PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To securely detect where an insertion section inserted into an internal space of a subject to be observed is in the inside or outside of the subject to be observed.SOLUTION: A light source control system includes: the insertion section 22 which emits light generated in an illumination light source 42 from an emission end 44 at the distal end to be inserted into a lumen 20 that is the internal space from an insertion port 18 of a subject 16 that is the subject to be observed an imaging means 28 disposed outside the lumen of the subject for imaging a prescribed space region to obtain image information an image processing means 30 for treating the image information to detect the position of the insertion port of the subject and the position of the insertion section from the image information an intra-lumen discrimination means 32 for determining whether the emission end of the insertion section is present inside the lumen or not based on the relative positional relations between the detected position of the insertion port and the position of the insertion section, and generating an observed subject inside discrimination signal if it is determined that the object is present inside the lumen and a light source control means 40 for controlling the illumination light source based on the observed subject inside discrimination signal.COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT【課題】観察対象物の内部空間に挿入される挿入部が観察対象物内外の何れにあるのかを確実に検出できるようにすること。【解決手段】先端の射出端44から照明光源42で発生した光を射出する、観察対象物である被検体16の挿入口18からその内部空間である管腔20内に挿入される挿入部22と、被検体の管腔外に配置され、所定の空間領域を撮像して、映像情報を取得する撮像手段28と、映像情報を処理して、当該映像情報の中から、被検体の挿入口の位置と、挿入部の位置と、を検出する画像処理手段30と、それら検出された挿入口の位置と挿入部の位置との相対的な位置関係を基に、挿入部の射出端が管腔内に存在するかどうかを判別し、管腔内に存在すると判別した場合には、観察対象物内判別信号を生成する管腔内判別手段32と、観察対象物内判別信号に基づき、照明光源を制御する光源制御手段40と、を備える。【選択図】図1
