Endoscope system

• US 20050228294A1
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Yamaki, Masahide
• Granted Patent: US 8,725,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/478
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00043 provided with output arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/13 Trolleys, e.g. carts
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The present invention relates to an endoscope system including: a real time clock; an interface for receiving medical information output from a peripheral device; and a control unit that adjusts clock information added to the received medical information into clock information of the real time clock when the peripheral device adds the clock information to the medical information, and adds clock information of the real time clock at a time of receiving to the received medical information when the peripheral device does not add the clock information to the medical information. According to the invention, even the medical information obtained from the different devices can be reproduced with data from the respective devices synchronized by associating the clock information based on the identical real time clock therewith. Consequently, even after the surgical operation, the contents of treatment performed during the surgical operation can be accurately reproduced.

Claims

1. An endoscope system comprising:

a real time clock;

an interface for receiving medical information output from a peripheral device; and

a control unit that adjusts clock information added to the received medical information into real time clock information when the peripheral device adds the clock information to the received medical information, and adds clock information of the real time clock at a time of receiving to the received medical information when the peripheral device does not add the clock information to the medical information.

2. An endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment of the clock information by the control unit is performed based on a timelag between the clock information added by the peripheral device and the clock information of the real time clock.

3. An endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral device comprises a plurality of the peripheral devices, and the endoscope system further comprising a reproducing unit for reproducing medical information received from the plurality of peripheral devices synchronously based on the clock information adjusted or added by the control unit.

4. An endoscope system according to claim 3, wherein the adjustment of the clock information by the control unit is performed when the medical information including the clock information added by the plurality of peripheral devices is stored in a storage unit of a system controller.

5. An endoscope system according to claim 3, wherein the adjustment of the clock information by the control unit is performed when reproducing the medical information at the reproducing unit.

6. An endoscope system according to claim 3, further comprising a storage unit for storing image information from one or more of the plurality of peripheral devices and the medical information separately, and

a selecting unit for selecting whether or not the medical information is to be displayed by superimposing on the image information when reproducing the image information by the reproducing unit.

7. An endoscope system according to claim 1, further comprising a transmitting unit for transmitting the medical information and the clock information corresponding to the medical information which is adjusted or added by the control unit onto a network as a single unit of data.

8. An endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the clock information of the real time clock is adjusted so as to be identical to reference clock information obtained from a server having reference time information.

9. A method of reproducing information in an endoscope system, the method comprising:

receiving medical information output from a plurality of peripheral devices;

adjusting clock information added to the received medical information into clock information of a real time clock associated with the endoscope system when the plurality of peripheral devices add the clock information to the medical information;

adding the clock information of the real time clock at a time of receiving to the received medical information when the plurality of peripheral devices do not add the clock information to the medical information; and

reproducing the medical information received from the plurality of the peripheral devices synchronously based on the adjusting or adding.

10. An endoscope system capable of communicating with peripheral devices, the endoscope system comprising:

a first clock information obtaining unit for obtaining first clock information held by the peripheral devices from one or more of the peripheral devices;

a first clock information administrating unit for administering second clock information held by the endoscope system; and

a first clock information adjustment unit for adjusting the first clock information based on the second clock information.

11. An endoscope system according to claim 10, further comprising a storage unit for storing the adjustment of the first clock information adjustment unit;

and

a reproducing unit for reproducing medical information output by the peripheral devices based on the first clock information adjusted by the first clock information adjustment unit.

12. The endoscope system according to claim 11, wherein the storage unit stores image information from one or more of the peripheral devices and the medical information separately,

the endoscope system further comprising:

a selecting unit for selecting whether or not to display the medical information so as to be superimposed on the image information when reproducing the image information at the reproducing unit.

13. A peripheral device capable of communicating with an endoscope system, the peripheral device comprising:

a second clock information obtaining unit for obtaining second clock information held by the endoscope system;

a second clock information administering unit for administering first clock information held by peripheral equipment associated with the endoscope system; and

a second clock information adjustment unit for adjusting the first clock information based on the second clock information.

14. A controller for use with an endoscope system, the endoscope system being capable of communicating with peripheral devices, the controller comprising:

means for obtaining first clock information held by the peripheral devices from one or more of the peripheral devices;

means for administering second clock information held by the endoscope system; and

means for adjusting the first clock information based on the second clock information.