System for detecting position of capsule endoscope in subject
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system comprising:
- a device that is swallowed and passes through a subject;
a magnetic field generator generating a constant magnetic field and disposed in the device;
a position transducer that includes a plurality of magnetic detectors, adapted to be disposed in fixed positions forming the vertexes of a cube relative to the subject outside the subject and detecting intensities of the constant magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator;
a reference device selector that selects one magnetic detector out of the plurality of magnetic detectors as a reference magnetic detector based on the detected intensities;
a selector that selects specific magnetic detectors based on a selection result of the reference device selector; and
a position processor calculating a position of the device in the subject based on a detection result of the specific magnetic detectors;
wherein the specific magnetic detectors includes three magnetic detectors which are selected from the plurality of magnetic detectors disposed on axes orthogonal to one another at the reference magnetic detector.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is for detecting a position of a device. The device is swallowed, passes through a subject, and includes a magnetic field generator generating a constant magnetic field. The system also includes a position transducer including a magnetic detector and a position processor. The magnetic detector is disposed at a fixed relative position to the subject, and detects an intensity of a constant magnetic field output from the magnetic field generator. The position processor calculates a position of the device in the subject based on the intensity detected by the magnetic field intensity detector.
33 Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A system comprising:
-
a device that is swallowed and passes through a subject; a magnetic field generator generating a constant magnetic field and disposed in the device; a position transducer that includes a plurality of magnetic detectors, adapted to be disposed in fixed positions forming the vertexes of a cube relative to the subject outside the subject and detecting intensities of the constant magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator; a reference device selector that selects one magnetic detector out of the plurality of magnetic detectors as a reference magnetic detector based on the detected intensities; a selector that selects specific magnetic detectors based on a selection result of the reference device selector; and a position processor calculating a position of the device in the subject based on a detection result of the specific magnetic detectors; wherein the specific magnetic detectors includes three magnetic detectors which are selected from the plurality of magnetic detectors disposed on axes orthogonal to one another at the reference magnetic detector. - 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, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. A method for determining a position of a device in a subject, the method comprising the steps of:
-
introducing a first device inside the subject; detecting a first magnetic field which is generated by a magnet field generator disposed in the first device by using a plurality of magnetic detectors which are disposed to form the vertexes of a cube; tracking a traveling route of the device by obtaining a position of the device by using a plurality of magnetic field intensities detected by the plurality of magnetic detectors; introducing a second device inside the subject; detecting a second magnetic field which is generated by a second magnet field generator disposed in the second device by using the plurality of magnetic detectors; and obtaining a position information of the second device by using the traveling route obtained by the step of tracking and the magnet field intensity detected by the step of detecting the second magnetic field; wherein the detecting step includes selecting one magnetic sensor out of the plurality of magnetic detectors as a reference magnetic detector based on the detected intensities, and selecting as specific magnetic detectors three magnetic detectors which are selected from the plurality of magnetic detectors disposed on axes orthogonal to one another at the reference magnetic detectors, based on a selection result of the reference device selector.
-
-
31. A method for determining a position of a device that is swallowed and passes through a subject, the method comprising the steps of:
-
disposing a plurality of magnetic detectors to form the vertexes of a cube; detecting a magnetic field which is generated by a magnet field generator by using the plurality of magnetic detectors; obtaining a relative distance between the plurality of magnetic detectors and the device; calculating at least either of a position or an orientation of the device; correcting coordinates on which the device exists; and repeating the steps of detecting, obtaining, calculating, and correcting to compute a traveling route of the device; wherein the detecting step includes selecting one magnetic sensor out of the plurality of magnetic detectors as a reference magnetic detector based on the detected intensities, and selecting as specific magnetic detectors three magnetic detectors which are selected from the plurality of magnetic detectors disposed on axes orthogonal to one another at the reference magnetic detector, based on a selection result of the reference device selector. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
-
Specification