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Endoscope systemRelated Patent Categories: Surgery, Endoscope, With Means For Indicating Position, Depth Or Condition Of EndoscopeEndoscope system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060142639, Endoscope system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is a continuation of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/188,096, filed Jul. 3, 2002, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to an endoscope system adapted to manage data of a plurality of endoscopes. [0003] There are endoscopes provided with a solid state imaging device for capturing images inside a human body. Such endoscopes, so called electronic endoscopes, are normally connected to a processor that transforms the output signals from the solid state imaging device into image signals so that output devices such as monitors and video printers can display or print the image captured by the solid state imaging device. [0004] The endoscope is connected detachably to the processor so that the endoscope can be changed to a suitable type in accordance with the location of the human body to be inspected or treated with the endoscope. That is, the endoscope and the processor can be used in various combinations. [0005] The endoscope is usually provided with a memory, such as an EEPROM, into which various kinds of data related to the endoscope are stored. Data stored into the memory includes, for example, type and serial number of the endoscope, and calibration data for adjusting the white balance of the image captured by the solid state imaging device. The calibration data for adjusting the white balance includes the amount of brightness increase/decrease of red and blue colors, which will be referred hereinafter as "wb(r)" and "wb(b)", respectively. [0006] The endoscope type and serial number are read by the processor as the endoscope is connected, and displayed on, for example, a monitor. An operator can check the information about the endoscope from the serial number by searching a database, for example, constructed in an independent computer. There is, however, information which should be checked whenever the endoscope is used. Such information requires repetitive search work which burdens the operator. [0007] Therefore, there is a need for an endoscope system that allows the operator to check information about the endoscope in use in a simpler manner. [0008] The calibration data for white balance, wb(r) and wb(b), is also read by the processor to adjust the white balance of the image generated in the processor based on the output signals from the solid state imaging device. [0009] The color balance adjusting abilities, however, are slightly different between each processor. Therefore, the processor often fails to achieve proper white balance by adjusting the colors in accordance with the calibration data obtained from the endoscope. In such case, proper white balance is achieved by performing manually a fine adjustment. [0010] Recently, processors have been developed that are provided with a memory for storing the calibration data obtained as a result of the fine adjustment mentioned above. The calibration data is stored in the memory in association with data intrinsic to the endoscope, such as serial number, to construct a database. The processor can utilize the calibration data in the database whenever the endoscope is connected and used again in the future. In this way, the processor eliminates the necessity of repetitive manual fine adjustment of the white balance. [0011] The number of endoscopes, however, of which data can be registered to the database is restricted because of the finite available memory space thereof. Thus, if there is not available memory space for storing data of a new endoscope, unimportant data such as that of old or seldom used endoscopes should be deleted manually to free up memory space. Such manual operation is a cumbersome task and may cause deletion of important data such as that of new or frequently used endoscopes if proper care is not used when manually deleting data. [0012] Therefore, there is also a need for an endoscope system that manages the database of endoscope data such that the deletion of important data is prevented. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] The present invention provides the advantage in that, in an endoscope system, important data of endoscopes in a database is prevented from being unintentionally deleted. The present invention also provides the advantage that the operator can check information about the endoscope in use in a simple manner. [0014] According to an aspect to the invention, an endoscope system including a database and a database managing device is provided. The database is configured to store a plurality of pieces of endoscope data. Each piece of the endoscope data corresponds to a different endoscope and is associated with ownership information indicating a term for which the corresponding endoscope is allowed to be utilized. The database managing device is configured to select one of the plurality of pieces of endoscope data stored in the database and replace it with a new piece of endoscope data corresponding to a new endoscope. The database managing device selects the piece of endoscope data to be replaced based on the ownership information. In this manner, the database managing device can select and replace the piece of endoscope data of the database so that, for example, the endoscope data that corresponds to the endoscopes allowed to be utilized for relatively long term remains in the database. [0015] The ownership information may include information on whether the corresponding endoscope is purchased or not. Purchased endoscopes are generally allowed to be used permanently and therefore the piece of endoscope data corresponding to purchased endoscopes should be left in the database. Accordingly, the database managing device may select and replace the piece of endoscope data related to the endoscope that is not purchased in preference to purchased endoscope data. [0016] Alternatively, the ownership information may include information on whether the corresponding endoscope is leased or not. Since the leased endoscope is allowed to be utilized for only a limited term, the database managing device may select the piece of endoscope data related to the endoscope being leased in preference to other endoscope data and replace it with the new endoscope data. [0017] In addition, the ownership information may include information on whether a term of lease of the endoscope is less than a predetermined period. In this case, the database managing device may select the piece of endoscope data related to the term of lease less than the predetermined period in preference to other endoscope data. Alternatively, the database managing device may select the piece of endoscope data related to the term of lease which has already expired since such endoscope may not be utilized in the future again. [0018] Optionally, each of the pieces of the endoscope data is associated with registration information including a date of when the piece of endoscope data is stored into the database, and the database managing device selects one piece of the endoscope data to be replaced based on the registration information among a plurality of pieces of the endoscope data selected based on the ownership information. In particular, the database managing device may select the piece of endoscope data related to the registration information including the oldest date since such old endoscope data may have less importance than those registered later. [0019] Alternatively, each of said pieces of endoscope data is associated with used date information including a date of the corresponding endoscope being used for the last time. The database managing device selects one piece of the endoscope data to be replaced based on the used date information among a plurality of pieces of the endoscope data selected based on said ownership information. In particular, the database managing device may select the endoscope data related to the used data information including the oldest date, since the endoscope not used for a long time may be seldom used also in the future. [0020] Optionally, the database and the database managing device are provided to a processor configured to be connected to the endoscope for receiving and processing signals from the endoscope. [0021] According to another aspect to the invention, an endoscope system including a processor and an output device is provided. The processor is connectable to various endoscopes to receive and process signals from the endoscopes being connected. The processor includes a database configured to store a plurality of pieces of endoscope data each corresponding to a different one of said endoscopes. Each piece of the endoscope data is associated with ownership information which indicates a term for which the corresponding endoscope is allowed to be utilized. The output device is configured to output the ownership information so that an operator of the endoscope system can confirm the ownership information. [0022] Optionally, the output device outputs the ownership information of the endoscope currently connected to the processor so that the operator can confirm the ownership information of the endoscope currently connected. Continue reading about Endoscope system... Full patent description for Endoscope system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Endoscope system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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