LIVING BODY OBSERVATION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DRIVING LIVING BODY OBSERVATION SYSTEM

• US 20090275801A1
• Filed: 04/23/2009
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: SAKAI, Youhei
• Granted Patent: US 8,398,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/117
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00032 internally powered
• 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 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters

Abstract

A living body observation system of the invention includes a living body information acquiring apparatus including: a living body information acquiring section; a wireless transmission section; a power source section for supplying driving power for driving the living body information acquiring section and the wireless transmission section; a magnetic field detecting section for outputting a detection result of a magnetic field from outside as an electric signal; and a power supply control section for controlling a supplying state of the driving power based on the electric signal, a magnetic field generating coil, a driving circuit for outputting a drive signal to the magnetic field generating coil, a switch for switching a generation state of a magnetic field, and a timer for outputting a signal for stopping output of the drive signal when a predetermined period has passed following switching from off to on of the switch.

Claims

1. A living body observation system comprising,

a living body information acquiring apparatus including:

a living body information acquiring section for acquiring living body information in a living body;

a wireless transmission section for wirelessly transmitting the living body information to outside of the living body;

a power source section for supplying driving power for driving the living body information acquiring section and the wireless transmission section;

a magnetic field detecting section for detecting a magnetic field from outside and outputting a detection result as an electric signal; and

a power supply control section for controlling a supplying state of the driving power supplied from the power source section to the living body information acquiring section and the wireless transmission section based on the electric signal; and

a magnetic field generating section disposed outside the living body information acquiring apparatus, the magnetic field generating section including;

a magnetic field generating coil;

a driving circuit for outputting a drive signal for driving the magnetic field generating coil;

a switch for switching between on and off of a generation state of a magnetic field in the magnetic field generating coil; and

a timer for outputting a stop signal for stopping output of the drive signal when a predetermined period has passed following switching from off to on of the switch.

2. The living body observation system according to claim 1, wherein

the magnetic field generating section further includes an oscillator for outputting an oscillating signal when the switch is turned on, and a timing generator for outputting to the driving circuit a timing signal generated by performing signal processing on the oscillating signal to change a frequency of the oscillating signal to a predetermined frequency,

the driving circuit outputs the drive signal in a period during which the timing signal is inputted, and

the timer outputs a stop signal for stopping output of the oscillating signal when a predetermined period has passed following switching from off to on of the switch.

3. The living body observation system according to claim 1, wherein the living body information acquiring apparatus is a capsule endoscope.

4. A method of driving the living body observation system according to claim 1, comprising switching a power source state of the living body information acquiring apparatus between on and off, every time the magnetic field is generated from the magnetic field generating section.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the living body information acquiring apparatus is turned on outside of the living body by application of the magnetic field.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the living body information acquiring apparatus is a capsule endoscope.