JP2001299691A - Operating system for endoscopic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an operating system for endoscopic apparatus allowing operator to securely execute the intended operation. SOLUTION: The operating system 1 for endoscopic apparatus comprises an observation monitor 4 for displaying an endoscopic image and a switch display part, a visual axis detecting part 5 for detecting the visual axis of an operator gazing at the switch display part, a foot switch 8 for making the voice input effective, a voice input part 6 for inputting the selectively displayed switch display part in voice, and a control device 7. The control device 7 selects at least one switch display part based on the result of detection of the visual axis detecting part 5 and selectively displays the selected switch display part. Further, the control device 7 finalizes the switch display part by the voice inputted from the voice input part 6 when the selected switch display part is selectively displayed and is made effective by the operation of the foot switch 8, and controls the endoscope 2 or controlled devices 3 corresponding to the selected switch display part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope and an operation system of the endoscope apparatus for controlling a plurality of medical devices related to the endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An endoscope and an operation system of the endoscope apparatus constituted by connecting a plurality of medical devices related to the endoscope have been proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 11-332883. The operation system for an endoscope apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-332883 includes a plurality of endoscopes used for endoscopy and surgery, and a plurality of medical devices for operating the endoscopes. The switch display section of the observation monitor is displayed on the observation monitor together with the endoscopic image, and the switch display section of the observation monitor can be remotely operated and selected by an operator's voice or line-of-sight input, and determined and executed by the foot switch. It is.

[0003]

However, the operation system of the endoscope device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-332883 described above collects and recognizes the voice of the operator through a microphone attached to the operator, and performs observation. The switch display section displayed on the monitor is selected, but when inputting voice, the microphone may pick up a voice spoken by a person other than the operator while the operator is speaking. In addition, since the microphone picks up other noise, only the operator's voice required for the original input is not input, and the switch display unit cannot be selected, that is, the voice may not be recognized.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an operation system of an endoscope apparatus that can surely execute an operation intended by an operator.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided an endoscope and an operation system of the endoscope apparatus for controlling a plurality of medical devices related to the endoscope. A plurality of switch displays for displaying the mirror image and operating the endoscope or the medical device; and at least one of the plurality of switch displays.
Line-of-sight detection means for detecting the line of sight of the operator who gazes at the two switch display units, and the detection result of the line-of-sight detection means,
A selection display unit for selectively displaying the selected switch display unit, an activation unit for validating voice input, a voice input unit capable of voice inputting the switch display unit selected and displayed on the selection display unit, According to the detection result of the detection means, at least one switch display part is selected and the switch display part is selectively displayed, and the switch display part is selected and displayed, and is enabled by the operation of the enabling means. Control means for activating the endoscope or medical device corresponding to the switch display unit by determining the switch display unit with the voice input from the voice input unit in the state where I have. With this configuration, an operation system of the endoscope apparatus that can reliably execute an operation intended by the operator is realized.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) FIGS. 1 to 4 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an operation system of an endoscope apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a switch display unit, FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram showing a switch display unit displayed on an observation monitor together with an endoscope image, and FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a switch display unit displayed on a monitor different from the observation monitor, FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an operation system of the endoscope apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 1, an operation system 1 for an endoscope apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention operates an endoscope 2 or a group of controlled devices 3 as medical devices together with an endoscope image. An observation monitor 4 for displaying a plurality of switch display units (see FIG. 2) to be described later, and at least one of the plurality of switch display units displayed on the observation monitor 4 is watched for a predetermined time. A line-of-sight detecting unit 5 for detecting the line of sight of the operator performing the operation, a voice input unit 6 capable of voice-inputting the switch display unit selected and displayed based on the detection result of the line-of-sight detecting unit 5, and the endoscope 2 or the controlled object. The control device 7 mainly controls the device group 3.
The audio input unit 6 is, for example, a pin microphone, a headset microphone, or the like. The audio input unit 6 is connected to a foot switch 8 as an activating unit for validating the audio input.

The controlled device group 3 includes a camera head 11 attached to the endoscope (or a scope) 2.
An image processing device 12 that performs video signal processing on an imaging signal output from the (imaging unit) via a cable 11a; a light source device 13 that supplies illumination light to the endoscope 2 via a light guide cable 13a; A VTR 14 for recording video of an endoscope image, a high-frequency cautery device 15 for supplying high-frequency electric energy to the probe 14a via the A-code 14b to perform a procedure such as cauterization, and a patient's abdominal cavity via an insufflation tube 16a Insufflation device 16 or the like that sends gas to the insufflation device. still,
The line-of-sight detection unit 5 detects the line of sight of the operator by detecting both the eye movement and the head movement of the operator. Although not shown, a configuration in which the operator's line of sight is detected by an eye camera worn by the operator on the face may be used.

