Endoscope insertion and removal detection system

Abstract

A system for determining elapsed time of a surgical procedure performed using an endoscope is disclosed. The system can be configured to determine elapsed time for managing a supervised operating room to determine performance metrics of the operating room, such as but not limited to operating room continuity and frequency of abnormal procedure times to evaluate operating room efficiency. The system can include determining insertion of the endoscope into a patient and determining removal of the endoscope from the patient. The system can then generate an elapsed procedure time based on the insertion time of the endoscope into the patient and the removal time of the endoscope from the patient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to endoscopic surgical systems, and more specifically to endoscopic surgical systems configured to measure the total elapsed time of a surgeon performing a surgical task by monitoring the insertion of an endoscope into and removal of the endoscope from the patient. Background Technology

[0002] Driven by the ever-increasing pursuit of efficiency in medical practice, management teams are seeking to make their practices more effective in every round. Management teams overseeing operating rooms have attempted to determine operating room utilization efficiency to control the costs associated with such use. Typically, operating room efficiency has been determined by analyzing the duration of the entire case, which can include the duration of anesthesia administration, the duration of joint cleaning before probe insertion, the duration of the actual surgery, and other events. Analyzing overall operating room efficiency has proven difficult and unreliable when time records related to operating room use are comprehensive. Therefore, a more robust system is needed to analyze operating room efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] A system for determining the elapsed time of a surgical procedure performed using an endoscope is disclosed. The system can be configured to determine the elapsed time for managing and monitoring an operating room to determine operating room performance metrics, such as, but not limited to, the frequency of operating room coherence and abnormal surgeries, to assess operating room efficiency. The system may include determining the insertion of the endoscope into the patient and determining the removal of the endoscope from the patient. The system can then generate the elapsed procedure time based on the insertion time of the endoscope into the patient and the removal time of the endoscope from the patient. The system may transmit the elapsed procedure time via one or more networks.

[0004] In endoscopic minimally invasive surgery, endoscopes can be used to visualize structures within the body through small incisions. Small incisions result in less pain, a lower risk of infection, faster recovery, and reduced blood loss. Endoscopes provide surgeons with a single view of the surgical site, and therefore, surgeons can only operate while the endoscope is inserted into the patient. The system is configured to determine when the endoscope is inserted into and removed from the patient in order to subsequently determine the elapsed time of the surgery. The system can use several information sources that can be collected to indicate when the endoscope is inserted into and removed from the patient. These sources include an initial white balance step as a case qualifier, automatic exposure status through continuous monitoring, and image analysis using image processing during these events to provide additional accuracy. During the medical procedure on the patient, the endoscope moves between incisions and is cleaned; these two events are expected to repeat. During the medical procedure, a camera attached to the distal end of the endoscope undergoes adjustments to gain and exposure time, as well as illumination levels, to transmit optimal images to the surgeon. These parameters are uniquely marked when an endoscope is inserted into a patient.

[0005] A system for determining the elapsed time of a surgical procedure performed using an endoscope may include a memory storing instructions and a processor executing the instructions to perform the operations. The operations may include determining the insertion time of the endoscope into the patient by monitoring camera parameters of a camera positioned at the distal end of the endoscope, to identify the insertion time of the endoscope into the patient. The operations may also include determining the removal time of the endoscope from the patient by monitoring camera parameters, to identify the removal time of the endoscope from the patient. The operations may further include generating an elapsed surgical time based on the insertion time and removal time of the endoscope from the patient.

[0006] The operation of monitoring camera parameters to identify the insertion time of the endoscope into the patient may include monitoring the rate of change of the camera's exposure index to identify the point in time when the endoscope was inserted into the patient. Monitoring the rate of change of the camera's exposure index may include monitoring the rate of change of the camera's exposure index, which is a combination of exposure time and signal gain.

[0007] Monitoring camera parameters to identify the removal time of the endoscope from the patient may include monitoring the rate of change of the camera exposure index to identify the point in time when the endoscope is removed from the patient. Monitoring the rate of change of the camera exposure index may include monitoring the rate of change of the camera exposure index, which is a combination of exposure time and signal gain.

[0008] The system can also be configured to account for potential erroneous signals. Capturing still images affects the exposure index in a manner similar to endoscope insertion. Such erroneous triggering can be rejected because the system is aware of the image capture event and can silence endoscope insertion and removal. For example, the system can be operated such that the operation includes receiving an indication of a still image capture event within the camera and ignoring the camera exposure index associated with the camera during the still image capture event to prevent erroneous identification of endoscope insertion into the patient. Additionally, the system can be operated such that the operation includes receiving an indication of a still image capture event within the camera and ignoring the camera exposure index associated with the camera during the still image capture event to prevent erroneous identification of endoscope removal from the patient.

