Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Switching systems
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-29
2001-07-03
Ballato, Josie (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Switching systems
C307S116000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06255746
ABSTRACT:
The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No. Hei-10-101961 filed on Mar. 30, 1998, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to switch operation processing apparatus and method, for use with a manually operable switch and a controlled device, for controlling the controlled device depending on switch operation of the manually operable switch. The apparatus and method are useful for various purposes, and in particular, for application to switches and devices provided on an endoscope system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there have been commonly used electronic endoscope systems including a color video system which produces video signals representing a high-resolution color image of an object to be observed through the endoscope. A typical electronic endoscope system includes an endoscope processor unit, an electronic unit, serving to control various operations of the electronic endoscope system as well as to process the video signals received from an image sensing device of the video system. A typical endoscope process or unit has a control panel on which a large number of controls and switches are provided, including a control for adjustment in the intensity level of the illumination beam for illuminating an object to be observed through the endoscope, an enhancement on/off switch for activating and inactivating an image enhancer for the contour correction of the image of the object, a set of controls for obtaining the color balance among red (R), green (G) and blue (B) color signals, etc.
The operator of such an electronic endoscope system has to be skilled for appropriately operating or manipulating the large number of controls and switches provided on the system. If poorly skilled, the operator could make unintentional, inadvertent operations of the controls and switches. For example, poorly skilled operators often make an unintentional, inadvertent touch to the image enhancement on/off switch to inactivate the image enhancer. In such a case, a sudden deterioration in quality of an image displayed on a monitor screen of the electronic endoscope system may occur, and the operator may even erroneously recognize it as a failure of the video system in the electronic endoscope system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a switch operation processing apparatus for use with a manually operable switch and a controlled device, for controlling the controlled device depending on switch operation of the manually operable switch, wherein the apparatus may reduce or eliminate any inconvenience which otherwise could be caused by an unintentional, inadvertent operation of the manually operable switch made by the operator.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a switch operation processing apparatus, wherein the apparatus may achieve bidirectional adjustment of a controlled device through manual operation of a simple electric switch, such as a push button switch.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of processing operation of a manually operable switch, for controlling a controlled device depending on switch operation of the manually operable switch, wherein the method may reduce or eliminate any inconvenience which otherwise could be caused by an unintentional, inadvertent operation of the manually operable switch made by the operator.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a method, wherein the method may achieve bidirectional adjustment of a controlled device through manual operation of a simple electric switch, such as a push button switch.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a switch operation processing apparatus for use with a manually operable switch and a controlled device, for controlling the controlled device depending on switch operation of the manually operable switch. The apparatus comprises detection means for detecting any occurrence of switch operation of the manually operable switch, determination means for determining when a predefined temporal pattern of switch operation of the manually operable switch occurs, and control means for controlling the controlled device depending on determination made by the determination means.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a switch operation processing apparatus for use with an endoscope system including a manually operable switch and a controlled device, for controlling the controlled device depending on switch operation of the manually operable switch. The apparatus comprises detection means for detecting any occurrence of switch operation of the manually operable switch, determination means for determining when a predefined temporal pattern of switch operation of the manually operable switch occurs, and control means for controlling the controlled device depending on determination made by the determination means.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of processing operation of a manually operable switch, for controlling a controlled device depending on switch operation of the manually operable switch. The method comprises the steps of detecting any occurrence of switch operation of the manually operable switch, determining when a predefined temporal pattern of switch operation of the manually operable switch occurs, and controlling the controlled device depending on the determination.
The determination means may be capable of determining when a first predefined temporal pattern of switch operation of the manually operable switch occurs and determining when a second predefined temporal pattern of switch operation of the manually operable switch occurs. In such case, the first predefined temporal pattern of switch operation of the manually operable switch may comprise two successive switch operations of the manually operable switch with a time interval therebetween shorter than a predetermined time interval. Further, the second predefined temporal pattern of switch operation of the manually operable switch may comprise a single, isolated operation of the manually operable switch with neither preceding switch operation thereof having occurred within the predetermined time interval before that switch operation nor following switch operation thereof occurring within the predetermined time interval after that switch operation.
The controlled device may be capable of placement in either of two states comprising first and second states. In such case, the control means may place the controlled device in one of the two states when an occurrence of the first predefined temporal pattern of switch operation of the manually operable switch is determined. Further, the control means may place the controlled device in the other of the two states when an occurrence of the second predefined temporal pattern of switch operation of the manually operable switch is determined. The two states of the controlled device may be active and inactive states of the controlled device.
The controlled device may be capable of adjustment in two opposite directions. In such case, the control means may make adjustment of the controlled device in one of the two opposite directions when an occurrence of the first predefined temporal pattern of switch operation of the manually operable switch is determined. Further, the control means may make adjustment of the controlled device in the other of the two opposite directions when an occurrence of the second predefined temporal pattern of switch operation of the manually operable switch is determined. The controlled device may be capable of adjustment in its output level and the two opposite directions of adjustment may be increasing and decreasing directions of adjustment in the output level of the controlled device.
The manually operable switch may be a two-position switch ha
Kobayashi Hiroyuki
Takahashi Tadashi
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo
Ballato Josie
Deberadinis Robert
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
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