Claims
- 1. Viewing apparatus for viewing from a proximal end thereof an object at a distal end, said viewing apparatus comprising:
- A. light transmission means for directing onto the object an iterative, timed, patterned sequence of light at different wavelengths,
- B. image means for forming at the proximal end an image of the object in response to the light from said light transmission means that reflects from the object,
- C. image intensifier means for producing for each of the different wavelengths in the patterned sequence an intensified monochrome image of the object, and
- D. image processing means connected to said image intensifier means for iteratively processing electronically the succession of monochrome image frames produced during each pattern iteration by said image intensifier means to display an integrated color image of the object at the distal end of said viewing apparatus.
- 2. Viewing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said light transmission means produces light at wavelengths corresponding to diverse colors and said image intensifier means is characterized by substantially uniform outputs in response to light at each of wavelengths.
- 3. Viewing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said light transmission means produces light in the wavelengths of red, blue and green light and said image intensifier means provides an enhanced output to blue light thereby to produce a substantially uniform output signal in response to substantially equal brightnesses of light at each of the red, blue and green wavelengths.
- 4. Viewing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said image processing means comprises means for recording, for each wavelength in the patterned sequence, an image frame from said image intensifier means during the illumination of the object with light of the corresponding wavelength, means for integrating each of the recorded image frames produced during a given iteration of the pattern and means for displaying the integrated images.
- 5. Endoscopic viewing apparatus for viewing from a proximal end thereof an object at a distal end located in an individual's body, said endoscopic viewing apparatus comprising:
- A. a tubular housing extending between the proximal and distal ends,
- B. light transmission means for directing onto the object at the distal end of said housing an iterative, timed, patterned sequence of light at different wavelengths,
- C. objective lens means at said distal end of said housing for forming a succession of images in response to the light from said light transmission means that reflects from the object, and
- D. image transfer means in said housing for transferring each image in succession formed by said objective lens means to the proximal end of said housing,
- E. image intensifier means for intensifying the succession of images from said image transfer means thereby to produce a series of monochrome output images,
- F. video means connected to said image intensifier means for producing a video signal in response to the series of monochrome output images from said image intensifier means, and
- G. video processing means connected to said video means for integrating the succession of image frames produced during each pattern iteration to display an integrated color image of the object at the distal end of said viewing apparatus.
- 6. Endoscopic viewing apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said light transmission means includes a light source, changeable filter means for producing iteratively the patterned sequence and fiberoptic waveguide means for conveying the patterned sequence of light from said filter means to the objects at the distal end of said housing, said light source and filter means being disposed at the proximal end of said endoscopic viewing apparatus.
- 7. Endoscopic viewing apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said light transmission means includes a plurality of monochromatic light transmission means for generating light at different monochromatic frequency bands and control means for energizing in an iterative fashion said monochomatic light transmission means individually in the patterned sequence, said monochromatic light transmission means being located at the distal end of said housing.
- 8. Endoscopic viewing apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein each of said monochromatic light transmission means comprises a light-emitting diode.
- 9. Endoscopic viewing apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said housing comprises a flexible sheath and said image transfer means includes means for focusing the image onto said intensifier means and fiberoptic waveguide means extending between said objective lens means and said focusing means for transferring the image from the distal to the proximal end.
- 10. Endoscopic viewing apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said housing comprises a rigid sheath and said image transfer means includes means for focusing the image onto said intensifier means and a plurality of lenses extending along the length of said rigid housing between said objective lens means and said focusing means.
- 11. Endoscopic viewing apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said light transmission means produces light at wavelengths corresponding to diverse colors and said image intensifier means is characterized by substantially uniform outputs in response to light at each of those wavelengths.
- 12. Viewing apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said light transmission means produces light in the wavelengths of red, blue and green light and said image intensifier means provides an enhanced output to blue light thereby to produce a substantially uniform output signal in response to substantially equal brightnesses of light at each of the red, blue and green wavelengths.
- 13. Viewing apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said video processing means comprises means for recording, for each wavelength in the patterned sequence, an image frame from said video means during the illumination of the object with light of the corresponding wavelength, means for integrating each of the recorded image frames produced during a given iteration of the pattern and means for displaying the integrated images.
- 14. Endoscopic viewing apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said light transmission means includes a filter wheel divided into a plurality of segments, each segment having a filter corresponding to one of the primary colors, said filter wheel additionally including an index that identifies each segment, drive means for rotating the filter wheel about an axis, a light source for directing light through said filter wheel thereby to produce an iterative, timed, patterned sequence of the filtered light at the wavelengths of the primary colors, and a fiberoptic waveguide for conveying the output from said filter wheel through said housing to illuminate the objects with the light from said filter wheel.
- 15. Endoscopic viewing apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein said image intensifier means comprises an image intensifier with an enhanced output for blue light.
- 16. Endoscopic viewing apparatus as recited in claim 15 additionally comprising sequence control means for synchronizing said apparatus, said control means responding to said index means on said filter wheel for controlling said video processing means.
- 17. Endoscopic viewing apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein video processing means includes means for storing images for each of the predetermined primary colors and multiplexing means connected to said control means for transferring images from said video means to the corresponding image storage means.
- 18. Endoscopic viewing apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein said filter means includes a plurality of filters for each of the primary colors and said filters are sequenced about the filter wheel whereby the wavelengths of light from successive filter positions differs.
- 19. Endoscopic viewing apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein said image transfer means additionally includes means at said proximal end of the housing for focussing the image onto said image intensifier means.
- 20. Endoscopic viewing apparatus as recited in claim 19 wherein said image transfer means includes a pair of image transfer channel means and a pair of means for focusing onto said image intensifier means and wherein said video processing means displays the images as part of a single display.
- 21. Viewing apparatus for viewing from a proximal end thereof an object at a distal end, said viewing apparatus comprising:
- A. light transmission means for directing onto the object an iterative, timed, patterned sequence of light at different wavelengths,
- B. image means for forming at the proximal end an image of the object in response to the light from said light transmission means that reflects from the object,
- C. image intensifier means for producing for each of the different wavelengths in the patterned sequence an intensified monochrome image of the object,
- D. means for converting the sequence of monochrome images from said image intensifier means to a sequence of electrical image frame signals, and
- E. image processing means connected to said converting means for iteratively processing the succession of image frame signals produced during each pattern iteration by said monochrome image intensifier means to display an integrated color image of the object at the distal end of said viewing apparatus.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/511,047, filed on Aug. 3, 1995, now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/242,359, filed May 13, 1994, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (38)
Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
511047 |
Aug 1995 |
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Parent |
242359 |
May 1994 |
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