Transmittance Adjusting Device for Endoscope Vessel Contrast
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscope systems using narrow band imaging with blue and green light result in dark imaging and altered color reproduction, while red-light cutoff filters cause gain noise and reduced color reproduction, failing to enhance blood vessel contrast effectively.
Innovation Solution
A transmittance adjusting device with an optical filter that maintains non-zero transmittance for wavelengths beyond 500 nm and adjusts transmittance between 460 nm and 500 nm to enhance vessel contrast, ensuring color reproduction similar to visible light observation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If narrow band imaging with blue and green light is used, then blood vessel contrast is enhanced, but color reproduction is altered and imaging becomes dark
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the spectrum into multiple wavelength bands (blue 450-490nm, cyan 490-530nm, green 530-570nm, yellow-green 570-590nm, red 610-750nm) and selectively transmits specific bands while blocking others. This segmentation allows enhancement of blood vessel contrast through targeted blue light transmission while maintaining overall imaging brightness through controlled transmission of other beneficial wavelength bands.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating non-uniform transmittance across the spectrum, with high transmittance (70-90%) in the blue band (450-490nm) to enhance blood vessel contrast, and moderate transmittance (30-70%) in other bands to maintain overall brightness. This localized spectral modulation optimizes both contrast enhancement and brightness preservation.
2Illumination intensity
If red component cutoff filter is used, then color reproduction is improved, but gain noise occurs and white balance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of completely blocking red light components, the patent applies partial action by transmitting 30-70% of red band (610-750nm) light. This partial transmission is sufficient to maintain color reproduction quality and white balance stability while still achieving the desired contrast enhancement, avoiding the gain noise and white balance deterioration caused by complete red light cutoff.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If red light transmittance is reduced to suppress halation, then color saturation is improved, but blood vessel observation is not enhanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the spectrum to distinguish between blue light (450-490nm) which enhances blood vessel contrast and red light (610-750nm) which causes halation. By transmitting blue light with high intensity (70-90%) while controlling red light transmission (30-70%), the patent achieves both blood vessel contrast enhancement and halation suppression simultaneously through spectral segmentation.
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 enables normal color reproduction and enhanced blood vessel contrast in endoscope images, reducing gain noise and halation, while maintaining effective vessel expression.
Implementation Method 1
transmittance characteristics with specific wavelength ranges set to the optical filter based on light absorption characteristics of hemoglobin for visible light
Data Source
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AI summary
Using a transmittance adjusting device 32 decreasing a transmittance of at least from 460 nm to 500 nm, which is a wavelength range between a point of end P1end of a first optical absorption peak P1max of hemoglobin and a point of start P2start of a second optical absorption peak P2max of hemoglobin, to between 20% and 70% for illuminating light from an illuminating light supply section 6 or reflected light from an object, during observation of the inside of a body cavity, enhanced display of vessels with color reproduction that has no difference from that in observation under visible light, enabling color reproduction similar to that in observation under visible light and further enhanced display of vessels.