[0009] The system can also be configured to further refine the analysis of the monitored camera parameters. For example, but not limited to, the system can be configured to identify elements associated with each peak, i.e., the temporal width of each peak, which provides unique characteristics of the peak and the logical order of the peaks. The system can also be configured such that time intervals between events can be analyzed to identify markers revealing which event has occurred. The system can also analyze the duration of events to determine which event has occurred. The system can analyze the logical sequence of events to identify insertion and removal events. The system can be configured to identify events, such as, but not limited to, “case start,” “image capture,” and “white balance,” to help identify endoscopic insertion and removal events. The system can also be configured to filter out multiple peaks that repeat within a short duration to prevent incorrect identification of insertion and removal events.

[0010] The advantage of a system for determining the elapsed time of endoscopic surgery is that it determines the actual time the surgeon spends working on the patient, rather than the total time the patient spends on surgery with other auxiliary activities.

[0011] These and other embodiments are described in more detail below. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a system used to determine the elapsed time of surgical procedures performed using an endoscope.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a method for determining the elapsed time of surgical procedures performed using an endoscope.

[0014] Figure 3 It is used to determine the use Figure 2 The flowchart shows a detailed step-by-step process of a surgical procedure performed via endoscopy, representing a portion of the procedure.

[0015] Figure 4 It is a graph of the camera's automatic exposure index relative to time as the endoscope is inserted into the patient, captures still images at multiple time points, and is removed from the patient.

[0016] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a system for determining the elapsed time of surgical procedures performed using an endoscope, the system including a communication network that enables a user to access data collected from a remote location via the system.

[0017] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of a machine in the form of a computer system, wherein, when a set of instructions is executed, the set of instructions causes the machine to perform any one or more methods or operations for autonomously testing a computing system.

[0018] Detailed description of the attached figures

[0019] like Figure 1-6 As shown, a system 10 for determining the elapsed time of a surgical procedure performed using an endoscope 12 is disclosed. The system 10 can be configured to determine the elapsed time for managing and supervising an operating room to determine operating room performance metrics, such as, but not limited to, the frequency of operating room coherence and abnormal surgeries, to assess operating room efficiency. The system 10 may include determining when the endoscope 12 enters the patient 14 and when the endoscope 12 is removed from the patient 14. The system 10 can then generate the elapsed surgical time based on the insertion time of the endoscope 12 into the patient 14 and the removal time of the endoscope 12 from the patient 14. The system 10 may transmit the elapsed surgical time via one or more networks 24.

[0020] In endoscopic minimally invasive surgery, endoscope 12 can be used to visualize internal structures through small incisions. Small incisions can result in less pain, a lower risk of infection, faster recovery, and reduced blood loss. The endoscope provides the surgeon with a unique view of the surgical site, and therefore, the surgeon can only operate while the endoscope is inserted into the patient 14. System 10 is configured to determine when endoscope 12 is inserted into and removed from the patient 14 in order to subsequently determine the elapsed time of the surgery. System 10 can use several information sources that can be collected to indicate when endoscope 12 is inserted into and removed from the patient 14. These sources include an initial white balance step as a case qualifier, automatic exposure status through continuous monitoring, and image analysis using image processing during these events to provide additional accuracy. During the medical procedure on patient 14, endoscope 12 moves between incisions and is cleaned, and these two events are expected to repeat. During the medical procedure, such as Figure 4 As shown, the camera 20, attached to the distal end 22 of the endoscope 12, undergoes adjustments to gain, exposure time, and illumination level to transmit optimal images to the surgeon. Unique markers of these parameters are used to identify when the endoscope 12 is inserted into the patient 14.

[0021] The system 10 for determining the elapsed time of a surgical procedure performed using endoscope 12 may include a memory 18 storing instructions and a processor 24 executing the instructions to perform the operation. The memory 18 and processor 24 may be contained within a server 160, which may communicate with a communication network 135, enabling users to access data at a remote location via other devices. The operation may include determining the insertion time of the endoscope 12 into the patient 14 by monitoring camera parameters of a camera 20 located at the distal end 22 of the endoscope 12, to identify the insertion time of the endoscope 12 into the patient 14. The operation may also include determining the removal time of the endoscope 12 from the patient 14 by monitoring camera parameters, to identify the removal time of the endoscope 12 from the patient 14. The operation may further include generating an elapsed surgical time based on the insertion time and removal time of the endoscope 12 from the patient 14.

