US 2,009,290,016 · Filed 2009-05-15

How Hoya Locked Down Endoscope Memory Management

Imagine a camera that doctors use to look inside your body during surgery. This patent covers how that camera's computer keeps its settings and image data organized across multiple memory storage units, making sure the newest settings always win and nothing gets lost.

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The plain-English version

What it protects

The claim covers a system where an endoscope camera has two memory chips that store the same setup instructions, plus a processor that decides which version is fresher. What's protected is the specific method of syncing these memories so that if one copy gets out of date, the newer one automatically overwrites it. This covers the exact sequence of checking timestamps, comparing data, and then pushing updates—all to keep the scope working with consistent settings.

Why it matters

In medical endoscopy, consistency is critical. If a surgical camera's settings got corrupted or mismatched between different memory locations, it could degrade image quality mid-procedure or cause the scope to behave unpredictably. By patenting this dual-memory synchronization system, Hoya secured a way to make endoscopes more reliable and harder for competitors to copy without running into their claims. This matters because even small improvements in medical device stability can affect patient outcomes.

Real-world use

Every time a surgeon uses an endoscope to examine a patient's stomach or lungs, the camera's internal computer is quietly managing this memory system behind the scenes to ensure the imaging settings stay correct throughout the procedure.

Original USPTO abstract

An endoscope system comprises a scope and a processor. The scope has an imaging sensor, a first image-processing unit that performs primary image processing, a first memory, and a second memory. The first and second memories are non-volatile. The processor has a second image-processing unit that performs secondary image processing, and a processor memory that is non-volatile. The first memory stores an system data that includes parameters for the primary and secondary image processing. The processor memory stores the system data. The second memory is used for storing the system data stored in the processor memory when it is determined that the system data stored in the first memory is older than the system data stored in the processor memory. The system data stored in the second memory is overwritten onto the first scope memory after the system data is stored in the second memory.

Patent details

Publication number: US 2,009,290,016
Filing date: 2009-05-15
Grant date: Application — not yet granted
Assignee: Hoya Corporation
Inventor(s): SUDA TADAAKI
CPC class: A61B1/04

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