JPH05176886A - Adaptor for electronic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate waste by making an electronic endoscope of a type connectable to an apparatus of a type serially transmitting a control signals. CONSTITUTION:A parallel/serial mutual conversion part 27 is provided to an adaptor 20 to convert the serial control signal inputted from the microcomputer of an external processor through a serial circuit 105 to a parallel control signal. The control signal outputted from the control circuit (variable resistor) for forming a video signal on the side of the electronic endoscope, for example, the set data of the gain of each of RGB is converted to a serial signal by A/D conversion to be outputted to the microcomputer of the external processor through the serial circuit 105. By this constitution, the external endoscope subjecting the parallel signal to transmission processing and the external processor subjecting the serial signal to transmission processing are connected with the adaptor 20.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an adapter for an electronic endoscope device, and more particularly to a structure of an adapter for allowing an electronic endoscope having a different signal processing format to be connected to an external processor device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), which is a solid-state image sensor provided at the tip,
An electronic endoscope device for observing the inside of the body cavity of the digestive tract or the inside of a thin tube of a structure is well known. In this type of electronic endoscope device, the video signal obtained by the CCD is processed to An image of the inside of the observation body is displayed on the monitor.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic structure of an electronic endoscope (electronic scope) connected to an external processor device. As shown in the drawing, a CCD is provided at the tip of the insertion portion of the electronic endoscope 1.
2 are provided. A drive signal line 100 and a video signal line 101 are connected to the CCD 2, and a CCD drive signal is input to the CCD 2 from an external processor device (not shown) via the drive signal line 100, while a video signal is transmitted from the CCD 2. It is output to the external processor device via the video signal line 101. In addition, the electronic endoscope 1 has an E
EPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read)
-Serial ROM 3 consisting of (Only Memory) is provided,
A serial line is connected to the serial ROM 3. The serial ROM 3 stores control information such as gains of RGB signals, CCD drive pulse adjustment, and an identification code indicating the type of the electronic endoscope.
By reading the M information by the external processor device,
Control suitable for each electronic endoscope 1 is performed.

In the external processor unit, the C
A CD driver, a signal processing circuit for performing amplification processing of a video signal, a frame memory, etc. are provided. When predetermined image processing is performed on the video signal by these circuits, an observed object is finally displayed on a monitor. The body image will be displayed.

[0005]

However, in the conventional electronic endoscope apparatus, since the control data of the electronic endoscope is read by serial transmission of the serial line, the electronic endoscope which has been conventionally used can be used. There is an inconvenience that the latest external processor device cannot be connected and an electronic endoscope of a type that does not perform serial transmission cannot be used. There are many types of electronic endoscopes that have been used in the past, depending on the site to which they are applied, and they are expensive. It is wasteful to renew them in line with new serial transmission type devices. That's right.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to make it possible to connect an electronic endoscope of another type to a device of the type that serially transmits a control signal, thereby eliminating waste. An object is to provide an adapter for an electronic endoscope device that can be used.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is an adapter for connecting an electronic endoscope for inputting / outputting parallel signals and an external processor device for inputting / outputting serial signals, which is an electronic endoscope. A parallel / serial mutual conversion unit for performing parallel / serial mutual conversion on a control signal input / output to / from a control circuit for forming a video signal on the side is provided, and this parallel / serial mutual conversion unit is connected via a serial line. An adapter for an electronic endoscope device, which is configured to be connected to an external processor device. In the above, an analog / digital converter is provided in the adapter and can correspond to an analog control signal input / output to / from the control circuit of the electronic endoscope.

[0008]

According to the above construction, for example, when the electronic endoscope uses an analog control signal, when the control signal is supplied to the adapter, a digital signal which is analog / digital converted and is a parallel signal is supplied. Is formed. Then, this parallel signal is converted into a serial signal by the conversion unit, and this serial signal is supplied to the external processor device via the serial line. Therefore, even if the electronic endoscope that does not use the serial signal is connected to the external processor device that processes the serial signal, it works well.

[0009]

1 shows an adapter for an electronic endoscope apparatus according to an embodiment, FIG. 2 shows a configuration of an electronic endoscope for parallel transmission processing, and FIG. 3 shows serial transmission processing. The configuration of the external processor device is shown. First, the configuration of the electronic endoscope of FIG. 2 will be described. In FIG. 2, a variable resistor 11 that determines each element for forming a video signal is provided in the electronic endoscope 10 as a part of a control circuit, and a control signal line 103 is connected to the variable resistor 11. It is arranged. As this control signal, for example, as shown in the figure, R
(Red) signal gain, G (green) signal gain, B (blue)
There are setting signals for signal gain, CCD drive pulse first adjustment, and CCD drive pulse second adjustment.
There are signals that determine each element such as adjustment of the R black level, G black level, B black level, etc., and these control signals are output via the terminal A1.

Further, an identification code generator 12 for generating an identification code is provided, and for example, eight signal lines 104 (terminal B1) are connected between the identification code generator 12 and the terminal B1. A drive signal line 100 for supplying a drive signal is provided between the CCD 13 and the terminal C1, and a video signal line 101 for outputting a video signal obtained by the CCD 13 is provided between the CCD 13 and the terminal D1.

In FIG. 1, a switching device 21 is provided in the adapter 20 so as to be connected to a terminal A2 connected to the terminal A1 of the electronic endoscope 10. The switching device 21 controls the input to the terminal A2. One of the signals is selected.
An A / D converter 22 is provided in the switch 21, and the A / D converter 22 is connected to the switch 24. A buffer 25 is connected to a terminal B2 connected to the terminal B1 of the electronic endoscope 10, and the switching device 24 is connected to the buffer 25. The switching device 24 performs A / D conversion. The device 22 and the buffer 25 are selectively switched. Further, the switching devices 21 and 24
The switching unit 24 is connected with a parallel / serial mutual converter 27 that performs mutual conversion between parallel signals and serial signals.