[0022] System 10 can determine the insertion time of the endoscope 12 into the patient 14 by monitoring camera parameters of camera 20, in at least one embodiment by monitoring an automatic exposure control (AEC) signal. System 10 can collect data in step 48 by monitoring the AEC signal and monitoring software-driven events, such as, but not limited to, case start, case end, white balance, video capture, and image capture. Figure 3 As shown, system 10 may include signal conditioning in step 50 to enable system 10 to detect target feature events. System 10 may include feature detection in step 52. Once system 10 has detected the target feature, system 10 may save events in step 54, such as an endoscope insertion (Scope In) event when endoscope 12 is inserted into patient 14, and an endoscope removal (Scope Out) event when endoscope 12 is removed from patient 14.

[0023] The operation of monitoring camera parameters to identify the insertion time of endoscope 12 into patient 14 may include monitoring the rate of change of the camera exposure index, such as... Figure 4 As shown, this is to identify the time point at which the endoscope 12 is inserted into the patient 14. Monitoring the rate of change of the camera exposure index may include monitoring the rate of change of the camera exposure index, which is a combination of exposure time and signal gain.

[0024] The operation of monitoring camera parameters to identify the removal time of endoscope 12 from patient 14 may include monitoring the rate of change of camera exposure index to identify the time point at which endoscope 12 is removed from patient 14. The operation of monitoring the rate of change of camera exposure index may include monitoring the rate of change of camera exposure index, which is a combination of exposure time and signal gain.

[0025] System 10 can also be configured to consider potential erroneous signals. Capturing still images affects the exposure index in a manner similar to endoscope insertion. Such erroneous triggering can be rejected because system 10 is aware of the image capture event and can mute endoscope insertion and removal. For example, system 10 can be operated such that operation includes receiving an indication of a still image capture event within camera 20 and ignoring the camera exposure index associated with camera 20 during the still image capture event to prevent erroneous identification of endoscope 12 being inserted into patient 14. Additionally, the system can be operated such that operation includes receiving an indication of a still image capture event within camera 20 and ignoring the camera exposure index associated with camera 12 during the still image capture event to prevent erroneous identification of endoscope 12 being removed from patient 14.

[0026] like Figure 2 As shown, a method 30 for determining the elapsed time of a surgical procedure performed using an endoscope 12 is disclosed. Method 30 may include, in step 32, determining the insertion time of the endoscope 12 into the patient 14 by monitoring camera parameters of a camera 20 located within the distal end 22 of the endoscope 12, to identify the insertion time of the endoscope 12 into the patient 14. The method for performing step 32 may be based on… Figure 3 Steps 48-54. Method 30 may further include determining the removal time of the endoscope 12 from the patient 14 by monitoring camera parameters in step 34, to identify the removal time of the endoscope 12 from the patient 14. The method for performing step 34 can be based on... Figure 3 Steps 48-54. Method 30 may also include generating the elapsed surgical time in step 36 based on the insertion time of the endoscope 12 into the patient 14 and the removal time of the endoscope 12 from the patient 14.

[0027] Step 32, which involves determining the insertion time of the endoscope 12 into the patient 14 by monitoring camera parameters of the monitoring camera 20, may include monitoring the rate of change of the camera exposure index to identify the time point at which the endoscope 12 is inserted into the patient 14. Step 32, which includes monitoring the rate of change of the camera exposure index, may include monitoring the rate of change of the camera exposure index, which is a combination of the camera's exposure time and signal gain.

[0028] Method 30 may further include receiving an indication of a still image capture event within camera 20, and ignoring the camera exposure index associated with camera 20 during the still image capture event to prevent erroneous identification of endoscope 12 being inserted into patient 14.

[0029] Step 34, which determines the removal time of the endoscope 12 from the patient 14 by monitoring camera parameters of camera 20, may include monitoring the rate of change of the camera exposure index to identify the time point at which the endoscope 12 is removed from the patient 14. Step 32, which includes monitoring the rate of change of the camera exposure index, may include monitoring the rate of change of the camera exposure index, which is a combination of exposure time and signal gain.

[0030] Method 30 may further include receiving an indication of a still image capture event within camera 20 in step 38, and ignoring the camera exposure index associated with camera 20 during the still image capture event to prevent erroneous identification of endoscope 12 being removed from patient 14.

