Patent ID: 8537210

Claim:
A light source device for an endoscope comprising: a light source for supplying illuminating light to an object; an endoscope connection unit optically connectable to an endoscope having a different connector shape depending on a type of endoscope; and an endoscope connection detection unit for detecting whether or not the endoscope has been connected to the endoscope connection unit; a connection detection time interval changing unit for changing an interval between each detection for detecting connection of the endoscope while the endoscope is not connected to the endoscope connection unit so that the interval is shorter than an interval between each detection for detecting connection of the endoscope while the endoscope is connected to the endoscope connection unit, and wherein the endoscope connection detection unit further identifies the type of the endoscope based on a detection result when the endoscope is connected to the endoscope connection unit, the light source further comprises: an illumination condition changing unit for changing an illumination condition of the illuminating light; a storage unit for storing a setting content that depends on the type of the endoscope; and a control unit for controlling the illumination condition changing unit based on the detection result by the endoscope connection detection unit and in accordance with the setting content stored in the storage unit, and wherein the control unit makes an automatic setting according to the setting content stored in the storage unit based on an identification result by the endoscope connection detection unit, and wherein the endoscope connection detection unit makes a difference in the identification time required to identify the endoscope between a case in which the endoscope is connected to the endoscope connection unit and a case in which the endoscope is removed from the endoscope connection unit.