JP2007075324A - Endoscope apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve an endoscope apparatus which manages subject's data undergoing an observation in a focused way to enable quick utilization of the data and reliable protection of the data. <P>SOLUTION: When a system control circuit 42 determines that a password entered through a key board 70 corresponds to a preset one, subject's data showing information on the entered subject is generated. The generated subject's data is recorded in a memory card 80 after being recorded in an inside memory 52. Then, when a prescribed reading password is entered in an outside computer, it becomes possible to read out or to process the subject's data recorded in the memory card 80. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus, and more particularly, to an endoscope apparatus having a function of managing observed subject data.

A conventional medical endoscope apparatus records image data of a subject obtained by observation on a recording medium or an internal memory together with a brief description of the image data, such as the name of the subject and comments of the observer. (See, for example, Patent Document 1). An image based on the image data is printed and used as necessary.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-233535 (see paragraph [0022] etc.)

  On the other hand, more detailed subject data, including information such as examination history that is not directly related to image data, has been conventionally recorded in a book such as a medical record that is not included in an endoscope system including an endoscope apparatus. Yes.

  In a conventional endoscope apparatus in which test subject data such as examination histories are not centralized and managed together with test subject image data, when a doctor or the like wants to know test subject data, he / she reads image data that is not necessarily required at that time. In addition, it may be necessary to separately check the material in which the subject's data is recorded, which may hinder rapid work. Further, the data of the subject is personal information to be protected, but if only the information is not centrally managed, there is a risk of leakage.

  An object of the present invention is to realize an endoscope apparatus that centrally manages observed data of a subject and enables quick data use and reliable data protection.

  An endoscope apparatus according to the present invention includes subject data generation means for generating subject data indicating inputted subject information, recording means for recording subject data on a recording medium, and password setting means for setting a password. When the set password is inputted, the recording means can record the subject data on the recording medium.

  It is preferable that the endoscope apparatus further includes an internal memory for temporarily recording the subject data, and the recording unit records the subject data in the internal memory before recording on the recording medium.

  It is desirable that the endoscope apparatus further includes data erasing means for erasing the subject data from the internal memory. In this case, it is more desirable that the data erasure unit can erase the subject data from the internal memory when the password is input.

  When the recording means causes the subject data to be recorded on the recording medium, the data erasing means preferably erases the subject data recorded on the recording medium from the internal memory. The data erasing means preferably erases at least a part of the subject data so as not to exceed the data capacity of the internal memory.

  The endoscope apparatus further includes warning means for warning that the data erasing means needs to erase a part of the subject data when the recording means newly records the subject data in the internal memory and the data capacity is exceeded. It is desirable to have. Further, it is preferable that the data erasing means preferentially erases the subject data generated in the oldest time among the subject data recorded in the internal memory.

  The subject data includes history data indicating, for example, the test history of the subject. Further, the subject data includes, for example, endoscope apparatus data for specifying the endoscope apparatus in which the subject data is generated.

  It is preferable that the endoscope apparatus further includes image data generation means for generating image data of the subject, and the recording means can record only the subject data on the recording medium without including the image data.

  An endoscope system according to the present invention includes the above-described endoscope apparatus and a recording medium for recording subject data. The endoscope system preferably further includes a data reading device for reading subject data from the recording medium. The subject data reading device further includes a reading password setting means for setting a reading password for reading the subject data, and the subject data can be read from the recording medium when the set reading password is inputted. More preferably.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the endoscope apparatus which manages the data of the observed test subject intensively and enables quick use of data and reliable protection of data is realizable.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic endoscope apparatus included in the endoscope system of the present embodiment.

  The endoscope system 10 includes an electronic endoscope device 20. The electronic endoscope apparatus 20 includes a video scope 30 used for photographing a subject and a processor 40 that processes an image signal sent from the video scope 30. The video scope 30 is detachably attached to the processor 40 and used. Connected to the processor 40 are a monitor 60 for displaying a subject image and a keyboard 70 for an operator to input an instruction signal or the like.

  The endoscope system 10 includes a memory card 80 that is inserted into the processor 40 and used for recording data, and an electronic endoscope device 20 for reading the data recorded on the memory card 80. An independent external computer (data reading device, not shown) is included. In the endoscope system 10, a plurality of endoscope apparatuses including the electronic endoscope apparatus 20 are used.

