US 7,289,139 · Granted 2007-10-30
The Endoscope Patent That Cuts Setup Time and Interference Headaches
Imagine a surgical camera that automatically adjusts itself the moment you plug in a new endoscope—no fiddling, no guessing, no interference noise. This patent locks down a system that reads what endoscope you've connected and instantly configures the video settings to match, saving doctors and surgical teams precious minutes.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers an automated system that detects which endoscope has been attached to a video camera system and then automatically adjusts the camera's video signal processing parameters—like gain, color correction, and data transmission settings—based on that endoscope's unique characteristics. What's protected here is the method of reading endoscope identification and using that information to self-configure the entire camera-to-endoscope handshake without manual intervention or realignment.
Why it matters
In surgical and medical imaging environments, every second counts and setup errors can delay procedures. By automating parameter adjustment, this patent eliminates human error, reduces electromagnetic interference that can corrupt image quality, and makes hospital inventory and maintenance simpler because the system tracks which endoscope is which. For manufacturers like Karl Storz, this creates a competitive moat around their integrated camera-endoscope ecosystem.
Real-world use
When a surgical nurse connects a new endoscope to the camera head in an operating room, the system instantly recognizes it and locks in the correct video settings—no manual tweaking required.
Original USPTO abstract
A system for automatically setting video signal processing parameters for an endoscopic video camera system based upon characteristics of an attached endoscope, with reduced EMI and improved inventory tracking, maintenance and quality assurance, and reducing the necessity for adjustment and alignment of the endoscope and camera to achieve the data transfer.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 7,289,139
- Filing date
- 2002-03-12
- Grant date
- 2007-10-30
- Assignee
- Karl Storz Imaging, Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- AMLING MARC R., CHATENEVER DAVID
- CPC class
- A61B1/00059
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