[0031] System 10 can also be configured to further improve the analysis of the monitored camera parameters. Specifically, System 10 can be configured to use logical analysis of the data or by combining the previously described camera parameters with time to determine when an event such as endoscopic insertion or removal has occurred. For example, but not limited to, System 10 can be configured in step 36 to identify elements associated with each peak, i.e., the time width of each peak, which provides unique characteristics of the peak and the logical order of the peaks. System 10 can also be configured to identify time intervals between events in step 36 to determine markers revealing which event has occurred. System 10 can also analyze the duration of events in step 36 to determine which event has occurred. System 10 can be pre-programmed with typical durations of events, such as, but not limited to, “case start,” “image capture,” “white balance,” and “case end.” System 10 can analyze the logical sequence of events to identify insertion and removal events. System 10 can be configured to identify events, such as, but not limited to, “case start,” “image capture,” “white balance,” and “case end,” to help identify endoscopic insertion and removal events and ignore error signals. System 10 can also be configured to filter out multiple peaks that repeat within a short duration to prevent incorrect identification of insertion and removal events.

[0032] System 10 may also be configured to include a non-transitory computer-readable device 1022 comprising instructions, when loaded and executed by processor 1002, to cause processor 1002 to perform an operation including step 32 of determining the insertion time of endoscope 12 into patient 14 by monitoring camera parameters of camera 20 positioned within the distal end 22 of endoscope 12, to identify the insertion time of endoscope 12 into patient 14. The non-transitory computer-readable device 1022 may also include an operation including step 34 of causing processor 1002 to perform an operation including determining the removal time of endoscope 12 from patient 14 by monitoring camera parameters, to identify the removal time of endoscope 12 from patient 14. The non-transitory computer-readable device 1022 may also include an operation including step 36 of causing processor 1002 to perform an operation including generating an elapsed surgical time based on the insertion time of endoscope 12 into patient 14 and the removal time of endoscope 12 from patient 14.

[0033] like Figure 1-6 As shown, a system 10 and method 30 for determining the elapsed time of a surgical procedure performed using an endoscope 12 are disclosed. System 10 can be configured to allow a user to access information on system 10 via a computing device located remotely from the operating room. Thus, data diagnosis and review can be performed wherever desired. System 10 can be configured to support, but is not limited to, machine learning services, data and content services, computing applications and services, cloud computing services, internet services, satellite services, telephone services, software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications and services, mobile applications and services, platform-as-a-service (PaaS) applications and services, web services, client-server applications, and any other computing applications and services. System 10 may include a first user 101 who can utilize a first user device 102 to access data, content, and applications, or perform various other tasks and functions. As an example, the first user 101 can utilize the first user device 102 to access applications (e.g., a browser or mobile application) running on the first user device 102, which can be used to access web pages, data, and content associated with system 10. System 10 may include any number of users.

[0034] The first user equipment 102 utilized by the first user 101 may include a memory 103 containing instructions, and a processor 104 that executes the instructions from the memory 103 to perform various operations performed by the first user equipment 102. In some embodiments, the processor 104 may be hardware, software, or a combination thereof. The first user equipment 102 may also include an interface 105 (e.g., a screen, monitor, graphical user interface, etc.) that enables the first user 101 to interact with various applications running on the first user equipment 102, various applications running within the system 10, and the system 10 itself. In some embodiments, the first user equipment 102 may include components that provide non-visual output. For example, the first user equipment 102 may include a speaker, a haptic component, a tactile component, or other components that can be used to generate non-visual output that can be perceived and / or experienced by the first user 101. In some embodiments, the first user equipment 102 may be configured not to include an interface 105. In some embodiments, the first user equipment 102 may be a computer, laptop computer, tablet device, phablet, server, mobile device, smartphone, smartwatch, and / or any other type of computing device. Illustratively, the first user equipment 102 in... Figure 1 The device is shown as a mobile device. The first user equipment 102 may also include a global positioning system (GPS), which may include a GPS receiver and any other necessary components for enabling GPS functionality, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, sensors, and any other components suitable for the mobile device.

[0035] In addition to the first user 101, system 10 may include a second user 110, who may utilize the second user device 111 to access data, content, and applications, or perform various other tasks and functions. Similar to the first user 101, in some embodiments, the second user 110 may be any type of user capable of viewing data from camera 20, the total elapsed time of endoscopy within a patient, or other relevant data. Much like the first user 101, the second user 110 may utilize the second user device 111 to access applications (e.g., a browser or mobile application) running on the second user device 111, which may be used to access web pages, data, and content associated with system 10. The second user device 111 may include a memory 112 containing instructions, and a processor 113 that executes the instructions from the memory 112 to perform various operations performed by the second user device 111. In some embodiments, the processor 113 may be hardware, software, or a combination thereof. The second user equipment 111 may also include an interface 114 (e.g., a screen, monitor, graphical user interface, etc.) that enables the second user 110 to interact with various applications running on the second user equipment 111, various applications running in the system 10, and the system 10 itself. In some embodiments, the second user equipment 111 may be a computer, laptop, tablet, phablet, server, mobile device, smartphone, smartwatch, and / or any other type of computing device. Illustratively, the second user equipment 111 may be... Figure 1 The computing device in the first user equipment 102 may also include any components described for the first user equipment 102.

