JPH07136170A - Electronic endoscope system with ultrasonic image treating circuit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To avoid waste of constitution of a circuit when both an endoscope image and an ultrasonic image are formed and to ensure interchangability between an electronic endoscope wherein the ultrasonic image is necessary and one wherein it is not required. CONSTITUTION:On an electronic endoscope 10 side, a signal treating circuit 18 for an endoscope, a signal treating circuit 19 for ultrasonic wave and an image-switching switch 21 between an endoscope image and an ultrasonic image are provided and, on a processor apparatus 12 side, memories 23 and 24 storing selectively an endoscope video signal and an ultrasonic video signal and the first memory control circuit 29 and the second memory control circuit 30 are provided and the endoscope image and the ultrasonic image are selectively switched by means of the image-switching switch 21 to display it on one monitor. Therefore, a circuit of a last stage is commonly used from the memories 23 and 24 to avoid waste of constitution of a circuit and another electronic endoscope can also be connected with the processor apparatus 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a circuit configuration of an electronic endoscope apparatus capable of forming an image inside a body to be observed using a solid-state image pickup device and forming an ultrasonic image by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An electronic endoscope apparatus has a CCD (Charge) which is a solid-state image pickup device at the tip of an electronic endoscope as a scope.
Coupled Device), and the inside of the observed body is captured by this CCD, and the image inside the observed body is displayed on the monitor. Further, in such an electronic endoscope apparatus, an ultrasonic probe can be introduced into the body to be observed by utilizing a treatment instrument insertion channel or the like in the electronic endoscope. A tomographic image formed by transmitting and receiving waves can be observed.

[0003]

However, in the conventional electronic endoscope apparatus, the ultrasonic probe and its signal processing circuit are separated from the electronic endoscope apparatus, and the video signal obtained by the CCD is processed. The video signals obtained by the ultrasonic probe are separately processed, which is wasteful in terms of circuit configuration. Moreover, since the formed image is displayed on each monitor, two monitors are required.

Therefore, the applicant of the present invention proposes to integrally incorporate the ultrasonic probe into the electronic endoscope apparatus. In this case, the circuit configuration is not wasted, and at the same time, the ultrasonic image is obtained. Compatibility with other electronic endoscopes that do not require will result in a device that is easy to use.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to eliminate the waste of the circuit configuration when forming both an endoscopic image and an ultrasonic image, and to obtain an ultrasonic image. An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic endoscope apparatus having an ultrasonic image processing circuit capable of ensuring compatibility between the electronic endoscope and the other one.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an electronic endoscope apparatus having an ultrasonic image processing circuit according to the present invention is provided with a video signal by a solid-state image pickup device arranged at the tip of the electronic endoscope. In the electronic endoscope apparatus for forming a device, a drive circuit for operating an ultrasonic probe on the electronic endoscope side, an endoscope signal processing circuit for processing a video signal obtained by a solid-state imaging device, and an ultrasonic probe. An ultrasonic signal processing circuit for processing the video signal obtained in 1. and an image changeover switch for switching the operation of forming an endoscopic image and an ultrasonic image are provided, and the endoscopic video signal is provided on the processor device side. And a memory control circuit for selectively storing one of the ultrasonic video signal and the video signal, and the image signal processing switch switches between the endoscope signal processing circuit and the ultrasonic signal processing circuit. At the same time, it characterized by being adapted to switch the memory control circuit to control the writing / reading of memory in response to respective signal processing.

[0007]

According to the above construction, when the image changeover switch of the operation section is used to switch to the endoscopic image, the endoscope signal processing circuit is selected and the memory corresponds to the endoscopic image signal processing. Controlled by write / read processing. When the image is switched to the ultrasonic image by the image changeover switch, the ultrasonic signal processing circuit is selected and the memory is also controlled by the writing / reading process corresponding thereto. Therefore, this memory stores one of the video signals, one of the video signals is supplied to the monitor by the image changeover switch, and the endoscopic image and the ultrasonic image are selectively displayed on one monitor. To be done. The ultrasonic probe for forming the ultrasonic image may be integrally attached to the electronic endoscope or may be detachable.

