System and method for displaying an image stream

• US 20060106318A1
• Filed: 11/15/2004
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Davidson, Tal
• Granted Patent: US 7,486,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/476
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0005 combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging

Abstract

A system and method may allow displaying a plurality of image streams, where the image streams may be divided, for example into a number of selected subset couplet images which follow predetermined criteria. According to some embodiments, each couplet may be displayed simultaneously or substantially simultaneously. A workstation may accept the images acquired by, for example a capsule and may display the images on a monitor as a moving image.

Claims

1. A method for displaying in vivo images, the method comprising:

accepting images acquired by an in-vivo device disposed within a GI tract the images forming an image stream;

selecting at least two images from the image stream;

determining whether the at least two images meet a predetermined condition; and

displaying substantially simultaneously at least two images that meet the predetermined condition.

2. The method according to claim 1 comprising displaying substantially simultaneously a plurality of image streams, according to the predetermined condition.

3. The method according to claim 1 comprising selecting at least two images from a plurality of image streams.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined condition is a set of conditions.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the condition is a time related condition.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the condition is an image quality condition.

7. The method according to claim 1 comprising displaying a moving image stream, said moving image stream comprising at least two images that meet the predetermined condition.

8. The method according to claim 1 comprising displaying a plurality of images in chronological order.

9. The method according to claim 1 comprising selecting at least two sequential images from a plurality of image streams, said at least two sequential images meeting a second predetermined condition.

10. The method according to claim 9 comprising displaying substantially simultaneously at least two sequential images that do not meet the second predetermined condition, said at least two sequential images meeting a third predetermined condition.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein the second predetermined condition is a time related condition.

13. The method according to claim 8 wherein the second predetermined condition is a set of conditions.

14. The method according to claim 10 wherein the third predetermined condition is a time related condition.

15. The method according to claim 10 wherein the third predetermined condition is a set of conditions.

12. (canceled)

16. A system for displaying in vivo images, the system comprising:

an image storage configured to accept images acquired by an in-vivo device disposed within a GI tract, the images forming an image stream, and to store the in vivo images;

a processor configured to determine whether at least two in vivo images meet a predetermined condition; and

a display configured to display substantially simultaneously at least two images that meet the predetermined condition.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein the in vivo images are images transmitted from an autonomous in vivo imaging device.

18. The system according to claim 16 wherein the display comprises a plurality of image windows, each image window displaying an image stream.

19. A method for selecting in vivo images from an image stream, the method comprising:

accepting images acquired by an in-vivo device disposed within a body lumen, the images forming at least two image streams;

selecting two images, which were captured one after the other, from the images; and

displaying substantially simultaneously the two images if a capture time difference between the two images is less or equal to a pre-set standard time constant.

20. The method of claim 19 comprising displaying substantially simultaneously a plurality of image streams, wherein each contains one of the two images selected.

21. The method of claim 19 comprising selecting three images from the image streams, and wherein the two images are selected from the three images.