  The processor 40 is provided with a system control circuit 42 that controls the entire processor 40, a signal processing circuit 44 that processes image signals, and the like. The light source 48 supplied with power from the light source power source 46 under the control of the system control circuit 42 emits illumination light. The illumination light is incident on the incident end 50A of the light guide 50 after the amount of light is adjusted. The illumination light that has passed through the light guide 50 is emitted from the distal end of the video scope 30 toward the body of the subject that is the subject.

  The illumination light reflected from the subject reaches the light receiving surface of a CCD (image data generating means, not shown) at the tip of the video scope 30 and an image signal indicating the subject is generated by the CCD. The image signal is subjected to predetermined processing, and a luminance signal Y and color difference signals Cb and Cr are generated. The luminance signal Y and the color difference signals Cb and Cr are transmitted to the signal processing circuit 44, and after further processing, are output to the monitor 60. As a result, the moving image of the subject is displayed on the screen of the monitor 60 in real time.

  Further, the image data composed of the luminance signal Y and the color difference signals Cb and Cr is recorded in an image data memory (not shown) provided in the internal memory 52 under the control of the system control circuit 42. When a predetermined signal is input from the keyboard 70 with the memory card 80 inserted into the card slot 54, the system control circuit 42 reads image data from the image data memory. Is recorded in the memory card 80.

  The video scope 30 is also provided with a freeze button (not shown). When the freeze button is pressed, a signal for generating a still image is sent to the system control circuit 42. As a result, still image data is generated and the still image data is also recorded in the image data memory.

  In the endoscope system 10, subject data indicating subject information can be recorded while being protected so that only a specific person can access without including image data, as described below. First, the operator inputs a password using the keyboard 70 before observing the subject. Then, a signal corresponding to the input password is sent to the system control circuit 42, and the system control circuit 42 determines whether or not the input password matches a preset one. Since the password is set not for each operator but for each endoscope apparatus, the password set for the electronic endoscope apparatus 20 is input here.

  If the system control circuit 42 determines that the input password matches the one already set, a character indicating that the passwords match is displayed on the screen of the monitor 60. In this state, when the operator inputs subject information through the keyboard 70, subject data is generated by the system control circuit 42. The generated subject data is recorded in a subject data memory (not shown) provided in the internal memory 52 under the control of the system control circuit 42. At this time, a message indicating that subject data has been recorded in the subject data memory is displayed on the screen of the monitor 60.

  On the other hand, when the system control circuit 42 determines that the passwords do not match, the generated subject data cannot be recorded in the subject data memory under the control of the system control circuit 42. In this case, a message notifying that the subject data is not recorded is displayed on the screen of the monitor 60.

  The subject data includes history data indicating the examination history of the subject, and endoscope apparatus data for specifying the endoscope apparatus that has generated the subject data, that is, the electronic endoscope apparatus 20. The history data includes, for example, the subject's name, age, gender, ID number, observation date and time, etc., and the endoscope apparatus data should specify the combination of the video scope 30 and the processor 40 used. These serial numbers are included.

  While the memory card 80 is inserted in the card slot 54, the subject data recorded in the subject data memory is recorded in the memory card 80 by operating the keyboard 70 and sending an instruction signal to the system control circuit 42. be able to. Here, when the subject data recorded in the subject data memory is recorded in the memory card 80, a message requesting to input the password again is displayed on the screen of the monitor 60. When the set password is input again, the subject data recorded on the memory card 80 is erased from the subject data memory by the system control circuit 42.

  It should be noted that a large amount of subject data for, for example, a total of 1000 people has already been recorded in the subject data memory, and the subject data memory has little free space, and when new subject data is generated, When the system control circuit 42 determines that data cannot be recorded in the data memory, a warning message that informs that it is necessary to delete a part of the subject data recorded in the subject data memory in order to record further subject data. Is displayed on the screen of the monitor 60 prior to the generation of new subject data. Therefore, the operator can move part or all of the subject data recorded in the subject data memory to the memory card 80 in advance.

  In spite of this warning display, when the subject data in the subject data memory is not moved to the memory card 80 and new subject data is generated without the subject data being deleted from the subject data memory, Part of the subject data is automatically deleted. At this time, preferentially erase the subject data generated at the earliest time so that the maximum subject data is recorded within the allowable range of the data capacity without exceeding the data capacity of the subject data memory. Is done. As described above, only the subject data excluding image data can be recorded in the memory card 80.

