Endoscope Processor Autofocus Control for Lesion Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopes with high-pixelation image pickup devices face challenges in maintaining focus due to shallow depth of field, leading to difficulties in finding lesions during screening observations, as autofocus activation can cause stress and unnecessary focus changes.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope processor and control method that includes a moving mechanism for the focusing lens, allowing for autofocus mode and proximity determination mode switching based on image height variation and positional information, preventing unnecessary autofocus during screening states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If autofocus control is activated during screening observation, then focus accuracy on lesions is improved, but user stress increases and unnecessary focus changes occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary classification of the observation state into screening or proximity states before activating autofocus. By determining the observation state in advance based on image characteristics and endoscope position, the system prepares the appropriate focus control mode, preventing unnecessary autofocus activation during screening while ensuring timely activation during proximity observations
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors image characteristics (contrast, brightness, color saturation) and endoscope position to detect transitions between screening and proximity states. This feedback mechanism allows the system to dynamically adjust focus control mode, activating autofocus only when the proximity state is detected, thereby improving focus accuracy when needed while reducing user stress during screening
2Measurement precision
If high-pixelation image pickup device is used, then image resolution is improved, but depth of field becomes shallower
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the focus control strategy based on the observed state. During screening observations, the focusing lens position is fixed at the far point end to maintain a wide depth of field. During proximity observations, autofocus control is activated to continuously track and maintain focus on the lesion. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to use high-pixelation imaging while maintaining reliable focus across different observation scenarios
3Reliability
If focusing lens position is fixed at far point end during screening, then depth of field range is improved, but focus accuracy on close lesions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary classification of the observation state to determine whether the endoscope is in screening or proximity mode. By detecting the observation state in advance using image characteristics and position information, the system prepares the appropriate focus control mode before focus issues arise, ensuring both wide depth of field during screening and accurate focus on close lesions during proximity observations
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors image characteristics (contrast value, brightness, color saturation) and endoscope position to detect transitions between screening and proximity states. When a transition to proximity state is detected, the system activates autofocus control to improve focus accuracy on close lesions while maintaining the fixed focusing lens position during screening to preserve depth of field range
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope processor includes a processor that can be connected to an endoscope including a moving mechanism of a focusing lens included in an objective optical system and an image pickup apparatus. The processor is configured to determine whether or not a transition has been made from a screening state to a proximity state based on positional information of the focusing lens and an image in a proximity determination mode when a variation in an image height in an effective image range with control of the moving mechanism is 1% or less, and when it is determined that a transition has been made to the proximity state, the processor is configured to end the proximity determination mode and control the moving mechanism in an autofocus mode.