[0036] In some embodiments, the first user equipment 102 and the second user equipment 111 may have any number of software applications and / or application services stored thereon and / or accessible thereon. For example, the first user equipment 102 and the second user equipment 111 may include artificial intelligence-based applications, machine learning-based applications, applications for facilitating task completion, cloud-based applications, search engine applications, natural language processing applications, database applications, algorithm applications, telephone-based applications, product ordering applications, business applications, e-commerce applications, media streaming applications, content-based applications, database applications, game applications, internet-based applications, browser applications, mobile applications, service-based applications, productivity applications, video applications, music applications, social media applications, presentation applications, any other type of application, any type of application service, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the software applications and services may include one or more graphical user interfaces to enable the first user 101 and the second user 110 to easily interact with the software applications. The software applications and services may also be used by the first user 101 and the second user 110 to interact with any device in system 10, any network in system 10, or any combination thereof. For example, the software applications executing on the first user equipment 102 and the second user equipment 111 may be applications for receiving data, applications for storing data, applications for receiving demographic and preference information, applications for transforming data, applications for performing mathematical algorithms, applications for generating and sending electronic messages, applications for generating and sending various types of content, any other type of application, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the first user equipment 102 and the second user equipment 111 may include associated telephone numbers, Internet Protocol addresses, device identities, or any other identifiers to uniquely identify the first user equipment 102 and the second user equipment 111 and / or the first user 101 and the second user 110. In some embodiments, location information corresponding to the first user equipment 102 and the second user equipment 111 may be obtained based on Internet Protocol addresses, by receiving signals from the first user equipment 102 and the second user equipment 111, or based on profile information corresponding to the first user equipment 102 and the second user equipment 111. In some embodiments, location information may be obtained by utilizing the Global Positioning System (GPS) of the first user equipment 102 and / or the second user equipment 111.

[0037] System 10 may also include a communication network 135. The communication network 135 of system 10 may be configured to link each device in system 10 to each other. For example, communication network 135 may be used by a first user equipment 102 to connect to other devices within or outside communication network 135. Furthermore, communication network 135 may be configured to send, generate, and receive any information and data traversing system 10. In some embodiments, communication network 135 may include any number of servers, databases, or other components and may be controlled by a service provider. Communication network 135 may also include and be connected to cloud computing networks, telephone networks, wireless networks, Ethernet, satellite networks, broadband networks, cellular networks, private networks, cable networks, the Internet, Internet Protocol networks, content delivery networks, virtual private networks, any network, or any combination thereof. Illustratively, servers 140 and 150 are shown as being included within communication network 135.

[0038] It is worth noting that the functionality of system 10 can be supported and performed using any combination of servers 140, 150, and 160. Servers 140 and 150 may reside within communication network 135; however, in some embodiments, servers 140 and 150 may reside outside communication network 135. Servers 140 and 150 can be used to perform various operations and functions provided by system 10, such as those requested by applications running on first and second user devices 102 and 111. In some embodiments, server 140 may include a memory 141 containing instructions, and a processor 142 that executes instructions from memory 141 to perform various operations performed by server 140. Processor 142 may be hardware, software, or a combination thereof. Similarly, server 150 may include a memory 151 containing instructions, and a processor 152 that executes instructions from memory 151 to perform various operations performed by server 150. In some embodiments, servers 140, 150, and 160 may be network servers, routers, gateways, switches, media distribution hubs, signaling points, service control points, service switching points, firewalls, routers, edge devices, nodes, computers, mobile devices, or any other suitable computing device, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, servers 140 and 150 may be communicatively linked to communication network 135, any network, any device in system 10, or any combination thereof.

