In-Vivo Image Acquiring Apparatus, In-Vivo Image Receiving Apparatus, In-Vivo Image Displaying Apparatus, and Noise Eliminating Method

• US 20130030247A1
• Filed: 10/01/2012
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Kimoto, Seiichiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,215,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/109
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/000095 for image enhancement
• 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 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/672 between adjacent sensors or output registers for reading a single image

Abstract

An in-vivo image acquiring apparatus includes an operation control unit which controls a black image acquiring operation, in which the operation control unit controls an imaging unit and an illuminating unit in such a manner the imaging unit conducts an image acquiring operation in a state the illuminating unit does not conduct an illuminating operation. The in-vivo image acquiring apparatus also includes an average calculating unit which calculates the average value of pixel value in a predetermined determining area, and a black image determining unit, which determines whether the image information acquired by the image acquiring operation is the black image by comparing the average value with a predetermined threshold value. The image information determined as the black image by the black image determining unit is transmitted, as the black image information, to an external apparatus by radio.

Claims

1. An in-vivo image acquiring apparatus to be taken into a body of a subject, comprising:

an imaging unit that acquires in-vivo image information;

an illuminating unit that illuminates imaging regions of which images are taken by the imaging unit;

a radio transmitting unit that transmits the image information acquired by the imaging unit to an external apparatus by radio;

an operation control unit that controls operations of the imaging unit and the illuminating unit so as to control a black image acquiring operation in which the imaging unit conducts an imaging operation with the illuminating unit not conducting an illuminating operation;

a peak detector that detects a peak value of pixel values of pixels that constitute a predetermined determining area among the image information acquired by the black image acquiring operation; and

a black image determining unit that determines whether the image information acquired by the black image acquiring operation indicates a black image by comparing the peak value detected by the peak detector with a predetermined threshold value, wherein

the radio transmitting unit transmits to the external apparatus by radio the image information which is determined by the black image determining unit as the black image, as black image information.

2. The in-vivo image acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pixel defect compensating unit that detects and compensates a pixel defect in the image information acquired by the imaging unit, wherein

the peak detector detects the peak value based on the image information compensated by the pixel defect compensating unit.

3. An in-vivo image receiving apparatus for receiving in-vivo image information from an in-vivo image acquiring apparatus which is taken into a body of a subject and which acquires the in-vivo image information in an illuminating state or in a non-illuminating state, the in-vivo image receiving apparatus comprising:

a peak detector that detects a peak value of pixel values of pixels that constitute a predetermined determining area among the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state of the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus;

a black image determining unit that determines whether the image information acquired in a non-illuminating state is the black image by comparing the peak value detected by the peak detector with a predetermined threshold value;

a black image storage unit that stores as black image information the image information determined as the black image by the black image determining unit; and

an image compensating unit that, based on the black image information stored in the black image storage unit, eliminates fixed pattern noises in the image information acquired in the illuminating state by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus, and compensates the image information.

4. The in-vivo image receiving apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a pixel defect compensating unit that detects and compensates a pixel defect in the image information acquired in an illuminating state or a non-illuminating state, wherein

the peak detector detects the peak value based on the image information compensated with the pixel defect compensating unit.

5. An in-vivo image displaying apparatus for displaying image information acquired by an in-vivo image acquiring apparatus which is taken into a body of a subject and acquires in-vivo image information in an illuminating state or in a non-illuminating state, the in-vivo image displaying apparatus comprising:

a peak detector that detects a peak value of pixel values of pixels that constitute a predetermined determining area among the image information acquired by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus in a non-illuminating state;

a black image determining unit that determines whether the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state indicates a black image by comparing the peak value detected by the peak detector with a predetermined threshold value;

a black image storage unit that stores as black image information the image information determined as the black image by the black image determining unit; and

a black image compensating unit that, based on the black image information stored in the black image storage unit, eliminates fixed pattern noises in the image information acquired in the illuminating state with the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus, and compensates the image information.

6. The in-vivo image displaying apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a pixel defect compensating unit that detects and compensates a pixel defect in the image information acquired by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus in an illuminating state or a non-illuminating state, wherein

the peak detector detects the peak value based on the image information compensated by the pixel defect compensating unit.

7. A noise eliminating method for eliminating fixed pattern noises in in-vivo image information, the method comprising:

acquiring the in-vivo image information in a non-illuminating state;

detecting a peak value of pixel values of pixels that constitute a predetermined determining area among the image information acquired in a non-illuminating sate;

determining whether the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state indicates a black image by comparing the detected peak value with a predetermined threshold value;

acquiring the in-vivo image information in an illuminating state; and

eliminating the fixed pattern noises in the image information acquired in the illuminating state and compensating the image information based on the image information determined as the black image.