Abstract:
An action display system includes an action instruction signal generating portion configured to generate an action instruction signal for instructing an action of an acting portion in response to an input to an input portion, an action control portion configured to control a drive portion such that the acting portion acts in accordance with the action instruction signal, the action control portion switchable between a regular mode to enable an action of the acting portion with the first and second degrees of freedom and an action disabled mode to disable an action of the acting portion with one degree of freedom, an image obtaining portion configured to obtain an image associated with an action state of the acting portion, and a display portion configured to display an index associated with the regular mode and the action disabled mode of the action control portion together with the image.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-296993, filed Nov. 15, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an action display system wherein an acting portion is configured to act with two degrees of freedom and the acting portion is configured to be operated based on an input to an input portion while observing an image associated with an action state of the acting portion, e.g., an endoscope system wherein a bending portion is configured to act to bend with two degrees of freedom and the bending portion is configured to be operated based on an input to an input portion while observing an observation image associated with a bending action state of the bending portion. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     There are used various action display systems wherein an acting portion is configured to act with two degrees of freedom and the acting portion is configured to be operated based on an input to an input portion while observing an image associated with an action state of the acting portion. 
     In Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-180825 discloses a scanning electron microscope as an action display system. In this scanning electron microscope, a sample support on which a sample is mounted is arranged on an XY stage configured to move in X and Y directions. A control table is connected with the XY stage through a control system. A track ball configured to operate the XY stage is arranged on the control table. Further, an observation image obtained by the scanning electron microscope is to be displayed on a CRT display. That is, the XY stage is configured to operated by means of the track ball while observing an observation image associated with a movement state of the XY stage. Furthermore, operating a switch portion of the control table enables restricting the movable direction of the XY stage to the X direction alone or the Y direction alone. Moreover, a light emitting element configured to indicate movable directions of the XY stage is arranged on the control table. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an aspect of the present invention, an action display system includes: an acting portion configured to act with first and second degrees of freedom; an input portion configured to accept an input for operating the acting portion; a drive portion configured to actuate the acting portion; an action instruction signal generating portion configured to generate an action instruction signal for instructing an action of the acting portion in response to an input to the input portion; an action control portion configured to control the drive portion such that the acting portion acts in accordance with the action instruction signal, the action control portion switchable between a regular mode to enable an action of the acting portion with the first and second degrees of freedom and an action disabled mode to disable an action of the acting portion with one degree of freedom; an image obtaining portion configured to obtain an image associated with an action state of the acting portion; and a display portion configured to display an index associated with the regular mode and the action disabled mode of the action control portion together with the image. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, an endoscope system includes: an endoscope including a bending portion configured to act to bend in first two directions forming a first degree of freedom and second two directions forming a second degree of freedom, the endoscope configured to obtain an observation image associated with a bending action state of the bending portion; an input portion configured to accept an input for actuating the bending portion to bend; a drive portion configured to actuate the bending portion to bend; an action instruction signal generating portion configured to generate an action instruction signal for instructing a bending action of the bending portion in response to an input to the input portion; an action control portion configured to control the drive portion such that the bending portion acts to bend in accordance with the action instruction signal, the action control portion switchable between a regular mode to enable a bending action of the bending portion with the first and second degrees of freedom and an action disabled mode to disable a bending action of the bending portion with one degree of freedom; a display portion configured to display an index associated with the regular mode and the action disabled mode of the action control portion together with the image. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an endoscope system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing an operation portion according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing the endoscope system according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing a rotating operation of a track ball in one direction according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a timing chart showing bending control of the endoscope system according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view showing a display image of a monitor according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7A  is a schematic view showing a UDLR allowance image of a bending allowance image according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7B  is a schematic view showing a UD allowance image of the bending allowance image according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7C  is a schematic view showing an LR allowance image of the bending allowance image according to the first embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing first and second monitors according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Each embodiment according to the present invention will now be explained with reference to the drawings hereinafter. 
