Patent ID: 7585272
Filing Date: 2009-09-08
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An electronic endoscope system including a scope and a processor, which processor having a primary or patient's circuit and a secondary circuit so connected as to permit communication and data transmission therebetween in an electrically insulated state, said electronic endoscope comprising: a first MPU provided in said secondary circuit on the side of said processor; a first writable ROM connected with said first MPU by way of a first bus; a PC card removably docked in a PC card slot connected to said first bus, for recording endoscopic picture images captured by an image sensor provided at a fore distal end portion of an insertion tube of said scope; a first firmware version-up program that includes a top address described in a master boot record (MBR) of said PC card to be read as soon as said PC card is booted, and upon booting said PC card, being automatically read from said top address being configured to update a firmware in said first ROM; said first firmware version-up program being executed as soon as said PC card is activated by said MPU, an update program in said first firmware version-up program being transferred from said PC card and written into said first ROM at a high speed depending upon a clock speed of said first bus, and said patient's circuit includes a second MPU so connected as to be communicable with said first MPU in said secondary circuit; a second rewritable ROM connected with said second MPU by way of a second bus; and a second firmware version-up program stored in said PC card to start from an address described in MBR of said PC card for updating a firmware in said second ROM, wherein as soon as said PC card is activated by said first MPU, said first MPU reading in said second firmware version-up program at a high speed depending upon a clock speed of said first bus, and transferring said second firmware version-up program of said second ROM to said second MPU to let the latter execute said second firmware version-up program to update a firmware in said second ROM to a new version, and said first MPU is configured to take no action until a report is received from said second MPU that updating of a firmware of said second ROM has been completed.