Patent · US Active

Endoscope bending control apparatus and endoscope system

US8211009B2 · kind B2 · utility

67Cited by
14References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 21, 2010
Grant dateJul 3, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 26, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B5/062
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An endoscope bending control apparatus includes: an image feature value calculating section for calculating, based on an endoscopic image, an image feature value related to a luminal dark part; a bending control section for performing bending control on a bending portion in either one of a first bending operation mode in which a position of the luminal dark part is set as an insertion target and a distal end of the insertion portion is directed to the position and a second bending operation mode in which the distal end of the insertion portion is directed in a direction of the position of the luminal dark part; an operation mode switching section for switching an operation mode from one bending operation mode to the other according to a first switching condition based on the calculated image feature value; and a switching condition changing section for changing the first switching condition.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.