Remote-controllable, micro-scale device for use in in vivo medical diagnosis and/or treatment
First Claim
1. A wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device adapted for use inside a patient'"'"'s body, said wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device comprising:
- (a) a transport capsule;
(b) means for moving said transport capsule inside a patient'"'"'s body;
(c) imaging means, on board said transport capsule, for collecting image information on the appearance of the inside of the patient'"'"'s body;
(d) examining means, on board said transport capsule, for collecting spectroscopic information regarding the presence of abnormal biological materials inside the patient'"'"'s body; and
(e) communication means, on board said transport capsule, for transmitting the information collected by said imaging means and said examining means to a location outside the patient'"'"'s body.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Remote-controllable, micro-scale, robotic device for use in diagnosing and/or treating abnormalities inside a human body in vivo. The device has a length from 0.1 mm to 10 mm and can be introduced into the body either from natural body openings or by injection into the blood stream. Once inside the body, the device can be guided to different locations in the body by an outside operator using radio controls and computer software. 2-dimensional image information and spectroscopic information (e.g., fluorescence, absorption, elastic scattering, Raman, etc.) gathered by the device inside the body are transmitted by video and radio signals to a computer located externally relative to the body. The transmitted information is processed, analyzed and displayed by the external computer for use by the outside operator. The outside operator can then make a diagnosis and, if applicable, instruct the device to render a treatment on the examined area. Such treatments include the ablation of tissue using lasers or the like and the binding of ruptured tissues together using chemical glue, UV cured epoxy materials or photochemical or photo-ionization techniques using near-infrared light to weld tissue from absorption at water bands.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device adapted for use inside a patient'"'"'s body, said wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device comprising:
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(a) a transport capsule;
(b) means for moving said transport capsule inside a patient'"'"'s body;
(c) imaging means, on board said transport capsule, for collecting image information on the appearance of the inside of the patient'"'"'s body;
(d) examining means, on board said transport capsule, for collecting spectroscopic information regarding the presence of abnormal biological materials inside the patient'"'"'s body; and
(e) communication means, on board said transport capsule, for transmitting the information collected by said imaging means and said examining means to a location outside the patient'"'"'s body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
(a) a computer, said computer comprising means for receiving wireless signals; and
(b) the wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device as claimed in claim 1.
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17. A method of examining a patient comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing the wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device of claim 1;
(b) introducing the wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device into the patient; and
(c) transmitting the image and/or examination information collected by said collecting means to a receiver located outside of the patient'"'"'s body.
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18. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said moving means of said wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device comprises at least one of an air propeller, a liquid propeller, a gas assisted propeller, snail motion means, snake motion means, micro tractor treads and multiple wheels and wherein said device further comprises means for treating the patient.
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19. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said wireless, micro-scale device is introduced into the patient orally.
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20. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said wireless, micro-scale device is introduced into the patient intravenously.
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21. The wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device
(a) as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transport capsule is 0.1 mm to 20 mm in length. -
22. The wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device as claimed in claim 21 wherein said examining means comprises a light source, the light source being selected from the group comprising semiconductor lasers, flash lamps, and LED'"'"'s.
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23. The wireless, remote-controllable micro-scale device as claimed in claim 22 wherein said examining means also comprises a photodetector, the photodetector being selected from the group comprising photo diodes, avalanche photodiode, and photomultiplier tube (PMT).
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24. The wireless, remote-controllable micro-scale device as claimed in claim 23 wherein said examining means further comprises changeable optical filters or transmission gratings.
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25. The wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device as claimed in claim 24 wherein the device diagnoses diseases in vivo of stomach, GI track, prostate, blood vessels, heart, GYN track, and ducts of breast.
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26. The wireless remote-controllable, micro-scale device as claimed in claim 25 wherein optical filters are moved into position to select wavelengths using microelectromechanical gears.
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27. A wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device adapted for use inside a patient'"'"'s body, said wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device comprising:
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(a) a transport capsule;
(b) means for moving said transport capsule inside a patient'"'"'s body;
(c) imaging meas, on board said transport capsule, for collecting image information on the appearance of the inside of the patient'"'"'s body;
(d) examining means, on board said transport capsule for collecting information regarding the presence of abnormal biological materials inside the patient'"'"'s body wherein said examining means comprises a light source for irradiating an area of the patient'"'"'s body and means for detecting light from the irradiated area at one or more wavelengths and wherein said examining means measures native fluorescence information from the irradiated area; and
(e) communication means, on board said transport capsule, for transmitting the information collected by said imaging means and said examining means to a location outside the patient'"'"'s body.
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28. A wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device adapted for use inside a patient'"'"'s body, said wireless, remote-controllable, micro-scale device comprising:
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(a) a transport capsule;
(b) means for moving said transport capsule inside a patient'"'"'s body;
(c) imaging meas, on board said transport capsule, for collecting image information on the appearance of the inside of the patient'"'"'s body;
(d) examining means, on board said transport capsule, for collecting information regarding the presence of abnormal biological materials inside the patient'"'"'s body wherein said examining means comprises a light source for irradiating an area of the patient'"'"'s body and means for detecting light from the irradiated area at one or more wavelengths and wherein said examining means measures native Raman information from the irradiated area; and
(e) communication means, on board said transport capsule, for transmitting the information collected by said imaging means and said examining means to a location outside the patient'"'"'s body.
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29. A system for use in internally examining a patient, said system comprising:
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(a) a computer;
(b) a micro-scale device comprising (i) a transport capsule, said transport capsule being 0.1 mm to 20 mm in length;
(ii) means for moving said transport capsule inside a patient'"'"'s body;
(iii) imaging means, on board said transport capsule, for collecting image information on the appearance of the inside of the patient'"'"'s body;
(iv) examining means, on board said transport capsule, for collecting spectroscopic information regarding the presence of abnormal biological materials inside the patient'"'"'s body; and
(c) a wire cable electrically connecting said micro-scale device to said computer. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification