# US 2021/0241457 A1 · Endoscope system, and image processing apparatus and image processing method used in endoscope system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0241457 A1 - Document ID: US20210241457A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/239,802 - Filed: 2021-04-26 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-30 - Assignees: Olympus Corporation - Applicants: Olympus Corporation - Inventors: Katsuyoshi TANIGUCHI; Yamato KANDA; Akihiro KUBOTA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210241457A1 ## CPC - H04N 7/185: {from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control} - A61B 1/000096: {using artificial intelligence} - G06T 1/20: Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining - G06T 7/0012: {Biomedical image inspection} - G16H 30/40: for processing medical images, e.g. editing - H04N 5/38: Transmitter circuitry {for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards} (H04N5/14 takes precedence) - H04N 7/18: Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast - G06T 2200/28: involving image processing hardware - G06T 2207/10016: Video; Image sequence - G06T 2207/10068: Endoscopic image - G06T 2207/20016: Hierarchical, coarse-to-fine, multiscale or multiresolution image processing; Pyramid transform - G06T 2207/30096: Tumor; Lesion - H04N 23/555: {for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract An image processing device includes: a first processor configured to perform image processing on an inputted image, the image processing including diagnostic process; a second processor configured to perform selection processing to select and transmit a portion of the inputted image to an external image processing apparatus connected to an external network; and an interface configured to receive a processing result of the diagnostic process by the external image processing apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system comprising: a first processor configured to perform image processing on an inputted image, the image processing including diagnostic process; a second processor configured to perform selection processing to select and transmit a portion of the inputted image to an external image processing apparatus connected to an external network; and an interface configured to receive a processing result of the diagnostic process by the external image processing apparatus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the second processor is configured to perform the selection processing on a basis of an operation signal to select whether to supply the inputted image to the first processor or transmit the selected portion of the inputted image to the external image processing apparatus. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the second processor is configured to perform the selection processing on a basis of signal processing performed on the inputted image to select whether to supply the inputted image to the first processor or transmit the selected portion of the inputted image to the external image processing apparatus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the second processor is configured to perform selection processing to select an image to be transmitted to the external image processing apparatus of the image inputted into the first processor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the second processor is configured to perform selection processing to select an image to be transmitted to the external image processing apparatus on a basis of a processing result of the image processing performed by the first processor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the first processor is configured to perform at least one of a detection of a lesion candidate or a differentiation of the lesion candidate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the external image processing apparatus is configured to perform at least one of a detection of a lesion candidate or a differentiation of the lesion candidate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the first processor and the external image processing apparatus are configured to perform at least one of a detection of a lesion candidate or a differentiation of the lesion candidate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the first processor is configured to output a processing result in a short time period compared to the external image processing apparatus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the external image processing apparatus is configured to output a detailed processing result compared to the first processor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the first processor is configured to make a first diagnosis with respect to the inputted image, and the second processor is configured to select, on a basis of a result of the first diagnosis, an image used by the external image processing apparatus to make a second diagnosis more detailed than the first diagnosis. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the first processor is configured to detect a lesion candidate from the inputted image, the second processor is configured to select an image to selectively transmit an image containing an image portion of the lesion candidate to cause the external image processing apparatus to differentiate the lesion candidate, and the interface is configured to receive a differentiation result of the lesion candidate based on the image transmitted from the second processor by the external image processing apparatus as the processing result. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the second processor is configured to perform selection processing to transmit a trimmed image having an image portion containing the lesion candidate to the external image processing apparatus. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the second processor is configured to perform selection processing to transmit an image having a detection reliability of the lesion candidate that is lower than a predetermined threshold to the external image processing apparatus, and the interface is configured to receive the processing result based on the image having the detection reliability of the lesion candidate that is lower than the predetermined threshold transmitted from the second processor by the external image processing apparatus. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the second processor is configured to perform selection processing to transmit an image having a size of an image portion of the lesion candidate that is larger than a predetermined size to the external image processing apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the second processor is configured to perform selection processing to transmit images of a frame containing the lesion candidate and a predetermined number of preceding and/or succeeding frames of the frame containing the lesion candidate to the external image processing apparatus. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein in a case where at least one of a brightness range, a color range, or a focusing state range of the inputted image is outside a respective threshold range, the second processor is configured to perform selection processing to not transmit the inputted image to the external image processing apparatus. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus outputs the inputted image and at least one of the processing result by the first processor or the processing result by the external image processing apparatus. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus outputs the inputted image and at least one of the processing result by the first processor or the processing result by the external image processing apparatus to a monitor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 2) The image processing apparatus used in an endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein the second processor is configured to perform the selection processing on a basis of an operation signal based on an operation of at least one of photographing a still image, generating a still image, switching an observation mode, enlarging an image, pausing an image for a predetermined time period or longer, or turning a piece of medical equipment on or off. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) An endoscope system comprising: the image processing apparatus used in the endoscope system according to claim 1; and the external image processing apparatus. ### Claim 22 An image processing method used in an endoscope system comprising: performing image processing on an inputted image, the image processing including diagnostic process; performing selection processing to select and transmit a portion of the inputted image to an external image processing apparatus connected to an external network; and receiving a processing result of the diagnostic process by the external image processing apparatus.