Endoscope System

• US 20080100699A1
• Filed: 10/15/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hoya Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: Hibi, Haruhiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,125,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00036 Means for power saving, e.g. sleeping mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00059 provided with identification means for the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply

Abstract

An endoscope system, including a plurality of processor devices, each of which having a detachably attached endoscope, and a controller device, which is communicably connected with the plurality of processor devices, is provided. The controller device is capable of outputting at least one of an activating signal to activate at least one of the processor devices and an inactivating signal to inactivate at least one of the processor devices to the at least one of the processor devices. Each of the plurality of processor devices includes a first power supplying unit to supply the processor device with activating power, a power supply controlling unit, which is driven by preparatory power and is capable of at least one of switching on the first power supplying unit and switching off the first power supplying unit, and a second power supplying unit to supply the preparatory power to the power supply controlling unit.

Claims

1. An endoscope system, comprising:

a plurality of processor devices, each of which having a detachably attached endoscope; and

a controller device, which is communicably connected with the plurality of processor devices,

wherein the controller device is capable of outputting at least one of an activating signal to activate at least one of the processor devices and an inactivating signal to inactivate at least one of the processor devices to the at least one of the processor devices; and

wherein each of the plurality of processor devices is provided with;

a first power supplying unit to supply the processor device with activating power;

a power supply controlling unit, which is driven by preparatory power and is capable of at least one of switching on the first power supplying unit according to the activating signal and switching off the first power supplying unit according to the inactivating signal; and

a second power supplying unit to supply the preparatory power to the power supply controlling unit.

2. The endoscope system according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one of the activating signal and the inactivating signal from the controller device is output to a selectively specified processor device among the plurality of processor devices.

3. The endoscope system according to claim 1,

wherein the controller device is capable of detecting power status of the at least one of the processor devices by:

transmitting detecting signals for detecting power status of the first power supplying unit of the at least one of the processor devices to the power supply controlling unit of the at least one of the processor devices, and

receiving power status signals, indicating the power status of the first power supplying unit, transmitted from the power supply controlling unit.

4. The endoscope system according to claim 3,

wherein the controller device detects power-on state of the at least one of the processor devices by receiving power-on signals, which indicate power-on state of the first power supplying unit, transmitted from the power supply controlling unit.

5. The endoscope system according to claim 3,

wherein the controller device detects power-off state of the at least one of the processor devices by receiving power-off signals, which indicate power-off state of the first power supplying unit, transmitted from the power supply controlling unit.

6. The endoscope system according to claim 1,

wherein the controller device transmits data concerning at least one of the processor devices to be activated by the activating signal to the at least one of the processor devices in accordance with the output of the activating signal.

7. The endoscope system according to claim 6,

wherein the data to be transmitted by the controller device includes identifying information of an observation object to be inspected by the at least one of the processor devices.

8. The endoscope system according to claim 7,

wherein the data, transmitted to the at least one of the processor devices and received by the at least one of the processor devices, is associated with identifying data of the at least one of the processor devices and stored in the at least one of the processor devices.

9. The endoscope system according to claim 8,

wherein the at least one of the processor devices includes a storage area to store information concerning an operation having been performed by using the at least one of the processor devices, the information being stored in association with the identifying information of the observation object, and

wherein the at least one of the processor devices transmits the information concerning the operation being associated with the identifying information of the observation object to the controller device in response to the inactivating signal output from the controller device.

10. A computer usable medium comprising computer readable instructions for controlling power supply within an endoscope system, having a plurality of processor devices, each of which having a detachably attached endoscope and a controller device, which is communicably connected with the plurality of processor devices, by executing:

outputting at least one of an activating signal to activate at least one of the processor devices and an inactivating signal to inactivate at least one of the processor devices from the controller device to the at least one of the processor devices; and

performing at least one of switching power on to a power supplying unit of the at least one of the processor devices, which supplies the at least one of the processor devices with activating power, according to the activating signal and switching the power off to the first power supplying unit of the at least one of the processor devices according to the inactivating signal.

11. A processor device with a detachably attached endoscope, comprising:

a first power supplying unit to supply the processor device with activating power;

a power supply controlling unit, which is driven by preparatory power and is capable of at least one of switching on the first power supplying unit according to an activating signal transmitted from an external controller and switching off the first power supplying unit according to an inactivating signal transmitted from the external controller; and

a second power supplying unit to supply the preparatory power to the power supply controlling unit.

12. The processor device according to claim 11, further comprising:

a storage area to store information concerning an operation having been performed by using the processor device, the information being stored in association with identifying information of an observation object to be inspected by the endoscope,

wherein the processor device transmits the information concerning the operation being associated with the identifying information of the observation object to the external controller in response to the inactivating signal.

13. A controller for an endoscope system having a plurality of endoscope processor units, comprising:

a communication system to communicate with the plurality of endoscope processor units; and

a controlling unit, which is capable of outputting at least one of an activating signal to activate at least one of the endoscope processor units and an inactivating signal to inactivate at least one of the endoscope processor units.

14. The controller according to claim 13,

wherein the controller is capable of detecting power status of the endoscope processor unit by:

transmitting detecting signals for detecting power status of the at least one of the endoscope processor units to the at least one of the endoscope processor units, and

receiving power status signals, indicating the power status of the at least one of the endoscope processor units, transmitted from the at least one of the endoscope processor units.

15. The controller according to claim 14,

wherein the controller detects power-on state of the at least one of the endoscope processor units by receiving power-on signals, which indicate power-on state of the at least one of the endoscope processor units, transmitted from the at least one of the endoscope processor units.

16. The controller according to claim 14,

wherein the controller detects power-off state of the at least one of the endoscope processor units by receiving power-off signals, which indicate power-off state of the at least one of the endoscope processor units, transmitted from the at least one of the endoscope processor units.

17. The controller according to claim 13,

wherein the controller transmits data concerning the at least one of the endoscope processor units to be activated by the activating signal to the at least one of the endoscope processor units in accordance with the output of the activating signal.

18. The controller according to claim 17,

wherein the data to be transmitted by the controller includes identifying information of an observation object to be inspected by the at least one of the endoscope processor units.