Patent ID: 8251890

Claim:
An endoscope insertion shape analysis system including a processor, the system comprising: an insertion state acquisition unit configured to acquire coordinate values of a plurality of locations in an insertion portion of an endoscope inserted in an examinee; an insertion shape detection unit configured to detect, when a distance between coordinate values of arbitrary two locations selected among the coordinate values at the plurality of locations is less than a predetermined value, an insertion shape of the insertion portion between the two locations; a coordinate plane setting unit configured to set a plurality of coordinate planes according to coordinate values determined based upon a divided line segment between the two locations and the insertion shape detected by the insertion shape detection unit, the plurality of coordinate planes including a first coordinate plane on which the insertion shape detected by the insertion shape detection unit exist having a first normal vector, and a second coordinate plane having a second normal vector acquired by tilting the first normal vector by a predetermined angle with respect to the first coordinate plane; an insertion shape projecting unit configured to project the insertion shape detected by the insertion shape detection unit onto each of the plurality of coordinate planes; and an insertion shape judging unit configured to acquire a judgment result indicating that a predetermined shape exists in the insertion shape detected by the insertion shape detection unit, when the predetermined shape is detected in all of the insertion shapes projected onto the plurality of coordinate planes.