Further, the electronic endoscope having the above structure can be used as a dedicated scope when an ultrasonic image is required. That is, since the electronic endoscope is separated from the processor device by the connector, another electronic endoscope can be connected to the processor device when an ultrasonic image is not required.

[0009]

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an electronic endoscope apparatus having an ultrasonic image processing circuit according to an embodiment. As shown in the figure, the electronic endoscope apparatus is an electronic endoscope which is a scope. 10
Are connected to the processor unit 12 by the connector 11. A CCD 14, which is a solid-state image sensor, is arranged at the tip of the electronic endoscope 10, and an ultrasonic probe 15 is arranged so as to protrude from the tip. The ultrasonic probe 15 is integrated in the embodiment. Installed in place. The ultrasonic probe 15 can be detachably attached to the electronic endoscope 10, and the ultrasonic probe 15 can be detached when the ultrasonic image is unnecessary.
A translating mechanism 16 for driving the ultrasonic probe 15 is provided near the operating section of the electronic endoscope 10 or the connector 11, and the translating mechanism 16 is an ultrasonic probe (or a transducer). ) 15 is driven and the amount of protrusion and the amount of rotation from a predetermined position are detected.

In the electronic endoscope 10, the signal processing circuit 1 for the endoscope is provided near the connector 11 or in the operating portion.
8. An ultrasonic signal processing circuit 19 and a changeover circuit 20 are arranged, and an image changeover switch 21 for selecting either an endoscopic image or an ultrasonic image is arranged in the operation portion of the electronic endoscope 10. . The endoscope signal processing circuit 18 is a CC
The video signal output from D14 is converted into a digital signal and then subjected to amplification, gamma correction processing and the like to form a color difference (C) signal and a luminance (Y) signal, and the other ultrasonic signal processing circuit. 19 performs the same processing on the video signal obtained by the ultrasonic probe (transducer) 15 to form a luminance (Y) signal for displaying in black and white. By operating the changeover circuit 20 with the image changeover switch 21, the output of the endoscope signal processing circuit 18 and the output of the ultrasonic signal processing circuit 19 can be selected.

On the other hand, on the processor unit 12 side, a color difference (C) signal memory 23 and a luminance (Y) signal memory 2 are provided.
4, D / A converters 25 and 26, output processing circuits 27 and 28
Is provided. In addition, the color difference (C) signal memory 23
And a first memory control circuit 29 for controlling the luminance (Y) signal memory 24, a second memory control circuit 30 for controlling only the luminance (Y) signal memory 24, the first memory control circuit 29 and the second memory. A switching circuit 31 for operating any of the control circuits 30 is provided. Then, the changeover circuit 31 is operated by the image changeover switch 21, and when the endoscopic image is selected, the first memory control circuit 29 is selected and both memories 23 and 24 are driven, and the superimposing operation is performed. When the sound wave image is selected, the second memory control circuit 30 is selected and only the memory 24 is driven.

The embodiment has the above-mentioned structure, and its operation will be described with reference to FIG. First, when the endoscopic image is selected by the image switching switch 21 of the operation unit, the switching circuit 20 is switched to the endoscope signal processing circuit 18 side, and at the same time, the switching circuit 31 is used by the first memory control circuit. 29 is selected. Then, the CCD 1 of FIG.
In FIG. 4, the video signals of FIG. 2B are sequentially obtained in synchronization with the horizontal synchronizing signal HD shown in FIG. 2A, and the video signal is subjected to predetermined processing by the endoscope signal processing circuit 18. To be done. That is, the video signal is converted into a digital signal by the A / D clock signal of FIG. 2C, and the digital video signal is subjected to processing such as amplification and gamma correction, and finally the color difference (C) signal and the luminance ( Y) signal is output. At this time, the first memory control circuit 29 of the processor device 12
Is operating, and a video signal of one horizontal line is written in the memories 23 and 24 with a timing signal synchronized with the horizontal synchronizing signal HD. After that, the video signals stored in the memories 23 and 24 are read out at the same speed as the writing, D / A converted and subjected to output processing, and then supplied to a monitor (not shown). Then, the endoscopic image of the inside of the observed body is displayed in color on the monitor.

