Imaging system for endoscope

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include an apparatus including at least one illumination source configured to emit illumination energy and an illumination control system to receive the illumination energy. The illumination control system is configured to control the illumination energy to output a sequence of different illumination wavelengths using the illumination energy. The apparatus also includes a plurality of optical fibers connected to the illumination control system and configured to sequentially output the different illumination wavelengths. Each optical fiber is configured to transmit a different illumination wavelength of the sequence to output the sequence of different illumination wavelengths from the optical fibers toward an object. The apparatus further includes an image capture device including a plurality of pixels, and each pixel of the image capture device is configured to detect the illumination energy associated with each of the plurality of different illumination wavelengths reflected from the object.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for generating a composite image, the method comprising:
 determining a timing of formation of an image frame by an image capture device;   causing an illumination source to emit illumination energy at a plurality of different wavelengths in a sequence based on the determined timing such that an emission of one of the plurality of different wavelengths corresponds to a timing of formation of one image frame by the image capture device;   receiving a plurality of image frames serially formed by the image capture device as the sequence of the illumination energy at the plurality of different wavelengths is emitted by the illumination source, wherein each of the plurality of image frames is associated with one of the plurality of different wavelengths; and   generating a composite image from the plurality of image frames.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein determining the timing of formation of the image frame by the image capture device comprises receiving and processing one or more sets of a plurality of image frames captured by the image capture device to determine the timing. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein causing the illumination source to emit illumination energy at the plurality of different wavelengths in the sequence based on the determined timing comprises causing only one wavelength of the plurality of different wavelengths to be emitted at a given time in the sequence. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 monitoring a signal from a power supply of the image capture device to detect when the image capture device begins to produce signals associated with the formation of the plurality of image frames; and   in response to the detection, generating and sending one or more control signals to the illumination source to cause the illumination source to emit the illumination energy at the plurality of different wavelengths in the sequence based on the determined timing.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising causing an adjustment of one or more of an intensity or timing of the illumination energy of at least one of the plurality of different wavelengths emitted by the illumination source in the sequence to at least one of: alter one or more features of the composite image, control image brightness of the composite image, or control color balance of the composite image. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of different wavelengths includes wavelengths associated with red light, green light, and blue light, and the plurality of image frames includes a first image frame associated with the red light, a second image frame associated with the green light, and a third image frame associated with the blue light. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the composite image is a full color image in a red, green, and blue (RGB) color space. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of different wavelengths is a plurality of different wavelength bands. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of different wavelength bands includes a first wavelength band centered at a wavelength of about 650 nm, a second wavelength band centered at a wavelength of about 510 nm, and a third wavelength band centered at a wavelength of about 475 nm. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of image frames includes a first image frame associated with first wavelength band, a second image frame associated with the second wavelength band, and a third image frame associated with the third wavelength band. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the image capture device includes a plurality of pixels that are each configured to detect illumination energy of each wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the image capture device includes a pixel array formed from the plurality of pixels without color or wavelength filters arranged over the pixel array. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein as illumination energy at each wavelength of the plurality of different wavelengths is emitted by the illumination source in the sequence, each of the plurality of pixels is configured to detect the illumination energy at the respective wavelength to form an image frame of the plurality of image frames associated with the respective wavelength. 
     
     
         34 . A method for generating a composite image, the method comprising:
 receiving and processing a first plurality of image frames serially formed by an image capture device to determine a timing of the serial formation;   sending one or more control signals to an illumination source to synchronize a sequence of a plurality of different color illuminations emitted by the illumination source with the determined timing;   receiving a second plurality of image frames serially formed by the image capture device as the sequence of the plurality of different color illuminations is emitted by the illumination source in response to the one or more control signals, wherein each image frame of the second plurality of image frames is associated with one of the plurality of different color illuminations based on the synchronization; and   generating a composite image from the second plurality of image frames.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein only one color illumination of the plurality of different color illuminations is emitted by the illumination source at a given time in the sequence based on the one or more control signals. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 monitoring a signal from a power supply of the image capture device to detect when the image capture device begins to produce signals associated with the formation of the second plurality of image frames; and   in response to the detection, sending the one or more control signals to the illumination source.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 sending one or more additional control signals to the illumination source to cause an adjustment of one or more of an intensity or timing of at least one of the plurality of different color illuminations emitted by the illumination source in the sequence to at least one of: alter one or more features of the composite image, control image brightness of the composite image, or control color balance of the composite image.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein:
 the plurality of different color illuminations includes a red illumination, a green illumination, and a blue illumination,   the second plurality of image frames includes a first image frame associated with the red illumination, a second image frame associated with the green illumination, and a third image frame associated with the blue illumination, and   the composite image is a full color image in a red, green, and blue (RGB) color space.   
     
     
         39 . A method for generating a composite image of an object located in a lumen of a patient, the method comprising:
 determining a timing of formation of an image frame by an image capture device that is positioned at a distal end of a medical device and includes a plurality of pixels, wherein each of the plurality of pixels are configured to detect illumination energy of any wavelength;   subsequent to the distal end of the medical device being inserted into the lumen of the patient, causing an illumination source to emit, onto the object, illumination energy at a plurality of different wavelengths in a sequence based on the determined timing such that an emission of one of the plurality of different wavelengths corresponds to a timing of formation of one image frame by the image capture device;   receiving a plurality of image frames of the object serially formed by the image capture device as the sequence of the illumination energy at the plurality of different wavelengths is emitted by the illumination source, wherein each of the plurality of image frames is associated with one of the plurality of different wavelengths; and   generating a composite image of the object from the plurality of image frames.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein, as illumination energy at each wavelength of the plurality of different wavelengths is emitted by the illumination source in the sequence, each of the plurality of pixels is configured to detect the illumination energy at the respective wavelength to form an image frame of the plurality of image frames associated with the respective wavelength.