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US4807025A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electronic endoscope apparatus

Assignee: Olympus Corp
•
Filing: 1987-10-16
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Granted: 1989-02-21
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Expires: 2007-10-16
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Abstract

Abstract In this electronic endoscope apparatus, a waveform compensating device compensating the waveform of a driving pulse applied to a solid state imaging device is provided within a light source connector, an information signal generating device generating an information signal relating to the kind of the electronic endoscope is provided within a signal connector and a selecting device decoding the above mentioned information signal and outputting a control signal to a video signal processing circuit device is provided within a control device.

Inventors

  • 👤 Teruo Eino
  • 👤 Tohru Takei

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 13:24
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N25/00; H04N23/00; H04N23/50; H04N23/555

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim 121 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus comprising: an endoscope having a solid state imaging device in a tip part; a light source means for generating an illuminating light; a light guide means inserted through said endoscope and transmitting the illuminating light; a light source connector provided on an incident end surface side of said light guide means; a control device generating a plurality of driving pulses to said solid state imaging device and processing a signal obtained from said solid state imaging device; and a waveform compensating means provided within said light source connector and compensating in advance a distortion of a waveform when at least one driving pulse among said plurality of driving pulses is transmitted to said solid state imaging device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 121 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus comprising: an endoscope having a solid state imaging device in a tip part; a light source means for generating an illuminating light; a light guide means inserted through said endoscope and transmitting the illuminating light; a light source connector provided on an incident end surface side of said light guide means; a control device generating a plurality of driving pulses to said solid state imaging device and processing a signal obtained from said solid state imaging device; and a waveform compensating means provided within said light source connector and compensating in advance a distortion of a waveform when at least one driving pulse among said plurality of driving pulses is transmitted to said solid state imaging device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said control device is provided with said light source and a video processor provided separately from each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 327 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus comprising: an electronic endoscope having an elongated insertable part, a light guide means inserted through said insertable part and transmitting an illuminating light, a light source connector provided on an incident end surface side of said light guide means, an imaging means imaging with a solid state imaging device an object illuminated by said light guide means; a signal line connected with said solid state imaging device and inserted through said insertable part, a signal connector fitted to an end of said signal line, an information signal generating means provided within said signal connector and generating an information signal relating to a length of the signal line inserted through the electronic endoscope, and a waveform compensating means compensating in advance distortion of a waveform of at least one driving pulse among a plurality of driving pulses applied to said solid state imaging device through said signal line and provided within said light source connector; a light source device having an illuminating light generating means capable of feeding an illuminating light to said light guide means and connected with said electronic endoscope; and a control device having a video signal processing circuit means connected with said signal line through said signal connector and processing an output signal of said solid state imaging device, a pulse generating means connected with said signal line through said signal connector and generating a plurality of driving pulses applied to the solid state imaging device through said signal line, a pulse delaying means delaying, with a plurality of different delay amounts, a reference pulse generated from said pulse generating means and outputting a plurality of different delayed pulses, and a selecting means decoding the information signal generated from said information signal generating means and selecting the delayed pulse corresponding to the length of the decoded signal line from among a plurality of delayed pulses generating by said pulse delaying means, and said control device being connected to said endoscope.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 327 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus comprising: an electronic endoscope having an elongated insertable part, a light guide means inserted through said insertable part and transmitting an illuminating light, a light source connector provided on an incident end surface side of said light guide means, an imaging means imaging with a solid state imaging device an object illuminated by said light guide means; a signal line connected with said solid state imaging device and inserted through said insertable part, a signal connector fitted to an end of said signal line, an information signal generating means provided within said signal connector and generating an information signal relating to a length of the signal line inserted through the electronic endoscope, and a waveform compensating means compensating in advance distortion of a waveform of at least one driving pulse among a plurality of driving pulses applied to said solid state imaging device through said signal line and provided within said light source connector; a light source device having an illuminating light generating means capable of feeding an illuminating light to said light guide means and connected with said electronic endoscope; and a control device having a video signal processing circuit means connected with said signal line through said signal connector and processing an output signal of said solid state imaging device, a pulse generating means connected with said signal line through said signal connector and generating a plurality of driving pulses applied to the solid state imaging device through said signal line, a pulse delaying means delaying, with a plurality of different delay amounts, a reference pulse generated from said pulse generating means and outputting a plurality of different delayed pulses, and a selecting means decoding the information signal generated from said information signal generating means and selecting the delayed pulse corresponding to the length of the decoded signal line from among a plurality of delayed pulses generating by said pulse delaying means, and said control device being connected to said endoscope.