Medical system, processing protocol control method, and signal processing device
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12569113-B2
Publication Date
2026-03-10
Expiration Date
Abstract
A medical system includes an imager configured to pick up an image and output an image signal, a signal processing device configured to generate an observation image from the image signal, a display configured to display the observation image, and a relay device, and the signal processing device derives a processing sequence that minimizes a time duration from when the imager picks up an image until the display displays the observation image, based on a first specification of the image signal at the imager, a second specification of the signal processing device, a third specification of the observation image at the display, and a communication protocol of the relay device, provides instruction of a fourth specification to the imager based on the processing sequence, and provides instruction of a fifth specification to the display based on the processing sequence.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention concerns a medical system in which an image pickup instrument outputs an image pickup signal acquired by picking up an image of an object, and a signal processing device generates an observation image from the image pickup signal for display by at least one display device. A relay device connects the image pickup instrument, the signal processing device, and the display device, so that the end-to-end time from image pickup until the observation image is displayed can be targeted for minimization.
The signal processing device derives a processing sequence that minimizes a time duration from when the image pickup instrument picks up an image of an object until the display device displays the observation image. This minimization is based on a first processing specification of the image pickup signal at the image pickup instrument, a second processing specification of the signal processing device, a third processing specification of the observation image at the display device, and a communication protocol of the relay device.
The system provides instruction of a fourth processing specification to the image pickup instrument and instruction of a fifth processing specification to the display device in accordance with the derived processing sequence. The described embodiments include a networked configuration via a relay device/access point and transmission of image data such as compressed RAW, with processing that can involve splitting processing into subframes for image development processing at a specified frame rate.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover three related aspects: a medical system, a processing protocol control method, and a signal processing device. Across the independent claims, the inventive content is centered on deriving a processing sequence to minimize a time duration from image pickup to display based on first, second, and third processing specifications and a relay communication protocol, then providing instruction of corresponding fourth and fifth processing specifications.
Processing sequence minimizing image pickup-to-display time using specifications and relay protocol
The signal processing device derives a processing sequence that minimizes a time duration from when the image pickup instrument picks up an image of an object until the display device displays the observation image based on a first processing specification at the image pickup instrument, a second processing specification of the signal processing device, a third processing specification of the observation image at the display device, and a communication protocol of the relay device; provides instruction of a fourth processing specification to the image pickup instrument based on the processing sequence, and provides instruction of a fifth processing specification to the display device based on the processing sequence.
Pairing and deriving processing sequence then instructing pickup and display processing specifications
A processing protocol control method comprising pairing an image pickup instrument, a signal processing device, and a display device through a communication line including a relay device; deriving, by the signal processing device, a processing sequence that minimizes a time duration from when the image pickup instrument picks up an image of an object until the display device displays the observation image based on a first processing specification, a second processing specification, a third processing specification, and a communication protocol; providing instruction of a fourth processing specification from the signal processing device to the image pickup instrument based on the processing sequence; and providing instruction of a fifth processing specification from the signal processing device to the display device based on the processing sequence.
Storing detected specifications and deriving minimized-latency processing sequence in the signal processing device
A signal processing device wherein the processor detects a first processing specification of the image pickup signal at the image pickup instrument, a second processing specification of the signal processing device, a third processing specification of the observation image at the display device, and a communication protocol of the relay device and stores the first processing specification, the second processing specification, the third processing specification, and the communication protocol in the memory; derives a processing sequence of a condition that a time duration from when the image pickup instrument picks up an image of an object until the display device displays the observation image is minimized, based on each of the stored first processing specification, second processing specification, third processing specification, and communication protocol; and provides instruction of a fourth processing specification to the image pickup instrument based on the processing sequence and provides instruction of a fifth processing specification to the display device based on the processing sequence.
The independent claims all recite deriving a processing sequence to minimize the time duration from image pickup to display by using first, second, and third processing specifications and the relay communication protocol, then instructing the image pickup instrument and the display device with corresponding fourth and fifth processing specifications. The claims differ mainly in scope at the system, method, and signal-processing-device level.
Stated Advantages
Minimizes the time duration from when the image pickup instrument picks up an image of an object until the display device displays the observation image.
Reduces costs of processing/communication.
Documented Applications
Remote diagnosis service function using a networked medical imaging configuration that supports real-time performance from image pickup to display.
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