Endoscopic imaging system

Abstract

An endoscopic imaging system includes an endoscope, a light source assembly coupled to the endoscope that transmits light to the endoscope for illuminating a region of interest, an imaging unit coupled to the light source assembly that receives light through the endoscope reflected from the region of interest, a first power module coupled to the light source assembly that provides electrical power to the light source assembly, and a second and different power module coupled to the imaging unit that provides electrical power to the imaging unit. Other imaging systems and a method are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An endoscopic imaging system comprising:
 an endoscope;   a light source assembly coupled to the endoscope that transmits light to the endoscope for illuminating a region of interest;   an imaging unit coupled to the light source assembly that receives light through the endoscope reflected from the region of interest, wherein the imaging unit comprises a wireless transceiver that receives and transmits control signals and image data representing the image of the region of interest wirelessly from and to an external unit,   wherein the imaging unit is coupled to the light source assembly such that the endoscope and the light source assembly are able to rotate together while the imaging unit remains stationary.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising optics coupled to the light source assembly to enable manipulation of the light to the endoscope for illuminating the region of interest. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the optics enable coupling of light emitted from the light source assembly to the endoscope. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an electronic light control circuitry connected to the light source and the imaging unit wherein said light control circuitry regulates a light output of the light source responsive to control signals from the imaging unit. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the light source assembly comprises an LED assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising optics located between the endoscope and the imaging unit to enable the imaging unit to receive the light reflected by the region of interest from the endoscope. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the optics are configured to enable focusing of the image. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the optics are configured to enable zooming into the image. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the external unit to which the wireless transceiver is wirelessly coupled is a camera control unit that:
 transmits the control signals to the imaging unit;   receives the image data from the imaging unit; and   causes a display unit coupled to the camera control unit to display the image represented by the image data.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a power module coupled to the imaging unit to provide electrical power to the imaging unit and the light source assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising an electrical contact mechanism coupled to the imaging unit and the light source assembly, the electrical contact mechanism being connected to the power module to transmit electrical power provided by the power module to the light source assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the imaging unit includes a cable over which the imaging unit receives and transmits control signals and image data representing the image of the region of interest from and to an external unit. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the imaging unit further receives power from an external power unit through the cable. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first power module coupled to the imaging unit to provide electrical power to the imaging unit; and   a second power module coupled to the light source assembly to provide electrical power to the light source assembly.