       FIGS. 1 to 7C  show a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     An outline structure of an endoscope system as an operation system will now be explained with reference to  FIG. 1 . The endoscope system includes an endoscope  19  as an image obtaining portion. The endoscope  19  includes an elongated insertion portion  20  configured to be inserted into the interior of the body. In the insertion portion  20 , a distal-end rigid portion  21 , a bending portion  22 , and an insertion tube portion  23  are sequentially provided from a distal end side to a proximal end side. The distal-end rigid portion  21  includes a built-in illumination optical system configured to illuminate an observation target and a built-in image pick-up unit configured to pick up an image thereof. The bending portion  22  as an acting portion can act to bend up/down and left/right, forming first and second degrees of freedom, with respect to an observation view field of the endoscope  19 . The insertion tube portion  23  is long and flexible. A proximal end portion of the insertion portion  20  is detachably connected with a drive unit  24 . Angle wires configured to bend the bending portion  22  are inserted through the insertion portion  20  from the bending portion  22  to the proximal end portion of the insertion portion  20 . When the angle wires are pulled and loosened by means of the drive unit  24 , the bending portion  22  acts to bend. A universal cord  25  is extended from the drive unit  24 , and a light source connector  26  at an extended end portion of the universal cord  25  is connected with a light source device  27 . Illumination light generated by the light source device  27  is supplied to an illumination optical system at a distal end portion of the endoscope  19  through a light guide inserted through the endoscope  19 . An electric cord  28  is extended from the light source connector  26 , and an electric connector  29  at an extended end portion of the electric cord  28  is connected with a video processor  30 . An image signal obtained in the image pick-up unit at the distal end of the endoscope  19  is output to the video processor  30  through signal lines inserted through the endoscope  19 . A monitor  32  as a display portion configured to display various images is connected with the video processor  30 . Further, a system controller  31  is connected with the video processor  30 . An operation portion  34  configured to operate the endoscope system is connected with the system controller  31  through an operation cord  33 . 
     A structure of the operation portion  34  will now be explained with reference to  FIG. 2 . A track ball  35  is arranged in the operation portion  34  and an input to actuate the bending portion  22  to bend can be performed by means of the track ball  35  as an input portion. The track ball  35  can rotate in arbitrary directions. Here, respective rotational directions of the track ball  35  for actuating the bending portion  22  to bend up/down alone or left/right alone are orthogonal to each other as indicated by arrows in  FIG. 2 , and these respective rotational directions will be referred to as an up/down direction and a left/right direction of the track ball  35 . Furthermore, a UD disable switch  36   a  and an LR disable switch  36   b  configured to respectively disable up/down and left/right bending actions of the bending portion  22  are arranged in the operation portion  34 . Moreover, various kinds of switches  37  configured to operate, e.g., an image pick-up action of the endoscope  19  are arranged in the operation portion  34 . 
     Bending action control in the endoscope system will now be explained with reference to  FIGS. 3 to 5 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the operation portion  34  includes a built-in UD sensor  38   a  configured to detect a rotational direction and rotational amount of the track ball  35  regarding up/down directions. The UD sensor  38   a  forming an action instruction signal generating portion generates an up/down bending direction instruction signal D UD  as an action instruction signal corresponding to the rotational direction and an up/down bending amount instruction signal P UD  as an action instruction signal corresponding to the rotational amount. The up/down bending direction instruction signal D UD  becomes binary one when the rotational direction is upward, and binary zero when the same is downward. The up/down bending amount instruction signal P UD  is a pulse signal including a pulse number corresponding with a rotational amount. As the UD sensor  38   a , a non-contact optical sensor is used, for example. 
     On the other hand, a UD disable switch  36   a  is arranged in the operation portion  34 . The UD disable switch  36   a  is configured to generate an up/down bending disable signal L UD . The up/down bending disable signal L UD  becomes binary one when the UD disable switch  36   a  is off, and it becomes binary zero when the same is on. 
