METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING POWER CONSUMPTION IN A COMPACT DIAGNOSTIC CAPSULE

• US 20090030279A1
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sensivida Medical Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mediscience Technology Corp. (Sensivida Medical Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Katevatis, Peter, Zander, Dennis R.
• Application Number:
  US12/175,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20090030279A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/118
• 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 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters

Abstract

A diagnostic capsule has a sensor system, a transmitter, and a controller. The controller is configured to detect one or more target conditions external to the diagnostic capsule based on target data from the sensor system and enable the transmitter to transmit diagnostic data, wherein the diagnostic data is collected by the sensor system while the one or more target conditions are present. A diagnostic system utilizing the diagnostic capsule is also disclosed. A method of managing power consumption in a diagnostic capsule is also disclosed. A target sensor is enabled. The target sensor is checked for a target condition. At least one diagnostic capsule subsystem is enabled if the target condition is present. The target sensor is further checked for the target condition. The at least one diagnostic capsule subsystem is disabled if the target condition is not present.

Claims

1. A diagnostic capsule, comprising:

a sensor system;

a transmitter; and

a controller which is configured to detect one or more target conditions external to the diagnostic capsule based on target data from the sensor system and enable the transmitter to transmit diagnostic data, wherein the diagnostic data is collected by the sensor system while the one or more target conditions are present.

2. The diagnostic capsule of claim 1, wherein the target data and the diagnostic data are collected by a same sensor in the sensor system.

3. The diagnostic capsule of claim 2, wherein the same sensor is selected from the group consisting of a pH sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a biological sensor, a bacterial sensor, a protein sensor, a chemical sensor, a light sensor, a spectral sensor, a radiation sensor, and an imaging sensor.

4. The diagnostic capsule of claim 1, wherein the sensor system comprises:

a target sensor configured to collect the target data; and

a diagnostic sensor configured to collect the diagnostic data.

5. The diagnostic capsule of claim 4, wherein the target sensor is selected from the group consisting of a pH sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a biological sensor, a bacterial sensor, a protein sensor, a chemical sensor, a light sensor, a spectral sensor, a radiation sensor, and an imaging sensor.

6. The diagnostic capsule of claim 4, wherein the diagnostic sensor is selected from the group consisting of a pH sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a biological sensor, a bacterial sensor, a protein sensor, a chemical sensor, a light sensor, a spectral sensor, a radiation sensor, and an imaging sensor.

7. The diagnostic capsule of claim 4, wherein the diagnostic sensor is further configured to collect diagnostic data irrespective of whether or not the target sensor indicates that the one or more target conditions are present.

8. The diagnostic capsule of claim 7, further comprising a buffer configured to store at least a portion of diagnostic data collected by the diagnostic sensor until the transmitter has been enabled to transmit diagnostic data stored in the buffer.

9. The diagnostic capsule of claim 4, wherein the diagnostic sensor is further configured to collect diagnostic data only when the target sensor indicates that the one or more target conditions are present.

10. The diagnostic capsule of claim 1 further configured for a use selected from the group consisting of an endoscopic capsule, a container inspection capsule, a fluidic inspection capsule, and pipe inspection capsule.

11. A diagnostic system, comprising:

a) a diagnostic capsule, comprising;

i) a sensor system;

ii) a transmitter; and

iii) a controller which is configured to detect one or more target conditions external to the diagnostic capsule based on target data from the sensor system and enable the transmitter to transmit diagnostic data, wherein the diagnostic data is collected by the sensor system while the one or more target conditions are present;

b) at least one receiver configured to receive transmissions from the transmitter; and

c) a receiver controller coupled to the at least one receiver, the receiver controller configured to store transmitted diagnostic data received at the at least one receiver from the diagnostic capsule.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the at least one receiver comprises at least three receivers configured to receive transmissions from the transmitter, each of the at least three receivers located in a separate location; and

the receiver controller is further configured to determine a position of the diagnostic capsule relative to the at least three receivers based on RF telemetry.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the receiver controller is further configured to store the determined position of the diagnostic capsule relative to the at least three receivers for one or more diagnostic data transmissions received from the transmitter.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the receiver controller is further configured to store one or more reference points relating a subject being tested by the diagnostic system to the at least three receivers.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the receiver controller is further configured to determine a location of the diagnostic capsule within the subject based on the RF telemetry determination and the relationship between the subject being tested and the at least three receivers.

16. A method of managing power consumption in a diagnostic capsule, comprising:

enabling a target sensor;

checking for a target condition from the target sensor;

enabling at least one diagnostic capsule subsystem if the target condition is present;

further checking for the target condition; and

disabling the at least one diagnostic capsule subsystem if the target condition is not present.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the target sensor is selected from the group consisting of a pH sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a biological sensor, a bacterial sensor, a protein sensor, a chemical sensor, a light sensor, a spectral sensor, a radiation sensor, and an imaging sensor.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one diagnostic capsule subsystem comprises a diagnostic sensor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the diagnostic sensor is selected from the group consisting of a pH sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a biological sensor, a bacterial sensor, a protein sensor, a chemical sensor, a light sensor, a spectral sensor, a radiation sensor, and an imaging sensor.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one diagnostic capsule subsystem comprises a transmitter.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein:

enabling the at least one diagnostic capsule subsystem comprises enabling a diagnostic sensor and enabling a transmitter; and

disabling the at least one diagnostic capsule subsystem comprises disabling the diagnostic sensor and disabling the transmitter.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmitter at least transmits data from the enabled diagnostic sensor while the transmitter and the diagnostic sensor are enabled.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising enabling a transmitter before checking for the target condition from the target sensor.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein:

enabling the at least one diagnostic capsule subsystem comprises enabling a diagnostic sensor; and

disabling the at least one diagnostic capsule subsystem comprises disabling the diagnostic sensor.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the transmitter at least transmits data from the diagnostic sensor while the diagnostic sensor is enabled.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising enabling a diagnostic sensor before checking for the target condition from the target sensor.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein:

enabling the at least one diagnostic capsule subsystem comprises enabling a transmitter; and

disabling the at least one diagnostic capsule subsystem comprises disabling the transmitter.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the transmitter at least transmits data from the diagnostic sensor while the transmitter is enabled.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising buffering data from the enabled diagnostic sensor.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the transmitter at least transmits buffered data from the diagnostic sensor while the transmitter is enabled.

31. The method of claim 16:

wherein enabling the at least one diagnostic capsule subsystem comprises enabling a diagnostic sensor and buffering data from the diagnostic sensor;

wherein disabling the at least one diagnostic capsule subsystem comprises disabling the diagnostic sensor; and

further comprising;

after buffering data from the enabled diagnostic sensor, checking to see of the buffer is at a threshold;

if the buffer is at the threshold, then enabling a transmitter to transmit the buffered data from the diagnostic sensor, then disabling the transmitter.