JPH0193714A - Controller for electronic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To widely control an output device with the operation switch provided in the operation part of an endoscope by providing an output terminal which connects a second controller to a controller which controls the operation of the output device. CONSTITUTION:A solid-state image pickup element 5 is arranged in the image forming position of an objective lens 4 in the front end 3 of a flexible insertion part 2 and a signal line a1 from the solid-state image pickup element 5 and signal lines b1, c1 and d1 from operation switches 6-8 are connected to an output terminal 10 connected to an operation part 1. A hard copy device 11, a video tape 12 and monitor 13 or the like are operated by operation switches 6-8. When a personal computer as the second controller is connected to an output terminal 31, the output to output devices 11-13 is stopped. When operation switches 6-8 are depressed, signals are outputted to the personal computer from signal lines b6, c6 and d6 to control corresponding external devices.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] According to the present invention, an observation image formed by an objective lens is converted into an electrical signal by a solid-state image pickup device, and then transmitted. This invention relates to a control device for a so-called electronic endoscope.

[Prior Art] In the field of endoscopes, so-called electronic endoscopes have become widely used, in which a solid-state image sensor is placed at the tip of the insertion tube to convert observation images into electrical signals and transmit them. There is.

In this type of electronic endoscope, a W control device that controls the operation of the output device is connected between the output device that reproduces or records the observed image and the solid-state image sensor, and is installed in the operation section of the endoscope. The control device is operated in accordance with a signal from the operation switch, and a predetermined control operation for the output device is performed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in consideration of operability, reduction of operator fatigue, etc., the operating section of the endoscope is limited to a maximum of about three operation switches. Therefore, the control operations that the operator can perform are limited to a few types or less, and the functions of the device are fixed, making it impossible to expand the range of the testing system.

The present invention eliminates such conventional drawbacks, expands the inspection system freely, and provides an electronic system that allows a wide range of control operations for output devices to be performed using the operation switch provided in the operation section of the endoscope. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a control device for an endoscope.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an electronic endoscope control device according to the present invention includes a solid-state image sensor that converts an observation image formed by an objective lens into an electrical signal, and , an output device for reproducing or recording an observed image; a control device connected between the solid-state image sensor and the output device to control the operation of the output device; A control device for an electronic endoscope that is provided with one or more operation switches that output a signal that causes a control device to perform a predetermined control operation, wherein the control device is provided with an output terminal that connects a second control device. , characterized in that a signal line through which a signal is output by operating the operation switch is connected to its output terminal.

[Function] When the second control device is not connected to the output terminal to which the second control device is connected, the output device directly connected to the (first) control device can be turned on by operating the operation switch. When the operation is controlled and a second control device is connected to the output terminal, the operation of the output device connected to the second control device is controlled by operating the operation switch.

[Example] An example of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the embodiment. In the figure, 1 is the operating section of the endoscope, 2 is a flexible insertion section, and the objective lens 4 built into the distal end 3 of the insertion section is connected to the endoscope. At the image position, e.g. CO
A solid-state image sensor 5 made of D (charge coupled device) is arranged. The operation section 1 is provided with three push-button type operation switches 6.7°8. Then, the output terminal 10 provided at the end of the flexible connecting tube 9 connected to the operation unit 1 is connected to the signal line a1 connected to the solid-state image sensor 5 and each operation switch 6.7.8. signal line bl,
cl and dl are connected.

11 to 13 are output devices for reproducing or recording the observed image; 11 is a hard copy device for recording the observed image on a photograph or the like; 12 is a videotape device for recording the observed image on a magnetic tape or the like; 13 is a monitor device that displays observed images in real time. 14 to 16 are drive circuits connected to the input sides of each of the hard copy device 11, videotape device 12, and monitor device 13, and 17 to 19 are input terminals of each output device 11, 12, and 13. .

20 is a control device that controls the operation of the output devices 11, 12, and 13, and its input terminal 21 is connected to the output terminal 10 at the tip of the connecting tube 9 of the endoscope. A video circuit 22 is connected to the signal line al of the solid-state image sensor, and the analog signal output from the solid-state image sensor 5 is output from the video circuit 22 as a digital video signal.

23 is a microcomputer built into the control device 20. The input/output interface 24 includes a signal line a2 from the video circuit 22 and operation switches 6.7.8.
Signal lines bl and C1°di are connected to the terminal. 25
, 26 and 27 are a central processing circuit (CPU), memory, and frame memory that constitute the microcomputer 23. The frame memory 27 stores, for example, an image signal in units of one screen.

The control device 20 has input terminals 17, 18, . . . of each output device.
Output terminals 28, 29, and 30 to which 19 are connected are provided, and output signal lines from the input/output interface 24 are connected to each of them.

a3. a4. a5 is a signal line that transmits a real-time video signal, b2 is a signal line that outputs an image still signal that temporarily stores the video signal in the hard copy device 11 and converts it into a still image, and b3 is a hardware line. A signal line C4 outputs a copy execution signal, a signal line C4 outputs a signal to start and stop recording of the video tape device, and a signal line d5 temporarily stores a video signal in the monitor device 13 and displays the monitor screen. This is a signal line that outputs a freeze signal to make the screen static.

