Endoscope Image Selection for Low-Flicker Still Image Comparison
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope systems face challenges in storing multiple types of still images suitable for comparison or superimposition due to issues such as positional deviation and light flicker when switching between illumination light beams, particularly when trying to minimize the time difference between images.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope system that alternately switches between first and second illumination light beams at a preset cycle, selects images based on preset conditions such as minimal blur, positional deviation, and brightness difference, and stores them through a single instruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the switching cycle between illumination light beams is lengthened to reduce photosensitivity and light flicker, then the observation quality is improved, but the time difference between stored images increases causing positional deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-acquires a plurality of images for each illumination light beam type before the storage instruction is given. By having images ready in advance from the pre-acquired set, the system can immediately store images with minimal time difference without needing to wait for the next illumination cycle, thus resolving the contradiction between observation quality and time synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects images from the pre-acquired plurality of images based on acquisition time and other criteria. This dynamic selection allows the system to adaptively choose the most appropriate images for storage, ensuring both high observation quality and minimal time difference between stored images of different light beam types.
2Loss of time
If the switching cycle between illumination light beams is shortened to reduce the time difference between images, then the time synchronization is improved, but light flicker and photosensitivity problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary acquisition of multiple images for each illumination type before the storage instruction. This allows the system to have a buffer of pre-acquired images ready, so when storage is requested, it can immediately select and store images with minimal time difference without needing to perform rapid switching that would cause flicker or photosensitivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple illumination light beams are automatically switched in a predetermined order, then various types of images can be obtained, but the frame rate decreases to half or less making diagnosis difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-acquires a plurality of images for each illumination light beam type before the storage instruction is given. This preliminary acquisition allows the system to accumulate multiple frames for each light beam type, effectively maintaining higher frame rates while still providing diverse image types for diagnosis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines multiple pre-acquired images of the same illumination type and selects the best one for storage. This merging approach allows the system to maintain high frame rates during acquisition while ensuring high-quality, well-timed images are stored for comparison, effectively resolving the contradiction between image diversity and frame rate.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are an endoscope system that stores a plurality of types of still images in a state suitable for comparison or superimposition, through a single instruction, and a method of operating the endoscope system. An image processor selects, when a processing start operation for starting image storage processing is performed, a first image and a second image that satisfy a preset selection condition from a plurality of the first images and a plurality of the second images acquired in a target period including a time when the processing start operation is performed, for the image storage processing. A light source processor (21) performs control to switch, out of a first illumination light beam and a second illumination light beam, one being emitted to the other to emit the other, during a target period.