Method for timing control

• US 20020158976A1
• Filed: 03/26/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Vni, Dov A., Glukhovsky, Arkady
• Granted Patent: US 7,616,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/243
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/63 applied to dark current

Abstract

An imaging device having an in vivo CMOS image sensor, at least one illumination source and a controller. The controller controls the illumination source to illuminate for a first period and to be shut off for a subsequent period.

Claims

1. A method for timing control of a CMOS image sensors the method comprising the steps of:

providing pixels of the CMOS image sensor with at least one period of illumination and at least one subsequent dark period; and

successively reading out and resetting each pixel during the dark period.

2. The method according to claim 1 fiber comprising the step of transmitting through a transmitter signals read out from the pixels to a receiving system.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of providing pixels with at least one period of illumination and at least the one subsequent dark period is performed on all the pixels of the CMOS image sensor.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the step of providing pixels with at least one period of illumination and at least the one subsequent dark period is performed on 256×

256 pixels.

5. The method according to claim 1 where the steps are repeated m times to obtain in image frames.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the steps are repeated 1-10 times per second to obtain 1-10 image frames per second correspondingly.

7. The method according to claim 2 wherein the step of transmitting signals is preformed during the subsequent dark period.

8. The method according to claim 2 wherein the step of transmitting signals is preformed at a bandwidth of about 1.35 Megabit per second.

9. An imaging device comprising a CMOS image sensor, at least one illumination source and a controller,

said CMOS image sensor including at least:

timing circuitry;

resetting circuitry; and

pixel circuitry,

said timing circuitry configured to control the pixel circuitry to effect successive readout and resetting of pixels during a dark period and to inactivate the pixel circuitry during a period of illumination; and

said controller configured to communicate with the CMOS image sensor and to control the at least one illumination source.

10. The imaging device according to claim 9 wherein the CMOS image sensor comprises 256×

256 pixels.

11. The imaging device according to claim 9 wherein the dark period is a period of about 400-480 ms and the period of illumination is a period of about 20-100 ms.

12. The imaging device according to claim 9 wherein the controller is part of a transmitter for transmitting images obtained by the CMOS image sensor.

13. The imaging device according to claim 12 wherein the transmitter controls the illumination source to repeatedly illuminate for a period of about 20-100 ms and to be shut off for a period of about 400-480 ms.

15. The device according to claim 14 further comprising a controller configured to control the CMOS image sensor and to control the illumination source.

16. The device according to claim 15 wherein the controller controls the illuminations source to repeatedly illuminate for a period of about 20-100 ms and to be shut off for a period of about 400-480 ms.

17. The device according to claim 15 wherein the controller is part of a transmitter for transmitting images obtained in the gastrointestinal tract.

18. The device according to claim 15 wherein the device is a swallowable capsule.

20. The imaging device according to claim 19 wherein the dark period is a period of about 20-100 ms and the period of illumination is a period of about 400-480 ms.

14. A device for imaging the gastrointestinal tract, said device comprising at least one illumination source for illuminating a site in the gastrointestinal tract and at least one CMOS image sensor including at least:

timing circuitry;

resetting circuitry; and

pixel circuitry,

said timing circuitry controlling the pixel circuitry to effect successive readout and resetting of pixels during a dark period and to inactivate the pixel circuitry during a period of illumination.

19. In an imaging device comprising a CMOS image sensor, an illumination source and a controller configured to communicate with the CMOS image sensor and to control the illumination source, said CMOS image sensor including at least:

resetting circuitry and pixel circuitry,

a timing circuitry configured to control the pixel circuitry to effect successive readout and resetting of pixels during a dark period and to inactivate the pixel circuitry during a period of illumination.

21. In an imaging device for in vivo imaging comprising a CMOS image sensor including at least:

resetting circuitry and pixel circuitry,

a timing circuitry configured to control the pixel circuitry to effect successive readout and resetting of pixels during a dark period and to inactivate the pixel circuitry during a period of illumination.

22. The imaging device according to claim 21 wherein the dark period is a period of about 20-100 ms and the period of illumination is a period of about 400-480 ms.

24. The method according to claim 23 fiber comprising the step of successively reading out and resetting each pixel during the dark period.

25. A method according to claim 23 wherein in vivo is in the gastrointestinal tract.

26. The method according to claim 23 wherein the step of providing pixels with at least one period of illumination and at least the one subsequent dark period is performed on all the pixels of the CMOS image sensor.

27. The method according to claim 23 wherein the step of providing pixels with at least one period of illumination and at least the one subsequent dark period is performed on 256×

256 pixels.

28. The method according to claim 23 wherein the steps are repeated m times to obtain m image frames.

29. The method according to claim 23 further comprising the step of transmitting signals read out from the pixels to an external receiving system.

30. The method according to claim 29 wherein the step of transmitting signals is preformed during the subsequent dark period.

31. The method according to claim 30 wherein the step of transmitting signals is preformed at a bandwidth of about 1.35 Megabit per second.

23. A method for in vivo imaging comprising the steps of:

illuminating a site in vivo for at least one period of illumination;

providing pixels of an in vivo CMOS image sensor with at least one period of illumination and at least one subsequent dark period.

32. An imaging device comprising an in vivo CMOS image sensor, at least one illumination source and a controller, said controller configured to control the at least one illumination source to illuminate for a first period and to be shut off for a subsequent period.

33. The imaging device according to claim 32 wherein the first period is a period of about 20-100 ms and the subsequent period is a period of about 400-480 ms.

34. The imaging device according to claim 32 wherein the controller is configured to control the at least one illumination source to repeatedly illuminate for a first period and to be shut off for a subsequent period.