Controlled image capturing method including position tracking and system used therein

• US 20170020374A1
• Filed: 07/23/2015
• Published: 01/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ankon Technologies Co.,Ltd
• Original Assignee: Ankon Technologies Co.,Ltd
• Inventors: Duan, Xiaodong, Wang, Xinhong, XIAO, Guohua
• Granted Patent: US 10,143,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides a method to control the image capturing process by tracking the positions of the capsule endoscope. The images are taken only when there is either new position and/or new orientation change of the capsule endoscope. The method provided by the present invention, effectively decreased the total amount of images that a doctor need to review, and improves the power consumption of the capsule endoscope examination process.

Claims

1. An computer executable examination method using a capsule endoscope, comprising

introducing the capsule endoscope into a target area, wherein the capsule endoscope comprises a permanent magnetic dipole and a camera on one end of the capsule endoscope;

providing an external location system, configured to sensing a magnetic field generated by the permanent magnetic dipole of the capsule endoscope;

moving the capsule endoscope from a previous position P_i to a first position P_c, wherein when capsule endoscope has a previous orientation O_i at the previous position P_i, and has a first orientation O_c at the first position P_c;

calculating a distance D between P_c and P_i;

or/and calculating a difference N between O_c and O_i; and

determining if an image should be taken when the capsule endoscope is taken at P_c and/or orientation O_c, based on the value of distance D or angle N,

wherein i is an integer greater than 0 and c is an integer greater than 0.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the capsule endoscope to a first position further includes moving the capsule endoscope by peristalsis.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprise

Obtaining a total picture count n, wherein n is an integer greater than zero.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprises comparing a distance between P_c−

P<sub>(n−

m)</sub>, wherein 0<

m<

n.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein m is an integer between 15-30.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprises calculating the difference N between O_c and O_i only when the distance D between P_c and P_i is less than or equal to D_min.

7. The method of claim 1, determining if to take an image or not based on distance D or angle N, further comprises

taking an image if D is greater than D_min.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein D_min is 0.4-1.2 cm.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein D_min is about 0.5-0.7 cm.

10. The method of claim 1, determining if to take an image or not based on distance D or angle N, further comprises

Taking an image if N is greater than N_min.

11. The method of claim 6, determining if to take an image or not based on distance D or angle N, further comprises

Taking an image if N is greater than N_min.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein N_min is about 15-50 degrees.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein N_min is about 15-50 degrees.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein N_min is about 25-30 degrees.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of determining if to take an image or not based on distance D or angle N, further comprises taking an image when D is greater than D_min for all previous P_n−

P<sub>n−

m</sub> positions.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein D_min is about 0.6-0.7 cm.

17. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of determining if to take an image or not based on distance D or angle N, further comprises taking an image when N is greater than N_min for all previous P_n−

P<sub>n−

m</sub> positions.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein N_min is about 20-35 degrees.

19. The method of claim 3, further comprising

assigning P_c=P_n+1, O_c=O_n+1 if an image has been taken or has been decided to be taken at P_c.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of

Recording position information P_c and orientation information O_c when image is taken and when an image is not taken.