[0039] The database 155 of system 10 can be used to store and relay information traversing system 10, cache information and / or content traversing system 10, store data about each device in system 10, and perform any other typical database functions. In some embodiments, database 155 can store the output of any operations performed by system 10, and store the operations and outputs generated by the first and second user devices 102, 111, servers 140, 150, 160, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, database 155 may store records of any and all information obtained from any data source used by system 10 to facilitate the operational functions of system 10 and its components, including any information and data obtained from internal data source 201 and external data source 202, aggregation model 208, output generated by application 230 to be evaluated, feedback received from first and second users 101, 110 and / or first and second user devices 102, 111, inputs into or for interaction with application 230 to be evaluated, software code 245 generated by system 10, reports 242 generated by system 10, analyses 243 generated by system 10, test results 246 generated by system 10, test data 247, media training videos and media content, any information generated and / or received by system 10, any other data traversing system 10, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, database 155 may be connected to or reside within communication network 135, any other network, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, database 155 can serve as a central repository for any information associated with any device and information associated with system 10. Furthermore, database 155 may include a processor and memory, or be connected to a processor and memory to perform various operations associated with database 155. In some embodiments, database 155 may be connected to servers 140, 150, 160, first user equipment 102, second user equipment 111, any device in system 10, any other device, any network, or any combination thereof.

[0040] Database 155 may also store information obtained from system 10, information associated with first and second users 101 and 110, location information of first and second user devices 102 and 111 and / or first and second users 101 and 110, user profiles associated with first and second users 101 and 110, device profiles associated with any device in system 10, communications traversing system 10, user preferences, demographic information of first and second users 101 and 110, information associated with any device or signal in system 10, information related to the use of applications accessed by first and second user devices 102 and 111, any information obtained from any network in system 10, historical data associated with first and second users 101 and 110, device characteristics, information related to any device associated with first and second users 101 and 110, or any combination thereof. User profiles may include any type of information associated with an individual (e.g., first user 101 and / or second user 110), such as, but not limited to, username, password, contact information, demographic information, psychometric information, identifiers of applications used or associated with the individual, any attributes of the individual, any other information, or combinations thereof. Device profiles may include any type of information associated with a device, such as, but not limited to, operating system information, hardware specifications, information about each component of the device (e.g., sensors, processor, memory, battery, etc.), device attributes, any other information, or combinations thereof.

[0041] In some embodiments, database 155 may store algorithms that facilitate the operation of system 10 itself, any software applications utilized by system 10, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, database 155 may be configured to store any information generated and / or processed by system 10, any information disclosed together with it for any operations and functions disclosed by system 10, any information traversing system 10, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, database 155 may be configured to process queries sent to it by any device within system 10.

[0042] In some embodiments, system 10 may communicate and / or interact with external network 165. In some embodiments, external network 165 may include any number of servers, databases, or other components, and in some embodiments, may be controlled by a service provider. External network 165 may also include and be connected to cloud computing networks, telephone networks, wireless networks, Ethernet, satellite networks, broadband networks, cellular networks, private networks, cable networks, the Internet, Internet Protocol networks, content delivery networks, virtual private networks, any network, or any combination thereof.

[0043] System 10 may also include software applications or programs configured to perform and support the operational functions of system 10. In some embodiments, the application may be a software program, website, mobile application, software process, or a combination thereof, which may be accessed by a user using one or more computing devices, such as first user device 102 and second user device 111. The application of system 10 may be accessed via an Internet connection established with a browser program running on the first or second user device 102, 111, a mobile application running on the first or second user device 102, 111, or by other suitable means. Additionally, the application may allow users and computing devices to create accounts using the application and log in to the created accounts using an authentication username and password combination. In some embodiments, the software application may be executed directly as an installer on the first and / or second user devices 102, 111, such as a mobile application or desktop application. In some embodiments, the software application may be executed directly on any combination of servers 140, 150, 160.

[0044] A software application may include multiple programs and / or functions that execute within the software application and / or are accessible by the software application. For example, a software application may include an application that generates web content and pages accessible to the first and / or second user devices 102 and 111, any type of program, or any combination thereof.

[0045] The systems and methods disclosed herein may include additional functionalities and features. For example, the operational functions of system 10 and method 30 may be configured to execute on a dedicated processor, specifically configured to perform the operations provided by system 10 and method 30. Notably, the operational features and functionalities provided by system 10 and method 30 can increase the efficiency of the computing devices utilized to facilitate the functions provided by system 10 and method 30. For example, system 10 and method 30 may optimize the execution of future actions through machine learning, thereby reducing the amount of computer operations that need to be performed by devices in system 10 using the processor and memory of system 10 compared to systems that cannot perform machine learning as described in this disclosure. In this case, less processing power may be needed because the processor and memory do not need to perform the actions, operations, and analyses already performed by system 10. In some embodiments, system 10 may know that certain states associated with discovery and / or testing, and / or certain states derived from discovery and / or testing, may be faster on certain processing hardware. For example, for states with complex mathematical operations and / or graphics, system 10 may perform better when a floating-point processor or graphics processing unit is present. As a result, the functionality provided by system 10 and method 30 can provide considerable savings in the use of computer resources by utilizing the software and functions provided in this disclosure.

