COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION COLLECTION AND PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHODS

• US 20150150433A1
• Filed: 11/20/2014
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West View Research LLC
• Original Assignee: West View Research LLC
• Inventors: Gazdzinski, Robert F.
• Granted Patent: US 10,154,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0002 provided with data storages
• 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 1/0004 for electronic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0005 combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00059 provided with identification means for the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00156 using self propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/043 for fluorescence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/273 for the upper alimentary canal, e.g. oesophagoscopes, gastroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/02 Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/162 Capsule shaped sensor housings, e.g. for swallowing or implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 : for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 : Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 : Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4255 : Intestines, colon or appendix
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6861 : Capsules, e.g. for swallowing or implanting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 : involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 : Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 : in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4245 : involving determining the position of the probe, e.g. with respect to an external reference frame or to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 : Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 : the transducer being a phased array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 : Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/002 : in combination with another treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1005 : with asymmetrical radiation pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1014 : Intracavitary radiation therapy
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30028 : Colon; Small intestine
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 : Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/004 : by using forward error control H04L1/0618 takes precedence; coding, decoding or code conversion, for error detection or correction H03M13/00

Abstract

Computerized information acquisition and processing apparatus and methods. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a sensor and processor with associate storage device(s). In one variant, the apparatus includes data relating to one or more templates associated with various physiological artifacts. The apparatus is configured in this variant to utilize the data to evaluate data collected by the sensor to enable, for example, filtering of data for transmission over a wireless interface of the apparatus.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. An electronic probe for use within a human being, said electronic probe comprising:

a housing with at least one aperture formed therein;

a cover element disposed at least partly within said aperture and adapted to transmit a plurality of wavelengths of light;

at least one illuminating light source configured to transmit light energy external to said electronic probe via at least said aperture and said cover element;

an imaging device adapted to receive light via said cover element and produce signals relating thereto;

a wireless interface capable of transmitting data wirelessly from the probe;

a data storage device comprising stored data; and

an integrated circuit (IC) in operative communication with said imaging device and said data storage device and said wireless interface, said IC comprising at least one processing apparatus and at least one computer program configured to, when executed on said at least one processing apparatus;

obtain data generated based on said signals from said imaging device;

evaluate at least a portion of said obtained data with respect to at least a portion of said stored data; and

based at least in part on said evaluation, cause transmission of only one or more selected portions of said obtained data using at least the wireless interface.

31. The probe of claim 30, wherein the stored data comprises image data, and said evaluation comprises comparison of the at least portion of the stored image data to the at least portion of the obtained data to identify at least one matching feature within said at least portion of the obtained data.

32. The probe of claim 31, wherein the transmission of only one or more selected portions of said obtained data comprises transmission of data associated with the identified at least one matching feature.

33. The probe of claim 31, wherein the transmission of only one or more selected portions of said obtained data comprises transmission of only data associated with the identified at least one matching feature.

34. The probe of claim 30, wherein the stored data comprises data relating to one or more anatomical features or conditions of a human being, and said evaluation comprises comparison of the at least portion of the stored data to the at least portion of the obtained data to identify at least one matching feature or condition within said at least portion of the obtained data.

35. The probe of claim 34, wherein the use within a human being comprises use within a gastrointestinal tract of the human being, and the data relating to one or more features or conditions comprises data relating to a particular condition occurring within a gastrointestinal tract.

36. The probe of claim 30, wherein the evaluation of at least a portion of said obtained data with respect to at least a portion of said stored data comprises determining a level or degree of matching between the at least portion of said obtained data and the at least portion of said stored data.

37. The probe of claim 36, wherein the causation of transmission of only one or more selected portions of said obtained data based at least in part on the evaluation comprises causation of transmission of the only one or more selected portions based at least on the determined level or degree of matching meeting at least one prescribed criterion.

38. The probe of claim 30, wherein:

the use within a human being comprises use within a gastrointestinal tract of the human being, and the data relating to one or more features or conditions comprises data relating to a particular condition occurring within a gastrointestinal tract;

the stored data comprises a template associated with a particular condition which may afflict a gastrointestinal tract; and

the evaluation of at least a portion of said obtained data with respect to at least a portion of said stored data comprises determining a level or degree of matching between the at least portion of said obtained data and the template.

