Endoscope device using a display and recording system with means for monitoring the status of the recording medium

• US 5,061,994 A
• Filed: 11/07/1988
• Issued: 10/29/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Application Number:
  US07/268,399
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 358/98, 358/342, 358/335, 358/322, 128/4, 128/6
• US Class Current: 348/74
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/278 Subtitling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

The endoscope system of the present invention recording an endoscope image has a monitor displaying as a picture image an observed image obtained by the endoscope and a recording apparatus recording the obtained image in a recording medium. The state of the recording medium is sensed by a state sensor and a signal showing the state is output outside.

Claims

1. An endoscope picture image recording apparatus comprising:

an endoscope for obtaining an observed image of an object being observed;

a displaying means for displaying as a picture image the observed image obtained by said endoscope;

a recording means for recording in a recording medium the picture image displayed by said displaying means;

a recording medium state sensing means for sensing a value corresponding to an amount of said recording medium used and for externally outputting a signal based on the value to represent a state of the recording medium; and

signal superimposing means connected to said displaying means and said state sensing means for superimposing a recording medium amount image derived from the output signal representing the state of the recording medium with the picture image of said displaying means.

2. An endoscope picture image recording apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a counting means counting the recorded record amount and resetting the record amount counted by a signal representing the state of said recording medium.

3. An endoscope picture image recording apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said counting means counts the record amount with a releasing signal input.

4. An endoscope picture image recording apparatus according to any of claims 1 or 2 wherein said recording means is a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus.

5. An endoscope picture image recording apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said recording medium is a magnetic disc.

6. An endoscope picture image recording apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said recording medium sensing means senses the exchange of the magnetic disc.

7. An endoscope system which includes a monitor said endoscope system comprising:

an imaging means inserted into an observed object part and for outputting as a picture image signal the image of the observed part illuminated by an illuminating optical system;

a signal processing means for processing and displaying in the monitor the picture image signal output by said imaging means, said signal processing means having a superimposing circuit superimposing on a video signal a signal representing a record amount obtained from a counting means and displaying in the monitor both of the record amount and observed image;

a recording means for recording in a recording medium the picture image displayed in the monitor by said signal processing means;

a counting means for counting the record amount of the picture image recorded in said recording medium with a releasing signal input; and

a recording medium state sensing means for detecting a value corresponding to an amount of the recording medium used in said recording means and resetting the record amount counted by said counting means in response thereto.

8. An endoscope system according to claim 7 wherein said image means is an electronic endoscope forming an observed image on a solid state imaging device by an objective optical system.

9. An endoscope system according to claim 7 wherein said signal processing means has a video signal memorizing circuit which can still the monitor picture image in the case of recording the displayed picture image of the monitor by said recording means.

10. An endoscope system according to claim 7 wherein said recording medium is a magnetic disc.

11. An endoscope system according to claim 7 wherein said signal processing means has a releasing switch capable of making recording.

12. An endoscope system according to claim 7 wherein said recording means is a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus.

13. An endoscope system according to claim 12 wherein said recording medium sensing means senses the exchange of the magnetic disc.