[0046] It is worth noting that, in some embodiments, various functions and features of system 10 and method can operate without human intervention and can be performed entirely by computing devices, robots, programs, and / or processes. For example, in some embodiments, multiple computing devices can interact with the devices of system 10 to provide the functions supported by system 10. Furthermore, in some embodiments, system 10 can operate continuously to reduce the likelihood of defects, conflicts, and / or errors being introduced into system 10. In some embodiments, system 10 and method can also provide efficient computing resource management by utilizing the features and functions described in this disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, system 10 can specify the amount of computer processor resources (e.g., processor clock cycles, processor speed, processor cache, etc.) that can be dedicated to acquiring data from camera 20. For example, system 10 can indicate the number of processor cycles that can be used to acquire data and process the acquired data, and / or specify a selected amount of processing power that can be dedicated to acquiring and processing data from camera 20.

[0047] In some embodiments, any device or program in system 10 may signal to a memory device to dedicate only a selected number of memory resources to various operations of system 10. In some embodiments, system 10 and the method may also include signaling to the processor and memory to perform operational functions of system 10 and method 30 only for time periods when the use of processing resources and / or memory resources in system 10 is at selected and / or threshold values. In some embodiments, system 10 and the method may include signaling to the memory device used in system 10 that specific portions of the memory (e.g., memory sectors, etc.) should be used to store any data utilized or generated by system 10. Notably, the signals transmitted to the processor and memory can be used to optimize the use of computational resources when performing operations performed by system 10. As a result, these features provide substantial operational efficiency and improvements over the prior art.

[0048] Still referencing Figure 6 At least a portion of the methods and techniques described with respect to exemplary embodiments of system 10 may include a machine, such as, but not limited to, computer system 1000 or other computing devices, within which, when a set of instructions is executed, the machine may be made to perform any one or more of the methods or functions described above. The machine may be configured to facilitate various operations performed by system 10. For example, the machine may be configured, but not limited to, to assist system 10 by providing processing power to handle processing loads experienced in system 10, by providing storage capacity for storing instructions or data traversing system 10, or by assisting system 10 in performing or within system 10 any other operations.

[0049] In some embodiments, the machine may operate as a standalone device. In some embodiments, the machine may (e.g., using communication network 135, another network, or a combination thereof) connect to other machines and systems and assist operations performed by other machines and systems such as, but not limited to, first user equipment 102, second user equipment 111, server 140, server 150, database 155, server 160, or any combination thereof. The machine may assist operations performed by other components in the system, any program in the system, or any combination thereof. The machine may connect to any component of system 10. In a networked deployment, the machine may operate as a server or client user machine in a server-client user network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may include a server computer, client user computer, personal computer (PC), tablet PC, laptop computer, desktop computer, control system, network router, switch, or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) specifying the actions to be taken by the machine. Furthermore, although a single machine is shown, the term "machine" should also be understood to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or more) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methods discussed herein.

[0050] Computer system 1000 may include processor 1002 (e.g., central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU, or both), main memory 1004, and static memory 1006, which communicate with each other via bus 1008. Computer system 1000 may also include video display unit 1010, which may be, but is not limited to, liquid crystal display (LCD), flat panel, solid-state display, or cathode ray tube (CRT). Computer system 1000 may include input device 1012 (e.g., but not limited to keyboard), cursor control device 1014 (e.g., but not limited to mouse), disk drive unit 1016, signal generation device 1018 (e.g., but not limited to speaker or remote control), and network interface device 1020.

[0051] Disk drive unit 1016 may include machine-readable medium 1022 on which one or more sets of instructions 1024 are stored, such as, but not limited to, software implementing any one or more of the methods or functions described herein, including those methods described above. The instructions 1024 may also reside wholly or at least partially within main memory 1004, static memory 1006, or processor 1002, or a combination thereof, during execution by computer system 1000. Main memory 1004 and processor 1002 may also constitute machine-readable media.

[0052] Specialized hardware implementations, including but not limited to application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic arrays (PLA), and other hardware devices, can also be configured to implement the methods described herein. Applications of the apparatuses and systems that can include various embodiments broadly encompass a wide range of electronic and computer systems. Some embodiments implement functionality in two or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices, wherein associated control and data signals are transmitted between and through modules, or as part of an ASIC. Therefore, the example systems are applicable to software, firmware, and hardware implementations.

