Capsule endoscope apparatus

• US 20060252987A1
• Filed: 07/12/2006
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Jun, Nishimura, Hirokazu, Inoue, Ryoko, Tanaka, Hideki
• Granted Patent: US 7,988,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/101
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00036 Means for power saving, e.g. sleeping mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/273 for the upper alimentary canal, e.g. oesophagoscopes, gastroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 Vests

Abstract

A signal processing circuit of an external device includes a CPU and a memory which are not shown. A program for estimating at least one of the position and orientation of a capsule endoscope on the basis of strength signals received through respective antennas is installed in the signal processing circuit. A single-core coil to generate a magnetic field is arranged in the capsule endoscope. The generated magnetic field is detected by a plurality of coils arranged outside a body, whereby a distance that the capsule endoscope has traveled can be obtained with accuracy. This arrangement controls image-capture timing to reliably capture images necessary for a diagnosis and prevent unnecessary image capture.

Claims

1. A capsule endoscope apparatus comprising an image capturing unit for capturing an image in a body to transmit the image by radio and a receiving unit for receiving the image transmitted by radio from the image capturing unit to record the image, the apparatus further comprising:

an estimating unit for receiving a signal transmitted by radio from the image capturing unit through each of a plurality of antennas arranged at different positions outside the body to estimate at least one of the position and orientation of the image capturing unit on the basis of the signals received through the antennas; and

a control unit for controlling image capture by the image capturing unit using information regarding at least one of the position and orientation estimated by the estimating unit.

7. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit includes:

a distance calculating unit for calculating a distance that the image capturing unit has traveled on the basis of a plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit; and

an image-capture control unit for controlling image capture by the image capturing unit on the basis of the distance.

13. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the distance calculating unit includes a unit for calculating a predicted distance on the basis of the plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit.

19. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the predicted distance is calculated using an approximation function derived from the plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit.

25. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the control unit includes:

an orientation-change calculating unit for calculating a change in orientation of the image capturing unit on the basis of a plurality of orientations obtained by the estimating unit; and

an image-capture control unit for controlling image capture by the image capturing unit on the basis of the distance and the change in orientation.

2. A capsule endoscope apparatus comprising an image capturing unit for capturing an image in a body to transmit the image by radio and a receiving unit for receiving the image transmitted by radio from the image capturing unit to record the image, the apparatus further comprising:

a transmitting unit having a plurality of first antennas arranged at different positions outside the body to transmit a signal having a specific magnitude through each antenna;

an estimating unit for receiving the signals generated from the antennas through a second antenna disposed in the image capturing unit to estimate at least one of the position and orientation of the image capturing unit on the basis of the received signals; and

a control unit for controlling image capture by the image capturing unit using information regarding at least one of the position and orientation obtained by the estimating unit.

8. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the control unit includes:

a distance calculating unit for calculating a distance that the image capturing unit has traveled on the basis of a plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit; and

an image-capture control unit for controlling image capture by the image capturing unit on the basis of the distance.

14. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the distance calculating unit includes a unit for calculating a predicted distance on the basis of the plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit.

20. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the predicted distance is calculated using an approximation function derived from the plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit.

26. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the control unit includes:

an orientation-change calculating unit for calculating a change in orientation of the image capturing unit on the basis of a plurality of orientations obtained by the estimating unit; and

an image-capture control unit for controlling image capture by the image capturing unit on the basis of the distance and the change in orientation.

3. A capsule endoscope apparatus comprising an image capturing unit for capturing an image in a body to transmit the image by radio and a receiving unit for receiving the image transmitted by radio from the image capturing unit to record the image, the apparatus further comprising:

an estimating unit for receiving a signal transmitted by radio from the image capturing unit through each of a plurality of antennas arranged at different positions outside the body to estimate at least one of the position and orientation of the image capturing unit on the basis of the signals received through the antennas; and

a control unit for controlling recording by the receiving unit using information regarding at least one of the position and orientation obtained by the estimating unit.

9. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the control unit includes:

a distance calculating unit for calculating a distance that the image capturing unit has traveled on the basis of a plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit; and

a recording control unit for controlling recording by the receiving unit on the basis of the distance.

15. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the distance calculating unit includes a unit for calculating a predicted distance on the basis of the plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit.

21. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the predicted distance is calculated using an approximation function derived from the plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit.

27. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the control unit includes:

an orientation-change calculating unit for calculating a change in orientation of the image capturing unit on the basis of a plurality of orientations obtained by the estimating unit; and

a recording control unit for controlling recording by the receiving unit on the basis of the distance and the change in orientation.

4. A capsule endoscope apparatus comprising an image capturing unit for capturing an image in a body to transmit the image by radio and a receiving unit for receiving the image transmitted by radio from the image capturing unit to record the image, the apparatus further comprising:

a transmitting unit having a plurality of first antennas arranged at different positions outside the body to transmit a signal having a specific magnitude through each antenna;

an estimating unit for receiving the signals generated from the plurality of first antennas through a second antenna disposed in the image capturing unit to estimate at least one of the position and orientation of the image capturing unit on the basis of the received signals; and

a control unit for controlling recording by the receiving unit using information regarding at least one of the position and orientation obtained by the estimating unit.

10. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the control unit includes:

a distance calculating unit for calculating a distance that the image capturing unit has traveled on the basis of a plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit; and

a recording control unit for controlling recording by the receiving unit on the basis of the distance.

16. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the distance calculating unit includes a unit for calculating a predicted distance on the basis of the plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit.

22. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the predicted distance is calculated using an approximation function derived from the plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit.

28. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the control unit includes:

an orientation-change calculating unit for calculating a change in orientation of the image capturing unit on the basis of a plurality of orientations obtained by the estimating unit; and

a recording control unit for controlling recording by the receiving unit on the basis of the distance and the change in orientation.

5. A capsule endoscope apparatus comprising:

an image capturing unit for capturing an image in a body to transmit the image by radio;

a receiving unit for receiving the image and a strength signal transmitted by radio from the image capturing unit to record the image;

an estimating unit for receiving the signal transmitted by radio from the image capturing unit through each of a plurality of antennas arranged at different positions outside the body to estimate at least one of the position and orientation of the image capturing unit on the basis of the signals received through the antennas;

a control unit for controlling display of the images recorded by the receiving unit using information regarding at least one of the position and orientation obtained by the estimating unit; and

a display unit for displaying the images under the control of the control unit.

11. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the control unit includes:

a distance calculating unit for calculating a distance that the image capturing unit has traveled on the basis of a plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit; and

a display control unit for controlling display of the images recorded by the receiving unit on the basis of the distance.

17. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the distance calculating unit includes a unit for calculating a predicted distance on the basis of the plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit.

23. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the predicted distance is calculated using an approximation function derived from the plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit.

29. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the control unit includes:

an orientation-change calculating unit for calculating a change in orientation of the image capturing unit on the basis of a plurality of orientations obtained by the estimating unit; and

a display control unit for controlling display of the images recorded by the receiving unit on the basis of the distance and the change in orientation.

6. A capsule endoscope apparatus comprising an image capturing unit for capturing an image in a body to transmit the image by radio and a receiving unit for receiving the image transmitted by radio from the image capturing unit to record the image, the apparatus further comprising:

a transmitting unit having a plurality of first antennas arranged at different positions outside the body to transmit a signal having a specific magnitude through each antenna;

an estimating unit for receiving the signals generated from the plurality of first antennas through a second antenna disposed in the image capturing unit to estimate at least one of the position and orientation of the image capturing unit on the basis of the received signals;

a control unit for controlling display of the images recorded by the receiving unit using information regarding at least one of the position and orientation obtained by the estimating unit; and

a display unit for displaying the images under the control of the control unit.

12. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the control unit includes:

a distance calculating unit for calculating a distance that the image capturing unit has traveled on the basis of a plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit; and

a display control unit for controlling display of the images recorded by the receiving unit on the basis of the distance.

18. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the distance calculating unit includes a unit for calculating a predicted distance on the basis of the plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit.

24. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the predicted distance is calculated using an approximation function derived from the plurality of positions of the image capturing unit obtained by the estimating unit.

30. The capsule endoscope apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the control unit includes:

an orientation-change calculating unit for calculating a change in orientation of the image capturing unit on the basis of a plurality of orientations obtained by the estimating unit; and

a display control unit for controlling display of the images recorded by the receiving unit on the basis of the distance and the change in orientation.