# US 12,604,076 B2 · Endoscope system, control method, and program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,604,076 B2 - Document ID: US12604076B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/726,517 - Filed: 2023-01-12 - Published: 2025-03-20 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2022-01-27 - Assignees: Sony Group Corporation - Applicants: Sony Group Corporation - Inventors: Masashi Murakita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12604076B2 ## CPC - A61B 1/0638: {providing two or more wavelengths} - H04N 23/555: {for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes} - A61B 1/000094: {extracting biological structures} - A61B 1/0005: {combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled} - A61B 1/00059: {provided with identification means for the endoscope} - A61B 1/045: Control thereof - G02B 23/2484: {Arrangements in relation to a camera or imaging device (processing or control of video signals generated by an endoscope H04N23/60, H04N23/70)} - H04N 23/667: Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes - H04N 23/675: {comprising setting of focusing regions} - H04N 23/73: by influencing the exposure time - H04N 25/61: the noise originating only from the lens unit, e.g. flare, shading, vignetting or "cos4" - A61B 1/00188: {with focusing or zooming features} - A61B 1/042: {characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera} - A61B 1/0655: {Control therefor} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An endoscope system includes an imaging device to which an insertion unit is connected, the imaging device receiving light guided through the insertion unit by an image sensor to capture an image; and a control device that controls the imaging device, in which the control device includes one or more processors and one or more storage devices storing a program, and the processor executes the program to: determine a size of an observation area different from a vignetting area generated on the image sensor by the insertion unit at least twice or more; and perform parameter change processing based on a determination result on the basis of a comparison result of comparison of two or more determination results. The present technology can be applied to, for example, an endoscope system using a surgical endoscope. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An endoscope system comprising: an imaging device to which a scope is connected, the imaging device receiving light guided through the scope by an image sensor to capture an image; and a control device that controls the imaging device, wherein the control device includes one or more processors and one or more storage devices storing a program, and the processor executes the program to: determine a size of an observation area different from a vignetting area generated on the image sensor by the scope at least twice or more to generate two or more consecutive determination results; compare two or more consecutive determination results; and in response to the two or more consecutive determination results being the same, perform parameter change processing based on the same consecutive determination results, and in response to the two or more consecutive determination results not being the same, maintain a parameter from a previous determination. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the processor repeatedly determines the size of the observation area at a predetermined time interval, and performs the parameter change processing in a case where the determination results are the same for a predetermined number of consecutive times. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein the processor uses a parameter based on the determination result obtained in current determination in a case where the determination results are the same for a predetermined number of consecutive times, and uses a parameter based on the determination result obtained in last determination in a case where the determination results are not the same for a predetermined number of consecutive times. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein the processor compares the number of consecutive determination results with a threshold determined in advance according to a disturbance to determine whether or not the determination results are the same for a predetermined number of consecutive times. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The endoscope system according to claim 4, wherein the processor changes the threshold according to a surgical mode or an observation mode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein the processor repeatedly determines the size of the observation area at predetermined time intervals during operation in a normal light observation mode or a special light observation mode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The endoscope system according to claim 6, wherein when switching from the normal light observation mode to the special light observation mode, the processor uses a parameter based on a determination result obtained during operation in the normal light observation mode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The endoscope system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined time interval corresponds to a predetermined number of captured image frames. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the parameter change processing includes processing of changing an area of an evaluation frame of auto exposure (AE) or auto focus (AF). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls display of information regarding a size of the scope corresponding to the size of the observation area together with an endoscopic image based on an image signal output from the imaging device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The endoscope system according to claim 10, wherein the processor controls display of a virtual frame indicating an effective area to be subjected to AE or AF with respect to the observation area included in the endoscopic image. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The endoscope system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the size of the observation area is performed by setting a plurality of evaluation frames in a captured image and calculating luminance values within the plurality of evaluation frames. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The endoscope system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the size of the observation area is temporarily stopped when a high-luminance object is detected within the observation area. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The endoscope system of claim 13, wherein the determination of the size of the observation area is stopped when switching from the normal light observation mode to a special light observation mode. ### Claim 15 A control method comprising: by a control device that controls an imaging device to which a scope is connected and which receives light guided through the scope by an image sensor and captures an image, determining a size of an observation area different from a vignetting area generated on the image sensor by the scope at least twice or more to generate two or more consecutive determination results: comparing the two or more consecutive determination results; and in response to the two or more consecutive determination results being the same, performing parameter change processing based on the same consecutive determination results, and in response to the two or more consecutive determination results not being the same, maintaining a parameter previously used. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The control method according to claim 15, further comprising repeatedly determining the size of the observation area at a predetermined time interval, and performing the parameter change processing in a case where the determination results are the same for a predetermined number of consecutive times. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The control method according to claim 15, further comprising comparing the number of consecutive determination results with a threshold determined in advance according to a disturbance to determine whether or not the determination results are the same for a predetermined number of consecutive times. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as a control device, the control device: determining, at least twice or more, a size of an observation area different from a vignetting area generated on an image sensor by a scope connected to an imaging device that receives light guided through the scope by an image sensor and captures an image to generate two or more consecutive determination results, comparing the two or more consecutive determination results, and in response to the two or more consecutive determination results being the same, performing parameter change processing based on the same consecutive determination results, and in response to the two or more consecutive determination results not being the same, maintaining a parameter previously used. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the program further causes the computer to function as the control device to repeatedly determine the size of the observation area at a predetermined time interval, and performing the parameter change processing in a case where the determination results are the same for a predetermined number of consecutive times. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the program further causes the computer to function as the control device comparing the number of consecutive determination results with a threshold determined in advance according to a disturbance to determine whether or not the determination results are the same for a predetermined number of consecutive times.