Electronic endoscope system

• US 6,322,496 B1
• Filed: 11/04/1999
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Iida, Mitsuru, Hibi, Haruhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P.
• Application Number:
  US09/433,925
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 600/110.9, 600/118, 600/101, 348/65, 348/71, 348/74
• US Class Current: 600/118
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0004 for electronic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00059 provided with identification means for the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof

Abstract

An electronic endoscope system includes an endoscope unit, a video processing unit, a display device. The video processing unit is provided with a device for changing parameters referred to for controlling illumination light and an image display condition. A registration ID (identification) code and the displaying parameters are stored in a non-volatile memory. A hard key is detachably coupled to the video processing unit. The hard key stores an ID code intrinsic thereto, and the displaying condition is adjusted in accordance with the displaying parameters stored in the memory if the ID code of the hard key coincides with the registration ID code. While, the display condition is adjusted in accordance with a predetermined reference displaying parameters if the ID code of the hard key does not coincide with the registration ID code.

Claims

1. An electronic endoscope system, including an endoscope unit provided with an image capturing device, said image capturing device outputting an image signal representing a captured image;

a video processing unit for processing the image signal output by said image capturing device; and

a display device that displays an image in accordance with the image signal processed by said video processing unit,

said video processing unit including;

an image display condition controlling system that controls a displaying condition of an image on said display device, the displaying condition being determined in accordance with displaying parameters;

a changing device for changing said displaying parameters;

a memory for storing at least one registration ID (identification) code and the displaying parameters,

said endoscope system further comprising an ID code input member, which inputs an ID code instrinsic to said ID code input member, to said video processing unit,

said video processing unit further including;

a discriminating system which discriminates whether the ID code input from said ID code input member coincides with said at least one registration ID code;

a controller that controls said image display controlling system to adjust the displaying condition in accordance with the displaying parameters stored in said memory when said ID code input from said ID code input member coincides with said at least one registration ID code, said controller controlling said image display condition controlling system to adjust the displaying condition in accordance with a predetermined reference displaying parameters when said ID code input from said ID code input member does not coincide with said at least one registration ID code.

2. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, said controller controlling said display condition controlling system to adjust the displaying condition in accordance with the predetermined reference displaying parameters when said ID code is not input from said ID code input member.

3. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said controller stores the displaying parameters set to said display condition when said ID code input from said ID code input member coincides with said at least one registration ID code.

4. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 3, wherein said controller stores the displaying parameters in said memory when the displaying parameters are changed by said changing device.

5. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said ID code input member comprises a hard key to which stores an ID code assigned thereto, wherein said video processing unit further comprising a communication system which is detachably coupled to said hard key, wherein said discriminating system transmits a request via said communication system to said hard key for response, said hard key transmits the ID code storing therein to said discrimination system via said communication system in response to said request.

6. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 5, wherein said controller controls said image display condition controlling system to adjust the displaying condition in accordance with predetermined reference displaying parameters when said communication system does not receive a response from said hard key.

7. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said displaying parameters include at least one of a parameter for setting color balance of an image and a parameter for setting an enhancement of a displayed image.

8. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 1, further comprising a light source for emitting light, and a light guide cable for directing the light emitted by said light source to said endoscope unit, said displaying parameters include a parameter for setting light amount, said controller controls the amount of light guided by said light guide cable in accordance with the parameter for setting light amount.

9. An electronic endoscope system, including an endoscope unit provided with an image capturing device, said image capturing device outputting an image signal representing a captured image;

a video processing unit for processing the image signal output by said image capturing device; and

a display device that displays an image in accordance with the image signal processed by said video processing unit,

said video processing unit including;

an image display condition controlling system that controls a displaying condition of an image on said display device, the displaying condition being determined in accordance with displaying parameters;

a changing device for changing said displaying parameters;

a memory for storing a plurality of registration ID (identification) codes and a plurality of sets of displaying parameters, said plurality of sets corresponding to said plurality of registration ID codes, respectively,

said endoscope system further comprising and ID code input member, which inputs an ID code intrinsic to said ID code input member, to said video processing unit,

said video processing unit further including;

a discriminating system which discriminates whether the ID code input from said ID code input member coincides with one of said plurality of registration ID codes;

a controller that controls said display condition controlling system to adjust the displaying condition in accordance with one of said plurality of sets of displaying parameters stored in said memory and corresponding to said ID code input from said ID code input member when said ID code input from said ID code input member coincides with one of said plurality of sets of registration ID codes, said controller controlling said display condition controlling system to adjust the displaying condition in accordance with a predetermined reference displaying parameters when said ID code input from said ID code input member does not coincide with any one of said plurality of registration ID codes.

10. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 9, said controller controlling said display condition controlling system to adjust the displaying condition in accordance with the predetermined reference displaying parameters when said ID code is not input from said ID code input member.

11. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 9, wherein said controller stores the displaying parameters set to said display condition in relation to a registration ID code which coincides with said ID code input from said ID code input member when said ID code input from said ID code input member coincides with said one of said plurality of registration ID codes.

13. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 9, wherein said ID code input member comprises a hard key to which stores an ID code assigned thereto, wherein said video processing unit further comprising a communication system which is detachably coupled to said hard key, wherein said discriminating system transmits a request via said communication system to said hard key for response, said hard key transmits the ID code storing therein to said discrimination system via said communication system in response to said request.

14. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 13, wherein said controller controls said image display condition controlling system to adjust the displaying condition in accordance with predetermined reference displaying parameters when said communication system does not receive a response from said hard key.

15. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 9, wherein said displaying parameters include at least one of a parameter for setting color balance of an image and a parameter for setting an enhancement of a displayed image.

16. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 9, further comprising a light source for emitting light, and a light guide cable for directing the light emitted by said light source to said endoscope unit, said displaying parameters include a parameter for setting light amount, said controller controls the amount of light guided by said light guide cable in accordance with the parameter for setting light amount.

12. The electronic endoscope system according to calim 11, wherein said controller stores the displaying parameters in said memory when the displaying parameters are changed by said changing device.

17. An electronic endoscope system which operates in accordance with setting information, said setting information including at least first setting parameters and second setting parameters, said electronic endoscope system operable either in a first setting mode where said first setting parameters are changed or in a second setting mode where said second setting parameters are changed, said electronic endoscope system comprising:

a memory for storing a registration ID (identification) code;

an ID code input member stores an ID code intrinsic to said ID code input member,

a discriminating system, said ID code intrinsic to said ID code input member being input to said discriminating system, said discriminating system discriminating whether the ID code received from said ID code input member coincides with said registration ID code;

a controller that allows said endoscope system to operate in said second setting mode only when said discriminating system has received said ID code from said ID code input member and said ID code coincides with said registration ID code.

18. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 17, wherein said controller controls said endoscope system to operate in said second setting mode when said discriminating system has received said ID code from said ID code input member and said ID code coincides with said registration ID code.

19. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 17, further comprising a display device, and wherein said setting information includes display condition setting parameters for setting a display condition of an image on said display device.

20. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 17, wherein said ID code input member comprises a hard key which stores an ID code assigned thereto, wherein discriminating system further comprising a communication system to which said hard key is detachably coupled, wherein said communication system transmits a request to said hard key for response, said hard key transmitting the ID code storing therein to said communication system in response to said request.

21. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 20, wherein said controller inhibits said electronic endoscope system from operating in said second setting mode when said communication system does not receive a response from said hard key.

22. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 19, wherein said first setting parameters include at least one of a parameter for setting color balance of an image and a parameter for setting an enhancement of a displayed image.

23. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 19, further comprising a light source for emitting light, and a light guide cable for directing the light emitted by said light source to said endoscope unit, said display condition setting parameters including a parameter for setting light amount, said controller controlling the amount of light guided by said light guide cable in accordance with the parameter for setting light amount.

24. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 19, wherein said second setting parameters include at least one of a gamma level setting parameter for setting gamma correction level for said display and a parameter for setting hue of a displayed image.

25. The electronic endoscope system according to claim 19, further comprising an endoscope unit provided with an image capturing device, and wherein said second setting parameters include a parameter for setting a shutter speed for said image capturing device.