IP Library Granted Patent US 12676953
Granted Patent B2
US 12676953 · App. 17/398,234 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Device for determining a parasitic resistance in video endoscopes

Inventors: Sven Pabst (Giekau, DE); Sebastian Jungbauer (Hamburg, DE)
Assignee: OLYMPUS Winter & Ibe GmbH
H04N17/00G01R27/02G01R31/2825
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12676953
App. No.
17/398,234
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device for determining a parasitic resistance of an electronic circuit for a video endoscope, the device including: a potential determining device; a printed circuit board; and a potential-determining conductor which is connected to the potential-determining device, the potential-determining conductor being situated on the printed circuit board. Wherein the potential-determining conductor is arranged along a path on the printed circuit board next to a reference potential conductor, and the potential-determining device is configured to determine a parasitic resistance between the potential-determining conductor and the reference potential conductor.

Claims (26)

1 . A device for determining a parasitic resistance of an electronic circuit for a video endoscope, the device comprising:

a potential-determining device;

a printed circuit board external from the potential-determining device; and

a potential-determining conductor arranged on the printed circuit board, wherein a first end of the potential-determining conductor is connected to the potential-determining device via a contact on the printed circuit board, the potential-determining conductor extending in a longitudinal direction on a surface of the printed circuit board,

a circuit component connected to a second end of the potential-determining conductor, wherein a predefined potential of the potential-determining conductor is dependent on the circuit component;

wherein the potential-determining conductor is arranged along a path in the longitudinal direction on the surface of the printed circuit board next to a reference potential conductor,

the potential-determining device is configured to determine a parasitic resistance between the potential-determining conductor and the reference potential conductor based on a deviation of the predefined potential of the potential-determining conductor;

the potential-determining conductor is surrounded on at least two sides, in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, by the reference potential conductor on the surface of the printed circuit board; and

the reference potential conductor is at a voltage other than zero.

2 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein a length of the path is at least one quarter of an extent of the printed circuit board.

3 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein the length of the path is at least one half of the extent of the printed circuit board.

4 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein a first distance between the potential-determining conductor and the reference potential conductor in regions in which the potential-determining conductor and the reference potential conductor are arranged next to each other is substantially the same.

5 . The device according to claim 4 , wherein the first distance is less than or equal to one half of a second distance from the potential-determining conductor to another conductor that has a different potential to the reference potential conductor.

6 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the potential-determining device comprises an analog-digital converter.

7 . The device according to claim 6 , wherein the analog-digital converter is provided in a microcontroller.

8 . The device according to claim 6 , wherein the analog-digital converter is provided as an alternative function in a microcontroller.

9 . The device according to claim 6 , wherein the analog-digital converter is a microcontroller, the microcontroller being provided for an electronic circuit for a video endoscope, the microcontroller being configured to perform at least one other function of the electronic circuit of the video endoscope.

10 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit component is a voltage divider.

11 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit component is a switch, and the potential-determining conductor is connected between a pull-up resistor and ground, and the parasitic resistance is determined between the potential-determining conductor and the ground when the switch is opened.

12 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit component is a switch, and the potential-determining conductor is connected between a pull-down resistor and a reference potential conductor, and the parasitic resistance is determined between the potential-determining conductor and the reference potential conductor when the switch is opened.

13 . An electronic circuit for a video endoscope comprising a device according to claim 1 .

14 . A video endoscope comprising an electronic circuit according to claim 13 .

15 . The video endoscope according to claim 14 , where the device is arranged in a non-hermetic space of the video endoscope.

16 . The video endoscope according to claim 15 , wherein the device is arranged in at least in part of a handle of the video endoscope.

17 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuit is configured to control an actuation of an image-capturing device.

18 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the potential-determining device comprises a comparator configured to compare a voltage applied to the potential-determining conductor with a reference voltage.