What is claimed is:
1. An electronic endoscope comprising:
a color signal formation circuit that forms predetermined color signals based on signals captured by an image pickup element;
a binarization circuit that inputs color signals other than a red signal output from said color signal formation circuit and generates binarized image signals;
an edge detection circuit that inputs binarized signals output from said binarization circuit and detects blood vessel positions in an image; and
a chroma correction circuit that adjusts chroma of the blood vessel image based on the blood vessel position signals output from said edge detection circuit and said color signals.
2. The electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said color signal formation circuit forms red, green and blue color signals and said binarization circuit forms a binarized image by using the green signal or blue signal.
3. The electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said chroma correction circuit is designed to increase chroma of the blood vessel image.
4. The electronic endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a circuit for extracting signals other than the blood vessel position signals output from said edge detection circuit,
wherein said chroma correction circuit is designed to decrease chroma of images other than the blood vessel image.
5. The electronic endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising:
a blood vessel edge detection circuit that inputs predetermined signals output from said color signal formation circuit and detects both ends of the blood vessel in the width direction; and
a multiplier that multiplies signals at both ends of the blood vessel detected by said blood vessel edge detection circuit by a predetermined coefficient to highlight the blood vessel.
6. An electronic endoscope comprising:
a color signal formation circuit that forms predetermined color signals based on signals captured by an image pickup element;
a binarization circuit that inputs color signals other than a red signal output from said color signal formation circuit and generates binarized image signals;
an edge detection circuit that inputs binarized signals output from said binarization circuit and detects blood vessel positions in an image;
a blood vessel redetection circuit that redetects the blood vessel position signals output from said edge detection circuit by a clock signal slower than the image processing clock signal; and
a chroma correction circuit that adjusts chroma of the blood vessel image based on the blood vessel position signals output from said blood vessel redetection circuit and said color signals.
7. The electronic endoscope according to claim 6, wherein said chroma correction circuit is designed to increase chroma of the blood vessel image.
8. The electronic endoscope according to claim 6, further comprising a circuit for extracting signals other than the blood vessel position signals output from said blood vessel redetection circuit,
wherein said chroma correction circuit is designed to decrease chroma of images other than the blood vessel image.
9. The electronic endoscope according to claim 6, further comprising:
a blood vessel edge detection circuit that inputs a predetermined signal output from said color signal formation circuit and detects both ends of the blood vessel in the width direction; and
a multiplier that multiplies signals at both ends of the blood vessel detected by said blood vessel edge detection circuit by a predetermined coefficient to highlight the blood vessel.
10. An electronic endoscope comprising:
a color signal formation circuit that forms a predetermined color signal based on signals captured by an image pickup element;
a differentiating circuit that differentiates predetermined color signals other than a red color signal obtained at said color signal formation circuit and generates a differential signal;
a gain circuit that amplifies the differential signal output from said differentiating circuit; and
a blood vessel highlighting circuit that amplifies at least a red signal other than said predetermined color signals based on the differential signal output from said gain circuit to highlight the blood vessel.
11. The electronic endoscope according to claim 10, wherein said color signal formation circuit forms red, green and blue color signals, said differentiating circuit applies differential processing to the green signal, and said blood vessel highlighting circuit amplifies the red and blue signals by the differential signal.
12. The electronic endoscope according to claim 10, further comprising:
a blood vessel edge detection circuit that inputs predetermined signals output from said color signal formation circuit and detects both ends of the blood vessel in the width direction; and
a multiplier that multiplies signals at both ends of the blood vessel detected by said blood vessel edge detection circuit by a predetermined coefficient to highlight the blood vessel.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for tracing or analyzing fluid flow through an enclosure; said method comprising the steps of:
providing an array of colorant-injection elements for positioning at such enclosure;
operating the array to inject different colorants from the injection elements into the enclosure with the fluid flow; and
observing paths of the different colorants through the enclosure with the fluid flow.
2. The method of claim 1, particularly for use with fluid flow that is three-dimensional; and wherein:
the providing step comprises providing an array that substantially spans the enclosure two-dimensionally.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein:
the providing step comprises providing elements for injection of different colorants at different portions of the enclosure cross-section.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein:
the operating step comprises controlling timing of the colorant injection; and
the observing step comprises controlling observation synchronously with the injection.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein:
the timing controlling comprises injecting the colorant in pulses; and
the observation controlling comprises tracking and analyzing movement, through the enclosure, of leading and trailing ends of the colorant pulses.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein:
the operating step comprises injecting the colorants in specific spatial-temporal color patterns; and
the observing step comprises analyzing downstream movement of the specific spatial-temporal color patterns in the fluid.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein:
the observing step comprises three-dimensional observations.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein:
the observing step comprises observing position and direction of colorants at at least one cross-section within or exit from the enclosure.
9. The method of claim 1:
further comprising the step of preparing a substantially exact model of the enclosure, at least portions of the model wall being transparent to some propagating vibration; and
wherein the observing step comprises observation through said portions, using said propagating vibration.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein:
the observing step comprises observation through the portions by plural cameras.
11. The method of claim 1:
further comprising the step of forming at least one window in the enclosure; and
wherein the observing step comprises observation through the at least one window.
12. The method of claim 1:
further comprising the step of mounting at least one camera within the enclosure; and
the observing step comprises making pictures with the at least one camera.
13. Apparatus for tracing or analyzing three-dimensional fluid flow; said apparatus comprising:
an array of colorant-injection elements for positioning in such fluid flow with two dimensions of the array extended transversely of a flow direction; and
a programmed processor operating the array to inject different colorants from the injection elements into such fluid flow in specific spatial-temporal color patterns.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:
the specific patterns include injection of at least some of the colorants in multiple successive pulses.
15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:
means for observing three-dimensional movement of the specific spatial-temporal color patterns in the fluid flow.
16. Apparatus for tracing or analyzing fluid flow in a very large or very small environment; said apparatus comprising:
an accurate scale model of the environment, including such fluid flow;
an array of colorant-injection elements for positioning in such scale-model fluid flow with at least one dimension of the array extended transversely of a flow direction; and
a programmed processor operating the array to inject different colorants from the injection elements, into such scale-model fluid flow in specific spatial-temporal color patterns.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, particularly for use in analyzing fluid flow that is three-dimensional; and further comprising:
means for observing three-dimensional movement of the specific spatial-temporal color patterns in the fluid flow; and
wherein the array is positioned with two dimensions of the array extended transversely of the flow direction.
18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:
the environment comprises a blood vessel, lymphatic duct, powerplant coolant tunnel, canal for oceangoing ships, or other very large or very small chamber.
19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:
the environment comprises fluid around a ship, submarine, aircraft, or other fluid craft; and
the scale model includes a scale model of the ship, submarine, aircraft, or other fluid craft.
20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:
the specific patterns include injection of at least some of the colorants in multiple successive pulses.