Communication method of storage device, image storage system and image storage device

• US 20060106284A1
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Nakatsuchi, Kazutaka, Ito, Nobuyasu, Ishibashi, Katsuyoshi, Ijichi, Toshiro, Eto, Tadao, Kikkawa, Masashi, Miyoshi, Yoshitaka, Ohshima, Mutsumi, Oda, Tomohiko, Shouji, Hideyuki
• Application Number:
  US11/284,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20060106284A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/118
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00011 characterised by signal transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS

Abstract

This is the communication method of an image storage device for recording medical information. The communication method comprises a receiving information from a plurality of devices for providing at least one of setting information, status information, inspection image information and patient information, and transmits at least one of the setting information and status information or information obtained by processing the information, via a network, in addition to the inspection image information and patient information.

Claims

1. A communication method of a storage device for recording medical information, comprising:

receiving information from a plurality of devices for providing at least one of setting information, status information, inspection image information and patient information; and

transmitting at least one of the setting information and status information or information obtained by processing the information, via a network, in addition to the inspection image information and patient information.

2. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 1, wherein

the received information or information obtained by processing the information is transmitted to a server device via the network, and is collectively managed by the server device.

3. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 1, wherein

the received inspection image information is recorded in at least one image recording format of a plurality of different image recording formats.

4. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 3, wherein

the recorded inspection image information is transmitted to a server via a network.

5. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 3, wherein

when recording the inspection image information, it is recorded in at least one image recording format selected and set from a plurality of the different image recording formats.

6. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 3, wherein

the plurality of different image recoding formats includes at least one of a unique image recording format, a DICOM-based image recording format and a JPEG format.

7. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 1, wherein

the received inspection image information and patient information are converted into inspection image information and patient information according to one communication protocol of a plurality of different communication protocols and are transmitted.

8. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 7, wherein

the transmitted inspection image information and patient information are transmitted to a network operated by each corresponding communication protocol.

9. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 7, wherein

when transmitting the inspection image information and patient information, they are converted into inspection image information and patient information according to one of a plurality of communication protocols, selected and set from the plurality of different communication protocols and are transmitted.

10. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 7, wherein

the plurality of different communication protocols includes at least one of a unique image recording format and a DICOM-based image recording format.

11. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 1, wherein

when starting the storage device, the received and stored history information that is provided by the plurality of devices is transmitted to a server device via a network.

12. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 1, wherein

image information about a thumbnail with a size selected and set from a plurality of different sizes is generated as image information about a thumbnail which aims to select images to be viewed.

13. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 1, wherein

image information about a thumbnail with a size corresponding to equipment information obtained from a device connected to the image storage device is generated as image information about a thumbnail which aims to select images to be viewed.

14. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 1, wherein

it is set which is used with priority, patient information inputted via an endoscope device included in the plurality of devices or patient information retrieved from a database.

15. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 1, wherein

a temporary patient ID using information peculiar to the storage device is attached to image information to be recorded.

16. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 15, wherein

the information peculiar to the image storage device is a serial number or MAC address of the image storage device.

17. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 15, wherein

the information peculiar to the image storage device is a serial number or MAC address of the image storage device with either or both of a release number and a record start date/time attached to it.

18. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 1, wherein

an inspection start time and an inspection end time are obtained based on an inspection start command and an inspection end command, respectively, transmitted from a selected and set device.

19. The communication method of the storage device according to claim 1, wherein

when transferring original image information, it is transferred for each dot of array of R, G and B or for each plane of R, G and B, according to selection and setting.

20. An image storage device system for recording medical information, comprising:

a plurality of devices for providing at least one of setting information, status information, inspection image information and patient information; and

an image storage device provided with a communication unit for transmitting/receiving information among the plurality of devices.

21. The image storage system according to claim 20, further comprising

a plurality of network systems whose corresponding image recording formats are different, wherein

the image storage device records the inspection image information received by the communication unit in at least one of a plurality of different image recording formats, and transmits the recorded inspection image information to a server device included in the corresponding network system.

22. The image storage system according to claim 21, wherein

the plurality of different image recoding formats includes at least one of a unique image recording format, a DICOM-based image recording format, and a JPEG format.

23. The image storage system according to claim 20, further comprising

a plurality of network systems whose corresponding communication protocols are different, wherein

the image storage device converts the inspection image information and patient information which are received by the communication unit into inspection image information and patient information, respectively, according to at least one of a plurality of different communication protocols and transmits them to a server device included in the corresponding network system.

24. The image storage system according to claim 23, wherein

the plurality of different communication protocols includes at least one of a unique image recording format and a DICOM-based image recording format.

25. The image storage system according to claim 20, further comprising

a server device for recording history information of the plurality of devices, wherein

the image storage device further comprises

a history information storage unit for recording history information of the plurality of devices, received by the communication unit,

and when starting the image storage device, transmits the history information of the plurality of devices, recorded in the history information storage unit, to the server device.