39. The probe of claim 38, wherein:

the template comprises a plurality of data points which define at least one geometric shape, the at least one geometric shape associated with the particular condition; and

the level or degree of matching comprises a mathematical analysis of the at least portion of the obtained data to determine whether at least one of (i) a portion of the shape, and/or (ii) an approximation of the shape, is present therein.

40. The probe of claim 30, wherein:

the use within a human being comprises use within a gastrointestinal tract of the human being, and the data relating to one or more features or conditions comprises data relating to a particular condition occurring within a gastrointestinal tract;

the stored data is associated with a normal shape or feature of a gastrointestinal tract; and

the evaluation of at least a portion of said obtained data with respect to at least a portion of said stored data comprises;

determining whether the at least portion of said obtained data includes the normal shape or feature; and

when it is determined that the at least portion of said obtained data does include the normal shape or feature, selectively excluding at least some of the data of the at least portion of the obtained data corresponding to the normal shape or feature from said transmission.

41. The probe of claim 30, wherein the at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed on said at least one processing apparatus, compress at least a portion of the only one or more selected portions of said obtained data before said transmission.

42. The probe of claim 30, wherein the at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed on said at least one processing apparatus, encode at least a portion of the only one or more selected portions of said obtained data before said transmission using a video encoding algorithm.

43. The probe of claim 30, wherein the wireless interface comprises a Bluetooth-compliant radio frequency interface configured to communicate with a personal electronic apparatus of the human being when the personal electronic apparatus is disposed proximate the human being.

44. An electronic probe configured for use within an intestinal tract of a human being, said electronic probe comprising:

a housing;

at least one sensor apparatus capable of generating sensor data;

data processing apparatus in data communication with the at least one sensor apparatus;

at least one program storage apparatus in communication with the data processing apparatus and comprising at least one computer program;

at least one data storage apparatus in data communication with the data processing apparatus;

a wireless interface in data communication with the data processing apparatus and capable of transmitting data wirelessly from the probe;

wherein the at least one computer program is configured to, when executed on said data processing apparatus;

obtain data generated by the at least one sensor apparatus;

evaluate at least a portion of said obtained data;

based at least in part on said evaluation, cause processing of at least a portion of the obtained data to create processed obtained data; and

cause transmission of at least a portion of said processed obtained data using at least the wireless interface.

45. The probe of claim 44, wherein;

the evaluation of said at least portion of said obtained data comprises identification of one or more portions of the at least portion of said obtained data corresponding to normal or non-afflicted portions of the intestinal tract; and

said processing of at least a portion of the obtained data to create processed obtained data comprises processing of only portions other than the identified one or more portions corresponding to normal or non-afflicted portions of the intestinal tract.

46. The probe of claim 45, wherein the processing of only portions other than the identified one or more portions corresponding to normal or non-afflicted portions of the intestinal tract comprises compressing, prior to said transmission, of said only portions using an algorithm which compresses data.

47. The probe of claim 44, wherein;

the evaluation of said at least portion of said obtained data comprises identification of one or more portions of the at least portion of said obtained data corresponding to diseased portions of the intestinal tract; and

said processing of at least a portion of the obtained data to create processed obtained data comprises processing of only the identified one or more portions.

48. The probe of claim 47, wherein the processing of only the identified one or more portions comprises compressing, prior to said transmission, of said identified one or more portions using an algorithm which compresses data.

49. A method of operating an electronic probe within an intestinal tract of a human being, the method comprising:

using at least one sensor of the electronic probe to obtain data relating to the intestinal tract while the probe is within the intestinal tract;

evaluating, using at least one processing apparatus of the probe, at least a portion of the obtained data, the evaluating identifying one or more useful subsets of the obtained data;

transmitting, using a wireless interface of the probe, only the one or more useful subsets of the obtained data;

receiving the transmitted one or more useful subsets at a wireless receiver disposed external to the human being; and

storing at least a portion of the received one or more subsets within a storage device associated with the wireless receiver.