Receiving apparatus containing performance inspection function of antennas

• US 7,715,891 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2006
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Shigemori, Toshiaki, Nakatsuchi, Kazutaka, Fujita, Manabu, Matsui, Akira, Nagase, Ayako, Kimoto, Seiichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, CHARLES CHIANG
• Application Number:
  US11/345,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20060128337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: 455/424, 455/425, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/561, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/456.1, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/67.11, 455/67.14, 455/575.7, 455/272, 455/277.1, 455/133, 600/110, 600/160, 600/424, 600/473, 600/309, 600/350, 600/593, 600/118, 600/476, 600/104, 600/302, 600/120, 348/77, 348/131, 382/286, 343/751, 343/893
• US Class Current: 455/575.7
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00057 provided with means for testing or calibration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/07 Endoradiosondes

Abstract

A receiving apparatus which is used while connected to a plurality of antennas, the receiving apparatus receiving a radio signal through the antennas to perform a predetermined process to the received radio signal, the radio signal being transmitted from a body-insertable apparatus inserted into a subject, includes a receiving antenna selection unit that selects the antenna which is suitable for reception of the radio signal when the radio signal is transmitted from the body-insertable apparatus; a sequential antenna selection unit that sequentially selects each of the plurality of antennas when performance inspection of the plurality of antennas is performed; and a signal processing unit that performs a predetermined process to the radio signal received through the antenna, the antenna being selected by the receiving antenna selection unit or the sequential antenna selection unit.

Claims

1. A receiving apparatus which is used while connected to a plurality of antennas, the receiving apparatus receiving a radio signal through the antenna to perform a predetermined process to the received radio signal, the radio signal being transmitted from a body-insertable apparatus inserted into a subject and including contents of an image taken by the body-insertable apparatus inside the subject, comprising:

a mode switching unit that switchably selects one of plural operation modes, the operation modes including at least a normal mode for reception of the radio signal and a performance inspection mode for inspection of performance of the antennas;

an inspection signal generation unit that is configured to operate in the performance-inspection mode, and generates an inspection radio signal which includes image data similar to the image in the subject taken by the body-insertable apparatus;

an inspection antenna that is configured to operate in the performance-inspection mode, and transmits the inspection radio signal to the antenna;

a receiving antenna selection unit that is configured to operate in the normal mode, and selects the antenna which is suitable for reception of the radio signal;

a sequential antenna selection unit that is configured to operate in the performance-inspection mode, and sequentially selects each of the plurality of antennas;

a signal processing unit that performs a predetermined process to the radio signal and the inspection radio signal received through the antenna, the antenna being selected by the receiving antenna selection unit or the sequential antenna selection unit, and

a display unit that displays in real-time a receiving status of the inspection radio signal transmitted from the inspection antenna, wherein

the performance inspection is performed during a predetermined interval of transmission of the radio signals from the body-insertable-apparatus inserted into the subject.

2. The receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the receiving antenna selection unit appropriately selects the antenna through which receiving intensity of the received radio signal is highest, and

the sequential antenna selection unit sequentially selects each of the plurality of antennas irrespective of the receiving intensity of the radio signal received through the antenna.

3. The receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the receiving antenna selection unit appropriately selects the antenna through which receiving intensity of the received radio signal is highest, and

the receiving antenna sequential selection unit sequentially selects the plurality of antennas irrespective of the receiving intensity of the radio signal received through the antenna.

4. The receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inspection radio signal includes a fixed pattern signal showing a predetermined image.

5. The receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the body-insertable apparatus has an image pickup unit that takes the image in the subject, and

the inspection radio signal includes an image signal generated by another image pickup unit different from the image pickup unit.

6. The receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a recording unit that is configured to operate in the normal mode, and outputs the received radio signal to a recording medium after the received radio signal is subjected to the predetermined process by the signal processing unit.

7. The receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit includes:

a mechanism which determines a performance inspection result, and

an LED which displays a pattern corresponding to the determined performance inspection result.