JPS61187481A - Picture processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To utilize effectively the composing devices of a system and simplifying the constitution to reduce its cost by providing plural picture input/output devices and one still picture memory device which is connected to plural picture input/output devices and used in common with them. CONSTITUTION:The picture input device A decides whether a frame memory 92 in the still picture memory device F is being used or not. When it is being used, a photographing standby display lights up. On the other hand, when it is not being used, said display goes out. The still picture output device B decides whether an activating signal is supplied or not, and the start of the action is delayed unit the activating signal is supplied. When said signal is supplied, a display switch is turned on. Namely, where the still picture memory device F is not used, a picture input request from the picture input device is immediately executed: otherwise, the picture input is delayed until its usage is terminated. As a result, in spite of only one still picture memory device, is used, it can be efficiently shared.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to an image processing system having an image input device such as a television camera, and an image output device that displays or prints the input image as a still image.

[Subject skill]

Conventionally, endoscopes have been developed that have a solid-state imaging device such as a COD built into the tip of the endoscope to capture images of objects.Normally, in such endoscopes, images displayed on a diagnostic monitor are Diagnosis is made based on the images, and images of the lesion and other areas of interest are recorded using photographs. Since the image signal from the solid-state image sensor is a video signal, image output devices such as photographic devices and video printers have a frame memory that converts the image signal (video) output from the solid-state image sensor into a still image signal. There is a need to. Here, if the solid-state image sensor is of a frame-sequential color imaging type and is provided with a frame memory for R, G, and B images, it is possible to share this frame memory. but.

Diagnostic images also have to be frozen for the time required for recording (for example, 10-15 seconds when taking photos with an instant camera), which hinders diagnosis, so a frame memory dedicated to the image output device is used. It is necessary to provide

On the other hand, a plurality of such endoscopes may be installed within one hospital. In this case, there are also multiple image output devices. However, at most two or three still images are recorded during one diagnosis. Providing a frame memory for recording still images for each endoscope for this purpose is wasteful in many respects. However, unless an image output device is installed for each endoscope, the output device must be connected to each endoscope each time recording is performed, which means that each endoscope is installed at a long distance. It is very troublesome in some cases.

〔the purpose〕

This invention was made to deal with the above-mentioned circumstances,
The purpose is to provide an image processing system with a simple configuration and low cost, which can effectively utilize the system's components.

〔overview〕

The purpose of this is to connect one still image storage device to multiple image input/output devices in an image processing system that has multiple image input/output devices, and to share this still image storage device with multiple image input/output devices. This is achieved by

〔Example〕

An embodiment of an image processing system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an image system according to a first embodiment. This system includes a plurality of (here, two) image input devices A1. A2
, a plurality of (here, two) still image output devices B1. B2,
One still image storage device F, a controller C that controls these devices, and one image input device A1, A2 . It consists of a switching unit S that performs switching of image signal lines between still image output devices B1 and B2 and still image storage device F. Here, this system is an endoscope image processing system, and the image input devices A1 and A2 are a television camera connected to the eyepiece of the endoscope, and a solid-state image sensor such as a COD at the tip of the endoscope. Some devices have built-in elements, and the color image signal is converted into R, G, and H color component signals via the KGB line (thin solid line in Figure 1) to the switching unit).
This is to be input to S. Still image output device B1. B2
Examples include a still image photographing device called a color image recorder, a video printer, etc., and the still image storage device F is a frame memory. Although not shown in the figure, this system can also be connected to other systems.

As shown in FIG. 2, the controller C has a CPU'1
0. ROM12, RAM14, interface (I/
F) Consists of 16.18. I/F16 is the data line (
image input device A1. A2,
It is connected to still image output devices Bl, B2 and still image storage device F. The I/F 18 is connected to the switching unit S via a control line (dashed line in FIG. 1).

FIG. 3 shows image input device A1. A2 shows an endoscope imaging device as an example, which includes an endoscope 20 and a light source unit 22.
, video processor 24. It consists of a monitor 26. A solid-state imaging device (CCD) 28 is provided at the distal end of the endoscope 20 to image the inside of the body cavity or cavity, and the output of the C0D 28 is supplied to the video processor 24 via the amplifier 30.

A light guide 32 is also provided within the endoscope 20. The light guide 32 is composed of an optical fiber bundle that guides illumination light from a lamp 34 in the light source unit 22 to the tip of the endoscope, and illuminates the inside of the body cavity or cavity. The front surface of the lamp 34 in the light source unit 22 has R and G markings.

A color filter 36 having a B color component is provided, and the color filter 36' is rotated by a motor 38 to sequentially color the illumination light from the lamp 34 into R, G, and B.

The image signal output from the amplifier 30 and supplied to the video processor 24 is sent to a sample/hold circuit 40. Low-pass filter 42, A/D converter 44, color changeover switch 4
6 to the frame memory 48. The frame memory 48 consists of three frame memories 4B-1, 48-2, and 48-3 for RlG and Bli images, and the color changeover switch 46 also has three output terminals, each output terminal for R, G, and B images. It is connected to frame memory 48-1.48-2.48-3. The output of frame memory 48-1.48-2.48-3 is supplied to D/A converter 50-1.50-2.50-3. D/A converter 50-1.50-2.50-3
The outputs are R and G.