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said information signal generating means generates the information signal depending on the manner of connecting contact pins.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 31 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said pulse delaying means is a delay line fitted with a plurality of tape outputting delayed pulses of respectively different delay amounts.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 15 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said selecting means is a multiplexer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 36 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the delayed pulse selected by the selecting means controls the timing of the sampling of a sample holding circuit provided within said video signal processing circuit means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 355 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus comprising: an electronic endoscope having a light guide means inserted through an insertable part and transmitting an illuminating light, a light source connector provided on an incident end surface side of said light guide means, an imaging means imaging with a solid state imaging device an object illuminated by said light guide means, a signal line connected with said solid state imaging device and inserted through said insertable part, a signal connector fitted to an end of said signal line, an information signal generating means provided within said signal connector and generating an information signal relating to a length of the signal line inserted through the electronic endoscope and a spectral characteristic of said light guide means, and a waveform compensating means compensating in advance a distortion of a waveform of at least one driving pulse among a plurality of driving pulses applied to said solid state imaging device through said signal line and provided within said light source connector; a light source device having an illuminating light generating means for feeding an illuminating light to said light guide means and connected with said electronic endoscope; and a control device having a video signal processing circuit means connected with said signal line through said signal connector and processing an output signal of said solid state imaging device, a pulse generating means connected with said signal line through said signal connector and generating a plurality of driving pulses applied to the solid state imaging device through said signal line, a pulse delaying means delaying with a plurality of different delay amounts a reference pulse generated from said pulse generating means and outputting a plurality of different delayed pulses, a discriminating means decoding an information signal generating from said information signal generating means, a selecting means selecting the delayed pulse corresponding to the length of the signal line and discriminated by said discriminating means from among a plurality of delayed pulses generated by said pulse delaying means and a tone controlling means controlling a tone with a spectral characteristic discriminated by said discriminating means, and said control device being connected to said endoscope.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 355 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus comprising: an electronic endoscope having a light guide means inserted through an insertable part and transmitting an illuminating light, a light source connector provided on an incident end surface side of said light guide means, an imaging means imaging with a solid state imaging device an object illuminated by said light guide means, a signal line connected with said solid state imaging device and inserted through said insertable part, a signal connector fitted to an end of said signal line, an information signal generating means provided within said signal connector and generating an information signal relating to a length of the signal line inserted through the electronic endoscope and a spectral characteristic of said light guide means, and a waveform compensating means compensating in advance a distortion of a waveform of at least one driving pulse among a plurality of driving pulses applied to said solid state imaging device through said signal line and provided within said light source connector; a light source device having an illuminating light generating means for feeding an illuminating light to said light guide means and connected with said electronic endoscope; and a control device having a video signal processing circuit means connected with said signal line through said signal connector and processing an output signal of said solid state imaging device, a pulse generating means connected with said signal line through said signal connector and generating a plurality of driving pulses applied to the solid state imaging device through said signal line, a pulse delaying means delaying with a plurality of different delay amounts a reference pulse generated from said pulse generating means and outputting a plurality of different delayed pulses, a discriminating means decoding an information signal generating from said information signal generating means, a selecting means selecting the delayed pulse corresponding to the length of the signal line and discriminated by said discriminating means from among a plurality of delayed pulses generated by said pulse delaying means and a tone controlling means controlling a tone with a spectral characteristic discriminated by said discriminating means, and said control device being connected to said endoscope.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 25 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said information generating means generates an information signal depending on a manner of connecting contact pins.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 31 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said pulse delaying means is a delay line fitted with a plurality of taps outputting delayed pulses of respectively different delay amounts.