Endoscope apparatus using solid state image pickup device

Claim 2

An endoscope for observing and recording an object in a body cavity or machine, the endoscope including an end section for insertion into the body cavity or machine, said end section comprising: (a) means for alternately illuminating the object with green light and white light; (b) an image-forming optical system for forming an image of the object; (c) a self-scanning solid state image pickup device having a plurality of picture elements for converting the image formed by said optical system into an electrical signal; and (d) cyan and yellow filters arranged in an alternating manner and positioned adjacent said plurality of picture elements, whereby: (i) when green light is emitted from said illuminating means to the object, an image signal corresponding to the green component of the object is picked up from all of said plurality of picture elements of said solid state image pickup device, and (ii) when white light is emitted from said illuminating means to the object, an image signal corresponding to the cyan component of the object is picked up from those of said plurality of picture elements where said cyan filters are positioned and an image signal corresponding to the yellow component of the object is picked up from those of said plurality of picture elements where said yellow filters are positioned.

Claim 3

An endoscope as defined in claim 1, further comprising an image signal processing circuit connected by a lead wire bundle to said pickup device.

Claim 4

An endoscope as defined in claim 2, further comprising a display unit connected to said processing circuit.

Claim 5

An endoscope as defined in claim 1, wherein said illuminating means comprises a light source unit essentially consisting of two flash lamps, a color temperature compensation filter positioned in front of one flash lamp, a green filter positioned in front of the other flash lamp, and a semitransparent mirror for directing both light from said color temperature compensation filter and light from said green filter towards said illuminating means.

Claim 6

An endoscope as defined in claim 4, wherein said light source unit further comprises an IR cut filter positioned to receive light from said semi-transparent mirror.

Claim 7

An endoscope as defined in claim 4, further comprising a synchronizing circuit connected to said flash lamps for alternately turning said flash lamps on and off in synchronized relation to respective image fields.

Claim 8

An endoscope for observing and recording an object in a body cavity or machine, the endoscope including an end section for insertion into the body cavity or machine, said end section comprising: (a) means for alternately illuminating the object with green light and magenta light; (b) an image-forming optical system for forming an image of the object; (c) a self-scanning solid state image pickup device having a plurality of picture elements for converting the image formed by said optical system into an electrical signal; and (d) cyan and yellow filters arranged in an alternating manner and positioned adjacent said plurality of picture elements, whereby: (i) when green light is emitted from said illuminating means to the object, an image signal corresponding to the green component of the object is picked up from all of said plurality of picture elements of said solid state image pickup device, and (ii) when magenta light is emitted from said illuminating means to the object, an image signal corresponding to the blue component of the object is picked up from those of said plurality of picture elements where said cyan filters are positioned and an image signal corresponding to the red component of the object is picked up from those of said plurality of picture elements where said yellow filters are positioned.

Claim 9

An endoscope for observing and recording an object in a body cavity or machine, the endoscope including an end section for insertion into the body cavity or machine, said end section comprising: (a) means for alternately illuminating the object with green light and magenta light; (b) an image-forming optical system for forming an image of the object; (c) a self-scanning solid state image pickup device having a plurality of picture elements for converting the image formed by said optical system into an electrical signal; and (d) cyan and yellow filters arranged in an alternating manner and positioned adjacent said plurality of picture elements, whereby: (i) when green light is emitted from said illuminating means to the object, an image signal corresponding to the green component of the object is picked up from all of said plurality of picture elements of said solid state image pickup device, and (ii) when magenta light is emitted from said illuminating means to the object, an image signal corresponding to the blue component of the object is picked up from those of said plurality of picture elements where said cyan filters are positioned and an image signal corresponding to the red component of the object is picked up from those of said plurality of picture elements where said yellow filters are positioned.

Claim 10

An endoscope as defined in claim 7, further comprising an image signal processing circuit connected by a lead wire bundle to said pickup device.

Claim 11

An endoscope as defined in claim 8, further comprising a display unit connected to said processing circuit.

