In-vivo imaging device, optical system and method
First Claim
1. An autonomous in-vivo imaging device comprising:
- a device body having a longitudinal axis, the device body comprising an optical dome;
an illumination source; and
an imager;
wherein said optical dome covers said illumination source and said imager;
wherein said illumination source is positioned along a curve that defines the foci of an ideal ellipsoid, wherein said ideal ellipsoid intersects the device body; and
wherein said optical dome has a shape of a convex surface flattened from said ideal ellipsoid in a direction along the longitudinal axis, wherein said shape of said convex surface is flattened so that light emitted from said illumination source that reflects off of said flattened optical dome is reflected onto a ring-shaped region of a plane of said illumination source and not on said imager.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An in-vivo device may include an optical system, and a method for viewing in-vivo sites. A dome or cover may cover an end of the device, protecting optical elements such as illumination devices or imagers, which may be behind the dome. The dome may be forward projecting and may have a convex shape. The field of view of the imager may be for example forward looking. Illumination element(s) and a receiving unit or imager may be disposed behind a single optical window, which for example may enable obtaining of images free of backscatter and stray light. The convex shape of the dome may be defined such that it may have a shape having an isolated area. At least one illumination element and at least one receiving unit may be geometrically positioned (for example in the isolated area) such that rays from the illumination elements, some of which are internally reflected from the internal and/or external surface of the optical window, will not be incident on the receiving unit.
106 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An autonomous in-vivo imaging device comprising:
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a device body having a longitudinal axis, the device body comprising an optical dome; an illumination source; and an imager; wherein said optical dome covers said illumination source and said imager; wherein said illumination source is positioned along a curve that defines the foci of an ideal ellipsoid, wherein said ideal ellipsoid intersects the device body; and wherein said optical dome has a shape of a convex surface flattened from said ideal ellipsoid in a direction along the longitudinal axis, wherein said shape of said convex surface is flattened so that light emitted from said illumination source that reflects off of said flattened optical dome is reflected onto a ring-shaped region of a plane of said illumination source and not on said imager. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An autonomous in-vivo imaging device comprising:
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an optical dome; a plurality of illumination sources positioned along a curve that defines the foci of an ideal ellipsoid, wherein the ideal ellipsoid intersects the body of the imaging device; and an imager; the imager and the illumination sources being behind the optical dome, the imager accepting images via the optical dome through an aperture positioned on the longitudinal axis of the device; wherein the optical dome has a shape of a convex surface flattened from said ideal ellipsoid in a direction along the longitudinal axis, wherein said shape of said convex surface is flattened causing the backscattering of light emitted from said plurality of illumination sources onto a ring-shaped region of a plane about the focal curve of the ideal ellipsoid and outside the aperture. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An autonomous in-vivo imaging device comprising:
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an imager; an illumination source; and an optical dome, covering the imager and illumination source, wherein said illumination source is positioned along a curve that defines the foci of an ideal ellipsoid, wherein said ideal ellipsoid intersects the body of said imaging device, wherein said optical dome has a shape of a convex surface flattened from said ideal ellipsoid in a direction along a longitudinal axis of said imaging device, wherein said shape of said convex surface is flattened so that light emitted from said illumination source that reflects off of said flattened optical dome is refected onto a ring-shaped region of a plane of said illumination source and not on said imager. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification