Encapsulated endoscope system in which endoscope moves in lumen by itself and rotation of image of region to be observed is ceased

• US 7,905,827 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Uchiyama, Akio, Takizawa, Hironobu, Mizuno, Hitoshi, Yokoi, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweet; Thomas J
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, PHILIP ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US11/496,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20060270903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: 600/109, 600/117, 600/118, 600/160
• US Class Current: 600/103
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00045 Display arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00147 Holding or positioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• 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 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/73 Manipulators for magnetic surgery

Abstract

An encapsulated endoscope system in accordance with the present invention comprises: an encapsulated endoscope that rotates to develop a thrust; a controller that moves the encapsulated endoscope in an intended direction of advancement; an imaging unit incorporated in the encapsulated endoscope; and an image processing unit that receives image data sent from the imaging unit, and produces an image, which results from rotation of the received image data, according to the rotational phase of the encapsulated endoscope.

Claims

1. An encapsulated endoscope system comprising:

an encapsulated endoscope configured to be inserted in a body cavity, the encapsulated endoscope comprising an imaging unit configured to image the body cavity;

a control unit configured to generate an instruction signal for rotating the encapsulated endoscope by a predetermined amount in a desired direction;

a driving unit configured to rotate the encapsulated endoscope by the predetermined amount in the desired direction based on the instruction signal generated by the control unit;

an extracorporeal unit configured to receive image data sent from the imaging unit and the instruction signal generated by the control unit, and to record the instruction signal and the image data in association with each other;

an image processing unit configured to correct an orientation of the image data based on the instruction signal and to cause a display device to display the corrected image data; and

an information recording medium that can be freely connected to or disconnected from the extracorporeal unit and the image processing unit, wherein the image data is transferred from the extracorporeal unit to the image processing unit via the information recording medium.

2. An encapsulated endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit is a personal computer.

3. An encapsulated endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the extracorporeal unit consists of a radio circuit and a control circuit.

4. An encapsulated endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the information recording medium is a magnetic disk.

5. An encapsulated endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the information recording medium is an optical disk.

6. An encapsulated endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the information recording medium is an optical magnetic disk.

7. An image acquiring method for an encapsulated endoscope, the method comprising:

capturing an image inside the body by the encapsulated endoscope;

generating an instruction signal for rotating the encapsulated endoscope by a predetermined amount in a desired direction;

rotating the encapsulated endoscope by the pedetermined amount in the desired direction based on the enerated instruction signal;

producing an image data corresponding to the captured image inside the encapsulated endoscope;

sending the image data to an extracorporeal unit;

receiving the image data and the instruction signal by the extracorporeal unit and recording the instruction signal and the image data in association with each other;

correcting an orientation of the image data based on the instruction signal and causing a display device to display the corrected image data by an image processing unit; and

transferring the image data from the extracorporeal unit to the image processing unit via an information recording medium that can be freely connected to or disconnected from the extracorporeal unit and the image processing unit.

8. An image acquiring method for an encapsulated endoscope according to claim 7, wherein the step of receiving the image data by the extracorporeal unit comprises receiving the image data by radio.

9. An image acquiring method for an encapsulated endoscope, the method comprising:

capturing an image inside the body;

generating an instruction signal for rotating the encapsulated endoscope by a predetermined amount in a desired direction;

rotating the encapsulated endoscope by the predetermined amount in the desired direction based on the generated instruction signal;

producing an image data based on the captured image;

sending the image data by radio;

receiving the image data extracorporeally;

storing the instruction signal and the received image data in association with each other in a disconnectable memory;

transferring the image data by the disconnectable memory to a display device; and

correcting orientation of the image data based on the instruction signal and displaying the image corresponding to the corrected image data.