Endoscope Image Processing for Vignetting Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In electronic endoscopes, low attachment accuracy of solid-state imaging elements and observation optical systems leads to vignetting issues, where parts of the imaging area overlap outside the effective pixel area, causing defects in the displayed image on the monitor.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope apparatus with an observation optical system, a solid-state imaging element, and an image processing section that uses stored image cutting-out information and magnification information to cut out and expand images, ensuring they match the display area, even when attachment accuracy is low, thereby preventing vignetting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the center of the imaging area is matched with the center of the display area, then the angle of deviation defect is eliminated, but vignetting occurs when attachment accuracy is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by storing image cutting-out information and magnification information in advance based on the actual attachment positions. The image processing section then uses this pre-prepared information to cut out and expand images, preventing vignetting before it occurs during actual operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters by storing multiple sets of image cutting-out information and magnification information corresponding to different attachment positions and magnifications. The system selects and applies the appropriate parameters based on the actual attachment accuracy, allowing flexible adjustment to eliminate vignetting.
2Measurement precision
If image cutting-out and expansion processing is performed to prevent vignetting, then image display accuracy is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces processing complexity by performing preliminary actions during the setup phase. Image cutting-out information and magnification information are pre-calculated and stored for different attachment scenarios, so that during actual operation, the system only needs to retrieve and apply the appropriate pre-prepared parameters rather than performing complex calculations in real-time.
3Reliability
If margins are allocated between effective pixel area and display area, then attachment misalignment can be tolerated, but the usable imaging area decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent avoids the need to reduce the usable imaging area by changing parameters dynamically. Instead of allocating fixed margins that reduce the imaging area, the system stores multiple sets of image cutting-out information and magnification information corresponding to different attachment positions. The appropriate parameters are selected based on actual attachment accuracy, allowing full utilization of the imaging area while tolerating misalignment.
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
The solution allows for accurate image display without vignetting, maintaining image quality by adjusting the image size and aspect ratio to match the display area, even when the imaging and display areas overlap outside the effective pixel area.
Implementation Method 1
a solid-state imaging element that is relatively positioned and fixed with respect to the observation optical system, obtains an optical image formed thereon by the observation optical system... which photoelectrically convert the optical image
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope apparatus includes an observation optical system, a solid-state imaging element, a memory section, and an image processing section, wherein the memory section stores the information therein for specifying the image cutting-out region for the process of cutting out the image for display, which corresponds to an overlapping region in which a displayable pixel area of the solid-state imaging element and an imaging area of the optical image to be formed on the solid-state imaging element by the observation optical system overlap one another, and overlap one another when the center of the imaging area is matched with the center of the display area, as the image cutting-out information, and the image processing section expands the image for display to an image size of the display area, when an image size of the cut-out image for display becomes smaller than the image size of the display area.