Programmable image processing unit which displays a tentative image during programming

An image processing device for performing image processing on a signal that represents the picked-up image of an object picked up under illumination light selectively supplied to the object from an illumination light supplying unit capable of supplying a plurality kinds of illumination lights whose wavelengths fall within different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, comprising:

• a programmable circuit unit that performs signal processing on the image pickup signal by a circuit that is programmably constructed based on circuit data;
• a circuit data holding unit that holds a plurality kinds of circuit data;
• and
• a control unit that selects a piece of circuit data, which is used for the programmable circuit unit, from among the plurality kinds of data items held in the circuit data holding unit corresponding to illumination light selectively supplied from the illumination light supplying unit, the control unit controlling such that a tentative image is outputted when the programmable circuit unit is being programmably constructed based on the piece of circuit data;
• wherein after the circuit data is selected from among the circuit data items held in the circuit data holding unit, when the programmable circuit unit is reconstructed based on the circuit data in order to construct the circuit, the control unit transmits the tentative image.

An image processing device comprising:

• an illumination light supplying unit that selectively supplies a plurality kinds of illumination lights whose wavelengths fall in different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum;
• a programmable circuit unit that programmably performs, by a circuit that is programmably constructed based on circuit data, signal processing on an image pickup signal of an object to which illumination light is supplied from the illumination light supplying unit;
• a circuit data holding unit that holds a plurality kinds of circuit data;
• and
• a control unit that selects a piece of circuit data, which is used for the programmable circuit unit, from among the plurality kinds of circuit data items held in the circuit data holding unit according to illumination light supplied from the illumination light supplying unit, the control unit controlling such that a tentative image is outputted when the programmable circuit unit is being programmable constructed based on the piece of circuit data;
• wherein after the circuit data is selected from among the circuit data items held in the circuit data holding unit, when the programmable circuit unit is reconstructed based on the circuit data in order to construct the circuit, the control unit transmits the tentative image.

An image processing control method for performing image processing on an signal, which represents an image pickup signal of an object, using a programmable circuit unit that is programmably constructed, comprising:

• a first control step of starting reconstructing the programmable circuit unit, which has been constructed based on second circuit data in order to construct a second circuit, on the basis of first circuit data so as to construct a first circuit along with a change of selection of illumination light to be supplied to the object;
• a second control step of transmitting a tentative image during reconstructing, that is, until the first control step is completed;
• and
• a third control step of transmitting a second image, which has undergone image processing performed by the first circuit constructed using the programmable circuit unit, after the first control step is completed.