In-vivo image acquiring apparatus, in-vivo image receiving apparatus, in-vivo image displaying apparatus, and noise eliminating method
An in-vivo image acquiring apparatus includes an operation control unit which controls a black image acquiring operation, in which the operation control unit controls an imaging unit and an illuminating unit in such a manner the imaging unit conducts an image acquiring operation in a state the illuminating unit does not conduct an illuminating operation. The in-vivo image acquiring apparatus also includes an average calculating unit which calculates the average value of pixel value in a predetermined determining area, and a black image determining unit, which determines whether the image information acquired by the image acquiring operation is the black image by comparing the average value with a predetermined threshold value. The image information determined as the black image by the black image determining unit is transmitted, as the black image information, to an external apparatus by radio.
1. An in-vivo image acquiring apparatus to be taken into a body of a subject, comprising:
an imaging unit that acquires in-vivo image information;
an illuminating unit that illuminates imaging regions of which images are taken by the imaging unit;
a radio transmitting unit that transmits the image information acquired by the imaging unit to an external apparatus by radio;
an operation control unit that controls operations of the imaging unit and the illuminating unit so as to control a black image acquiring operation in which the imaging unit conducts an imaging operation with the illuminating unit not conducting an illuminating operation;
an average value calculating unit that calculates an average value of pixel values of a predetermined determining area among the image information acquired by the black image acquiring operation;
a black image determining unit that determines whether the image information acquired by the black image acquiring operation indicates a black image by comparing the average value calculated by the average value calculating unit with a predetermined threshold value; and
a dimmer controller that controls an amount of illuminating light emitted by the illuminating unit depending on a brightness of a predetermined dimming area based on the image information acquired by the imaging unit, wherein
the radio transmitting unit transmits to the external apparatus by radio the image information which is determined by the black image determining unit as the black image, as black image information, and
the average value calculating unit calculates the average value of pixel values which are included in the dimming area by regarding the dimming area as the determining area.
2. The in-vivo image acquiring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the average value calculating unit calculates a simple average value of pixel values of pixels that constitute the determining area based on the image information acquired by the black image acquiring operation.
3. The in-vivo image acquiring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the average value calculating unit calculates a weighted average value of RGB values of pixels that constitute the determining area based on the image information acquired by the black image acquiring operation.
4. The in-vivo image acquiring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the average value calculating unit calculates an average value of predetermined color components of pixels that constitute the determining area based on the image information acquired by the black image acquiring operation.
5. An in-vivo image receiving apparatus for receiving in-vivo image information from an in-vivo image acquiring apparatus which is taken into a body of a subject and which acquires the in-vivo image information in an illuminating state or in a non-illuminating state, the in-vivo image receiving apparatus comprising:
an average value calculating unit that calculates an average value of pixel values of a predetermined determining area among the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus;
a black image determining unit that determines whether the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus indicates a black image by comparing the average value calculated by the average value calculating unit with a predetermined threshold value;
a black image storage unit that stores as black image information the image information determined as the black image by the black image determining unit;
a black image compensating unit that, based on the black image information stored in the black image storage unit, eliminates fixed pattern noises in the image information acquired in the illuminating state by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus, and compensates the image information; and
a dimmer controller that controls an amount of illuminating light emitted by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus depending on a brightness of a predetermined dimming area based on the image information acquired by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus, wherein
the average value calculating unit calculates the average value of pixel values which are included in the dimming area by regarding the dimming area as the determining area.
6. The in-vivo image receiving apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the average value calculating unit calculates a simple average value of pixel values of pixels that constitute the determining area based on the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state.
7. The in-vivo image receiving apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the average value calculating unit calculates a weighted average value of RGB values of pixels that constitute the determining area based on the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state.
8. The in-vivo image receiving apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the average value calculating unit calculates an average value of predetermined color components of pixels that constitute the determining area based on the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state.
9. An in-vivo image displaying apparatus for displaying image information acquired by an in-vivo image acquiring apparatus which is taken into a body of a subject and acquires in-vivo image information in an illuminating state or in a non-illuminating state, the in-vivo image displaying apparatus comprising:
a black image pixel value averaging unit that calculates an average value of pixel values of a predetermined determining area among the image information acquired in a non-illuminating state by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus;
a black image determining unit that determines whether the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state indicates a black image by comparing the average value calculated by the black image pixel value averaging unit with a predetermined threshold value;
a black image storage unit that stores as black image information the image information determined as the black image by the black image determining unit;
an image compensating unit that, based on the black image information stored in the black image storage unit, eliminates fixed pattern noises in the image information acquired in the illuminating state by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus, and compensates the image information; and
a dimmer controller that controls an amount of illuminating light emitted by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus depending on a brightness of a predetermined dimming area based on the image information acquired by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus, wherein
the black image pixel value calculating unit calculates the average value of pixel values which are included in the dimming area by regarding the dimming area as the determining area.
10. The in-vivo image displaying apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the average value calculating unit calculates a simple average value of pixel values of pixels that constitute the determining area based on the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state.
11. The in-vivo image displaying apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the average value calculating unit calculates a weighted average value of RGB values of pixels that constitute the determining area based on the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state.
12. The in-vivo image displaying apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the average value calculating unit calculates an average value of predetermined color components of pixels that constitute the determining area based on the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state.
13. A noise eliminating method for eliminating fixed pattern noises in in-vivo image information, the method comprising:
acquiring the in-vivo image information in a non- illuminating state;
calculating an average value of a predetermined determining area among the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state;
determining whether the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state indicates a black image by comparing the calculated average value with a predetermined threshold value;
acquiring the in-vivo image information in an illuminating state while controlling an amount of illuminating light depending on a brightness of a predetermined dimming area; and
eliminating the fixed pattern noises in the image information acquired in the illuminating state and compensating the image information based on the image information determined as the black image, wherein the dimming area is regarded as the determining area.