Calibration method and endoscope system

摘要

Light from each LED is applied to an integrating sphere (reference object), and a light amount calculator calculates light reflected from the integrating sphere. Calibration data, in which source control signals applied to the LEDs are associated with amounts of the light from the LEDs emitted in response to the source control signals, respectively, is generated. A maximum amount of the light from each LED is set in accordance with a predetermined light amount ratio. Based on the maximum light amount, an nth light amount which corresponds to a brightness step n is set. With reference to the calibration data, the source control signal which corresponds to the nth light amount is set as the source control signal for the brightness step n. A light control table is generated by associating the source control signal for the brightness step n with a brightness command signal for the brightness step n.

主权项

1. A calibration method for an endoscope system having semiconductor light sources for emitting different types of illumination light with different wavelength ranges, a light source controller for controlling the semiconductor light sources with respective light source control signals, and a brightness command signal generator for generating a brightness command signal n for commanding the light source controller to change a light amount of the each illumination light based on a brightness step n (n being an integer from 0 to N−1) of N (N being an integer greater than or equal to 2) levels, a light amount ratio between the light amounts of the illumination light being set in advance as a set light amount ratio, the calibration method comprising the steps of:
(a) applying a first light source control signal to the each semiconductor light source and allowing the each semiconductor light source to emit the each illumination light to a reference object, and calculating a light amount of the illumination light reflected from the reference object with a light amount calculator; (b) generating calibration data by associating the first light source control signals with the light amounts of the illumination light calculated by the light amount calculator in a case where the first light source control signals are applied; (c) setting a maximum light amount of the each illumination light in accordance with the set light amount ratio and based on the calibration data; (d) setting an nth light amount for the each illumination light based on the maximum light amount for the each illumination light, the nth light amount increasing or decreasing linearly relative to the brightness step n; (e) referring to the calibration data and determining a light source control signal corresponding to the nth light amount from the first light source control signals, the determined light source control signal being set as a second light source control signal corresponding to the brightness step n; and (f) associating the second light source control signal with a brightness control signal n for the brightness step n, and generating a light control table.