In-vivo imaging device providing data compression

• US 20050159643A1
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Horn, Eli, Zinaty, Ofra
• Granted Patent: US 9,113,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/109
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/60 using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A device, system and method may enable the obtaining of in vivo images from within body lumens or cavities, such as images of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, where the data such as mosaic image data may be transmitted or otherwise sent to a receiving system in a compressed format.

Claims

1. An in-vivo device comprising:

a mosaic imager configured for capturing mosaic image data;

a data compression module configured for directly compressing the mosaic image data; and

a transmitter.

2. The in-vivo device of claim 1, wherein the imager includes a CMOS.

3. The in-vivo device of claim 1, wherein the data compression module is configured to compress the mosaic image data in units of four lines.

4. The in-vivo device of claim 1, wherein the data compression module includes FELICS compression.

5. The in-vivo device of claim 1, wherein the data compression module is integral to the imager.

6. The in-vivo device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is an RF transmitter.

7. The in-vivo device of claim 1, wherein the in-vivo device is a swallowable capsule.

8. The in-vivo device of claim 1, wherein the in-vivo device is configured for imaging the gastrointestinal tract.

9. A method of transmitting data from an in-vivo device wherein the in-vivo device comprises a mosaic imager, the method comprising:

compressing directly the data from the mosaic imager; and

transmitting the data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the imager includes a CMOS.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the data includes [R, G1, G2, B] coordinates.

12. The method of claim 9, comprising transforming the data to alternate coordinates.

13. The method of claim 9, comprising transforming the data to [Y, Cr, Cb, Gdiff] coordinates.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising discarding the Gdiff coordinate.

15. The method of claim 9 comprising pre-processing the data.

16. The method of claim 9 comprising smoothing at least part of the data.

17. The method of claim 9 comprising decimating at least part of the data.

18. The method of claim 9 comprising subtracting a reference dark pixel from the data.

19. The method of claim 9 wherein the compressing comprises implementing FELICS compression.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmitting is via an RF channel.

21. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmitting is by constant bit rate.

22. The method of claim 9, wherein the in-vivo device is a swallowable capsule.

23. The method of claim 9, comprising imaging the gastrointestinal tract.

24. An in-vivo imaging system comprising:

an in-vivo imaging device configured for compressing mosaic image data;

an external receiver configured for receiving the compressed mosaic image data; and

an external decoder module configured for decoding the compressed image data.

25. The in-vivo imaging system of claim 24, wherein the in-vivo device is a swallowable capsule.

26. The in-vivo imaging system of claim 24 comprising a transmitter configured for transmitting at a constant bit rate.

27. The in-vivo imaging system of claim 24 comprising a display configured for displaying decoded image data.

28. The in-vivo imaging system of claim 24, wherein the decoder module is configured for decoding data compressed with FELICS.

29. The in-vivo imaging system of claim 24, wherein the decoder module is configured for completing the mosaic image data.

30. A method for transmitting in-vivo data comprising:

obtaining mosaic image data comprising a plurality of colors wherein each color defines a plane of the image data;

defining a location of neighboring pixels for each color;

compressing each plane of the image data; and

transmitting the compressed image data.

31. The method according to claim 30 wherein the plurality of colors comprise:

[R, G1, G2, B],

32. The method according to claim 30 comprising transforming each plane of the image data to an alternate plane.

33. The method according to claim 32 wherein the alternate plane comprise [Y, Cr, Cb, Gdiff].

34. The method according to claim 30 wherein defining the location of neighboring pixels is by defining pointers.

35. The method according to claim 30 wherein compressing is by FELICS.