  In the external computer that reads the subject data recorded in the memory card 80, the same password as the password for recording the subject data is set as the subject data reading password. When the reading password is input with the memory card 80 set in the external computer, the subject data can be read and processed. Thus, by requiring a password input when accessing the subject data, those who can read the subject data can be limited to users of the endoscope system 10 such as doctors.

  Here, since these passwords can be set for each endoscope device included in the endoscope system 10, in the endoscope system 10 using a plurality of endoscope devices including the electronic endoscope device 20, Subject data can be managed for each generated endoscope apparatus. It is also possible to set a password for each operator and manage subject data for each operator.

  As described above, in the endoscope system 10 of the present embodiment, the subject data can be centrally managed by recording only the subject data in the memory card 80. For this reason, an operator such as a doctor can easily use the test subject data of the desired subject. Since the subject data can be read and processed by an external computer instead of the processor of the endoscope apparatus, the subject data can be easily processed. Furthermore, personal information can be prevented from leaking to the outside by restricting access using a password, and subject data can be reliably protected.

  The endoscope apparatus used in the endoscope system 10 may be only the electronic endoscope apparatus 20.

  It is preferable that only one external computer for reading and processing the subject data is used for centralized management of the subject data, but the present invention is not limited to this. Further, the subject data may be read out by the system control circuit 42 of the processor 40 and displayed on the screen of the monitor 60 without using an external computer.

  When the subject data recorded in the data memory is recorded in the memory card 80, the subject data recorded in the memory card 80 is automatically retrieved from the subject data memory without requiring the password to be input again. It may be erased.

  The creation of the subject data may be after observation of the subject. The created subject data may be recorded in the internal memory 52 for a while and then recorded in the memory card 80. In this case, in order to move the subject data from the internal memory 52 to the memory card 80, the input of the password is requested again. Further, the memory card 80 may record image data together with subject data.

  As a reading password, a password different from the password for recording the subject data in the memory card 80 may be set.

It is a block diagram of the electronic endoscope apparatus included in the endoscope system in the present embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

10 Endoscope System 20 Electronic Endoscope Device (Endoscope Device)
42 System control circuit (recording means / data erasing means)
52 Internal memory 60 Monitor (warning means)
70 Keyboard (password setting means)
80 Memory card (recording medium)

Claims (14)

Subject data generation means for generating subject data indicating the input subject information;
Recording means for recording the subject data on a recording medium;
A password setting means for setting a password,
An endoscope apparatus, wherein when the set password is inputted, the recording means can record the subject data on the recording medium.   2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an internal memory for temporarily recording the subject data, wherein the recording unit records the subject data in the internal memory before recording the data in the recording medium. The endoscope apparatus described.   The endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising data erasing means for erasing the subject data from the internal memory.   4. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the password is input, the data erasing unit can erase the subject data from the internal memory.   4. The data erasure unit erases the subject data recorded on the recording medium from the internal memory when the recording unit records the subject data on the recording medium. Endoscopic device.   4. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the data erasing unit erases at least a part of the subject data so as not to exceed a data capacity of the internal memory.   Warning means for warning that the data erasing means needs to erase a part of the subject data when the recording means causes the subject data to be newly recorded in the internal memory and the data capacity is exceeded. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the endoscope apparatus is provided.   The endoscope apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the data erasing unit preferentially erases the subject data generated at the oldest time among the subject data recorded in the internal memory. .   The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the subject data includes history data indicating an examination history of the subject.   The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the subject data includes endoscope apparatus data for specifying the endoscope apparatus in which the subject data is generated.   2. The image data generating means for generating image data of the subject, wherein the recording means can record only the subject data on a recording medium without including the image data. The endoscope apparatus described in 1.   An endoscope system comprising: the endoscope apparatus according to claim 1; and the recording medium for recording the subject data.   The endoscope system according to claim 12, further comprising a data reading device for reading the subject data from the recording medium.   The subject data reading device further includes a reading password setting means for setting a reading password for reading the subject data. When the set reading password is input, the subject data is recorded. The endoscope system according to claim 13, wherein the endoscope system can be read from a medium.

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