Endoscope Rotation Error Detection Using Frequency Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing self-propelled endoscope apparatuses face challenges in accurately determining rotation errors due to high-frequency noise interference from high-frequency treatment instruments, which can lead to incorrect motor control and user notification of rotation errors.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a low-pass filter (LPF) before the rotating speed detector to remove high-frequency signal components, ensuring that only signals within a specific frequency band are passed, allowing for accurate detection of rotation errors and preventing noise interference from high-frequency treatment instruments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If high-frequency treatment instruments are used during endoscope operations, then therapeutic functions are provided, but high-frequency noise interferes with rotation error detection accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetherapeutic functionVSAvoidrotation error detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the harmful high-frequency noise components from the encoder signal using a band-pass filter, separating the useful rotation detection signal from the interfering high-frequency treatment instrument noise, thereby resolving the contradiction between providing therapeutic functions and maintaining detection accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a band-pass filter as an intermediary component between the encoder and the rotating speed detector. This mediator selectively passes only the frequency components corresponding to the motor's rotation speed while blocking high-frequency noise from treatment instruments, enabling accurate rotation error detection even when therapeutic functions are active

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If high-frequency noise is not filtered, then signal processing is simpler, but rotation error determination becomes inaccurate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal processing complexityVSAvoidrotation error determination accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical or software-based noise filtering approaches with an electrical band-pass filter that operates in the frequency domain. This substitution provides effective noise rejection with minimal added complexity, as the filter can be implemented using standard electronic components in the signal processing path

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the frequency parameters of the signal processing system by introducing a band-pass filter with specific frequency characteristics matched to the motor's operating range. This parameter-based approach allows the system to automatically reject high-frequency noise without complex adaptive algorithms, maintaining simplicity while improving measurement precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution effectively filters out high-frequency noise, enabling precise detection of rotation errors and preventing incorrect motor control, thus enhancing the accuracy of self-propulsion and user notification during endoscope operations.

Implementation Method 1

The filter passes, as the encoder signal, only a signal having a frequency, outside a frequency band of a high-frequency signal of a high-frequency treatment instrument, of signals input to the rotating speed detector

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLow-pass filtering: Filter (electronic)

Data Source

PatentUS10978970B2Apparatus and control apparatus for the same

Publication Date: 2021.04.13 OLYMPUS CORPORATION(JP)

AI summary

An apparatus includes a rotation body, a motor, a drive controller, a rotating speed detector, a rotation error determination circuit, and a filter. The rotation body is provided on an outer peripheral surface of an elongated insertion section and configured to be rotatable around a longitudinal axis. The motor rotates the rotation body. The drive controller controls driving of the motor. The rotating speed detector detects a rotating speed of the motor based on an encoder signal output from an encoder. The rotation error determination circuit determines an error in rotation of the rotation body based on the detected rotating speed. The filter passes, as the encoder signal, only a signal having a frequency, outside a frequency band of a high-frequency signal of a high-frequency treatment instrument, of signals input to the rotating speed detector.