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 15 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said selecting means is a multiplexer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 36 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the delayed pulse selected by the selecting means controls the timing of the sampling of a sample holding circuit provided within said video signal processing circuit means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 25 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said tone controlling means controls the tone circuit provided within said video signal processing circuit means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 21 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said tone controlling means outputs a tone controlling signal with a microprocessor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 23 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said tone controlling means can input a tone adjusting signal from a terminal device.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 389 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus comprising: an electronic endoscope having an elongated insertable part, a light guide means inserted through said insertable part and transmitting an illuminating light, a light source connector provided on an incident end surface side of said light guide means, an imaging means imaging with a solid state imaging device an object illuminated by said light guide means; a signal line connected with said solid state imaging device and inserted through said insertable part, a signal connector fitted to an end of said signal line, an information signal generating means provided within said signal connector and generating an information signal relating to a length of the signal line inserted through the electronic endoscope, a waveform compensating means provided within said light source connected and compensatingn in advance a distortion of a waveform of at least one driving pulse among a plurality of driving pulses applied to said solid state imaging device through said signal line, and an amplifying means provided within said light source connector and compensating in advance an attenuation of an amplitude of at least one driving pulse among said plurality of driving pulses transmitted to said solid state imaging device; a light source device having an illuminating light generating means capable of feeding an illuminating light to said light guide means and connected wiht said electronic endoscope; and a control device having a video signal processing circuit means connected with said signal line through said signal connector and processing an output signal of said solid state imaging device, a pulse generating means connected with said signal line through said signal connector and generating a plurality of driving pulses applied to the solid state imaging device through said signal line, a pulse delaying means delaying, with a plurality of different delay amounts, a reference pulse generated from said pulse generating means and outputting a plurality of different delayed pulses, a discriminating means decoding an information signal generated from said information signal generating means, a selecting means selecting the delayed pulse corresponding to the length of the signal line and discriminated by said discriminating means from among a plurality of delayed pulses generated by said pulse delaying means, and a voltage selecting means decoding said information signal and varying a voltage fed to said amplifying means, and said control device being connected to said endoscope.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 389 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus comprising: an electronic endoscope having an elongated insertable part, a light guide means inserted through said insertable part and transmitting an illuminating light, a light source connector provided on an incident end surface side of said light guide means, an imaging means imaging with a solid state imaging device an object illuminated by said light guide means; a signal line connected with said solid state imaging device and inserted through said insertable part, a signal connector fitted to an end of said signal line, an information signal generating means provided within said signal connector and generating an information signal relating to a length of the signal line inserted through the electronic endoscope, a waveform compensating means provided within said light source connected and compensatingn in advance a distortion of a waveform of at least one driving pulse among a plurality of driving pulses applied to said solid state imaging device through said signal line, and an amplifying means provided within said light source connector and compensating in advance an attenuation of an amplitude of at least one driving pulse among said plurality of driving pulses transmitted to said solid state imaging device; a light source device having an illuminating light generating means capable of feeding an illuminating light to said light guide means and connected wiht said electronic endoscope; and a control device having a video signal processing circuit means connected with said signal line through said signal connector and processing an output signal of said solid state imaging device, a pulse generating means connected with said signal line through said signal connector and generating a plurality of driving pulses applied to the solid state imaging device through said signal line, a pulse delaying means delaying, with a plurality of different delay amounts, a reference pulse generated from said pulse generating means and outputting a plurality of different delayed pulses, a discriminating means decoding an information signal generated from said information signal generating means, a selecting means selecting the delayed pulse corresponding to the length of the signal line and discriminated by said discriminating means from among a plurality of delayed pulses generated by said pulse delaying means, and a voltage selecting means decoding said information signal and varying a voltage fed to said amplifying means, and said control device being connected to said endoscope.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 26 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said information signal generating means generates the information signal depending on a manner of connecting contact pins.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 31 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said pulse delaying means is a delay line fitted with a plurality of taps outputting delayed pulses of respectively different delay amounts.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 15 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said selecting means is a multiplexer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 36 words
An electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the delayed pulse selected by the selecting means controls a timing of the sampling of a sample holding circuit provided within said video signal processing circuit means.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-02-21 1992-08-22 1993-02-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-02-21 1996-08-22 1997-02-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-02-21 2000-08-22 2001-02-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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