Endoscope Image Region Extraction for Real-Time Examination Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing examination support devices analyze in-body images captured by endoscope systems in an ex-post manner, lacking instantaneity and requiring the separation of in-body image regions from mixed image signals for real-time analysis.
Innovation Solution
An examination support device connected to an endoscope system detects differences between successive frame images to establish an image region corresponding to the captured image, using a detection unit and an establishing unit to isolate the relevant image region based on a reference difference amount.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the examination support device receives the image signal provided by the endoscope system to external device, then the device can access the captured image for analysis, but the image signal contains mixed information including examination data that requires complex processing to extract the relevant image region
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the captured image region from the mixed image signal by detecting regions with significant pixel value changes between successive frames. The extraction unit isolates only the relevant image portions containing actual captured content, separating them from examination information and other non-image elements in the signal.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the temporal variation characteristics of the image signal itself to automatically identify and extract the captured image region. By comparing successive frames and detecting regions with pixel value changes exceeding a threshold, the system self-determines the image boundaries without requiring external markup or additional hardware markers.
2Speed
If the examination support device performs real-time analysis of captured images, then instantaneity is achieved for clinical decision making, but the processing speed and stability require robust methods to handle varying image quality and content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the image region extraction process by continuously monitoring pixel value changes between successive frames. The system adapts to varying image content and quality in real-time, maintaining stable extraction performance despite changes in captured scene complexity, lighting conditions, or camera movement patterns.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an examination support device that is used by being connected to an endoscope system including a camera unit for being inserted into an inside of a body of a subject, the examination support device including an acquisition unit for sequentially acquiring an image signal that the endoscope system provides to an external device; a detection unit for detecting a difference between successive frame images in relation to frame images that are sequentially generated from the image signals; and an establishing unit for establishing an image region indicating a captured image that is captured by the camera unit, based on a region of change where an amount of difference of the difference detected by the detection unit is equal to or greater than a reference amount.