     The up/down bending direction instruction signal D UD  generated by the UD sensor  38   a  is to be output to a UD counter  39   a  of the system controller  31 . Moreover, the up/down bending amount instruction signal P UD  generated by the UD sensor  38   a  and the up/down bending disable signal L UD  generated by the UD disable switch  36   a  are to be output to a UD AND gate  41   a  of the system controller  31 . A UD AND gate output signal O UD  generated by the UD AND gate becomes the same pulse signal as the up/down bending amount instruction signal P UD  when the UD disable switch  36   a  is off and the up/down bending disable signal L UD  is binary one, and it becomes binary zero when the UD disable switch  36   a  is on and the up/down bending disable signal L UD  is binary zero. The UD AND gate output signal O UD  is to be output to a UD counter  39   a . The UD counter  39   a  generates an up/down bending order signal I UD  based on the up/down bending instruction signal D UD  and the UD AND gate output signal O UD . The up/down bending order signal I UD  is to actuate the bending portion  22  to bend up when the up/down bending instruction signal D UD  is binary one and down when the same is binary zero with a bending amount proportional to a pulse number of the UD AND gate output signal O UD . Therefore, the up/down bending order signal I UD  is to actuate the bending portion  22  to bend with a bending amount proportional to the pulse number of the up/down bending amount instruction signal P UD  when the UD disable switch  36   a  is off and is not to actuate the bending portion  22  to bend up/down, irrespective of the up/down bending amount instruction signal P UD  when the UD disable switch  36   a  is on. 
     The up/down bending order signal I UD  generated by the UD counter  39   a  is to be output to a UD driving motor  42   a  forming a drive portion of the drive unit  24  of the endoscope  19  through the video processor  30 . The UD driving motor  42   a  is configured to drive a UD sprocket in the drive unit  24  to rotate based on the up/down bending order signal I UD  to pull and loosen one end side and the other end side of a UD angle wire wound around the UD sprocket, and to actuate the bending portion  22  to bend up/down. 
     There are same in a case of the left/right direction. An LR sensor  38   b , an LR disable switch  36   b , an LR AND gate  41   b , and an LR counter  39   b  forming an action instruction signal generating portion generate a left/right bending instruction signal D LR , a left/right bending amount instruction signal P LR , a left/right bending disable signal L LR , an LR AND gate output signal O LR , and a left/right bending order signal I LR  as action instruction signals, respectively. An LR driving motor  42   b  forming a drive portion is configured to actuate the bending portion  22  to bend left/right through an LR sprocket and an LR angle wire. 
     In this manner, the UD AND gate  41   a , the LR AND gate  41   b , the UD counter  39   a , and the LR counter  39   b  form an action control portion. 
     A case where the bending portion  22  is bent in one direction alone will now be explained in detail with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     When attempting to rotate the track ball  35  in the upward direction alone as indicated by an arrow M in  FIG. 4 , left/right rotation occurs in addition to the desired upward rotation. 
     That is, as shown in  FIGS. 5(   a ) and ( b ), in response to start of upward rotation of the track ball  35 , the up/down bending instruction signal D UP  changes from binary zero to binary one, and the up/down bending amount instruction signal P UD  as a pulse signal including a pulse number corresponding with a rotational amount is generated. Since the UD disable switch  36   a  is off, the up/down bending disable signal L UD  is binary one, and the UD AND gate output signal O UD  becomes the same pulse signal as the up/down bending amount instruction signal P UD . 
     On the other hand, based on left/right rotation of the track ball  35 , the left/right bending instruction signal D LR  changes from binary zero to binary one and then from binary one to binary zero, and the left/right bending amount instruction signal P LR  as a pulse signal including a pulse number corresponding with a rotational amount is generated. As shown in  FIG. 5(   a ), when the LR disable switch  36   b  is off, the left/right bending disable signal L LR  is binary one, and the LR AND gate output signal O LR  becomes the same pulse signal as the left/right bending amount instruction signal P LR . Therefore, the left/right bending order signal I LR  is to actuate the bending portion  22  to bend left/right. On the contrary, as shown in  FIG. 5(   b ), when the LR disable switch  36   b  is on, the left/right bending disable signal L LR  is binary zero, and the LR AND gate output signal O LR  is binary zero. Therefore, the left/right bending instruction signal I LR  is not to actuate the bending portion  22  to bend left/right. 
