Wide dynamic range using monochromatic sensor

A digital imaging method for use with an endoscope in ambient light deficient environments comprising:

• illuminating the environment with pulsed electromagnetic radiation;
• sensing a plurality of differing exposures of reflected electromagnetic radiation with a pixel array of an image sensor;
• receiving image data from said pixel array corresponding to the plurality of differing exposures of reflected electromagnetic radiation;
• creating a plurality of exposed frames from said image data, wherein each exposed frame corresponds to a different exposure;
• emitting pulses of electromagnetic radiation during a predefined portion of a frame readout period of the image sensor during which pulse sensitive pixels are not being read;
• creating a stream of images by sequentially combining a plurality of display frames taken using the plurality of differing exposures to provide increased dynamic range;
• and
• pulsing an emitter to produce a pattern of luminance long exposed combined with luminance short exposed then chrominance blue then luminance long exposed combined with luminance short exposed then chrominance red in a cycle.

A digital imaging method for use with an endoscope in ambient light deficient environments comprising:

• illuminating the environment with pulsed electromagnetic radiation;
• sensing a plurality of differing exposures of reflected electromagnetic radiation with a pixel array of an image sensor;
• receiving image data from said pixel array corresponding to the plurality of differing exposures of reflected electromagnetic radiation;
• creating a plurality of exposed frames from said image data, wherein each exposed frame corresponds to a different exposure;
• emitting pulses of electromagnetic radiation during a predefined portion of a frame readout period of the image sensor during which pulse sensitive pixels are not being read;
• creating a stream of images by sequentially combining a plurality of display frames taken using the plurality of differing exposures to provide increased dynamic range;
• and
• pulsing an emitter to produce a pattern of luminance long exposed combined with luminance short exposed then chrominance blue long exposed combined with chrominance blue short exposed then luminance long exposed combined with luminance short exposed then chrominance red long exposed combined with chrominance red short exposed in a cycle.