# US 12,178,402 B2 · Image processing system, image processing device, and image processing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,178,402 B2 - Document ID: US12178402B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/441,294 - Filed: 2020-03-27 - Published: 2022-05-12 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-29 - Assignees: Sony Group Corporation - Applicants: Sony Group Corporation - Inventors: Masashi Murakita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178402B2 ## CPC - A61B 1/00188: {with focusing or zooming features} - A61B 1/000094: {extracting biological structures} - A61B 1/000095: {for image enhancement} - A61B 1/045: Control thereof - G06T 7/0014: {using an image reference approach} - G06T 7/62: of area, perimeter, diameter or volume - G06T 7/66: of image moments or centre of gravity - G06T 7/70: Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) - H04N 23/71: Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation - G06T 2207/10068: Endoscopic image - G06T 2207/30004: Biomedical image processing - H04N 23/555: {for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes} - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An endoscope system includes circuitry configured to set a plurality of evaluation areas in an endoscope image captured by an image sensor via a scope, adjacent ones of the plurality of evaluation areas being spatially separated from one another, calculate an evaluation value for each of the plurality of evaluation areas, compare an evaluation value of the plurality of evaluation areas, and adjust an image processing on the endoscope image in accordance with a result of the comparison. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An endoscope system comprising: circuitry configured to: set a plurality of discrete evaluation areas in an endoscope image captured by an image sensor via a scope, adjacent ones of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas being spatially separated from one another; calculate an evaluation value for each of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas; estimate whether the scope is attached based on at least one evaluation value of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas; and estimate the type of scope based on comparison of at least two evaluation values of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas; and adjust an image processing on the endoscope image in accordance with the type of scope estimated. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of discrete evaluation areas are spaced apart at a predetermined interval. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined interval of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas is not constant. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of discrete evaluation areas is set such that the plurality of discrete evaluation areas is point-symmetrical with respect to an approximate center of gravity of the endoscope image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured to estimate a type of a scope based on the comparison and adjust the image processing on the endoscope image based on the type of the scope. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The endoscope system according to claim 5, wherein the circuitry is configured to recognize a presence of a scope and to estimate, when present, to estimate the type of the scope based on a size of an area of the endoscope image. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein on condition that the image processing is adjusted to further process the endoscope image, the circuitry is configured to set another plurality of discrete evaluation areas in a first mode; and set a plurality of continuous evaluation areas, adjacent ones of the plurality of continuous evaluation areas being spatially separated and continuous from one another in a second mode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The endoscope system according to claim 7, wherein the circuitry configured to estimate the type of the scope based on the comparison in the first mode and estimate a position of a vignetting area in the endoscope image based on the comparison in the second mode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The endoscope system according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of continuous evaluation areas in the second mode is set at predetermined positions based on the comparison of the first mode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The endoscope system according to claim 7, wherein sizes of the plurality of continuous evaluation areas in the second mode is smaller than sizes of the another plurality of discrete evaluation areas in the first mode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the comparison is obtained from a difference between the evaluation values of adjacent areas of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to set the plurality of discrete evaluation frames in each of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction for the endoscopic image; compare an evaluation value of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas of the horizontal direction; compare an evaluation value of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas of the vertical direction; and adjust the image processing on the endoscope image in accordance with a result of the comparison of the horizontal direction and the comparison of the vertical direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation value is calculated based on a luminance value of each the plurality of discrete evaluation areas. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one evaluation value is for a center area of the endoscope image and at least two evaluation values are for substantially symmetrically areas about the center area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein an image processing is at least one of auto-focus processing, auto-exposure processing, auto-white balance processing, or expanded depth of field processing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to estimate the type of the scope by determining a position of an edge of vignetting caused by the scope based on the comparison. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to read a parameter from a table stored in a memory based on the comparison the comparison and to adjust the image processing using the parameter. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a program that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to execute processing, the processing comprising: setting a plurality of discrete evaluation areas in an endoscope image captured by an image sensor via a scope, adjacent ones of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas being spatially separated from one another; calculating an evaluation value for each of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas; estimating whether the scope is attached based on at least one evaluation value of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas; estimating the type of scope based on comparison of at least two evaluation values of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas; and adjusting an image processing on the endoscope image in accordance with the type of scope estimated. ### Claim 19 A method, comprising: setting a plurality of discrete evaluation areas in an endoscope image captured by an image sensor via a scope, adjacent ones of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas being spatially separated from one another, wherein the plurality of discrete evaluation areas includes a center area of the endoscope image and the substantially symmetrically areas about the center area; calculating an evaluation value for each of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas, estimating whether the scope is attached based on at least one evaluation value of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas; estimating the type of scope based on comparison of at least two evaluation values of the plurality of discrete evaluation areas; and adjusting an image processing on the endoscope image in accordance with the type of scope estimated.