Energy management of a video capsule

• US 6,764,440 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2001
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Iddan, Gavriel J., Meron, Gavriel
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P.
• Application Number:
  US09/946,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20020032366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 600/109, 600/117, 600/118, 600/160, 600/407, 600/476, 348/65, 348/76, 348/82, 348/84, 955/86, 955/95, 955/100, 306/17
• US Class Current: 600/109
• 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 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/065 Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/067 using accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1107 Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ, muscle apparatus for measuring work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/42 Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the gastrointestinal, the endocrine or the exocrine systems A61B1/00, A61B5/4857, A61B5/486, A61B5/4866, A61B5/4869 take precedence

Abstract

An energy saving device for acquiring in vivo images of the gastro-intestinal tract is provided. The device, such as an autonomous capsule, includes at least one imaging unit; a control unit connected to the imaging unit and a power supply connected to the control unit. The control unit includes a switching unit and an axial motion detector connected to the switching unit. The axial motion detector detects the axial movement of the device and if the axial acceleration is below a pre-determined threshold, disconnects the power supply thereby preventing the acquisition of redundant images.

Claims

1. An in vivo device for acquiring in vivo images, said device comprising:

at least one imaging unit;

a control unit connected to said at least one imaging unit, said control unit comprising;

a switching unit; and

a motion detector connected to said switching unit;

wherein said control unit is to, in response to a signal from the motion detector, disconnect a power supply from the device.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said motion detector comprises:

an accelerometer.

3. The device of claim 2, comprising an axial accelerometer.

4. The device of claim 1, comprising:

an amplifier; and

an analyzer connected to said amplifier.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said analyzer comprises a comparator to compare an analyzed signal with a pre-determined threshold.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a swallowable capsule.

7. The device of claim 1, comprising a transmitter.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is capable of imaging the gastrointestinal tract.

9. A system comprising:

the device of claim 1; and

a second motion detector disposed external to a body being examined.

10. The device of claim 1, comprising a power supply.