Endoscope Wireless Image Transmission Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional endoscopes face challenges in transmitting high-quality static image data due to limited communication speed, which results in slow communication speeds and reduced image quality when both moving and static image data are transmitted using standard wireless communication formats.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope system that includes an image capture unit, image data generation unit, first and second image data compression units, an image selection unit, and an image transmission unit, which allows for the storage of static image data in a removable storage medium and selective wireless transmission during moving image data transmission periods, ensuring high-quality static image data is obtained without compromising communication speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If both moving image data and static image data are transmitted using standard wireless communication formats, then communication speed is maintained, but image quality of static image data deteriorates due to limited communication speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments image data transmission into two distinct channels: a first wireless communication unit for moving image data and a second wireless communication unit for static image data. This segmentation allows each channel to be optimized for its specific data type, with the static image channel capable of handling high-quality data without compromising the real-time transmission performance of moving image data, thereby resolving the contradiction between image quality and communication speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension to the transmission system by adding a second parallel wireless communication pathway. Instead of multiplexing data types within a single channel (which would compromise quality), the system creates a separate dimensional space for static image transmission, allowing high-quality data to be transmitted without affecting the speed and efficiency of moving image transmission.
2Manufacturing precision
If static image data is transmitted with high quality, then image quality is improved, but communication speed is reduced due to large data size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wireless transmission system into separate functional units: a first wireless communication unit dedicated to moving image data and a second wireless communication unit dedicated to static image data. This segmentation allows the static image channel to transmit high-quality data at its own optimized speed without being constrained by the real-time transmission requirements of moving image data, thus maintaining both high image quality and acceptable communication speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic resource allocation where the second wireless communication unit can adaptively transmit static image data with varying quality levels based on transmission conditions. This dynamic capability allows the system to maintain high image quality when needed while adjusting transmission speed according to available bandwidth, resolving the contradiction between quality and speed.
Data Source
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AI summary
An image transmission terminal includes: an image capture unit (17, 47) that outputs pixel signals that correspond to an amount of light irradiated onto an imaging element; an image data generating unit (18, 48) that generates and then outputs image frame data based on the pixel signals; a first image data compression unit (19, 49) that compresses the image frame data at a predetermined compression rate and then outputs the image frame data; a second image data compression unit (21, 51) that either leaves the image frame data uncompressed or else compresses the image frame data at a lower compression rate than the predetermined compression rate and then outputs the image frame data; an image selection unit (11, 13, 41, 43) that receives an operation input from a user, and that, based on the operation input, selects the image frame data captured by the image capture unit; an image data storage unit (22, 38, 52, 69) that, in accordance with the selection made by the image selection unit, stores the image frame data output from the second image data compression unit; and an image transmission unit (20, 50, 38) that wirelessly transmits the image frame data output from the first image data compression unit.