Endoscopy Service Support for Automatic Image Sorting and Measurement

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Solution Overview

Problem

In endoscopy procedures, selecting and distinguishing between internal and external still images for creating medical documents is burdensome for users, as current systems lack automated differentiation and require manual intervention.

Innovation Solution

An endoscopy service support device and system that automatically acquires and distinguishes between internal and external still images using an endoscope, incorporating a measurement light to measure length and display virtual scales, with a processor device to set and superimpose scales based on the measurement light's irradiation position, enabling efficient image selection and measurement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If still images are saved without distinction between internal and external images, then storage efficiency is improved, but user operation burden increases due to manual selection requirement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage storage efficiencyVSAvoiduser operation burden
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary classification of still images into internal and external categories at the time of acquisition, storing metadata that identifies the image type. This preliminary action eliminates the need for manual selection during report creation, resolving the contradiction by maintaining storage efficiency while eliminating user burden.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If manual selection of still images is required for creating reports, then image selection accuracy is improved, but time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage selection accuracyVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically generates reports by self-selecting appropriate still images based on stored metadata and examination purposes, eliminating manual user intervention. The system serves itself by autonomously matching images with report requirements, thereby reducing time consumption while maintaining selection accuracy through algorithmic precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If measurement light and virtual scale are added to the endoscope, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelength measurement precisionVSAvoidendoscope structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The measurement light emitting unit and virtual scale processing functions are integrated into the existing endoscope system, allowing the same device to perform both imaging and measurement functions. This multi-functionality approach adds measurement capability without proportionally increasing overall device complexity, as the system reuses existing imaging infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4094668B1Endoscopy service support device, endoscopy service support system, and method of operating endoscopy service support device
Publication Date: 2025.08.20 FUJIFILM CORP
  • EP4094668B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4094668B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4094668B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are an endoscopy service support device (100), an endoscopy service support system (5), and a method of operating an endoscopy service support device capable of selecting and displaying an internal still image and an external still image without imposing a burden on a user. An image reception unit (101) receives a still image acquired by an endoscope system (10). The still image combination unit (102) performs still image collation processing for collating an internal still image and an external still image out of the still images, combines the internal still image with the external still image on the basis of at least a result of the still image collation processing, and displays the combined internal still image and external still image on a service support display (108).