Bio-Medical Unit with Image Sensor for In Vivo Imaging

• US 20110077459A1
• Filed: 07/01/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Application Number:
  US12/829,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20110077459A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/103
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/00 Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161; apparatus for taking X-ray photographs G03B42/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0009 involving or responsive to electricity, magnetism or acoustic waves; Galenical aspects of sonophoresis, iontophoresis, electroporation or electroosmosis microelectromechanical systems A61K9/0097
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0007 having means for enhancing the permeation of substances through the epidermis, e.g. using suction or depression, electric or magnetic fields, sound waves or chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3507 with implanted devices, e.g. external control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/325 for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body electrodes for external use A61N1/0428
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/002 in combination with another treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A bio-medical unit includes a power harvesting module, an image sensor module, a processing module, and a communication module. The power harvesting module is operable to generate a supply voltage from an electromagnetic signal. The image sensor module is powered by the supply voltage and captures streaming video of a body object. The processing module is powered by the supply voltage and processes the streaming video to produce processed streaming video. The communication module is powered by the supply voltage and transmits, as radio frequency (RF) signals, the processed streaming video to a communication device external to a host body.

Claims

1. A bio-medical unit comprises:

a power harvesting module operable to generate a supply voltage from an electromagnetic signal;

an image sensor module powered by the supply voltage, wherein the image sensor module captures streaming video of a body object;

a processing module powered by the supply voltage, wherein the processing module is operable to process the streaming video to produce processed streaming video; and

a communication module powered by the supply voltage, wherein the communication module transmits, as radio frequency (RF) signals, the processed streaming video to a communication device external to a host body in which the bio-medical unit is implanted or a second bio-medical unit.

2. The bio-medical unit of claim 1, wherein the processing module processing the streaming video comprises at least one of:

compressing the streaming video to produce the processed streaming video;

encoding the streaming video to produce the processed streaming video; and

format converting the streaming video to produce the processed streaming video.

3. The bio-medical unit of claim 1 further comprises:

the communication module receiving an RF command signal and converting it into a baseband command signal; and

the processing module interpreting the baseband command signal as an enabling command to enable the capturing of streaming video and providing the enabling command to the image sensor module.

4. The bio-medical unit of claim 1 further comprises:

a micro-electromechanical propulsion module operable to propel the biomedical unit within the host body based on a motion control signal;

the communication module receiving an RF command signal and converting it into a baseband command signal; and

the processing module interpreting the baseband command signal to produce the motion control signal.

5. The bio-medical unit of claim 1 further comprises:

the processing module operable to;

determine a transmission protocol;

generate a video enable signal in accordance with the transmission protocol; and

send the video enable signal to the image sensor module; and

the image sensor module capturing the streaming video of the body object in response to the video enable signal.

6. The bio-medical unit of claim 1 further comprises:

a microphone module operable to capture audible signals and to produce, therefrom, a digital audio stream;

the processing module processing the digital audio stream to produce a digital audio file; and

the communication module transmitting, as one or more outbound audio RF signals, the digital audio file.

7. The bio-medical unit of claim 1 further comprises:

the communication module operable to;

receive other RF signals from another bio-medical unit;

retransmit the other RS signals in accordance with a forwarding control signal;

and

the processing module interpreting a representation of the other RF signals to generate the forwarding control signal.

8. The bio-medical unit of claim 1 further comprises:

the communication module operable to;

receive other RF signals from another bio-medical unit;

convert the other RF signals into a symbol stream;

the processing module operable to;

process the symbol stream and the streaming video to produce second processed streaming video; and

convert the second processed streaming video into an outbound symbol stream;

the communication module further operable to;

convert the outbound simple stream into second RF signals; and

transmit the second RF signals to the communication device or the second bio-medical unit.

9. The bio-medical unit of claim 1 further comprises:

a power management module operable to;

monitor the supply voltage for a low-power indication;

when a low-power indication is detected, provide a control signal to the processing module indicating at least one of a reduction in video quality and rate of the streaming video.

