Capsule

• US 7,116,352 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Visionsense Ltd. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Visionsense Ltd. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Yaron, Avi
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Shawn S.
• Application Number:
  US09/785,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20010017649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,055 Days
• Field of Search: 375/130, 348/43, 348/45, 348/65, 348/49, 348/57, 348/42, 348/46, 348/51, 348/61, 348/66, 348/69, 348/70, 348/71, 348/68, 348/77, 359/824, 359/813, 359/826, 600/112, 600/113, 600/111, 600/109, 600/110, 600/118
• US Class Current: 348/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00193 adapted for stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/22 Stereoscopic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2415 Stereoscopic endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/10 Processing, recording or transmission of stereoscopic or multi-view image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/207 using a single 2D image sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/211 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/229 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/232 using fly-eye lenses, e.g. arrangements of circular lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/307 using fly-eye lenses, e.g. arrangements of circular lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/334 : using spectral multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 : using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/339 : using spatial multiplexing H04N13/337 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 : using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 : with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/365 : using digital micromirror devices [DMD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 : Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 : Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 : by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 : based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/136 : using complementary colours
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/447 : by preserving the colour pattern with or without loss of information

Abstract

System for producing a stereoscopic image of an object, and displaying the stereoscopic image, the system including a capsule and a control unit, the capsule including a sensor assembly, a processor connected to the sensor assembly, a capsule transceiver connected to the processor, a light source, and a power supply for supplying electrical power to the capsule transceiver, the processor, the light source and to the sensor assembly, the control unit including a control unit transceiver, and an image processing system connected to the control unit transceiver, wherein, the sensor assembly detects the stereoscopic image, the processor captures the stereoscopic image, the capsule transceiver transmits the stereoscopic image to the control unit transceiver and the image processing system processes the stereoscopic image.

Claims

1. System for producing a stereoscopic image of an object, and displaying the stereoscopic image, the system comprising:

a capsule; and

a control unit;

said capsule comprising;

a sensor assembly;

a processor connected to said sensor assembly;

a capsule transceiver connected to said processor;

at least one dispensing compartment containing a medical substance and comprising a door mechanism, and each of said door mechanisms is connected to said processor, wherein each of said at least one dispensing compartments releases a selected amount of said medical substance according to a command provided by said processor to said door mechanism;

a light source; and

a power supply for supplying power to said capsule transceiver, said processor, said light source and to said sensor assembly;

wherein, said sensor assembly detects said stereoscopic image, said processor captures said stereoscopic image, said capsule transceiver transmits said stereoscopic image to said control unit transceiver and said image processing system processes said stereoscopic image.

2. System for producing a stereoscopic image of an object, and displaying the stereoscopic image, the system comprising:

a capsule; and

a control unit;

said capsule comprising;

a sensor assembly;

a processor connected to said sensor assembly;

at least one collecting compartment collecting a bodily substance and comprising a door mechanism, and each of said door mechanisms is connected to said processor, wherein each of said at least one collecting compartments collects a selected amount of said bodily substance according to a command which said processor provides said door mechanism;

a light source;

a capsule transceiver connected to said processor;

a power supply for supplying power to said capsule transceiver, said processor, said light source and to said sensor assembly;

wherein, said sensor assembly detects said stereoscopic image, said processor captures said stereoscopic image, said capsule transceiver transmits said stereoscopic image to said control unit transceiver and said image processing system processes said stereoscopic image.

