Endoscope apparatus and connection unit therefor

1. An endoscope apparatus comprising:

an endoscope apparatus body portion which includes a first connector, and which is connectable to an insertion portion having an image pickup device disposed at a distal end portion thereof; and

a connection unit which includes:

a second connector which is removably connectable to the endoscope apparatus body portion by communicating the second connector with the first connector;

a non-volatile memory which stores a program for processing image data inputted from the image pickup device via the second connector;

a CPU which controls the processing of the image data in accordance with the stored program to produce processed data;

a cryptographic processing section which encrypts the image data from the image pickup device and which decrypts the encrypted image data under control of the CPU; and

a display data output section configured to output the image data, which is decrypted by the cryptographic processing section, to the endoscope apparatus body portion.

2. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the endoscope apparatus body portion further includes a display device.

3. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the display data output section is configured to output the decrypted image data as display data to the display device via the second connector.

4. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the display data output section is configured to output the decrypted image data via a third connector provided on the connection unit.

5. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the CPU and the non-volatile memory are incorporated in a single-chip semiconductor device.

6. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile memory comprises a semiconductor device which is different from a semiconductor device which incorporates the CPU.

7. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the display data output section is configured to transmit the decrypted image data to a personal computer via the third connector.

8. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the connection unit comprises a memory connector which is adapted to removably receive an external memory; and

the CPU is configured to record the encrypted image data in the external memory.

9. A connection unit for an endoscope apparatus, the connection unit being removably connectable to an endoscope apparatus body portion of the endoscope apparatus which includes a first connector and which is connectable to an insertion portion having an image pickup device disposed at a distal end portion thereof, the connection unit comprising:

a second connector which is removably connectable to the first connector of the endoscope apparatus body portion;

a non-volatile memory which stores a program for processing image data inputted from the image pickup device via the second connector;

a CPU which controls the processing of the image data in accordance with the stored program;

a cryptographic processing section which encrypts the image data from the image pickup device and which decrypts the encrypted image data under control of the CPU; and

a display data output section configured to output the image data, which is decrypted by the cryptographic processing section, to the endoscope apparatus body portion.

10. The connection unit according to claim 9 , wherein the display data output section is configured to output the decrypted image data to a display device for display.

11. The connection unit according to claim 10 , wherein the display data output section is configured to output the display data to the display device via the second connector.

12. The connection unit according to claim 9 , wherein the display data output section is configured to output the decrypted image data via a third connector provided on the connection unit.

13. The connection unit according to claim 9 , wherein the CPU and the non-volatile memory are incorporated in a single-chip semiconductor device.

14. The connection unit according to claim 9 , wherein the non-volatile memory comprises a semiconductor device which is different from a semiconductor device which incorporates the CPU.

15. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the connection unit further includes a drive circuit which outputs a drive signal to drive the image pickup device via the second connector.

16. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the connection unit inputs the image data from the image pickup device via the second connector.

17. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the connection unit further includes a timing adjustment circuit which adjusts at least one of an output timing of the drive signal to the image pickup device, and an input timing of the image data from the image pickup device.

18. The connection unit according to claim 9 , further comprising a drive circuit which outputs a drive signal to drive the image pickup device via the second connector.

19. The connection unit according to claim 18 , wherein the connection unit inputs the image data from the image pickup device via the second connector.

20. The connection unit according to claim 19 , further comprising a timing adjustment circuit which adjusts at least one of an output timing of the drive signal to the image pickup device, and an input timing of the image data from the image pickup device.