
If normal light and special light are alternately emitted, then both imaging modes are achieved, but the exposure time of normal light is shortened and live image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination follows a periodic pattern where normal light is emitted for a longer duration (first period) followed by special light emission (second period). This periodic structure allows the normal light exposure time to be sufficiently long to maintain high image quality in the live display, while still allocating time for special light imaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of illumination spectrum over time, switching between normal light spectrum and special light spectrum. By controlling the duration and timing of each spectrum type, the system optimizes the exposure time for normal light while enabling special light imaging capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging element (23) performs imaging at a frame rate higher than a frame rate of display of a captured image displayed by a display device (7). A light source device (5) repeatedly performs an operation of continuously emitting illumination light in a first period over a plurality of consecutive frames in imaging by the imaging element (23), and then emitting illumination light having a spectrum different from a spectrum of the illumination light emitted in the first period in a second period which is a period over at least one frame in imaging by the imaging element (23).