Wireless In-Vivo Information Acquiring Apparatus, Wireless In-Vivo Information Acquiring System, And Communication Apparatus

• US 20090163771A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Mori, Takeshi, Fujimori, Noriyuki, Kimoto, Seiichiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,038,599 B2
• 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 1/00158 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/07 Endoradiosondes

Abstract

A communication apparatus (3) arranged outside a subject (1) has an external device (32) which sequentially transmits control signals. A capsule endoscope (2) is introduced inside the subject (1). Thereafter, a system control circuit controls a driving of an intra-capsule function executing circuit so as to start driving at a previously set given time, by supplying driving power to the intra-capsule function executing circuit to control the driving thereof based on a result of detection by a control-signal detecting circuit which is provided in the capsule endoscope (2) and which detects a discontinuous state of input of the control signals. Thus, a collection and transmission of images inside the subject can be performed accurately.

Claims

1. A wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus comprising:

a function executing unit that executes a predetermined function in a subject in which the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus is introduced;

a radio receiving unit that is configured to receive a radio signal which is transmitted from outside the subject; and

an activating unit that controls an activation of the function executing unit according to a discontinuation in an input of control signals received by the radio receiving unit.

2. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the activating unit determines that the input of the control signals is discontinued when an input level of the control signal received by the radio receiving unit is equal to or lower than a predetermined level, to control the activation of the function executing unit.

3. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the radio receiving unit receives the control signal that is sent from outside the subject and that is within a predetermined frequency band, and

the activating unit detects the control signal that is within the predetermined frequency band and received by the radio receiving unit, and determines that the input of the control signals is discontinued when the input level of the control signal is equal to or lower than a predetermined level, to control the activation of the function executing unit.

4. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the activating unit activates the function executing unit after a predetermined time passes since the control signal is input.

5. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the function executing unit includes at least

an acquiring unit that acquires in-vivo information, and

a radio transmitting unit that transmits the in-vivo information acquired by the acquiring unit to an outside by radio.

6. A wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus comprising:

a function executing unit that executes a predetermined function in a subject in which the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus is introduced;

a radio receiving unit that is configured to receive a radio signal sent from outside the subject; and

an activating unit that controls an activation of the function executing unit according to an input of an activating signal received by the radio receiving unit.

7. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the activating unit controls the activation of the function executing unit based on an input level of the activating signal received by the radio receiving unit.

8. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the activating unit controls the activation of the function executing unit according to an input of a signal that indicates a command to start activation and that is received from the radio receiving unit.

9. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the activating unit activates the function executing unit after a predetermined time passes since the activating signal is input.

10. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the function executing unit includes at least

an acquiring unit that acquires in-vivo information, and

a radio transmitting unit that transmits the in-vivo information acquired by the acquiring unit to an outside by radio.

11. A wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus that detects in-vivo information of a subject and transmits the in-vivo information to a communication apparatus located outside the subject, the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus comprising:

an acquiring unit that acquires the in-vivo information;

a transmitting unit that transmits the in-vivo information acquired and a communication confirmation signal to the communication apparatus, the communication confirmation signal serving to confirm a communication status between the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus and the communication apparatus;

a receiving unit that receives a radio signal which is sent from the communication apparatus in response to the communication confirmation signal and which includes at least a communication permission signal; and

a communication controller that determines whether to transmit the in-vivo information or not based on a state of reception of the communication permission signal.

12. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the transmitting unit and the receiving unit share a same antenna.

13. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the receiving unit includes an envelope detecting circuit.

14. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the receiving unit includes

a rectifying circuit that serves to acquire power from the radio signal, and

a communication permission detector that detects the communication permission signal from an output of the rectifying circuit and sends the communication permission signal to the communication controller.

