Device, system and method for temperature sensing in an in-vivo device

• US 7,140,766 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2003
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1999
• 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, Glukhovsky, Arkady
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jagan, Mirellys
• Application Number:
  US10/643,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20040109488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 374/175, 374/117, 374/121, 374/141, 250/339.04, 250/352, 348/243, 348/245, 348/909, 348/45, 348/65, 600/549, 600/474, 600/109, 600/117, 600/160, 327/512, 327/513
• US Class Current: 374/175
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/30 using thermal noise of resistances or conductors

Abstract

A device, method and system for sensing the temperature or temperature change of an environment. A typically in-vivo device includes an image sensor. The device may sense the dark current noise of the image sensor, and calculate the temperature or a temperature change of the image sensor.

Claims

1. A method for calculating a temperature change in vivo, the method comprising:

introducing in vivo an image sensor having an image sensing module;

sensing the dark current noise of the image sensing module;

obtaining a dark current data sample according to a predetermined time schedule during at least one dark period during which the image sensor is not illuminated;

comparing a dark current data sample of the sensed dark current noise to a previous sample; and

calculating the temperature change in vivo according to the comparison;

wherein the image sensor is contained within a capsule.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising displaying the in vivo temperature.

3. A system for calculating a temperature change in vivo comprising:

a capsule comprising;

an image sensor;

an integrating unit; and

a change detector;

said image sensor contained within said capsule and being introduced in vivo; and

said integrating unit receiving dark current noise samples from the image sensor according to a predetermined time schedule during at least one dark period during which the image sensor is not illuminated, and said change detector detecting changes between said dark current noise samples and calculating the temperature change in vivo according to the changes.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein communication between said integrating unit amplifies said dark current noise samples received from said image sensor by said integrating unit.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein said image sensor and said integrating unit are controlled according to an illumination condition.

6. A system according to claim 3, wherein said image sensor senses the dark current noise during a dark period.

7. A system according to claim 3, wherein said image sensor communicates with said controller during periods when said image sensor is not illuminated.