Claim 12

An endoscope as defined in claim 7, wherein said illuminating means comprises a light source unit essentially consisting of two flash lamps, a magenta filter positioned in front of one flash lamp, a green filter positioned in front of the other flash lamp, and a dichroic mirror for directing both light from said magenta filter and light from said green filter towards said illuminating means.

Claim 13

An endoscope as defined in claim 10, wherein said light source unit further comprises an IR cut filter positioned to receive light from said dichroic mirror.

Claim 14

An endoscope as defined in claim 10, further comprising a synchronizing circuit connected to said flash lamps for alternately turning said flash lamps on and off in synchronized relation to respective image fields.

Claim 15

In an endoscope for observing and recording an object in a body cavity or machine, the endoscope including an end section for insertion into the body cavity or machine, the end section having means for illuminating the object, means for forming an image of the object, and a self-scanning solid state image pickup device having a plurality of picture elements for converting the image formed by the image forming means into an electrical signal, the method of forming a color image, comprising the steps of: (a) positioning alternating cyan filters and yellow filters adjacent the picture elements; (b) illuminating the object with green light and then detecting from all of the picture elements an image corresponding to the green component of the object; (c) illuminating the object with white light and then detecting from the picture elements having cyan and yellow filters, respectively, image signals corresponding to the cyan and yellow components, respectively, of the object; and (d) electrically processing the image signals to form the color image.

Claim 16

In an endoscope for observing and recording an object in a body cavity or machine, the endoscope including an end section for insertion into the body cavity or machine, the end section having means for illuminating the object, means for forming an image of the object, and a self-scanning solid state image pickup device having a plurality of picture elements for converting the image formed by the image forming means into an electrical signal, the method of forming a color image, comprising the steps of: (a) positioning alternating cyan filters and yellow filters adjacent the picture elements; (b) illuminating the object with green light and then detecting from all of the picture elements an image corresponding to the green component of the object; (c) illuminating the object with white light and then detecting from the picture elements having cyan and yellow filters, respectively, image signals corresponding to the cyan and yellow components, respectively, of the object; and (d) electrically processing the image signals to form the color image.

Claim 17

The method of claim 13, wherein said steps of illuminating the object with green light and white light comprise the steps of directing light from one flash lamp through a color compensation filter, directing light from another flash lamp through a green filter, and directing the output from said color compensation filter and said green filter to the object.

Claim 18

In an endoscope for observing and recording an object in a body cavity or machine, the endoscope including an end section for insertion into the body cavity or machine, the end section having means for illuminating the object, means for forming an image of the object, and a self-scanning solid state image pickup device having a plurality of picture elements for converting the image formed by the image forming means into an electrical signal, the method of forming a color image, comprising the steps of: (a) positioning alternating cyan filters and yellow filters adjacent the picture elements; (b) illuminating the object with green light and then detecting from all of the picture elements an image corresponding to the green component of the object; (c) illuminating the object with magenta light and then detecting from the picture elements having cyan and yellow filters, respectively, image signals corresponding to the blue and red components, respectively, of the object; and (d) electrically processing the image signals to form the color image.

Claim 19

In an endoscope for observing and recording an object in a body cavity or machine, the endoscope including an end section for insertion into the body cavity or machine, the end section having means for illuminating the object, means for forming an image of the object, and a self-scanning solid state image pickup device having a plurality of picture elements for converting the image formed by the image forming means into an electrical signal, the method of forming a color image, comprising the steps of: (a) positioning alternating cyan filters and yellow filters adjacent the picture elements; (b) illuminating the object with green light and then detecting from all of the picture elements an image corresponding to the green component of the object; (c) illuminating the object with magenta light and then detecting from the picture elements having cyan and yellow filters, respectively, image signals corresponding to the blue and red components, respectively, of the object; and (d) electrically processing the image signals to form the color image.

Claim 20

The method of claim 15, wherein said steps of illuminating the object with green light and magenta light comprise the steps of directing light from one flash lamp through a magenta filter, directing light from another flash lamp through a green filter, and directing the output from said magenta filter and said green filter to the object.