The control device 20 is also provided with an output terminal 31 for connecting a second control device, such as a personal computer, which controls the operations of various output devices. Connected to this output terminal 31 are a signal line a6 for transmitting a video signal and signal lines b6, c6, and d6 for outputting signals according to the operation of each operation switch 6.7.8. A detection signal input line f6 is connected to detect the connection of the second control device and input the detected signal to the input/output interface 24. Note that connection detection of the second control device may be performed by mechanical means, optical means, etc. in addition to electrical means.

In FIG. 2, for example, a general-purpose personal computer 32 is connected to the output terminal 31 as a second control device. 33 is a keyboard of the personal computer 32, and 34.35 is a hard copy device and a monitor device which are output devices. Note that any number of output devices may be connected depending on the needs of the system.
As the second control device, various general-purpose computers, a dedicated control device, or the like can be used.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained with reference to the time charts of FIGS. 3 to 5.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the second control device is not connected, the operation switches 6.7°8 are a hard copy switch, a videotape switch, and a freeze (temporarily freeze the monitor screen) switch. .

When the first operation switch 6 is pressed, the signal is input to the input/output interface 24, and as shown in FIG. and hard copy device 11 from b3
and the observation screen is copied.

When the second operating switch 7 is pressed, the pulse signal is input to the input/output interface 24, and as shown in FIG. Output.

When the third operation switch 8 is pressed, the pulse signal is input to the input/output interface 24, and as shown in FIG. 5, a freeze execution or stop signal is sent to the signal line d5 to the monitor device 13. Output.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, when a personal computer 32, which is a second control device, is connected to the output terminal 31, a signal detecting the connection is input to the input/output interface 24, and is transmitted to the control device 20. The output of the execution signal to the directly connected output devices 11, 12 and 13 is stopped. By pressing each operation switch 6.7.8, the corresponding signal line b6. c6. A pulse signal is output from d6 to the personal computer 32, and control according to the software of the personal computer 32 is executed on the external devices 34 and 35.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the screen of the monitor 35, where 36 is an observation image displayed in real time, 37.
Reference numeral 38 indicates an image showing an X-ray photograph or past test results of the same patient, which is stored in a storage means (not shown).

39 is a list of instructions to be executed using this personal computer 32, and 40 is a movable cursor that indicates one of the instructions. When the first operation switch 6 is pressed, the personal computer 32 moves the cursor 40 upward in response to the input signal from the signal line b6, and when the second operation switch 7 is pressed, the input signal from the signal line c6 is activated. When the input signal moves the cursor 40 downward and the third operation switch 8 is pressed, the input signal from the signal line d6 causes the cursor 40 to move downward.
Execute the command specified by . Therefore, by using the first to third operation switches 6.7.8, one of the many execution commands displayed on the monitor screen can be selected to execute the operation of the output device.

Although three operation switches were provided in the above embodiment,
The present invention is not limited to this, and the number may be one or more than one. Also, when the screen is frozen on the hard copy device 11 or the monitor device 13, one frame of the observed image may be used. The still image signal is stored in the frame memory 27 of the microcomputer 23, and the still image signal is transmitted from the frame memory 27 to the hard copy device 11 or the monitor device 13.
You may also output it to .

[Effects of the Invention] According to the electronic endoscope control device of the present invention, the second control device is further connected to the control device that controls the operation of the output device, and the second control device controls the operation of the output device. Since the operations can also be controlled, the inspection system can be freely expanded or modified to perform a wide range of control operations for the output devices. Moreover, it has an excellent effect that the control operation can be easily performed using a limited number of operation switches provided on the operation section.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the embodiment with a second control device connected,
3 to 5 are time charts showing the operation of the embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a front view showing an example of a monitor screen when the second control device is connected. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Operation part, 4... Objective lens, 5... Solid-state image sensor, 6, 7.8... Operation switch, 11, 12 degrees 13... Output device, 20... Control device , 31...
Output terminal, 32...Personal computer (second control device). Agent Patent Attorney Kazuhiko Mitsui Figure 3 Operation switch 6-11-1---------
-Figure 4 4I5 Operation switch 8 for whistle 3-[7--------■]-7
Lease' (d5)

Claims (1)

[Claims] A solid-state image sensor that converts an observed image formed by an objective lens into an electrical signal, an output device that reproduces or records the observed image, and an output device that is connected between the solid-state image sensor and the output device to operate the output device. In a control device for an electronic endoscope, the control device includes a control device that controls the control device, and one or more operation switches that are installed in the operation section of the endoscope and output signals that cause the control device to perform a predetermined control operation. , the control device is provided with an output terminal for connecting the second control device, and a signal line is provided to output a signal by operating the operation switch,
A control device for an electronic endoscope, characterized in that it is connected to the output terminal thereof.