     Image control in the endoscope system will now be explained with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 6  to  7 A. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a drive signal W is to be output from the video processor  30  to a CCD  43  in the image pick-up unit, and an image signal V obtained by the CCD  43  is to be output to the video processor  30 . The video processor  30  is configured to process the image signal V and to generate an observation image. Further, a UD potentiometer  44   a  is configured to detect rotational amount of the UD sprocket corresponding with up/down bending amount of the bending portion  22 , and the UD potentiometer  44   a  is configured to output a UD detection signal S UD  to the video processor  30 . In regard to the left/right direction, likewise, an LR potentiometer  44   b  is configured to output an LR detection signal S LR  to the video processor  30 . The video processor  30  is configured to process the UD detection signal S UD  and the LR detection signal S LR  and to generate a bending position image representing a bending position of the bending portion  22 . Furthermore, the LR disable switch  36   b  and the UD disable switch  36   a  is configured to output the up/down bending disable signal L UD  and the left/right bending disable signal L LR  to the video processor  30 . The video processor  30  is configured to process the up/down bending disable signal L UD  and the left/right bending disable signal L LR  and to generate a bending allowance image as an index indicative of a bendable direction of the bending portion  22 . It is noted that although the video processor  30  is configured to generate the bending position image and the bending allowance image in the present invention, the system controller  31  may be configured to generate these images and the video processor  30  may be configured to perform a superimpose process of these images. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a bending position image  47  and a bending allowance image  48  are superimposed and displayed on the same screen of the monitor  32 , and an observation image  46 , and the bending position image  47  and the bending allowance image  48  are displayed in proximity to each other. 
     The bending position image  47  will now be explained with reference to  FIGS. 7A to 7C . In the bending position image  47 , the ordinate represents a UD axis indicative of an up/down bending position, and the abscissa represents an LR axis indicative of a left/right bending position. Capital letters “U”, “D”, “L”, and “R” standing for the up, down, left, and right directions are provided at both ends of each axis. A black point is arranged at a position corresponding to a bending position of the bending portion  22  with respect to the UD axis and the LR axis. Therefore, it is possible to recognize the bending position of the bending portion  22  from the position of the black point. 
     The bending allowance image  48  will now be explained with reference to  FIGS. 7A to 7C . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7A , when the bending portion  22  is not disabled from acting to bend and can act to bend up, down, left, and right, the bending allowance image  48  is a UDLR allowance image. That is, the UD axis, the capital letters “U” and “D”, the LR axis, and the capital letters “L” and “R” are displayed. Furthermore, four arrows extending up, down, left, and right from the black point are displayed. It is possible to intuitively recognize from these images that the bending portion  22  can act to bend up, down, left, and right. Moreover, a message that “All direction bending enabled” is displayed near the black point. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7B , when the bending portion  22  is disabled from acting to bend left/right and can only act to bend up/down, the bending allowance image  48  is a UD allowance image. That is, the UD axis and the capital letters “U” and “D” are displayed, but the LR axis and the capital letters “L” and “R” are erased. However, in order to show an original point position as the bending position image  47 , the central part of the LR axis remains without being erased. Additionally, although the two arrows extending up/down from the black point are displayed, the two arrows extending left/right are erased. It is possible to intuitively recognize from these images that the bending portion  22  can only act to bend up/down. Further, a message “Only UD direction bending enabled” is displayed near the black point. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7C , when the bending portion  22  is disabled from acting to bend up/down and can only act to bend left/right, the bending allowance image  48  is an LR allowance image. That is, the LR axis and the capital letters “L” and “R” are displayed, but the UD axis and the capital letters “U” and “D” are erased. However, in order to show an original point position as the bending position image  47 , the central part of the UD axis remains without being erased. Furthermore, the two arrows extending left/right from the black point are displayed, but the two arrows extending up/down are erased. It is possible to intuitively recognize from these images that the bending portion  22  can only act to bend left/right. Moreover, a message “Only LR bending enabled” is displayed near the black point. 
