| CAPSO VISION, INC. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20120101481 | Device for Capsule Retrieval - A collection device for retrieving a medical capsule discharges from the anus of a patient is disclosed. Medical capsules have been widely used for monitoring and diagnostic purposes. The capsule has to be retrieved to obtain the on-board data or for reuse of the capsule. Accordingly, cost effective, easy-to-deploy, and comfortable-to-use collection devices are disclosed for retrieving the capsule. The capsule collection device for retrieving a capsule discharged from anus of a patient into a bowl comprises a capture device to capture the capsule and to pass feces discharged from the anus, and a wand to pick up the capsule. A collapsible capture device is also disclosure which comprises a flange to adapt to a rim of the bowl, a sifting piece to separate the capsule from the feces, and a collapsible side walls to couple the sifting piece to the capture opening of the flange. Furthermore, a wand having ejection capability for ejecting a picked capsule is disclosed. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120086771 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPLAY OF PANORAMIC CAPSULE IMAGES - Systems and methods are provided for displaying images captured from a panoramic capsule camera system. In one embodiment according to the invention, multiple sub-image sets are generated using a sub-image set window on the panoramic image by cyclically shifting the panoramic image. The multiple sub-image sets are then displayed in multiple display windows. In another embodiment according to the invention, the sub-image set in every other display window is flipped horizontally, vertically or both horizontally and vertically. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20110319749 | System and Method for Determining Medical Capsule Location inside a Human Body - Systems and methods are provided for capsule location determination. There is a need to estimate the capsule location in a living body for drug dispensing, correlating capsule images with actual tract location and other purposes. A capsule location determining system is disclosed which comprises a plurality of sensing devices and a base station. Each sensing device comprises a radiating element to radiate an inducing signal, a generating circuit to provide a patterned signal to drive the radiating element, a sensing element to sense the induced field and a receiving circuit to provide a recovered signal. The base station estimates the capsule location based on a time profile of collected information related to the recovered signals from all sensing devices. Methods associated with the capsule location determining systems are also disclosed. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110249105 | In Vivo Autonomous Camera with On-Board Data Storage or Digital Wireless Transmission in Regulatory Approved Band - A capsule camera apparatus includes a swallowable housing, a light source within the housing, a camera within the housing for capturing a first digital image and a second digital image of a view of the camera illuminated by the light source, a motion detector that detects a motion of the housing the first digital image and the second digital image, and a motion evaluator that selects a disposition of the second digital image, based on a metric on the motion. The disposition may include writing the second image into an archival storage or providing the second digital image to the outside by a wireless communication link. | 10-13-2011 |
| 20110135170 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPLAY SPEED CONTROL OF CAPSULE IMAGES - Systems and methods are provided for display speed control of images captured from a capsule camera system. For capsule systems, with either digital wireless transmission or on-board storage, the captured images will be played back for analysis and examination. During playback, the diagnostician wishes to find polyps or other points of interest as quickly and efficiently as possible. The present invention discloses systems and methods for display speed based on image complexity. A higher visual complexity will result in longer display time so that the diagnostician can examine the underlying images longer. Conversely, a lower visual complexity will result in shorter display time. The visual complexity may be derived from image contours/edges or spatial frequencies. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110122241 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMAGE ENHANCEMENT OF DARK AREAS OF CAPSULE IMAGES - Systems and methods are provided for identifying dark areas in images captured by encapsulated cameras or endoscopes and enhancing the visibility of the dark area using intensity stretch. For capsule or endoscope images, there are often some dark areas caused by inadequate lighting. The poor visibility of detailed features in the dark area may reduce the detection rate of anomaly. The present invention calls for a method to detect the dark area based on contour. The intensities inside and outside the dark area are evaluated and are used to generate intensity transformation to stretch intensity in the dark area while minimizing the impact on the image quality outside the dark area. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110085022 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MULTIPLE VIEWING-WINDOW DISPLAY OF CAPSULE IMAGES - Systems and methods are provided for displaying images captured from a capsule camera system. In order to increase the efficiency of viewing the image sequence, the image sequence is divided into multiple sub-sequences and the multiple sub-sequences are displayed in multiple viewing windows on a display screen concurrently. For images from a panoramic capsule system, the images typically have a very wide aspect ratio and may require different configuration for displaying in multiple viewing windows than that for image sequence having non-wide aspect ratio. The present invention also discloses methods and systems that divide a sequence from panoramic capsule camera into multiple member sequences and form an aggregated video. The aggregated video not only makes viewing more comfortable, but also speeds up viewing time. