US 9,332,890 · Granted 2016-05-10

How Hoya Patented the Endoscope's Dual-Screen Recording Magic

Doctors using endoscopes (tiny cameras that go inside your body) need to watch live video AND record it at the same time. This patent describes a clever system that juggles two memory banks so the doctor can view one stream of footage while the equipment silently captures another — kind of like having two tape recorders running at once.

Curated and verified by the IsItPatented Editorial team

The plain-English version

What it protects

The claim covers a processor that manages image data flow through two separate storage units. What's protected is the specific method of toggling between modes: one where live video streams out while being recorded, another where recorded footage plays back while new footage captures simultaneously into a different memory bank, plus the ability to flip between continuous and single-frame playback without interrupting the recording cycle.

Why it matters

Medical endoscopes are precise instruments where simultaneous live viewing and recording are critical for diagnosis and documentation. This patent solves a real engineering challenge: how to let a surgeon watch the procedure in real-time while the system reliably captures evidence for the patient record. For Hoya, a leading optical equipment manufacturer, this kind of patent protects their competitive edge in the endoscopy market by making their devices more functional and reliable than competitors who haven't solved this dual-stream problem.

Real-world use

When a gastroenterologist threads an endoscope down your throat to check for ulcers, they're watching the live feed on a monitor while the processor behind the scenes is simultaneously recording everything to a file — this patent is what keeps both operations seamless.

Original USPTO abstract

A processor for an electronic endoscope includes first and second image storing units and a controller, which in a first mode, image data is converted sequentially into a video signal and is outputted while being stored sequentially in the first and second image storing units. In a second mode, image data stored in the first image storing unit is outputted while generated image data is sequentially stored in the second image storing unit. In a third mode, image data stored in the second image storing unit is outputted while generated image data is sequentially stored in the first image storing unit. In the second and third modes, it is possible to switch between a first playback mode that continuously outputs the multiple stored image data and a second playback mode that repeatedly outputs one of the multiple stored image data.

Patent details

Publication number: US 9,332,890
Filing date: 2011-08-25
Grant date: 2016-05-10
Assignee: Hoya Corporation
Inventor(s): OZAWA RYO
CPC class: A61B1/00009

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