Computerized information collection and processing apparatus and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electronic probe configured for use within an intestinal tract of a human being, said electronic probe comprising:
- a housing;
at least one sensor apparatus capable of generating sensor data;
data processing apparatus in data communication with the at least one sensor apparatus;
at least one program storage apparatus in communication with the data processing apparatus and comprising at least one computer program;
at least one data storage apparatus in data communication with the data processing apparatus, the at least one data storage apparatus configured to store normal or non-afflicted intestinal tract template data within the electronic probe;
a wireless interface in data communication with the data processing apparatus and capable of transmitting data wirelessly from the probe;
wherein the at least one computer program is configured to, when executed on said data processing apparatus, cause said electronic probe to;
obtain data generated by the at least one sensor apparatus;
evaluate at least a part of said obtained data against the pre-stored normal or non-afflicted intestinal tract template data, the evaluation enabling identification of one or more first portions of the at least part of the obtained data corresponding to normal or non-afflicted portions of the intestinal tract;
based at least in part on said evaluation, cause processing of only one or more second portions of the at least part of the obtained data, the one or more second portions comprising portions of the at least part of said obtained data other than the identified one or more first portions corresponding to normal or non-afflicted portions of the intestinal tract, the processing of only the one or more second portions configured to create processed obtained data; and
cause transmission of at least a part of said processed obtained data using at least the wireless interface;
wherein the normal or non-afflicted intestinal tract template data is pre-stored on the at least one data storage apparatus prior to the evaluation of the at least part of the obtained data.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Computerized information acquisition and processing apparatus and methods. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a sensor and processor with associate storage device(s). In one variant, the apparatus includes data relating to one or more templates associated with various physiological artifacts. The apparatus is configured in this variant to utilize the data to evaluate data collected by the sensor to enable, for example, filtering of data for transmission over a wireless interface of the apparatus.
516 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. An electronic probe configured for use within an intestinal tract of a human being, said electronic probe comprising:
-
a housing; at least one sensor apparatus capable of generating sensor data; data processing apparatus in data communication with the at least one sensor apparatus; at least one program storage apparatus in communication with the data processing apparatus and comprising at least one computer program; at least one data storage apparatus in data communication with the data processing apparatus, the at least one data storage apparatus configured to store normal or non-afflicted intestinal tract template data within the electronic probe; a wireless interface in data communication with the data processing apparatus and capable of transmitting data wirelessly from the probe; wherein the at least one computer program is configured to, when executed on said data processing apparatus, cause said electronic probe to; obtain data generated by the at least one sensor apparatus; evaluate at least a part of said obtained data against the pre-stored normal or non-afflicted intestinal tract template data, the evaluation enabling identification of one or more first portions of the at least part of the obtained data corresponding to normal or non-afflicted portions of the intestinal tract; based at least in part on said evaluation, cause processing of only one or more second portions of the at least part of the obtained data, the one or more second portions comprising portions of the at least part of said obtained data other than the identified one or more first portions corresponding to normal or non-afflicted portions of the intestinal tract, the processing of only the one or more second portions configured to create processed obtained data; and cause transmission of at least a part of said processed obtained data using at least the wireless interface; wherein the normal or non-afflicted intestinal tract template data is pre-stored on the at least one data storage apparatus prior to the evaluation of the at least part of the obtained data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. An electronic probe for use within a human being, said electronic probe comprising:
-
a housing with at least one aperture formed therein; a cover element disposed at least partly within said aperture and adapted to transmit a plurality of wavelengths of light; at least one illuminating light source configured to transmit light energy external to said electronic probe via at least said aperture and said cover element; an imaging device adapted to receive light via said cover element and produce signals relating thereto; a wireless interface capable of transmitting data wirelessly from the probe; a data storage device configured to store intestinal tract template data on the electronic probe, the template data for use while the electronic probe is in vivo; and an integrated circuit (IC) configured for data communication with each of said imaging device, said data storage device, and said wireless interface, said IC comprising at least one processing apparatus and at least one computer program configured to, when executed on said at least one processing apparatus, cause said IC to; obtain image data generated based on said signals from said imaging device; evaluate at least a portion of said obtained image data with respect to at least a portion of said stored intestinal tract template data to identify at least one corresponding feature within both the at least portion of the obtained image data and the stored intestinal tract template data; and based at least in part on said identification of the at least one corresponding feature, cause transmission of only one or more selected portions of said obtained data associated with the at least one corresponding feature using at least the wireless interface; wherein; the stored intestinal tract template data comprises at least one data value relating to an intensity of at least one of red, green, and blue (RGB) wavelengths of light, the intensity associated with a particular gastrointestinal tract disease condition; and the evaluation comprises an analysis of the at least portion of the obtained image data to determine whether the intensity is present therein. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method of operating an electronic probe within an intestinal tract of a human being, the method comprising:
-
using at least one sensor of the electronic probe to obtain image data relating to the intestinal tract while the probe is within the intestinal tract; evaluating, using at least one processing apparatus of the probe, at least a portion of the obtained image data, the evaluating comprising identifying one or more subsets of the obtained image data via comparison of the obtained image data to pre-stored image data; transmitting, using a wireless interface of the probe, only the one or more subsets of the obtained image data; receiving the transmitted one or more subsets of the obtained image data at a wireless receiver disposed external to the human being; and storing at least a portion of the received one or more subsets of the obtained image data within a storage device associated with the wireless receiver; and wherein; the pre-stored image data is stored on a data storage apparatus of the electronic probe prior to the evaluating at least a portion of the obtained image data; the pre-stored image data comprises at least one data value relating to an intensity of at least one of red, green, and blue (RGB) wavelengths of light, the intensity associated with a particular gastrointestinal tract disease condition; and the comparison comprises an analysis of the at least portion of the obtained image data to determine whether the intensity is present therein. - View Dependent Claims (22)
