Endoscope image filing system

• US 5,111,306 A
• Filed: 04/16/1991
• Issued: 05/05/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Eto, Tadao, Hiyama, Keiichi, Kanno, Masahide, Matsunaka, Kenji, Ieoka, Shouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US07/685,793
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 358/98, 358/403, 358/426, 358/448, 358/462, 128/6
• US Class Current: 358/403
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2166 for mass storage, e.g. in document filing systems information retrieval G06F16/00

Abstract

An endoscope image filing apparatus wherein endoscope image information and search information required to search this image information are recorded in the same medium by a recording apparatus, on the other hand, medium discriminating information is imparted to this medium by an imparting apparatus and the search information and medium discriminating information are memorized in a controlling apparatus so that, in case there are many recording media, when the search information is input into the controlling apparatus, the medium discriminating information of the medium in which the search information is recorded may be obtained.

Claims

1. An endoscope image filing apparatus characterized by comprising:

a recording means for recording in the same medium endoscope image information and search information required to search the endoscope image information;

a medium discriminating information imparting means for imparting medium discriminating information to said medium;

a medium controlling means for memorizing said search information and the medium discriminating information of the medium in which this search information is recorded; and

a searching means for searching the medium discriminating information by inputting said search information into said medium controlling means.

2. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said medium discriminating information imparting means is connected to said medium controlling means and transmits to the medium controlling means the search information and medium discriminating information recorded in the medium.

3. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said recording means has an inputting means for inputting the search information.

4. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said medium discriminating information imparting means and searching means are included in the same apparatus.

5. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said recording means is connected to a video processor converting to a video signal the endoscope imaging signal output from the endoscope.

6. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 5 characterized in that said video processor is provided with an inputting means for inputting the search information required to search the endoscope image information and transmitting it to the recording means.

7. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said recording means has a controller applying an image process to the endoscope image information.

8. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 7 characterized in that the image process of the controller is an image compressing process.

9. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 7 characterized in that the image process of the controller is an image contracting process.

10. An endoscope image filing apparatus characterized by comprising:

a video processor producing an endoscope video signal;

a first recording means connected to said video processor and recording in the same medium endoscope image information and search information required to search said endoscope image information;

an image filing means for imparting medium discriminating information -o said medium and inputting search information;

a second recording means connected to said video processor and recording endoscope image information; and

a medium and search information controlling means for memorizing said search information and the medium discriminating information of the medium in which this search information is recorded and for memorizing the search information required to search the endoscope image information recorded in said second recording means.

11. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 10 characterized in that said second recording means is connected to a plurality of video processors connected respectively to the first recording means through a switching inputting means.

12. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 10 characterized in that only one or simultaneously both of said first recording means and second recording means is or are connected with the video processor by a selecting means.

13. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 10 characterized in that at least one of said second recording means and said image filing means is connected with an automatic photographing means for film-photographing the image Output by the second recording means and filing means.

14. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 10 characterized in that at least one of said second recording means and image filing means is connected with a film image inputting means for obtaining image information from a film, photograph or the like.

15. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 10 characterized in that said first recording means is a digital recording means for digitally recording information.

16. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 10 characterized in that said first recording means is a reversibly compressing digital recording means.

17. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 10 characterized in that said first recording means is an electronic camera recording in a magnetic disc image data obtained by photoelectrically converting an object image.

18. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 10 characterized in that said second recording means is an analogue recording means.

19. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 10 characterized in that said second recording means is a high compression digital recording means.

20. An endoscope image filing apparatus characterized in that:

a satellite room is provided with a video processor producing an endoscope video signal and a digital image filing means connected to said video processor and digitally recording in the same medium endoscope image information and search information required to search said endoscope image information;

a conference room is provided with a digital image filing means reproducing the endoscope image information recorded in said medium and capable of additionally recording data in said medium; and

a control room is provided with a digital image filing means for imparting medium discriminating information to said medium and inputting search information and a medium controlling means for memorizing said search information and the medium discriminating information of the medium in which said search information is recorded.

21. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 20 characterized in that said digital image filing means provided in the conference room has a medium driving means reproducing the image information recorded in the medium and capable of additionally recording information in said medium, a search information inputting means for inputting search information required to search the image information recorded in said medium, a signal processing means for signal-processing image data reproduced on the basis of the search information input from said search information inputting means and an image memory inputting and storing image data displayed in a monitor.

22. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 21 characterized in that said signal processing means compresses reproduced image data.

23. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 22 characterized in that said processing means for compressing image data can select a compression rate.

24. An endoscope image filing apparatus according to claim 23 characterized in that said processing means for compressing image data can alter the compression rate.