System and method for producing and improving images

Abstract

A method for displaying images includes adjusting at least one characteristic of an image from a first imaging device of an endoscope to match at least one corresponding characteristic of an image from a second imaging device of the endoscope. The at least one characteristic may be one or more of color, contrast and brightness. An endoscopic system includes an endoscope including a first imaging device and a second imaging device, and a display device that displays an image from the first imaging device of the endoscope and an image from the second imaging device of the endoscope, wherein the images are sized so that an object, when placed at the same distance from the imaging devices, appears to have about the same size in the images.

1 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . An endoscopic system comprising:
 a first imaging sensor of an endoscope;   a second imaging sensor, wherein the second imaging sensor faces the first imaging sensor;   a controller programmed with an algorithm to reverse left for right, an image from either the first imaging sensor or an image from the second imaging sensor; and   a display device that displays, side by side, the images from the first imaging sensor and the second imaging sensor, wherein one of the images is reversed left for right.   
     
     
         38 . The endoscopic system of  claim 37 , wherein the controller reverses the image from either the first imaging sensor or the second imaging sensor such the location of an object being simultaneously viewed by the first and second imaging sensors is correlated in both images. 
     
     
         39 . The endoscopic system of  claim 38 , wherein the object is in the same general location in both images. 
     
     
         40 . The endoscopic system of  claim 38 , wherein the movement of the object is correlated in both images. 
     
     
         41 . The endoscopic system of  claim 37 , wherein the controller is programmed to reverse the image from the first imaging sensor. 
     
     
         42 . The endoscopic system of  claim 37 , wherein the controller is programmed to reverse the image from the second imaging sensor. 
     
     
         43 . A method for displaying images, comprising:
 acquiring a first image from a first imaging sensor of an endoscope;   acquiring a second image from a second imaging sensor, wherein the second imaging sensor faces the first imaging sensor;   placing, side by side, the first image and the second image on a display device; and   using a controller that has been pre-programmed with an algorithm to reverse one of the images left for right.   
     
     
         44 . An endoscopic system comprising:
 a first imaging sensor;   a second imaging sensor, wherein the second imaging sensor faces that first imaging sensor;   a controller programmed with an algorithm to size an image from the first imaging sensor and an image from the second imaging sensor so that an object located at the same distance from both the imaging sensors appears to have about the same size in both the images; and   a display device that displays the images from the first imaging sensor and the second imaging sensor, wherein the images are sized by the controller.   
     
     
         45 . A method for sizing images, comprising:
 acquiring a first image from a first imaging sensor of an endoscope;   acquiring a second image from a second imaging sensor, wherein the second imaging sensor faces the first imaging sensor;   placing the first image and the second image on a display device; and   using a controller that has been pre-programmed with an algorithm to size the images so that an object located at the same distance from both the imaging sensors appears to have the same size in both images.   
     
     
         46 . An endoscopic system comprising:
 a first imaging sensor of an endoscope;   a second imaging sensor, wherein the second imaging sensor faces the first imaging sensor; and   a controller that stores image data from the first and second imaging sensors in one computer file for simultaneous display on a display device.   
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the image data from the imaging sensors are time-correlated. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the controller places patient information data from only one image in the computer file for simultaneous display with the images on a display device. 
     
     
         49 . A method for processing images, comprising:
 acquiring a first image from a first imaging sensor of an endoscope;   acquiring a second image from a second imaging sensor, wherein the second imaging sensor faces the first imaging sensor; and   using a controller to place the first and second images in one computer file for simultaneous display on a display device.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the first and second images are time-correlated. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising:
 placing patient information data from only one of the images in the computer file for simultaneous display with the images on the display device.