-
-
23. A method of operating an electronic probe within an intestinal tract of a human being, the method comprising:
-
using at least one sensor of the electronic probe to obtain image data relating to the intestinal tract while the probe is within the intestinal tract; evaluating, using at least one processing apparatus of the probe, at least a portion of the obtained image data, the evaluating comprising identifying one or more subsets of the obtained image data via comparison of the obtained image data to pre-stored image data; transmitting, using a wireless interface of the probe, only the one or more subsets of the obtained image data; receiving the transmitted one or more subsets of the obtained image data at a wireless receiver disposed external to the human being; and storing at least a portion of the received one or more subsets of the obtained image data within a storage device associated with the wireless receiver; wherein the pre-stored image data is stored on a data storage apparatus of the electronic probe prior to the evaluating at least a portion of the obtained image data; wherein the pre-stored image data comprises disease template data indicative of one or more intestinal tract disease conditions; and the evaluating of the at least portion of the obtained image data at least in part comprises; identifying at least one of (i) a curvature, or (ii) a plurality of nodal points, of a feature within the at least portion of the obtained image data; and identifying an at least partially matching feature within the disease template data corresponding to the at least one curvature or plurality of nodal points. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
-
-
26. An electronic probe for use within a human being, said electronic probe comprising:
-
a housing with at least one aperture formed therein; a cover element disposed at least partly within said aperture and adapted to transmit a plurality of wavelengths of light; at least one illuminating light source configured to transmit light energy external to said electronic probe via at least said aperture and said cover element; an imaging device adapted to receive light via said cover element and produce signals relating thereto; a wireless interface capable of transmitting data wirelessly from the probe; a data storage device comprising stored data configured to store intestinal tract template data on the electronic probe, the template data for use while the electronic probe is in vivo; and an integrated circuit (IC) in configured for data operative communication with each of said imaging device, said data storage device, and said wireless interface, said IC comprising at least one processing apparatus and at least one computer program configured to, when executed on said at least one processing apparatus, cause said IC to; obtain image data generated based on said signals from said imaging device; evaluate at least a portion of said obtained image data with respect to at least a portion of said stored intestinal tract template data to identify at least one corresponding feature within both the at least portion of the obtained image data and the stored intestinal tract template data; and based at least in part on said identification of the at least one corresponding feature, cause transmission of only one or more selected portions of said obtained data associated with the at least one corresponding feature using at least the wireless interface; wherein the evaluation of the at least portion of said obtained image data with respect to the at least portion of said stored intestinal tract template data to identify at least one corresponding feature comprises determining determination of a level or degree of matching between the at least portion of said obtained image data and the at least portion of said stored intestinal tract template data, the determination of the level or degree of matching at least in part comprising application of a curve-fitting algorithm to the at least portion of said obtained image data and the at least portion of said stored intestinal tract template data. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
-
-
29. An electronic probe for use within a human being, said electronic probe comprising:
-
a housing with at least one aperture formed therein; a cover element disposed at least partly within said aperture and adapted to transmit a plurality of wavelengths of light; at least one illuminating light source configured to transmit light energy external to said electronic probe via at least said aperture and said cover element; an imaging device adapted to receive light via said cover element and produce signals relating thereto; a wireless interface capable of transmitting data wirelessly from the probe; a data storage device comprising stored data configured to store intestinal tract template data on the electronic probe, the template data for use while the electronic probe is in vivo; and an integrated circuit (IC) in configured for data operative communication with each of said imaging device, said data storage device, and said wireless interface, said IC comprising at least one processing apparatus and at least one computer program configured to, when executed on said at least one processing apparatus, cause said IC to; obtain image data generated based on said signals from said imaging device; evaluate at least a portion of said obtained image data with respect to at least a portion of said stored intestinal tract template data to identify at least one corresponding feature within both the at least portion of the obtained image data and the stored intestinal tract template data; and based at least in part on said identification of the at least one corresponding feature, cause transmission of only one or more selected portions of said obtained data associated with the at least one corresponding feature using at least the wireless interface; wherein the evaluation of the at least portion of said obtained image data with respect to the at least portion of said stored intestinal tract template data to identify at least one corresponding feature comprises determining determination of a level or degree of matching between the at least portion of said obtained image data and the at least portion of said stored intestinal tract template data, the determination of the level or degree of matching at least in part comprising;
(i) determination of a ratio of at least two dimensions of an identified feature within the at least portion of said obtained image data; and
(ii) identification of a matching feature in the at least portion of said stored intestinal tract template data, the matching feature corresponding to the determined ratio.
-
-
30. A method of operating an electronic probe within an intestinal tract of a human being, the method comprising:
-
using at least one sensor of the electronic probe to obtain image data relating to the intestinal tract while the probe is within the intestinal tract; evaluating, using at least one processing apparatus of the probe, at least a portion of the obtained image data, the evaluating comprising identifying one or more subsets of the obtained image data via comparison of the obtained image data to pre-stored image data; transmitting, using a wireless interface of the probe, only the one or more subsets of the obtained image data; receiving the transmitted one or more subsets of the obtained image data at a wireless receiver disposed external to the human being; and storing at least a portion of the received one or more subsets of the obtained image data within a storage device associated with the wireless receiver; wherein the pre-stored image data is stored on a data storage apparatus of the electronic probe prior to the evaluating at least a portion of the obtained image data; wherein; the pre-stored image data comprises normal or healthy tissue template data indicative of an intestinal tract non-disease condition; and the evaluating of the at least portion of the obtained image data at least in part comprises performing a point-to-point match analysis on the at least portion of the obtained data and the normal or healthy tissue template data.
-
Specification