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20110001789 | IMAGING SYSTEM HAVING A FOLDED OPTICAL AXIS - An optical imaging system having a folded optical axis. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20100271468 | MULTIPLE CAPSULE CAMERA APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR USING THE SAME - A multiple capsule camera apparatus is disclosed to enhance the rate of detection and/or extend the overall imaging period. The multiple capsule camera apparatus coordinates the operations of the camera according to a schedule so that one camera may enter an active mode when the other camera is anticipated to have a low battery level. The capsule cameras may also coordinate their operations by communication with each other through a wireless link. A base station may also be used to coordinate the capsule camera operations with a wireless link established between the base station and each capsule camera. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100220180 | Capture Control for in vivo Camera - Systems and methods are provided for capture control of video data from a capsule camera system having an on-board storage or wireless transmission. The capsule camera system moves through the GI tract under the action of peristalsis and records images of the intestinal walls. For some periods of time, the capsule camera system may move very slowly and there are little differences in the image data between different frames. These frames can be designated for discard to conserve storage space or conserve power. A capsule control processing unit is incorporated to evaluate motion metric based on image data associated with a current frame and a previous frame. A decision is made based on a profile of the motion metric to select an operation mode from a group comprising Capture Mode and Conservation Mode. The capsule camera system is then operated according to the selected operation mode. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100220179 | Systems and Methods for Capsule Camera Control - Systems and methods are provided for environment change sensing corresponding to the capsule camera entering the colon from the small intestine. In the environment change sensing mode, the capsule camera is operated in a very low power mode by configuring the image sensor to use a small region of interest or a high sub-sampling ratio. Image data is processed to estimate the light level. The variation of light level is used to detect environment change corresponding to entering the colon from the small intestine. Alternatively, the motion metric for a current frame and a reference frame is evaluated. The characteristic of the motion metric is extracted and used to detect environment change. In another configuration, the system determines environment change based on a combination of the variation of light intensity and the characteristic of the motion metric. Upon the detection of capsule camera entrance into the colon from the small intestine, control signals are provided to the image sensor and the light source. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20090322865 | IMAGE CAPTURE CONTROL FOR IN VIVO AUTONOMOUS CAMERA - Systems and methods are provided for motion detection and capture control of video data from a capsule camera system having an on-board storage. The capsule camera system moves through the GI tract under the action of peristalsis and records images of the intestinal walls. The capsule's movement is episodic and jerky. The capacity of the on-board storage is limited. In order to avoid unnecessary capture of images when the capsule camera moves very slowly or stalls, motion detection technique is utilized to help control image capture. Furthermore, an adaptive capture control is disclosed that automatically adjusts the threshold level of capture control to maintain proper image capture. The invented capture control also conserves precious battery power by eliminating capture of unnecessary images when the capsule camera moves too slowly or stalls. The present invention of image capture control and threshold update is also applicable to a capsule camera system having a wireless transmitter instead of an on-board storage. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20090306474 | IN VIVO CAMERA WITH MULTIPLE SOURCES TO ILLUMINATE TISSUE AT DIFFERENT DISTANCES - An in vivo endoscope illuminates tissue using multiple sources. Light from a short-range source exits a tubular wall of the endoscope through a first illumination region that overlaps an imaging region, and the light returns through the imaging region after reflection by tissue, to form an image in a camera. Light from a long-range source exits the tubular wall through a second illumination region that does not overlap the imaging region. The endoscope of some embodiments includes a mirror, and light from an emitter for the short-range source is split and reaches the first illumination region from both sides of an optical axis of the camera. Illuminating the first illumination region with split fractions of light results in greater uniformity of illumination, than illuminating directly with an un-split beam. The energy generated by each source is changed depending on distance of the tissue to be imaged. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090278921 | Image Stabilization of Video Play Back - Systems and methods are provided for compensating motion fluctuation and luminance in video data from a capsule camera system. The capsule camera system moves through the GI tract under the action of peristalsis and records images of the intestinal walls. The gut itself contracts and expands but exhibits little net movement. The capsule's movement is episodic and jerky. It typically pitches, rolls, and yaws. Its average motion is forward, but it also moves backward and from side to side along the way. Luminance fluctuation and other luminance artifacts also exist in the captured capsule video. Motion and luminance compensation for the capsule video will improve the visual quality of the compensated video. | 11-12-2009 |