[0009] As shown in FIG.
Image is taken by the camera head 11 and the image processing device 1
The endoscope image 20 obtained by performing the video signal processing in Step 2 is displayed, and various switch display units 21 corresponding to the endoscope 2 or the controlled device group 3 are displayed around the endoscope image 20.
To 24 are arranged and displayed. In FIG. 2A, the switch display units 21 to 24 are configured to be displayed in the observation monitor 4. However, as shown in FIG. 2B, the switch display units 21 to 24 are connected to the observation monitor. Monitor 2 different from 4
5, and the monitor 25 is connected to the control device 7.

When an operator of the endoscope looks at any one of the switch displays 21 to 24 for a predetermined time, the endoscope 2 or the controlled device corresponding to the switch display is displayed. The operation of group 3 is selected. At this time, the selected switch display section displays, as a selection display section, a selection made by a change in form, such as a change in color, blinking, or a change in shape.

In the present embodiment, at least one of the plurality of switch display units 21 to 24 is selected based on the detection result of the line-of-sight detection unit 5 and the switch display unit is changed in form and selected. While the switch is displayed, the switch display is determined by the voice input from the voice input unit 6 in a state where the switch display is selectively displayed, and in a state where the switch display is enabled by the operation input of the foot switch 8. The endoscope 2 or the controlled device group 3 corresponding to the switch display unit is configured to operate.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 7 processes the line-of-sight detection information from the line-of-sight detection unit 5 and performs display processing as a selection display unit for changing the form of the switch display units 21 to 24. An information processing unit 31 and the controlled device group 3 (1
1) to 16), and a command generation unit 32 for transmitting the control signal, and the voice input unit 6
And a voice recognition device 33 that receives voice data from the user and an operation input signal from the foot switch 8, recognizes the voice data, and transmits the result to the information processing section 31.

The operation of the operation system 1 of the endoscope apparatus according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. For example, when decreasing the light amount of the light source device 13, first, the operator operates the switch display unit 2.
The switch display unit 22 corresponding to “light amount decrease” of the light source device 13 among the light source devices 1 to 24 is watched for a predetermined time, and a line of sight is input (step S1).

According to the line-of-sight detection information from the line-of-sight detection unit 5,
The information processing section 31 determines that the operator is gazing at the switch display section 22 for a predetermined time or longer (step S
2) The form of the switch display section 22 is changed (step S3). By this form change, it is confirmed that the operator has selected the switch display unit 22.

Then, the switch display section 22 whose form has been changed
When the operator continues to gaze further, the information processing unit 31 changes the form of the switch display unit 22 based on the line-of-sight detection information from the line-of-sight detection unit 5, and the line of sight of the operator changes the switch display unit 22. (Step S4). When the operator does not keep an eye on the switch display unit 22 whose form has been changed, the form change of the switch display unit 22 is returned to the previous state (step S5), and the operation is restarted from the line-of-sight input of step S1.

When the switch display section 22 is changing its form and the operator's line of sight is gazing at the switch display section 22, the operator steps on the foot switch 8 and the foot switch 8 is turned on. When (step S6)
Speak “light intensity decrease” and input voice (step S
7) When the utterance ends, release the foot from the foot switch 8. As a result, the voice recognition device 33 recognizes the voice data “light quantity decrease” uttered by the operator input from the voice input unit 6, and sends the voice recognition result to the information processing unit 31. Thus, the voice input unit 6 functions only while the foot switch 8 is being depressed. Also, the foot switch 8 is set to o
ff, that is, the foot is away from the foot switch 8,
When in the off state, the voice input unit 6 does not function and does not input voice. Therefore, when voice input is performed, step S
Returning to step 4, while stepping on the foot switch 8, further watching the switch display section 22 whose form has been changed, voice input is performed, and the processing is repeated until step S7.

The information processing section 31 determines whether or not the result of the voice recognition of "light quantity decrease" sent from the voice recognition apparatus 33 matches the content of the switch display section 22 whose form has changed. If they match, the selection of the switch display section 22 is determined (step S8). If not, as described above, the state of the switch display section 22 is returned to the state before the change in step S5 (step S5).
5), start again from the line of sight input in step S1.