The signal is supplied to the switching unit S as a B color image signal, and is also supplied to the monitor 26. A control circuit 54 connected to the controller C is provided within the video processor 24 . An operation panel 56 is also connected to the control circuit 54 . On the operation panel 56, a set switch is provided, which includes a release switch for photographing, a set switch for specifying an image transfer (output) destination, etc. The image transfer destination can be a color image recorder, a video printer, There are other systems.

The control circuit 54 includes the CCD 28. Motor 38 (light source unit,
), S/H circuit 40, color changeover switch 46.
Write control end WR1 of frame memory 48 Read control end RD
connected to.

FIG. 4 shows a color image recorder as an example of the still image output devices B1 and B2, which is a dedicated device for taking pictures of the display screen of a monitor. The R, G, and B color image signals supplied from the switching unit S are supplied to a color changeover switch 60, and any one of the color component signals is selected and sent to the CRT 6 via a display switch 62.
4. The image displayed on the CRT 64 is transmitted through a lens 66, an aperture 68, a color filter 70, a shutter 72, and so on.
The light is irradiated onto a monochrome film 76 through a lens 74 and a photograph is taken. Here, the CRT64 is a monochrome monitor. The color filter 70 has R, G, and B color components, and the image displayed on the monochrome monitor 64 is filtered with colors corresponding to the R, G, and 8 images selected by the color changeover switch 60, and a photograph is taken. It is something to do. The aperture 68, color filter 70, and shutter 72 are each driven by a motor 7B,
Driven by 80.8z. The exposure amount of the film 76 is detected by a light receiving element 84, and the output of the light receiving element 84 is supplied to a control circuit 88 via an amplifier 86. The control circuit 88 is connected to the controller C and has a one-color changeover switch 60.
．． Display switch 62. Control motors 78.80.82.

FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the still image storage device IF. R, G, and B color image signals input from the switching unit S are sent to A/D converters 90-1.90-2.90-, respectively.
3, a frame memory 92- for R, G, and B images.
1.92-2.92-3. R, G, read from frame memory 92-1゜92-2.92-3,
B image quality code is D/A converter 94-1.94-2.94-
3 to the switching unit S. The frame memory 92 has a write control end WR1 and a read control end RD, and write pulses and read pulses from the controller C are passed through a write switch 96 and a read switch 98 to the write control end WR1 and read control end RD. are supplied respectively.

The write switch 96 and the read switch 98 are controlled by the controller C.
They are respectively controlled by write signals and read signals from.

Next, a photographing operation as a still image output operation in this embodiment will be explained. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of controller C, 7ryJ is a flowchart showing the operation of image input device A, FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of still image output device B, and FIG. 9 is the exposure in FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing operations.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the controller C starts operating, initial settings are performed as shown in step S1. This means setting flags and the like indicating the usage status of each device to initial values. In step S2, it is determined based on the F flag whether the frame memory 92 of the still image storage device F is in use. As will be described later, the F flag is set immediately before an image is written to the frame memory 92, and is reset immediately after reading the image, so the usage state of the frame memory can be determined by checking the F flag.

If the frame memory 92 is not in use, step S
3, wait for the shooting start signal to be input.The shooting start signal is generated before the image input device A inputs the image, and the image input desired signal 1 address of the image input device A, image transfer It consists of the address of destination B (which is set by the set switch and is assumed to be the still image output device here). The addresses of A and H are stored in the RAM 14 in the controller C in Stella 7'S4. The F flag is set in step S5. Based on the data in the RAM 1A, the image input device A and the still image storage device F are connected by the switching unit S, as shown in step S6. In step S7, an OK response signal is supplied to the image input device 1A.

Field alignment (synchronization) is performed in step S8.
This causes the writing of the signal to the frame memory 92 to CC0.
The purpose of this is to delay the writing so that it is performed sequentially from the first pixel of the image of the l field outputted from 28. At the timing of the first pixel of one field of images output from the C0D 28, the write switch 96 of the frame memory 92 of the still image storage device F is turned on, as shown in step S9. 1 as shown in step S10.
After a frame time delay, the write switch 96 is turned off in step 511. As a result, l frames of image signals are stored in the frame memory 92, and the frame memory 92
Writing of the image to is completed.

When it is determined in step S2 that the frame memory 92 is in use, it is determined in step 512 whether a photographing start signal is being supplied. Here, the fact that the photographing start signal is input means that a write request to the frame memory 92 is generated even though the frame memory 92 is in use, but this request cannot be responded to.

As shown in step S13, an NG response signal is supplied to the image input device that generated the photographing start signal.