Therefore, in the parallel / serial mutual converter 27, the parallel control signal supplied from the switch 24 is converted into a serial signal, which is output to the terminal E1 via the serial line 105 and input from the terminal E1. Will convert the serial signal to parallel signal.
A drive signal line 100 for the CCD 13 is provided between the terminals C2 and C3, and a video signal line 101 is provided between the terminals D2 and D3.

Next, in FIG. 3, in the external processor unit 30, a microcomputer 31 having a serial / parallel converter is connected to the terminal E2 of the serial line 105, and a CCD driver is connected to the terminal C4. 32, a video processor 33 for processing a video signal is provided between the terminals D4 and D5.
The CD driver 32 and the video processor 33 are the microcomputer 3
Controlled by 1.

According to the configuration of the above embodiment, the terminals A2, B2, C2 and D2 of the adapter 20 of FIG. 1 are connected to the terminals A1, B1, C1 and D1 of the electronic endoscope 10 of FIG.
, C3, D3 to the terminals E2, C4, D4 of the external processor unit 30 of FIG.
0 is connected between the electronic endoscope 10 and the external processor 30. Then, first, a serial control signal for reading the setting information necessary for control is sent from the microcomputer 31 of the external processor device 30 via the serial line 105 to the adapter 2
When output to 0, this read control signal is converted into a parallel signal by the parallel / serial conversion unit 27, and the control unit 26 is controlled by this parallel control signal. Then, the control unit 26 controls the changeover of the changeover device 21 so that the value set in the variable resistor 11 in the electronic endoscope 10, that is, each gain of the RGB signal, the first adjustment of the CCD drive pulse, and the first adjustment. 2 adjustments, RG
The setting information such as the black level of B is sequentially selected via the signal line 103, and the setting information signal of each element as the analog signal is output to the A / D converter 22 as a control signal. In the A / D converter 22, the control signal which is an analog signal is converted into a digital signal and processed as a parallel signal. At this time, since the switch 24 is connected to the terminal g, the control signal is parallel / parallel. It is input to the serial mutual converter 27. In the parallel / serial mutual converter 27, the parallel control signal is converted into a serial signal, and the serial control signal is supplied to the microcomputer 31 in the external processor device 30 via the serial line 105.

The identification code signal output from the identification code generator 12 in the electronic endoscope 10 shown in FIG. 2 is also supplied to the buffer 25 in the adapter 20 via the signal line 104, and the switch 24 is connected to the terminal. The identification code signal is input to the parallel / serial mutual converter 27 by being switched to h. Then, the identification code signal is converted into a serial signal and then supplied to the microcomputer 31 through the serial line 105.

In the microcomputer 31 in the external processor device 30, each control signal transmitted through the serial line 105 is converted into a parallel signal, and the electronic endoscope 1 is connected.
C based on the identification code information of 0 and the setting information of each element
The CD driver 32 and the video processor 33 are controlled. Then, first, the CCD driver 32
Then, the CCD drive signal is output to the CCD 13 via the drive signal line 100 (in the adapter 20 and the electronic endoscope 10), and the drive control of the CCD 13 is performed by this drive signal.

Next, the video signal obtained by the CCD 13 is the video signal line 10 of the electronic endoscope 10 and the adapter 20.
1 to the video processor 33 in the external processor device 30. Therefore, in the video processor 33, the video signal is subjected to predetermined amplification, γ correction, etc., and then the video signal is output from the terminal D5 to the monitor through the memory.

As described above, in the embodiment, by interposing the adapter 20, the electronic endoscope 10 that does not perform serial transmission processing can be connected to the external processor device 30 that performs serial transmission processing, and the electronic endoscope that performs serial transmission processing can be connected. Different types of electronic endoscopes other than the endoscope can be used in the same device. In the above embodiment, the electronic endoscope 10 that analog-processes the setting information signal as the control signal has been described, but the present invention can also be applied to an electronic endoscope that digitally processes the control signal.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The electronic endoscope includes a parallel / serial mutual conversion unit for performing parallel / serial mutual conversion on a control signal input / output to / from a control circuit for forming a video signal. Since the adapter connected to the external processor device via the serial line is used, the electronic endoscope for transmitting and processing the parallel control signal and the external processor device for transmitting and processing the serial control signal can be connected by the adapter. .. Therefore, different types of electronic endoscopes can be used in the same external processor device, and it is possible to eliminate waste.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration inside an adapter for an electronic endoscope apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration inside the electronic endoscope of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration inside an external processor device of an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration inside a conventional electronic endoscope.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 10 ... Electronic endoscope, 2, 13 ... CCD, 3 ... Serial ROM, 11 ... Variable resistor, 12 ... Identification code generator, 20 ... Adapter, 22 ... A / D converter, 27 ... Parallel / serial Mutual conversion part, 30 ... External processor device, 31 ... Microcomputer, 32 ... CCD driver.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An adapter for connecting an electronic endoscope to which a parallel signal is input and output and an external processor device to which a serial signal is input and output, which is a control for forming a video signal on the electronic endoscope side. A parallel / serial mutual conversion unit for performing parallel / serial mutual conversion for a control signal input / output to / from the circuit is provided, and this parallel / serial mutual conversion unit is connected to an external processor device via a serial line. Adapter for electronic endoscope system. 2. An electronic endoscope apparatus characterized in that the adapter has an analog / digital converter and is adapted to an analog control signal input / output to / from a control circuit of the electronic endoscope. Adapter.