26. The image storage system according to claim 20, further comprising

a server device for recording image information about a thumbnail which aims to select images to be viewed;

an image replay device for replaying image information about a thumbnail recorded in the server device, wherein

the image storage device generates image information about a thumbnail with a size selected and set from a plurality of different sizes, and transmits it to the server device.

27. The image storage system according to claim 26, wherein

the image storage device generates image information about a thumbnail with a corresponding size as image information about the thumbnail, according to equipment information received from a device or the image replay device connected to the image storage device, and transmits it to the server device.

28. The image storage system according to claim 20, further comprising

an external storage device for recording patient information, wherein

the image storage device further comprises

first memory for recording patient information inputted via an endoscope device included in the plurality of devices;

second memory for recording patient information recorded in the external storage device; and

third memory for recording information indicating which is used with priority, the patient information recorded in the first memory or the patient information recorded in the second memory.

29. The image storage system according to claim 20, further comprising

an external storage device for recording image information, wherein

the image storage device further comprises

memory for recording information peculiar to the image storage device, and

a temporary patient ID using the information peculiar to the image storage device, recorded in the memory is attached to image information to be recorded in the external storage device.

30. The image storage system according to claim 29, wherein

the information peculiar to the image storage device is a serial number or MAC address of the image storage device.

31. The image storage system according to claim 29, wherein

the information peculiar to the image storage device is a serial number or MAC address of the image storage device with either or both of a release number and a record start date/time attached to it.

32. The image storage system according to claim 20, wherein

the image storage device further comprises

a setting unit for setting a device for receiving with priority an inspection start command and an inspection end command from the plurality of connected devices,

obtains an inspection start time and an inspection end time, based on an inspection start command and an inspection end command received from a device set by the setting unit.

33. The image storage system according to claim 20, wherein

the image storage device further comprises

original image memory for recording original image information;

a selector for switching between a first transfer route for transferring for each dot of array of R, G and B and a second transfer route for transferring for each plane of R, G and B, as a transfer route of the original image information recorded in the original image memory; and

a storage unit for recording original image information outputted from the transfer route switched by the selector.

34. A medical image storage device, comprising:

an endoscopic observation image storage unit for recording endoscopic observation image data obtained by an endoscope;

an endoscope insertion length storage unit for recording endoscope insertion length data indicating an insertion length of the endoscope in a body to be inspected; and

a data management unit for monitoring/managing endoscopic observation image data and endoscope insertion length data.

35. The medical image storage device according to claim 34, wherein

when specific observation image data is specified among a plurality of pieces of observation image data obtained by the endoscope, the data management unit specifies a corresponding body part in a sketch showing an outline of a body part to be inspected based on the endoscope insertion length data, links the corresponding body part in the sketch with the specific specified observation image data and displays them.

36. A medical image storage device, comprising:

endoscopic observation image recording means for recording endoscopic observation image data obtained by an endoscope;

endoscope insertion length recording means for recording endoscope insertion length data indicating an insertion length of an endoscope in a body to be inspected; and

data management means for monitoring/managing endoscopic observation image data and endoscope insertion length data.

37. A medical image storage device for recording endoscopic images shot by an endoscope comprising:

an image sensing unit for taking in an endoscopic image shot by the endoscope as image data, according to an instruction of an operator; and

a marking unit for attaching information indicating that the endoscopic image taken in by the image sensing unit is selected, to the endoscopic image, according to an instruction of the operator.

38. The medical image storage device according to claim 37, further comprising:

a mark generation unit for generating a mark image; and

a synthesis unit for synthesizing the endoscopic image from the endoscope and the mark image and outputting it to a monitor.

39. The medical image storage device according to claim 37, further comprising

an inspection time storage unit for recording a start time and an end time of an endoscopic inspection, according to an instruction of the operator.

40. The medical image storage device according to claim 37 which is connected to a server device via a network, further comprising

a transmitting unit for transmitting image data of the endoscopic image taken in by the image sensing unit to the server device via the network.

41. The medical image storage device according to claim 37, wherein

an image attached to an electronic carte or an inspection report is determined based on information attached by the marking unit.

42. A medical image storage device for recording endoscopic images shot by an endoscope comprising:

image sensing means for taking in an endoscopic image shot by the endoscope as image data, according to an instruction of an operator; and

marking means for attaching information indicating that the endoscopic image taken in by the image sensing means is selected, to the endoscopic image, according to an instruction of the operator.

43. A method for taking in an endoscopic image of a medical image storage device for recording an endoscopic image shot by an endoscope, comprising:

taking in the endoscopic image shot by the endoscope as image data, according to an instruction of an operator; and

attaching information indicating that the taken endoscope image is selected, to the taken endoscopic image, according to an instruction of the operator.

44. A computer-readable storage medium, on which a program for enabling a computer of an information processing device for recording an endoscopic image shot by an endoscope to perform a function, the function comprising:

taking in the endoscopic image shot by the endoscope as image data, according to an instruction of an operator; and

attaching information indicating that the taken endoscope image is selected, to the taken endoscopic image, according to an instruction of the operator.