If it is determined in step 312 that the photographing start signal has not been input, it is determined in step 514 whether or not still image output device B, which is the image transfer destination, is in use. If it is in use, step S14 is repeatedly executed, and when the in-use state is released, the B flag is set as shown in step S15, and in step S16, the switching unit S switches the still image storage device F and the still image output. Device B is connected. An activation signal is supplied to the still image output device B in step S17. Field alignment is performed in step 318, and 1? When the timing of the first pixel of the yield image arrives, the read switch 98 of the frame memory 92 of the still image storage device F is turned on, as shown in step S19.

In step S20, it is determined whether or not an end signal has been input, and when the end signal has been input, the readout switch 98 is turned off as shown in step 321. As a result, the image signal of 1 frame is read out from the frame memory 92,
The still image output device B is supplied with the still image.

In step S22, the F flag and the B flag are reset.

Correspondingly, as shown in FIG. 7, the image input device A first determines in step 330 whether the still image storage device, the frame memory 92 in the IF, is in use. If it is in use, the "wait for shooting" display is lit in step S31,
If the camera is not in use, the "wait for photography" display is turned off in step S32.

Thereafter, in step S33, the address B of the image transfer destination is input using the set switch on the operation panel. In step S34, it is determined whether the release switch is on. If the release switch is off, step 530 is executed again, and if it is on, as shown in step 335, the image capture signal consisting of the image input desired signal, the address of image input device A, and the address of image transfer destination B as described above is executed. A start signal is generated and provided to controller C. Step 3
The process waits until a response signal is sent from the controller C as shown at 36. In step S37, it is determined whether the response signal is an OK response or an NG response. In the case of an OK response signal, as shown in step 338, "Photographing in progress" is displayed and the operation ends.

In the case of an NG response signal, "wait for photography" is displayed blinking in step S39, a warning is generated in step S40, and the operation is then terminated. This blinking display and warning of "waiting for shooting" may be stopped automatically after 3 seconds, for example, or may be stopped by providing a confirmation switch on the operation panel and turning it on. .

In the still image output device B, as shown in FIG. 8, it is determined in step S50 whether or not an activation signal is supplied, and the start of operation is delayed until the activation signal is supplied.

When the activation signal is supplied, the display switch 62 is turned on as shown in step S51. Step 352. S5
3. In S54, R exposure, G exposure, and Bll light processing are performed respectively. R exposure, G exposure, and B exposure processing are basically the same, and the selection of the single color changeover switch 60 and the color filter 7 are performed.
The only difference is the selection of 0. - As an example, the R exposure process is shown in FIG.
is switched to the R side. In step 2 S62, the R area is C
The color filter 70 is controlled to be in front of the RT 64. Field matching is performed in step 563;
When it comes to the timing of the first pixel of the l-frame image,
Shutter 72 is opened as shown in step 564.

Since the exposure amount of the film has been detected by the light receiving element 84, it is determined in step S65 whether the exposure amount has reached the predetermined exposure amount, and exposure is continued until the predetermined exposure amount is reached. When the predetermined exposure amount is reached, the shutter 72 is closed as shown in step S66. This completes the shooting of the R image. For G exposure and B exposure processing, replace R in steps 561 and 362 of R exposure processing with G and H, respectively.
This is equivalent to changing to .

When the Bfi light in step 354 ends, step S5
5, the display switch 62 is turned off, and a termination signal is output at step 556.

As a result, if the still image storage device F is not in use, an image input request from the image input device is immediately executed.
If the still image storage device F is being used, image input is made to wait until the use of the still image storage device F is completed. Therefore, even if an image processing system with multiple image input/output devices has only one still image storage device for recording still images, it is possible to effectively use one still image storage device without conflicting accesses. can be shared.

In the above description, for the sake of simplicity, the storage capacity of the frame memory is assumed to be one frame, but if the frame memory has a storage capacity of a plurality of frames, the waiting time for outputting one image can be further reduced.

Note that this invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified in various ways. For example, the target image is not limited to an endoscopic image, but may be a general image, and the specific system components can also be modified in various ways. It is possible. Further, the recording medium is not limited to an optical disk, but may be other media such as a magnetic disk.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the constituent devices of the system can be used effectively, and an image processing system with a simple configuration and low cost can be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of an image processing system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a specific block diagram of the controller C in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an image input diagram in FIG. FIG. 4 is a specific block diagram of device A, FIG. 4 is a specific block diagram of still image output device B in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a specific block diagram of still image storage device F in FIG. , FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the controller C shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image input device A shown in FIG. The flowchart showing the operation of the still image output device B shown in FIG.
3 is a flowchart showing the exposure processing steps in the figure. A1, A2... Image input device B1, B2... Still image output device F... Still image storage device C... Controller S... Switching unit 20... Endoscope 24... Video Processor 64...CRT monitor 70...Color filter 76...Monochrome film 92...Frame memory Applicant's representative Patent attorney Atsushi Tsuboi Figure 8 Figure 9

Claims (1)

[Claims] An image processing system comprising a plurality of image input/output devices and one still image storage device connected to the plurality of image input/output devices and shared by the plurality of image input/output devices.