15. A wireless in-vivo information acquiring system, comprising:

a wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus which is introduced into a subject; and

a communication apparatus which is arranged outside the subject and acquires information acquired by the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus through radio communication, wherein

the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus includes

a function executing unit that executes a predetermined function in the subject in which the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus is introduced,

a radio receiving unit that is configured to receive a radio signal from outside the subject, and

an activating unit that controls an activation of the function executing unit according to a discontinuation in an input of control signals received by the radio receiving unit, and

the communication apparatus includes

a radio receiving unit that receives the information transmitted through radio communication, and

a radio transmitting unit that transmits the control signal of a predetermined output level through radio communication.

16. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring system according to claim 15, wherein

the activating unit determines that the input of the control signals is discontinued when an input level of the control signal from the radio receiving unit is equal to or lower than a predetermined level, to control the activation of the function executing unit.

17. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring system according to claim 15, wherein

the radio transmitting unit of the communication apparatus transmits the control signal that is within a predetermined frequency band,

the radio receiving unit of the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus receives the control signal within the predetermined frequency band from outside the subject, and

the activating unit determines that the input of the control signals is discontinued when an input level of the control signal that is within the predetermined frequency band and received by the radio receiving unit is equal to or lower than a predetermined level, to control the activation of the function executing unit.

18. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring system according to claim 15, wherein

the activating unit activates the function executing unit after a predetermined time passes since the discontinuation in the input of the control signals.

19. A wireless in-vivo information acquiring system, comprising:

a wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus that is introduced inside a subject; and

a communication apparatus that is arranged outside the subject and acquires information acquired by the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus by radio communication, wherein

the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus includes

a function executing unit that executes a predetermined function inside the subject in which the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus is introduced,

a radio receiving unit that is configured to receive a radio signal from outside the subject, and

an activating unit that controls an activation of the function executing unit according to an input of an activating signal received by the radio receiving unit, and

the communication apparatus includes

a radio receiving unit that receives the information transmitted through radio communication, and

a radio transmitting unit that transmits the activating signal through radio communication.

20. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring system according to claim 19, wherein

the activating unit controls the activation of the function executing unit based on an input level of the activating signal received by the radio receiving unit.

21. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring system according to claim 19, wherein

the activating unit controls the activation of the function executing unit according to an input of a signal that indicates a command to start activation and that is received by the radio receiving unit.

22. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring system according to claim 19, wherein

the activating unit activates the function executing unit after a predetermined time passes since the signal is input.

23. A wireless in-vivo information acquiring system, comprising:

a wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus that transmits in-vivo information of a subject from inside the subject to outside the subject; and

a communication apparatus that is located outside the subject and receives the in-vivo information, the wireless in-vivo information acquiring system detecting the in-vivo information, wherein

the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus transmits a communication confirmation signal to confirm a communication status between the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus and the communication apparatus,

the communication apparatus, on receiving the communication confirmation signal, transmits a communication permission signal to permit communication, and

the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus includes a communication controller that transmits the in-vivo information on receiving the communication permission signal.

24. The wireless in-vivo information acquiring system according to claim 23, wherein

the communication permission signal also serves as a radio signal for supplying power to the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus.

25. A communication apparatus that is located outside a subject to receive in-vivo information which is transmitted from a wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus inside the subject, and to receive a communication confirmation signal which serves to confirm a communication status between the communication apparatus and the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus, the communication apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit that receives the in-vivo information and the communication confirmation signal;

a recording unit that records the in-vivo information received;

a communication permission signal generator that generates a communication permission signal for permitting the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus to transmit the in-vivo information, when the receiving unit receives the communication confirmation signal; and

a communication permission signal transmitting unit that transmits the communication permission signal.

26. The communication apparatus according to claim 25, wherein

the communication permission signal also serves as a radio signal for supplying power to the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus.

27. The communication apparatus according to claim 26, wherein

the communication permission signal transmitting unit transmits the communication permission signal at a longer interval than an interval of transmission of the communication confirmation signals from the wireless in-vivo information acquiring apparatus, while the communication confirmation signal is not received.