Then, the result determined by the information processing section 31 is sent to the command generation section 32, and based on the result, a control signal of “light amount decrease” of the light source device 13 corresponding to the selected switch display section 22 is generated. The control signal generated by the command generator 32 is transmitted to the light source device 13 (step S10), and the light source device 13 performs the operation of decreasing the light amount and ends (step S11).

As a result, the voice input to the voice input unit 6 is activated by operating the foot switch 8, so that the operation intended by the operator can be executed reliably, and malfunctions caused by voices other than the operator can be prevented. .

(Second Embodiment) FIGS. 5 and 6 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 shows an operation system of an endoscope apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram of FIG. In the second embodiment, in addition to the configuration of the first embodiment, the voice input unit 6
Is connected to a direction control means, and the direction control means is connected to a photographing means. The other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and thus the description is omitted, and the same configuration is denoted by the same reference numeral.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, in the operation system 50 of the endoscope apparatus according to the second embodiment, a direction control unit 51 is connected to the voice input unit 6, and the direction control unit 51 is connected to the photographing device. 52 are connected. The voice input unit 6, the direction control unit 51, and the photographing device 52 are installed on the upper surface of the observation monitor 4, and the voice input unit 6 and the photographing device 52
Is movable.

As shown in FIG. 2, the photographing device 52
The camera includes a D camera 61, a person recognizing unit 62 connected to the CCD camera 61, and a mouth position recognizing unit 63 connected to the CCD camera 61. The person recognition unit 62 and the lip position recognition unit 63 are connected. The voice input unit 6 is, for example, a directional microphone or the like, and is configured to always face the direction of the operator who emits voice.

The operation system 50 of the endoscope apparatus configured as described above always captures an image of the front of the observation monitor 4 by the CCD camera 61 at all times, and sends the image information to the person recognizing unit 62. The person recognizing unit 62 identifies an operator who actually inputs a voice from a plurality of persons appearing.
The operator recognition information obtained by the person recognition unit 62 and the video information by the CCD camera 61 are sent to the lip position recognition unit 63, and the lip position recognition unit 63 is
Then, the mouth part is identified from the operator's body.

Further, the lip position recognizing section 63 calculates the position information of the identified lip, and outputs the lip position information to the direction control section 5.
Send to 1. The direction control unit 51 includes a directional voice input unit 6.
The direction of movement of the mouth is controlled.
It processes the mouth position information sent from it and sends a control signal for directing the directional voice input unit 6 toward the operator's mouth.

The voice input unit 6 receiving the control signal from the direction control unit 51 operates so as to face the operator's mouth.
In this way, the voice input unit 6 is always directed to the mouth of the operator who performs voice input. Then, the endoscope or the medical device is operated according to the flowchart described with reference to FIG.

As a result, even if the operator slightly changes the direction of the face while performing the work while watching the observation screen, the direction of the voice input unit 6 moves in that direction, so that the utterance of the operator is input efficiently. In addition, since utterances and noises of other persons are not input, erroneous operations can be prevented.

(Third Embodiment) FIGS. 7 and 8 relate to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 shows an operation system of an endoscope apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a circuit block diagram of FIG. In the third embodiment, a bone conduction microphone is used as a voice input unit. The other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and thus the description is omitted, and the same configuration is denoted by the same reference numeral.

That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the operation system 100 of the endoscope apparatus according to the third embodiment includes an operator 110
A bone conduction microphone 112 is installed as a voice input means at a portion of the mask 111 to which the voice vibration is transmitted, and the bone conduction microphone 112 is connected to a transmitter 113. The foot switch 8 is connected to the bone conduction microphone 112.

As shown in FIG. 8, the voice recognition device 33 provided in the control device 7 includes the bone conduction microphone 112
Is connected to a receiver 114 for receiving wireless information transmitted from the transmitter 113. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

In the operation system 100 of the endoscope apparatus configured as described above, when the operator 110 performs the voice input, the uttered voice is acquired as the voice vibration by the bone conduction microphone 112, and the vibration is transmitted. The information is converted into an electric signal by a conversion element (not shown) in the device 113, and the information is wirelessly transmitted from the transmitter 113 to the receiver 114 in the control device 7.
The receiver 114 transmits the transmitted information to the speech recognition device 33. Except for the above, that is, other than the method of voice input, it is the same as the first embodiment.

As a result, by using the bone vibration microphone as the voice input means, it is possible to prevent the input of voices and noises other than those of the operator, and the input voices of the operator due to voices and noises of the operator other than the operator are recognized. It can be prevented that the device does not operate.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be variously modified without departing from the gist of the invention.

