Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090135245 | CAMERA SYSTEM WITH MULTIPLE PIXEL ARRAYS ON A CHIP - A camera system uses one or more image sensor IC chips each having multiple pixel arrays on the same semiconductor substrate (i.e., “multiple pixel arrays on a chip”). In one embodiment, such a camera system includes: (a) optical components that create multiple images in close physical proximity of each other (e.g., within a few millimeters or centimeters); and (b) a single sensor substrate (“chip”) containing multiple 2-dimensional pixel arrays that are aligned to capture these multiple images, so as to convert the multiple images into electrical signal. The pixel arrays can be manufactured using a CCD or a CMOS compatible process. For manufacturing reasons, such a chip is typically two centimeters or less on a side. However, large chips can also be made. Optional electronic components for further signal processing of the captured images may be formed either on the sensor chip (i.e., in a “system-on-a-chip” implementation), or in a separate back-end application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In addition, digital storage components, display elements, and wired or wireless communication links may also be included in any suitable combination to allow review and further processing of the captured images. | 05-28-2009 |
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 |
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 |
20110085021 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPLAY OF PANORAMIC CAPSULE IMAGES - Systems and methods are provided for displaying images captured from a panoramic capsule camera system. The panoramic images typically have a very wide aspect ratio and may cause fatigue when viewed by a diagnostician over an extended period on a display. The images taken by a capsule camera through the GI track may take a couple of hours or more to view at a typical frame rate of 30 frames per second or whatever rate that's deemed appropriate. The present invention 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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
20120301124 | System and Method for Capsule Camera with On-Board Storage - A capsule camera with on-board storage to archive the captured images in on-board non-volatile memory is disclosed. The capsule camera with on-board storage comprises multiple chips including a system processing chip and one or more non-volatile memory chips, where the system processing chip includes a compression module to compress images captured. If the multiple chips use individual chip packages and are disposed on respective printed circuit boards according to a conventional approach, it would require too much space to fit the multiple chips into the capsule camera housing. Accordingly, a capsule camera embodying the present invention is disclosed where the capsule camera integrates an image sensor, a light source, at least one system processing chip comprising compression module, one or more non-volatile memory chips and a battery into a housing, wherein the at least one system processing chip and said one or more non-volatile memory chips are disposed vertically in a multiple chip assembly. | 11-29-2012 |
20130129334 | System and Method for Capsule Camera with On-Board Storage - A capsule camera with on-board storage to archive the captured images in on-board non-volatile memory is disclosed. The capsule camera with on-board storage comprises multiple chips including a system processing chip and one or more non-volatile memory chips, where the system processing chip includes a compression module to compress images captured. If the multiple chips use individual chip packages and are disposed on respective printed circuit boards according to a conventional approach, it would require too much space to fit the multiple chips into the capsule camera housing. Accordingly, a capsule camera embodying the present invention is disclosed where the capsule camera integrates an image sensor, a light source, at least one system processing chip comprising compression module, one or more non-volatile memory chips and a battery into a housing, wherein the at least one system processing chip and said one or more non-volatile memory chips are disposed vertically in a multiple chip assembly. | 05-23-2013 |
20130168272 | 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. | 07-04-2013 |
20130311885 | System and Method for Displaying Annotated Capsule Images - A method and system for displaying images captured by an in vivo imaging device are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention display image sequence data in a first display area. When a first annotated image is displayed in the first display area, a first thumbnail image in a second display area corresponding to the first annotated image is replaced to indicate an occurring correspondence between the first annotated image and the first thumbnail image corresponding to the first annotated image being displayed. In one embodiment, the method further comprises displaying the first thumbnail image in the second display area when one other image of the image sequence data is displayed in the first display area after the first annotated image is displayed. | 11-21-2013 |
20140028820 | System and Method for Display of Capsule Images and Associated Information - Method and system are provided for displaying images captured from a capsule camera system. In one embodiment of the present invention, annotation data associated with image sequence data is used to derive navigation guide for the images. The navigation guide comprises a series of part representations corresponding to the images, and wherein one color is selected for each of the series of part representations. In another embodiment of the present invention, the intensity of the image sequence data is used to derive the navigation guide, which comprises a series of intensity profiles corresponding to the images. Various ways to derive the intensity profile are disclosed. | 01-30-2014 |
20140128675 | 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. | 05-08-2014 |
20140221741 | Self Assembly of In-Vivo Capsule System - An in-vivo self-assembly capsule system is disclosed, where the in-vivo capsule system comprises a first primary capsule, at least one second capsule, and a self-connection means for connecting the first primary capsule and said at least one second capsule by providing holding force when the first primary capsule and said at least one second capsule are in contact in human GI tract. The self-connection means comprises an interlocking means disposed on the first primary capsule and said at least one second capsule. The interlocking means may correspond to hooks disposed on one connecting side and loops disposed on another connecting side, or hooks disposed on both connecting sides. The interlocking means may also correspond to a first magnet and an interaction piece affixed to two corresponding capsules respectively, and the interaction piece corresponds to a second magnet or a ferromagnetic component. | 08-07-2014 |
20140323804 | Inductive Powering Apparatus for Capsule Device - A capsule device with an inductive powering apparatus is disclosed. The capsule device comprises a secondary coil to generate an induced secondary voltage when a first alternating magnetic field is coupled to the secondary coil externally. Embodiments of the present invention utilize a power conversion device to convert the induced secondary voltage into a DC output voltage for the capsule device. In particular, the power conversion device comprises a voltage booster to generate the DC voltage from a lower induced secondary voltage. Accordingly, the system can be operated using a lower secondary voltage, which will reduce the influence of magnetic flux on the circuit boards inside the capsule. | 10-30-2014 |
20140357949 | POWER SOURCE CONTROL FOR MEDICAL CAPSULES - A power source apparatus and a system incorporating said power source for medical capsules are disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention allow the medical capsule to enable/disable electrical power supplied to a sub-system in the capsule device without special tools and/or skills after the medical capsule is manufactured. In one embodiment, the power source apparatus comprises a plunger responsive to a magnetic field, a spring to interact with the plunger, a battery and a control piece. The plunger is moved between first and second positions according to a magnetic field applied externally. Accordingly, the control piece enables or disables the power depending on the plunger positions. In another embodiment, a capsule system uses an electrical interconnect with pressure contacts between the power source and the capsule sub-system connecting the second circuit board to the power-output nodes. | 12-04-2014 |
20140364688 | Capsule Orientation Detection for Capsule Docking System with Inductive Power Drive Circuit - A capsule endoscopic system is disclosed for receiving data from a capsule device and providing inductive power to the capsule device wirelessly, where the capsule endoscopic system incorporates a feature to automatically protect the capsule device and the docking device from damage if the capsule device is docked in a backward orientation. In one embodiment, the docking device comprises a current sense circuit to detect the current flowing through the primary coil or primary drive circuit. The occurrence of wrong orientation can be detected from the current. A detection/control circuit can be used to provide the needed control in order to prevent damage to the system. In another embodiment, a resonant circuit comprising a capacitor and the primary coil is used to provide the needed protection when the capsule device is docked with a wrong orientation. | 12-11-2014 |