Endoscope with wide angle lens and adjustable view

1. A system for altering the field of view of an endoscope image, comprising:

at least one endoscope comprising at least one wide-angle lens and a camera configured to image a field of view of said endoscope image by means of said wide-angle lens;

a display;

executable software configured to select at least a portion of said field of view without physically maneuvering said endoscope or said wide-angle lens and to display said portion of the field of view on the display;

wherein said executable software is configured, when activated, to provide a popup image upon image analysis identification of a change of state of a tool disposed within the field of view but outside the portion of said field of view, said change of state being at least one of articulation of the tool, activation of the tool or deactivation of the tool, said popup image comprising at least one overlay on the portion of the field of view displayed on the display, wherein said overlay comprises an image of said at least one tool and is positioned to indicate a location of the tool relative to the portion of the field of view.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following is true:

said system comprises a digital zoom selected from a group consisting of straight enlargement, interpolating zoom, and any combination thereof;

said image of said at least a portion of said field of view is substantially undistorted; and

said system additionally comprises illumination controlling executable software configured, when executed, to control at least one aspect of illumination of said field of view.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said executable software is configured to identify an occurrence of at least one predetermined item of interest from at least one image of said field of view.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein said executable software is further configured, when activated, to provide a popup warning image upon image analysis identification of an occurrence of bleeding or motion of edges of an incision within the field of view but outside the portion of said field of view, said popup warning image comprising at least one overlay on the portion of the field of view displayed on the display, wherein said overlay comprises an image of an area of said occurrence of bleeding or said motion and is positioned to indicate a location of the bleeding or motion relative to the portion of the field of view.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said executable software, when executed, is additionally configured to perform at least one task selected from a group consisting of:

digitally zooming said portion of said field of view;

selecting a portion of a field of view; remove distortion from said field of view; and display said portion of said field of view on said display; and,

automatically digitally maneuvering said image to display a selected at least a portion of said field of view.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein said automatically digitally maneuvering of said image is configured to achieve a predetermined goal selected from a group consisting of: maintaining a predetermined object at the center of said portion of said field of view, maintaining a predetermined object at a predetermined apparent size; maintaining a predetermined horizon, and any combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one camera generates a plurality of images.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein said executable software is additionally configured to combine said plurality of images to form a display, said display selected from a group consisting of: a unitary two dimensional display; a unitary three dimensional display; a stereoscopic display and any combination thereof.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the executable software is configured to show at least a portion of said selected portion of said field of view with said at least a portion of said field of view maintaining a predetermined horizon on said display.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the executable software is further configured to provide an aural warning.

11. A method for altering the field of view of an endoscope image, comprising:

providing a system for altering the field of view of an endoscope image, comprising:

at least one endoscope comprising at least one wide angle lens and at least one camera configured to image a field of view of said endoscope image by means of said wide-angle lens;

executable software; and

a display;

selecting a portion of said field of view, wherein said step of selecting a portion of said field of view comprises selecting a portion of said field of view without physically maneuvering said endoscope or said wide-angle lens;

displaying the portion of said field of view on the display;

providing a popup image upon image analysis identification of a change of state of a tool disposed within the field of view but outside the portion of said field of view, said change of state being at least one of articulation of the tool, activation of the tool or deactivation of the tool,

said popup image comprising at least one overlay on the portion of the field of view displayed on the display, wherein said overlay comprises an image of said at least one tool and is positioned to indicate a location of the tool relative to the portion of the field of view.

12. The method of claim 11 , additionally comprising controlling at least one aspect of illumination of said field of view.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises providing a popup warning image upon image analysis identification of an occurrence of bleeding or motion of edges of an incision, wherein said popup warning image is positioned to indicate a location of the bleeding or motion relative to the portion of the field of view.

14. The method of claim 11 , additionally comprising generating a substantially undistorted image of said at least a portion of said field of view.

15. The method of claim 11 , additionally comprising performing digital maneuvering automatically.

16. The method of claim 15 , additionally comprising performing said automatic digital maneuvering in order to achieve a predetermined goal, said goal selected from a group consisting of: maintaining a predetermined object at the center of said portion of said field of view, maintaining a predetermined object at a predetermined apparent size; maintaining a predetermined horizon, and any combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 11 , additionally comprising generating a plurality of images from said at least one camera.

18. The method of claim 17 , additionally comprising:

combining said plurality of images to form a display; and,

selecting said display from a group consisting of a unitary two dimensional display; a unitary three dimensional display; a stereoscopic display; and any combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein

said system comprises a digital zoom selected from a group consisting of straight enlargement, interpolating zoom, and any combination thereof.