[Supplementary note] (Supplementary note 1) In an operation system of an endoscope and an endoscope apparatus for controlling a plurality of medical apparatuses related to the endoscope, the endoscope can be displayed together with an endoscope image on a monitor. A plurality of switch displays for operating the endoscope or the medical device, and a line-of-sight detection unit that detects a line of sight of an operator who gazes at least one switch display among the plurality of switch displays. A selection display unit for selectively displaying a selected switch display unit based on a detection result of the line-of-sight detection unit, an activation unit for validating voice input, and a voice input to the switch display unit selected and displayed on the selection display unit Selecting at least one switch display unit based on a possible voice input unit and a detection result of the line-of-sight detection unit, selectively displaying the switch display unit, and displaying the switch display unit; Is selected and displayed, and the switch display section is determined by the voice input from the voice input section in a state where the switch display section is enabled by the operation of the enabling section, and the switch corresponding to the switch display section is determined. An operation system for an endoscope apparatus, comprising: a control unit for operating an endoscope or a medical device.

(Additional Item 2) The voice input means has an image pickup means and a directional microphone, and an operator mouth identification means for identifying an operator's mouth from an image taken by the image pickup means; Additional means according to claim 1, further comprising: moving means for moving the direction of the directional microphone to the operator's mouth in accordance with the identification result of the identifying means.

(Additional Item 3) The operation system for an endoscope apparatus according to Additional Item 1, wherein the voice input means performs voice input by detecting vibration due to bone conduction.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, the voice input to the voice input unit is activated by operating the foot switch (validating means), so that the operation intended by the operator can be executed reliably. In addition, it is possible to prevent malfunctions caused by utterances other than the operator.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an operation system of an endoscope apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a switch display unit, and FIG.
FIG. 2A is an explanatory view showing a switch display unit displayed on an observation monitor together with an endoscope image, and FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a switch display unit displayed on a monitor different from the observation monitor shown in FIG. Illustrated illustration

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an operation system of the endoscope apparatus.

FIG. 5 is an external view showing an operation system of an endoscope apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an external view illustrating an operation system of an endoscope apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a circuit block diagram of FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope apparatus operation system 2 ... Endoscope 3 ... Controlled apparatus group 4 ... Observation monitor 5 ... Gaze detection part 6 ... Speech input part 7 ... Control device 8 ... Foot switch (validating means) 21-24 ... Switch display unit 31 ... Information processing unit 32 ... Command generation unit 33 ... Speech recognition device

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] May 17, 2000 (2005.1.
7)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0022

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

As shown in FIG . 6 , the photographing device 52 has a CC
The camera includes a D camera 61, a person recognizing unit 62 connected to the CCD camera 61, and a mouth position recognizing unit 63 connected to the CCD camera 61. The person recognition unit 62 and the lip position recognition unit 63 are connected. The voice input unit 6 is, for example, a directional microphone or the like, and is configured to always face the direction of the operator who emits voice.

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Fig. 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG.

[Procedure amendment 3]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Fig. 5

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG. 5

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Fig. 7

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG. 7

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Katsumi Sasaki 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Junichi Onishi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Koji Yamauchi, Inventor 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Taro Miyazawa 2-43-2, Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Within Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Ushibo 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Tomoyasu Kawai 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kazuhiro Gono 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Ori Path Optical Industry Co., Ltd. in the (72) inventor Nakamura Takeaki Tokyo, Shibuya-ku, Hatagaya 2-chome No. 43 No. 2 Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. in the F-term (reference) 4C061 WW13 XX01

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An endoscope and an operation system of the endoscope apparatus for controlling a plurality of medical apparatuses related to the endoscope, wherein the endoscope or the endoscope or the endoscope or the endoscope can be displayed on a monitor together with the endoscope image. A plurality of switch displays for operating a medical device; a line-of-sight detecting means for detecting a line of sight of an operator who gazes at least one of the plurality of switch displays; a detection of the line-of-sight detecting means A selection display unit for selectively displaying the selected switch display unit according to the result; an activation unit for validating voice input; and a voice input unit capable of voice inputting the switch display unit selected and displayed on the selection display unit. According to the detection result of the line-of-sight detection means, at least one switch display unit is selected and the switch display unit is selectively displayed, and the switch display unit is selectively displayed. The switch display unit is determined by a voice input from the voice input unit in a state where the switch is activated by the operation of the activating unit, and the endoscope or the medical device corresponding to the switch display unit. An operation system for an endoscope apparatus, comprising: a control unit configured to operate.