Capsule medical apparatus

• US 20050272973A1
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Kawano, Hironao, Uchiyama, Akio, Takizawa, Hironobu, Fujita, Manabu, Kikuchi, Akira, Segawa, Hidetake, Yokoi, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,454,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/102
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00036 Means for power saving, e.g. sleeping mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00144 Hygienic packaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving

Abstract

A capsule medical apparatus includes a capsule exterior member and a sensor that can detect the change of an atmospheric physical quantity caused outside the exterior member in the non-contact state, and performs, based on the temporary change in atmospheric physical quantity detected by the sensor, at least one of first control for switching operation from the ON-state of energy supply to the electric circuit from the battery to the OFF-state of the energy supply and of second control for switching operation from the OFF-state of the power supply to the ON-state of the power supply, and holds the state of energy supply switched by the control until another change of atmospheric physical quantity is detected.

Claims

1. A capsule medical apparatus comprising:

a capsule exterior member;

an electric circuit arranged in the exterior member;

a battery arranged in the exterior member;

a sensor that can detect the change of an atmospheric physical quantity caused outside the exterior member in the non-contact state; and

a switch circuit that is arranged in the exterior member and performs, based on the temporary change in atmospheric physical quantity detected by the sensor, at least one of first control for switching operation from the ON-state of energy supply to the electric circuit from the battery to the OFF-state of the energy supply and of second control for switching operation from the OFF-state of the energy supply to the ON-state of the energy supply,

wherein the switch circuit holds the state of energy supply switched by the first control or second control.

2. A capsule medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switch circuit can hold the state of energy supply to the electric circuit from the battery switched by the first control or second control until the sensor detects another temporary change of the atmospheric physical quantity after the first control or second control.

3. A capsule medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the capsule exterior member has a shape suitable for the medical action.

4. A capsule medical apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the medical action is at least one of the inspection, treatment, and curing in the body of an examinee.

5. A capsule medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the capsule exterior member has a shape suitable for the medical action.

6. A capsule medical apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the medical action is at least one of the inspection, treatment, and curing in the body of an examinee.

7. A capsule medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the change of the atmospheric physical quantity generated outside the exterior member, which is detected by the sensor, is at least one of the change of the magnetic force, light, sound waves, temperature, and electromagnetic waves.

8. A capsule medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of sensor units that independently detect the change of the atmospheric physical quantities different from each other outside the exterior member.

9. A capsule medical apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of sensor units are two sensor units corresponding to the first control and the second control of the switch circuit.

10. A capsule medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of sensor units that independently detect the change of the atmospheric physical quantity of the same kind outside the exterior member.

11. A capsule medical apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of sensor units are two sensor units corresponding to the first control and the second control of the switch circuit.