Image capture and video processing systems and methods for multiple viewing element endoscopes

An endoscope system comprising:

• a first illuminator at a distal end of an endoscope and connected in parallel to a single power supply line;
• a second illuminator at the distal end of the endoscope and connected in parallel to the single power supply line;
• a control circuit configured to generate encoded control signals, wherein the encoded control signals include specific encoded control signals for each of the first illuminator and the second illuminator and common encoded control signals for both of the first illuminator and the second illuminator, wherein the encoded control signals include illuminator identification numbers;
• a first illuminator control circuit associated with the first illuminator and configured to decode the encoded control signals and send first decoded control signals to the first illuminator;
• a second illuminator control circuit associated with the second illuminator and configured to decode the encoded control signals and send second decoded control signals to the second illuminator;
• and
• a remote sense line connected to the first illuminator and the second illuminator, wherein the remote sense line is separate from the power supply line and is configured to convey a signal used to measure an actual voltage applied on each of the first illuminator and the second illuminator;
• wherein the first illuminator and the second illuminator are configured to illuminate a field of view of at least one camera sensor according to the first decoded control signals and the second decoded control signals, respectively;
• and
• wherein the control circuit is configured to automatically adjust the encoded control signals according to image processing of at least one image captured by the at least one camera sensor.

An illuminator control method for use in an endoscopy system, said endoscopy system having at least one image sensor, a first illuminator and a second illuminator connected in parallel to a single power supply line, a first illuminator control circuit associated with the first illuminator, a second illuminator control circuit associated with the second illuminator, and a control unit in data communication with the first illuminator and the second illuminator, the method comprising:

• generating, by the control unit, an encoded control signal;
• transmitting the encoded control signal to each of the first illuminator and the second illuminator via the single power supply line;
• decoding, by the first illuminator control circuit, the encoded control signal into a first decoded control signal;
• decoding, by the second illuminator control circuit, the encoded control signal into a second decoded control signal;
• illuminating, at a first illumination intensity created by the first illuminator and the second illuminator, at least one field of view of the at least one image sensor according to the first decoded control signal and the second decoded control signal;
• detecting a high intensity reflection received by the at least one image sensor;
• generating, by the control unit, an adjusted encoded control signal based on the detected high intensity reflection;
• transmitting the adjusted encoded control signal to each of the first illuminator and the second illuminator via the single power supply line;
• decoding, by the first illuminator control circuit, the adjusted encoded control signal into a third decoded control signal;
• decoding, by the second illuminator control circuit, the adjusted encoded control signal into a fourth decoded control signal;
• illuminating, at a second illumination intensity created by the first illuminator and the second illuminator, the at least one field of view of the at least one image sensor according to the third decoded control signal and the fourth decoded control signal;
• and
• measuring, using a signal conveyed by a remote sense line connected to the first illuminator and the second illuminator separate from the power line, a voltage applied to each of the first illuminator and the second illuminator.