Electronic endoscope system for displaying unconnected scope

• US 5,951,462 A
• Filed: 10/13/1998
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamanaka, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HATTON, IRA R
• Application Number:
  US09/170,212
• Time in Patent Office: 336 Days
• Field of Search: 600/103, 600/109, 600/117, 600/118, 600/136, 600/137, 600/142, 600/145, 600/152, 600/172, 600/174, 600/175, 600/112, 600/110, 340/501, 340/531, 340/661, 340/870.16
• US Class Current: 600/118
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

The present system is an electronic endoscope system capable of immediately deciding a trouble on scope connection and moreover easily obtaining ROM version information from the system. In the case of this system, a scope having a CCD is provided with a microprocessor and a processor unit for processing a signal is provided with a microcomputer and a ROM to communicate intrinsic data between the scope and the processor. In this case, the microcomputer decides imperfect connection of the scope and moreover decides a scope-connection error by detecting a fixed value for detection incorporated into communication data. Moreover, when there is imperfect connection of the scope or a connection error, a character message for prompting connection is displayed on the screen of a monitor. Furthermore, in this case, the version information of the ROM is displayed at the same time.

Claims

1. An electronic endoscope system comprising:

communication means for communicating data communication between a scope for observing the inside of an object to be observed and a processor unit for processing an image signal;

decision means for deciding an imperfect-connection state of said scope or deciding a connection-error state of said scope in accordance with said communication data; and

display control means for displaying a predetermined image showing an unconnected scope on a monitor screen when the imperfect-connection or connection-error state of said scope is decided by the decision means.

2. The electronic endoscope system for displaying an unconnected scope according to claim 1, wherein a fixed value for detection is incorporated into communication data in order to decide said connection-error state.

3. The electronic endoscope system for displaying an unconnected scope according to claim 1, wherein said display control means displays the version data of a memory which is set to said processor unit and in which the data for setting various operational conditions considering the intrinsic data for each of said scopes is stored together with the image showing said unconnected scope.