10. The bio-medical unit of claim 9 further comprises:

the power management module further operable to;

monitor the supply voltage for a second low-power indication;

when the second low-power indication is detected, selectively disable one or more of the image sensor module, the communication module, and the processing module.

11. The bio-medical unit of claim 1, wherein the image sensor module comprises at least one of:

an ultrasound transducer;

a digital image sensor;

an array of antennas for millimeter wave frequency radar sweeping;

a light receiver module; and

a light transmitting module.

12. An in vivo imaging system comprises:

a first bio-medical unit including;

a first power harvesting module operable to generate a first supply voltage from an electromagnetic signal;

a first image sensor module powered by the first supply voltage, wherein the first image sensor module captures first streaming video of a body object;

a first communication module powered by the first supply voltage, wherein the first communication module transmits, as first radio frequency (RF) signals, a representation of the first streaming video in accordance with a transmission protocol;

a second bio-medical unit including;

a second power harvesting module operable to generate a second supply voltage from the electromagnetic signal;

a second image sensor module powered by the second supply voltage, wherein the second image sensor module captures second streaming video of the body object;

a second communication module powered by the second supply voltage, wherein the second communication module transmits, as second RF signals, a representation of the second streaming video in accordance with the transmission protocol; and

a communication device external to a host body operable to;

receive the first and second RF signals in accordance with the transmission protocol;

convert the first and second RF signals into digital image files corresponding to the representation of the first and second streaming video;

render a video based on the digital image file.

13. The in vivo imaging system of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second bio-medical units further comprises:

a processing module operable to process the streaming video by at least one of;

compressing the streaming video to produce the processed streaming video;

encoding the streaming video to produce the processed streaming video; and

format converting the streaming video to produce the processed streaming video.

14. The in vivo imaging system of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second bio-medical units further comprises:

the first or second communication module receiving an RF command signal from the communication device and converting it into a baseband command signal; and

the processing module interpreting the baseband command signal as an enabling command to enable the capturing of streaming video and providing the enabling command to the corresponding first or second image sensor module.

15. The in vivo imaging system of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second bio-medical units further comprises:

a micro-electromechanical propulsion module operable to propel the corresponding first or second bio-medical unit within the host body based on a motion control signal;

the first or second communication module receiving an RF command signal from the communication device and converting it into a baseband command signal; and

the processing module interpreting the baseband command signal to produce the motion control signal.

16. The in vivo imaging system of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second bio-medical units further comprises:

a microphone module operable to capture audible signals and to produce, therefrom, a digital audio stream;

the processing module processing the digital audio stream to produce a digital audio file;

and

the first or second communication module transmitting, as one or more outbound audio RF signals, the digital audio file.

17. The in vivo imaging system of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second bio-medical units further comprises:

the first or second communication module operable to;

receive other RF signals from another bio-medical unit;

retransmit the other RS signals in accordance with a forwarding control signal;

and

the processing module interpreting a representation of the other RF signals to generate the forwarding control signal.

18. The in vivo imaging system of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second bio-medical units further comprises:

the first or second communication module operable to;

receive other RF signals from another bio-medical unit;

convert the other RF signals into a symbol stream;

the processing module operable to;

process the symbol stream and the streaming video to produce second processed streaming video; and

convert the second processed streaming video into an outbound symbol stream;

the first or second communication module further operable to;

convert the outbound simple stream into second RF signals; and

transmit the second RF signals to the communication device or the second bio-medical unit.

19. The in vivo imaging system of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second bio-medical units further comprises:

a power management module operable to;

monitor the supply voltage for a low-power indication;

when a low-power indication is detected, provide a control signal to the processing module indicating at least one of a reduction in video quality and rate of the streaming video.

20. The in vivo imaging system of claim 19, wherein each of the first and second bio-medical units further comprises:

the power management module further operable to;

monitor the supply voltage for a second low-power indication;

when the second low-power indication is detected, selectively disable one or more of the image sensor module, the communication module, and the processing module.