Imaging system, control unit, camera unit, endoscopic scope, and endoscopic system
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12284454-B2
Publication Date
2025-04-22
Expiration Date
Abstract
An imaging system according to the present disclosure has a camera unit and a control unit that are connected via a transmission cable having a power signal line and a video signal line. The camera unit includes an imaging element and a selector circuit. The control unit includes a supply voltage control circuit, a feedback value measurement circuit, and an arithmetic circuit that calculates a resistance value R3 related to a resistance value R1 of the video signal line and a resistance value R2 of the power signal line from the supply voltage Vctrl, the feedback voltage Vfb and the feedback current Ifb, and calculates a drive voltage Vcis based on the resistance value R2, the supply current Ictrl, and the supply voltage Vctrl.
Core Innovation
An imaging system is disclosed in which a camera unit and a control unit are connected by a transmission cable having a power signal line and a video signal line. The camera unit includes an imaging device driven by a drive voltage Vcis to generate a photoelectric conversion signal according to received light, and a selector circuit that switches a current flow path so that a resistance value R2 of the power signal line can be calculated.
The control unit includes a supply voltage control circuit that controls a supply voltage Vctrl. A feedback value measurement circuit measures a feedback voltage Vfb that is a voltage on the control unit side of the video signal line, a feedback current Ifb that is a current on the control unit side after passing through the video signal line, and a supply current Ictrl corresponding to the supply voltage Vctrl.
An arithmetic circuit calculates a resistance value R3 related to a resistance value R1 of the video signal line and the resistance value R2 of the power signal line from Vctrl, Vfb, and Ifb. The arithmetic circuit calculates the drive voltage Vcis based on the resistance value R2, the supply current Ictrl, and the supply voltage Vctrl, and in embodiments enables monitoring and adjusting Vcis to a target voltage Vtarget.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims. Each independent claim centers on computing line-related resistance values using measured feedback voltage/current and then calculating a drive voltage from the computed resistance and controlled supply values, with the imaging system claim additionally requiring a camera-unit selector circuit to compute R2.
Imaging system with cable having power and video signal lines and selector circuit
An imaging system in which a camera unit and a control unit are connected by a transmission cable having a power signal line and a video signal line, wherein the camera unit comprises an imaging device driven by a drive voltage Vcis and a selector circuit that switches a current flow path so that a resistance value R2 of the power signal line can be calculated.
Control unit with feedback voltage/current resistance calculation and drive voltage calculation
A control unit connectable to a camera unit via a power signal line and a video signal line, comprising a supply voltage control circuit controlling a supply voltage Vctrl; a feedback value measurement circuit measuring a feedback voltage Vfb, a feedback current Ifb, and a supply current Ictrl; and an arithmetic circuit that calculates a resistance value R3 related to a resistance value R1 of the video signal line and a resistance value R2 of the power signal line from Vctrl, Vfb, and Ifb, and calculates a drive voltage Vcis from R2, Ictrl, and Vctrl.
Across the independent claims, the core coverage is an architecture that measures feedback voltage Vfb and feedback current Ifb on the control-unit side of the video signal line, computes resistance values related to the video-line and power-line resistances, and calculates the imaging drive voltage Vcis from R2, Ictrl, and Vctrl. The imaging system claim additionally requires the camera-unit selector circuit that switches current flow paths to calculate the power-line resistance value R2.
Stated Advantages
Enables a thinner transmission cable.
Enables monitoring and adjusting Vcis to a target voltage Vtarget.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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