[0053] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, the methods described herein are intended to operate as software programs running on a computer processor. Furthermore, software implementations may include, but are not limited to, distributed processing or component / object distributed processing, parallel processing, or virtual machine processing, which may also be configured to implement the methods described herein.

[0054] This disclosure envisions a machine-readable medium 1022 containing instructions 1024, enabling a device connected to a communication network 135, another network, or a combination thereof to send or receive voice, video, or data, and to communicate via the communication network 135, another network, or a combination thereof using the instructions. Instructions 1024 can also be sent or received via a network interface device 1020 through the communication network 135, another network, or a combination thereof.

[0055] Although machine-readable medium 1022 is shown as a single medium in the example embodiment, the term "machine-readable medium" should be understood to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and / or associated caches and servers) that store one or more sets of instructions. The term "machine-readable medium" should also be understood to include any medium capable of storing, encoding, or carrying a set of instructions for machine execution and enabling the machine to perform any one or more of the methods of this disclosure.

[0056] The terms “machine-readable medium,” “machine-readable device,” or “computer-readable device” should be understood accordingly to include, but are not limited to: memory devices, solid-state memories such as memory cards or other packages containing one or more read-only (non-volatile) memories, random access memories, or other rewritable (volatile) memories; magneto-optical or optical media such as magnetic disks or magnetic tapes; or other self-contained information archives or collections of archives considered equivalent to tangible storage media. “Machine-readable medium,” “machine-readable device,” or “computer-readable device” can be non-transitory and, in some embodiments, may not include the wave or signal itself. Therefore, this disclosure is considered to include any one or more machine-readable media or distributed media as listed herein and includes equivalents and successor media recognized in the art, wherein the software implementation of this document is stored.

[0057] The foregoing description is provided to illustrate, explain, and describe embodiments of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and can be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A system for determining the elapsed time of a surgical procedure performed using an endoscope, characterized in that: Memory, storing instructions; as well as The processor executes the instructions to perform operations, the operations including: The insertion time of the endoscope into the patient's body is determined by monitoring the parameters of a camera positioned inside the endoscope, in order to identify the insertion time of the endoscope into the patient's body; The removal time of the endoscope from the patient's body is determined by monitoring camera parameters to identify the time of endoscope removal from the patient's body; and The elapsed surgical time is generated based on the insertion time of the endoscope into the patient's body and the removal time of the endoscope from the patient's body. The operation of monitoring camera parameters to identify the insertion time of the endoscope into the patient or the removal time from the patient includes monitoring the rate of change of the camera's exposure index to identify the time point when the endoscope is inserted into or removed from the patient, and The operation is characterized by further including receiving an indication of a still image capture event within the camera, and ignoring the camera exposure index associated with the camera during the still image capture event to prevent erroneous identification of the endoscope being inserted into or removed from the patient.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The operation of monitoring the rate of change of the camera's exposure index includes monitoring the rate of change of the camera's exposure index, which is formed by the combination of exposure time and signal gain.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Generating the elapsed surgical time involves determining the time intervals between events to identify markers that reveal which event has occurred.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Generating the elapsed surgical time includes identifying elements associated with peaks, the elements including the time width of the peaks, which provides the unique characteristics of the peaks and the logical order of the peaks.

5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Generating the elapsed surgical time involves analyzing the duration of events to determine which events have occurred.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Generating the elapsed surgical time involves identifying the logical sequence of events to determine insertion and removal events.

7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The generated procedure time includes filtering out multiple peaks that repeat within a short duration to prevent incorrect identification of insertion and removal events.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable device comprising instructions that, when loaded and executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, characterized in that: The insertion time of the endoscope into the patient's body is determined by monitoring the camera parameters of a camera positioned inside the endoscope, in order to identify the insertion time of the endoscope into the patient's body. The removal time of the endoscope from the patient's body is determined by monitoring camera parameters in order to identify the removal time of the endoscope from the patient's body; as well as The elapsed surgical time is generated based on the insertion time of the endoscope into the patient's body and the removal time of the endoscope from the patient's body. The operation of monitoring camera parameters to identify the insertion time of the endoscope into the patient or the removal time from the patient includes monitoring the rate of change of the camera's exposure index to identify the time point when the endoscope is inserted into or removed from the patient, and The operation is characterized by further including receiving an indication of a still image capture event within the camera, and ignoring the camera exposure index associated with the camera during the still image capture event to prevent erroneous identification of the endoscope being inserted into or removed from the patient.

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