On the other hand, when an ultrasonic image is selected by the image selector switch 21, the switching circuit 20 is switched to the ultrasonic signal processing circuit 19 side, and at the same time, the switching circuit 31 selects the second memory control circuit 30. It Further, the translation mechanism 16 controls the emission of ultrasonic pulses at the same time as the movement of the ultrasonic probe, and when an ultrasonic image is selected, as shown in FIG. An ultrasonic excitation pulse having a cycle of is supplied to the ultrasonic probe 15. In this way, when the ultrasonic beam is output from the ultrasonic probe (transducer) 15, the ultrasonic probe 1 is transmitted after a predetermined time.
In FIG. 5, the reflected echo of FIG. 2 (F) is received, and the echo signal is image-processed by the ultrasonic signal processing circuit 19.
This echo signal is processed based on the position detection value of the translation mechanism 16, and in this case also, the echo signal is processed as shown in FIG.
After being converted into a digital signal by the A / D clock signal of (G), it is digitally processed.

Finally, the ultrasonic image signal is output as a luminance (Y) signal. At this time, the second memory control circuit 30 is operating, and as shown in FIG. 2H, the video signal of one horizontal line is written in the memory 24 at the same timing as in FIG. After that, this memory 2
As shown in FIG. 2 (I), the video signal stored in 4 is read at a speed synchronized with the horizontal synchronizing signal HD, D / A converted and subjected to output processing, and then, As a result, the ultrasonic tomographic image (two-dimensional image) is displayed in monochrome on the monitor instead of the endoscopic image.

As described above, the memory 2 is used in the present invention.
The circuit configuration is simplified by sharing the monitor from 3, 24 to the output processing circuits 27 and 28, and further by sharing the monitor. Further, by providing the endoscope signal processing circuit 18 and the ultrasonic signal processing circuit 19 on the electronic endoscope side which is a scope, it is possible to provide a dedicated scope capable of obtaining an ultrasonic image. This means that not only the electronic endoscope but also another electronic endoscope can be connected to the processor device 12, and it is possible to obtain a compatible electronic endoscope device.

Although the ultrasonic image is displayed in monochrome in the above embodiment, it may be displayed in color.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The electronic endoscope side is provided with an endoscope signal processing circuit, an ultrasonic signal processing circuit, and an image switching switch between the endoscope image and the ultrasonic image, and the processor device side is provided with an endoscope video signal and an ultrasonic image signal. Since a memory and a memory control circuit for selectively storing any of the sound wave video signals are provided, and either the endoscopic image or the ultrasonic image can be selected by the image changeover switch, the endoscope can be viewed on one monitor. The mirror image and the ultrasonic image can be switched and displayed. Therefore, by sharing the circuit in the subsequent stage from the memory, it is possible to eliminate waste of the circuit configuration. Further, there is an advantage that an electronic endoscope other than the electronic endoscope can be connected to the processor device, and a compatible device can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic endoscope apparatus having an ultrasonic image processing circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a signal waveform diagram showing operation signals of the circuit of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ... Electronic endoscope, 12 ... Processor device, 14 ... CCD, 15 ... Ultrasonic probe, 18 ... Endoscope signal processing circuit, 19 ... Ultrasonic signal processing circuit, 20, 31 ... Switching circuit, 21 ... Image changeover switch, 23, 24 ... Memory, 29 ... First memory control circuit, 30 ... Second memory control circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electronic endoscope apparatus for forming a video signal by a solid-state image pickup device arranged at a tip of an electronic endoscope, a drive circuit for operating an ultrasonic probe on the electronic endoscope side, and a solid-state image pickup device. A signal processing circuit for an endoscope that processes the video signal obtained in step S1 and a signal processing circuit for an ultrasonic wave that processes the video signal obtained by the ultrasonic probe, and switches the operation of forming an endoscopic image and an ultrasonic image. An image changeover switch is provided, and a memory and a memory control circuit for selectively storing either the endoscopic video signal or the ultrasonic video signal are provided on the processor device side. At the same time as switching between the mirror signal processing circuit and the ultrasonic signal processing circuit, the memory control circuit is turned off so as to control writing / reading of the memory according to each signal processing. An electronic endoscope apparatus having an ultrasonic image processing circuit adapted to be replaced.