Endoscope Data Relay Using Onboard Memory for Offline Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope systems lack efficient methods for communicating data, particularly between endoscopes and medical devices like ERMs and CCUs, especially when cloud connectivity is limited or absent, necessitating improved data transfer mechanisms for effective maintenance and operation.
Innovation Solution
Endoscopes equipped with internal memory storage elements and communication interfaces, enabling them to receive, store, and transmit usage, reprocessing, and error-related data, acting as data transfer vehicles within local or distributed maintenance systems, using wired or wireless interfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If cloud connectivity is used for data communication, then data exchange between medical devices and service computers is improved, but device complexity and dependency on external infrastructure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The endoscope serves as an intermediary data transfer vehicle between the ERM/CCU and service computer. It receives data from the ERM/CCU via its communication interface, stores it in its memory storage element, and then transfers it to the service computer, enabling data exchange without requiring direct cloud connectivity between all devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The endoscope creates a copy of the data received from the ERM/CCU and stores it in its own memory storage element. This copied data can then be transferred to the service computer independently of the original data source, enabling flexible data routing and reducing dependency on continuous cloud connectivity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If endoscopes are equipped with memory storage elements and communication interfaces, then data transfer capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The endoscope is designed with multi-functionality, serving both its primary diagnostic function and an additional data transfer vehicle function. The communication interface and memory storage element enable the endoscope to perform multiple roles: capturing medical images and transferring various types of data (usage data, reprocessing data, error data) between different systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The endoscope autonomously manages its own data storage and transfer operations. The controller receives data through the communication interface, automatically stores it in the memory storage element, and can independently read and output data when needed, reducing the need for external management infrastructure.
3Reliability
If data is stored locally in endoscopes, then data availability for maintenance is improved, but loss of time for data retrieval increases
Solution Approach 1:
The endoscope performs preliminary actions by continuously receiving and storing data in its memory storage element during normal operation. Usage data, reprocessing data, and error data are captured and stored in advance, so that when maintenance or analysis is needed, the data is already available immediately without requiring time-consuming retrieval from remote sources.
Data Source
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Figure 3
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AI summary
Described herein is an endoscope with a main body and an elongate shaft, wherein the endoscope comprises an internal memory storage element, a controller, and a communication interface, the controller being configured to receive, through the communication interface, one or more of usage-related data, reprocessing-related data, and error-related data, and to store such data on the memory storage element; and the controller further being configured to read, from the memory storage element, such one or more of usage-related data, reprocessing-related data, and error-related data, and to output the data through the communication interface. Also provided are endoscope maintenance systems and methods for communicating data therein.