Endoscope system, information processing method for endoscope system

Abstract

An endoscope system includes: an endoscope that is capable of bending; an actuator that outputs a driving force for bending the endoscope; and a processor that is capable of communicating with the actuator, wherein the processor controls the actuator by switching at least two modes related to curvature control, generates a first identifier, which is information for identifying a case in which the endoscope is used, generates usage status information, which is information related to a usage status of a mode, and associates and outputs the first identifier and the usage status information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An endoscope system comprising:
 an endoscope that is capable of bending;   an actuator that outputs a driving force for bending the endoscope; and   a processor that is capable of communicating with the actuator,   wherein the processor
 controls the actuator by switching at least two modes related to curvature control, 
 generates a first identifier, which is information for identifying a case in which the endoscope is used, 
 generates usage status information, which is information related to a. usage status of a mode, and 
 outputs the first identifier associated with the usage status information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The endoscope system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the endoscope system can communicate with an external server, the external server is a server outside the hospital network,   the external server
 acquires the first identifier and the usage status information, and 
 outputs a billing amount for use of the mode based on the usage status information for each first identifier. 
   
     
     
         3 . The endoscope system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the processor
 aquires the second identifier from a hospital server or the endoscope, the hospital server is a server inside the hospital network, and 
 generates the first identifier, which is a hash value generated based on the acquird second identifier. 
   
     
     
         4 . The endoscope system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the endoscope system includes a controller which is an interface capable of inputting the mode, and   the processor generates the usage status information based on information on usage status of the mode acquired from the controller.   
     
     
         5 . The endoscope system according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the processor
 detects the mode which has been used based on the information on usage status of the mode acquired from the controller, and 
 in a case where the detected mode is a specific mode, generates the usage status information. 
   
     
     
         6 . The endoscope system according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the processor generates, as the usage status information, information indicating that the specific mode has been used, the number of times the specific mode has been used, or a usage time of the specific mode.   
     
     
         7 . The endoscope system according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the processor
 when the specific mode is used, records the first identifier in a memory, 
 when the specific mode is used, determines whether or not the first identifier already recorded in the memory and the first identifier recorded at this time are the same, 
 in a case where the first identifier already recorded in the memory and the first identifier recorded at this time are the same, does not generates the usage status information, and 
 in a case where the first identifier already recorded in the memory and the first identifier recorded at this time are different, generates the usage status information and records it in the memory. 
   
     
     
         8 . The endoscope system according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the processor obtains the second identifier for identifying at least one of patient, date of implementation of the case, an examination, and the endoscope.   
     
     
         9 . The endoscope system according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the processor
 while observation or treatment of the case corresponding to the first identifier is continued, does not output the first identifier and the usage status information to the external server, and 
 when the observation or treatment of the case is completed, outputs the first identifier and the usage status information to the external server. 
   
     
     
         10 . An information processing method for an endoscope system including an endoscope that is capable of bending, an actuator that outputs a driving force for bending the endoscope, and a processor capable of communicating with the actuator, the method comprising:
 controlling the actuator by switching at least two modes related to bending control based on an input of an operator;   generating a first identifier, which is information for identifying a case in which the endoscope is used;   generating usage status information, which is information on a usage status of a mode;   converting the usage status information into billing information which is information on a billing amount for using the mode; and   outputting the first identifier and the billing information in association with each other.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 outputting a charge amount for use of the mode based on the usage status information for each case identifier.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 acquiring the second identifier from an external server or the endoscope, the external server is a server outside the hospital network, and   generating the first identifier, which is a hash value generated based on the acquired second identifier.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the endoscope system further includes a controller which is an interface capable of inputting the mode, and   the method further comprising generating the usage status information based on the usage status information of the mode acquired from the controller.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to claim  13 , further comprising:
 detecting the mode which has been used based on information on the usage status of the mode acquired from the controller, and   in a case where the detected mode is a specific mode, generating the usage status information,   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 generating, as the usage status information, information indicating that the specific mode has been used, the number of times the specific mode has been used, or a usage time of the specific mode.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the endoscope system further includes a memory, and when the specific mode is used, the first identifier is recorded in the memory,   the method further comprises:   when the specific mode is used, determining whether or not the first identifier already recorded in the memory and the first identifier recorded at this time are the same;   in a case where the first identifier already recorded in the memory and the first identifier recorded at this time are the same, not generating the usage status information;   in a case where the first identifier already recorded in the memory and the first identifier recorded at this time are different, generating the usage status information and recording it in the memory.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 acquiring information for identifying at least one of a patient, date of the case, an examination, and the endoscope as the second identifier.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 while observation or treatment of the case corresponding to the first identifier is continued, not outputting the first identifier and the usage status information to the external server; and   when the observation or treatment of the case is completed, outputting the first identifier and the usage status information to the external server.