Endoscope apparatus, endoscope, initialization method, and initialization program

• US 10,092,163 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2015
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Masui, Ichiro, Yamamoto, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAPODAS, DRAMOS
• Application Number:
  US15/122,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20170086647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00006 of control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00025 characterised by power management
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00045 Display arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00057 provided with means for testing or calibration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00188 with focusing or zooming features
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/044 for absorption imaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming

Abstract

An endoscope apparatus includes: a camera head configured to examine an interior of a subject and output a result of the examination; and a control apparatus electrically connected to the camera head and configured for the examination result to be inputted thereto from the camera head and to control operation of the camera head. The camera head includes a plurality of devices, and a CPU configured to perform initialization of at least one of the plurality of devices. The endoscope apparatus makes it possible to shorten start-up time of the entire endoscope apparatus.

Claims

1. An endoscope apparatus comprising:

an endoscope configured to examine an interior of a subject and output a result of the examination;

a control apparatus detachably connected to the endoscope and configured to receive an examination result and to control operation of the endoscope, wherein

the endoscope includes an imaging sensor and an endoscope circuit,

the control apparatus includes a control apparatus circuit,

the endoscope circuit and the control apparatus circuit perform a parallel initialization, and

the parallel initialization includes a first initialization by the endoscope circuit to initialize the image sensor and a second initialization by the control apparatus circuit to initialize the control apparatus.

2. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the endoscope circuit starts initialization of the image sensor with a start of electric power supply from the control apparatus to the endoscope as a trigger.

3. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the endoscope includes:

a lens configured to collect light in a prescribed visual field area and allow at least one of a focus position and a zoom position to be altered; and

a driver configured to alter at least one of the focus position and the zoom position, and

the endoscope circuit sets at least one of the focus position and the zoom position in the lens to an initial position, as the first initialization.

4. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the image sensor is configured to image the interior of the subject and output an imaging signal as the examination result,

the control apparatus includes:

a first image processing circuit configured to perform image processing on the imaging signal to generate a first imaging signal for display and output the first imaging signal for display; and

a second image processing circuit configured to perform image processing on the imaging signal to generate a second imaging signal for display and output the second imaging signal for display,

the endoscope apparatus includes a display configured to receive the first imaging signal for display or the second imaging signal for display and to display a captured image based on the received first imaging signal for display or the received second imaging signal for display, and

the control apparatus is configured to;

output, when the imaging signal is inputted from the endoscope after initialization of the control apparatus is completed, the first imaging signal for display generated in the first image processing circuit to the display; and

output, when the imaging signal is inputted from the endoscope while initialization of the control apparatus is being performed, the second imaging signal for display generated in the second image processing circuit to the display.

5. An initialization method to be executed by an endoscope detachably connected to a control apparatus and configured to output an examination result of an interior of a subject to the control apparatus, the method comprising:

examining, using the endoscope, an interior of a subject and output a result of the examination;

receiving, using the control apparatus, the examination result and controlling, using the control apparatus, operation of the endoscope, wherein

the endoscope includes an imaging sensor and an endoscope circuit,

the control apparatus includes a control apparatus circuit,

the method further comprises performing, using the endoscope circuit and the control apparatus circuit, a parallel initialization, and

the parallel initialization includes a first initialization by the endoscope circuit to initialize the image sensor and a second initialization by the control apparatus circuit to initialize the control apparatus.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium including executable instructions, which when executed by a computer cause the computer to execute an initialization method to be executed by an endoscope detachably connected to a control apparatus and configured to output an examination result of an interior of a subject to the control apparatus, the method comprising:

examining, using the endoscope, an interior of a subject and output a result of the examination;

receiving, using the control apparatus, the examination result and controlling, using the control apparatus, operation of the endoscope, wherein

the endoscope includes an imaging sensor and an endoscope circuit,

the control apparatus includes a control apparatus circuit,

the method further comprises performing, using the endoscope circuit and the control apparatus circuit, a parallel initialization, and

the parallel initialization includes a first initialization by the endoscope circuit to initialize the image sensor and a second initialization by the control apparatus circuit to initialize the control apparatus.