     A method of using the endoscope system according to this embodiment will now be explained. 
     The insertion portion  20  of the endoscope  19  is inserted into the interior of the body to observe the interior of the body. When desiring a movement of an observation position, the track ball  35  of the operation portion  34  is operated to rotate while observing the observation image  46 , and so the bending portion  22  act to bend up, down, left, and right. Since the bending position image  47  is displayed near the observation image  46  on the screen of the monitor  32 , a bending position of the bending portion  22  can be recognized while observing the observation image  46 . Additionally, when desiring the bending portion  22  to bend up/down or left/right alone, especially when desiring a bending position to be adjusted finely, the LR disable switch  36   b  or the UD disable switch  36   a  is turned on to disable left/right or up/down bending so that the bending portion  22  cannot bend in a non-intended direction, and then the track ball  35  is operated to rotate. When the LR disable switch  36   b  or the UD disable switch  36   a  is turned on, the bending allowance image  48  becomes the UD allowance image or the LR allowance image, and the bending allowance image  48  is displayed near the observation image  46 . Therefore, it is possible to recognize a bendable direction while observing the observation image  46  without transferring gaze to the operation portion  34  located at an operator&#39;s hand. Furthermore, even if the LR disable switch  36   b  or the UD disable switch  36   a  is erroneously operated to disable the bending operation in a non-intended direction, it is possible to detect the erroneous operation based on the bending allowance image  48 . Therefore, it is prevented that an erroneous action of the bending portion  22  occurs due to a following operation of the track ball  35 . The bending position of the bending portion  22  is adjusted, and then an observation and a treatment are performed in the interior of the body. When the observation and the treatment requires a relatively long time, a bendable direction of the bending portion  22  may be forgotten. However, since the bending allowance image  48  continues to be displayed, when again desiring a movement of the observation position, it is possible to recognize the bendable direction while observing the observation image  46 . Furthermore, the bending allowance image  48  is displayed near the observation image  46  and keeping observation of the observation image  46  causes the bending allowance image  48  to get into an operator&#39;s eyes. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an erroneous action of the bending portion  22  by a following operation of the track ball  35  due to forgetting a disablement of a bending of the bending portion  22 . 
     Thus, the endoscope system according to this embodiment demonstrates the following effect. 
     In the endoscope system according to this embodiment, the bending portion  22  is enabled to act to bent up/down or left/right alone as required, and the bending portion  22  is bent while observing the observation image  46  associated with a bending action of the bending portion  22 . Here, since the observation image  46  and the bending allowance image  48  are displayed in proximity to each other in the same screen, it is possible to visually confirm the bending allowance image  48  to readily recognize which direction of up/down and left/right, up/down alone, and left/right alone the bending portion  22  can act to bend in and to operate the bending portion  22  rapidly and assuredly. 
     In the foregoing embodiment, the observation image  46 , and the bending position image  47  and the bending allowance image  48  are displayed in proximity to each other, but they may be displayed such that the bending position image  47  and the bending allowance image  48  partially overlap on the observation image  46 . 
       FIG. 8  shows a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     In an endoscope system according to this embodiment, as a display portion, a second monitor  32   b  configured to display a bending position image  47  and a bending allowance image  48  is used in addition to a first monitor  32   a  configured to display an observation image  46  of an endoscope  19 . The second monitor  32   b  is sufficiently smaller than the first monitor  32   a , portable, and can be arranged at a good position to be watched near the first monitor  32   a . Since the observation image  46 , and the bending position image  47  and the bending allowance image  48  are displayed on the different monitors  32   a  and  32   b  in this manner, a degree of freedom of display of the observation image  46  in a screen is increased as compared with a case where these images are displayed on the same monitor  32 , and so it is possible to facilitate observation of the observation image  46 , e.g., due to an enlarging display of the observation image  46 . 
     In the foregoing embodiment, although a track ball is used as an input portion, any input portion configured to instruct an action with two degrees of freedom, e.g., a joystick or a mouse may be used. 
     Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.