3. System for producing a stereoscopic image of an object, and displaying the stereoscopic image, the system comprising:

a capsule; and

a control unit;

said capsule comprising;

a sensor assembly comprising;

a lower light sensor array connected to said processor;

an upper light sensor array connected to said processor, an upper light sensor array detecting surface faces a direction opposite to the direction of a lower light sensor array detecting surface;

a lower mirror facing said lower light sensor array detecting surface;

an upper mirror facing said upper light sensor array detecting surface; and

an optical assembly located between said lower mirror, said upper mirror and said object for directing light beams from said object to said lower mirror and to said upper mirror, and

wherein each of said lower light sensor array and said upper light sensor array includes a plurality of light sensors, and

wherein said optical assembly directs at least one light beam from a first portion of said object to said lower mirror, and said optical assembly directs at least one light beam from a second portion of said object to said upper mirror, and

wherein said lower mirror reflects said at least one light beam from said first portion to said lower light sensor array detecting surface, said upper mirror reflects said at least one light beam from said second portion to said upper light sensor detecting surface, and

wherein said lower light sensor array detects an image of said first portion and said upper light sensor array detects an image of said second portion;

a processor connected to said sensor assembly;

a capsule transceiver connected to said processor;

a power supply for supplying power to said capsule transceiver, said processor, said light source and to said sensor assembly;

wherein, said sensor assembly detects said stereoscopic image, said processor captures said stereoscopic image, said capsule transceiver transmits said stereoscopic image to said control unit transceiver and said image processing system processes said stereoscopic image.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said light source produces at least two alternating beams of light, each said alternating beams of light characterized as being in a different range of wavelengths.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein each of said different ranges of wavelengths associated with said light source, is selected from the list consisting of:

substantially visible red color light;

substantially visible green color light;

substantially visible blue color light;

substantially visible cyan color light;

substantially visible yellow color light;

substantially visible magenta color light;

substantially infra-red light;

substantially ultra-violet light; and

visible light.

6. The system according to claim 3, wherein said light source produces light in a predetermined range of wavelengths.

7. The system according to claim 3, wherein said lower light sensor array includes at least two groups of sensors, the sensors of each said group detect light in a different range of wavelengths.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein each said different ranges of wavelengths associated with said sensors, is selected from the list consisting of:

substantially visible red color light;

substantially visible green color light;

substantially visible blue color light;

substantially visible cyan color light;

substantially visible yellow color light;

substantially visible magenta color light;

substantially infra-red light;

substantially ultra-violet light; and

visible light.

9. The system according to claim 3, wherein said upper light sensor array includes at least two groups of sensors, the sensors of each said group detect light in a different range of wavelengths.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein each said different ranges of wavelengths associated with said sensors, is selected from the list consisting of:

substantially visible red color light;

substantially visible green color light;

substantially visible blue color light;

substantially visible cyan color light;

substantially visible yellow color light;

substantially visible magenta color light;

substantially infra-red light;

substantially ultra-violet light; and

visible light.

11. The system according to claim 3, wherein said lower light sensor array includes a plurality of sensors, each said sensors detects light in a predetermined range of wavelengths.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein each said predetermined ranges of wavelengths associated with said sensors, is selected from the list consisting of:

substantially visible red color light;

substantially visible green color light;

substantially visible blue color light;

substantially visible cyan color light;

substantially visible yellow color light;

substantially visible magenta color light;

substantially infra-red light;

substantially ultra-violet light; and

visible light.

13. The system according to claim 3, wherein said upper light sensor array includes a plurality of sensors, each said sensors detects light in a predetermined range of wavelengths.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein each said predetermined ranges of wavelengths associated with said sensors, is selected from the list consisting of:

substantially visible red color light;

substantially visible green color light;

substantially visible blue color light;

substantially visible cyan color light;

substantially visible yellow color light;

substantially visible magenta color light;

substantially infra-red light;

substantially ultra-violet light; and

visible light.

15. The system according to claim 3, wherein said lower light sensor array is a color red-green-blue (RGB) sensor array.

16. The system according to claim 3, wherein said upper light sensor array is a color red-green-blue (RGB) sensor array.

17. The system according to claim 3, wherein said lower light sensor array is a color cyan-yellow-magenta-green (CYMG) sensor array.

18. The system according to claim 3, wherein said upper light sensor array is a color cyan-yellow-magenta-green (CYMG) sensor array.

19. The system according to claim 3, wherein said lower mirror is convex.

20. The system according to claim 3, wherein said upper mirror is convex.