Endoscopic smart probe and method
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of evaluating first image data generated by a single sensor of a single substantially autonomous intestinal probe, comprising:
- collecting a plurality of said first image data obtained from said single sensor of said probe while said probe moved substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a living being;
selecting, after collection of said first data, at least one portion of said first image data for evaluation, said selecting comprising selecting at least one frame of interest having a first field of view and also frames of image data contiguous with the selected at least one frame of interest, said frames of image data contiguous with the selected at least one frame of interest having a field of view substantially the same as said first field of view, said selecting being based at least in part on a user input; and
evaluating said selected at least one portion of the first image data in order to identify a physiologic condition of said living being, said identification being enabled based at least in part on comparison of second image data with said selected at least one portion.
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Abstract
An improved endoscopic device which is introduced into the intestinal tract of a living organism and which operates autonomously therein, adapted to obtain and store or transmit one or more types of data such as visual image data, laser autofluorescence data, or ultrasonic waveform data. In another aspect of the invention, an improved endoscopic device useful for implanting the aforementioned endoscopic smart probe is disclosed. In another aspect of the invention, apparatus for delivering agents including nanostructures, radionuclides, medication, and ligands is disclosed. In another aspect of the invention, apparatus for obtaining a biopsy of intestinal tissue is disclosed. In another aspect of the invention, apparatus for detecting the presence of one or more molecular species within the intestine is disclosed. Methods for inspecting and/or treating the interior regions of the intestinal tract using the aforementioned apparatus are also disclosed.
330 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of evaluating first image data generated by a single sensor of a single substantially autonomous intestinal probe, comprising:
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collecting a plurality of said first image data obtained from said single sensor of said probe while said probe moved substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a living being; selecting, after collection of said first data, at least one portion of said first image data for evaluation, said selecting comprising selecting at least one frame of interest having a first field of view and also frames of image data contiguous with the selected at least one frame of interest, said frames of image data contiguous with the selected at least one frame of interest having a field of view substantially the same as said first field of view, said selecting being based at least in part on a user input; and evaluating said selected at least one portion of the first image data in order to identify a physiologic condition of said living being, said identification being enabled based at least in part on comparison of second image data with said selected at least one portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of evaluating data obtained from a substantially autonomous intestinal probe, comprising:
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receiving a substantially continuous stream of data relating to a single image, said data obtained using said probe while said probe moves substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a living being; temporally dividing said substantially continuous stream of data into at least two stream portions; and evaluating said at least two stream portions in parallel. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of evaluation using data obtained from at least two substantially autonomous intestinal probes, comprising:
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obtaining a plurality of first data from a first of said at least two probes while said first probe moves substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a living being; obtaining a plurality of second data from a second of said at least two probes while said second probe moves substantially autonomously through an intestinal tract of a second living being; and conducting said evaluation using at least portions of said first and second data in parallel in order to reduce the time needed to evaluate both said first and second data as compared to evaluating them serially or individually. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. Apparatus adapted to evaluate first data generated by a single sensor of a substantially autonomous intestinal probe, comprising:
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at least one digital processor; and at least one computer program recorded on a computer readable medium, said medium in data communication with said at least one processor, said program adapted to run on said at least one processor, said at least one program further being adapted to; obtain a plurality of said first data, said data previously generated by said single sensor with a substantially fixed field of view while said probe moved substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a living being; select at least one portion of contiguous frames of said first data for evaluation based on user input; and present said selected at least one portion of said first data along with second data in order to facilitate identification of one or more physiologic conditions of said living being, said identification being enabled based at least in part on comparison of said second data with said selected at least one portion of said first data on a common display device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. Apparatus adapted to evaluate data obtained from a substantially autonomous intestinal probe, comprising:
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at least one digital processor; at least one display device operatively coupled to said at least one processor; and at least one computer program recorded on a computer readable medium, said medium in data communication with said at least one processor, said program adapted to run on said at least one processor, said at least one program further being adapted to; receive a substantially continuous stream of said data relating to a single image obtained using said probe, said data generated while said probe moved substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a living being; divide said substantially continuous stream of data into at least two stream portions representing different temporal periods; and display at least a portion of said at least two stream portions in parallel on said at least one display device, said displaying comprising displaying video of said at least two stream portions so that a user can complete review of said plurality of data more rapidly than if said division and display in parallel had not been performed. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A method of processing image data derived from a sensor disposed on a substantially autonomous intestinal probe having a digital processor, comprising:
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obtaining a plurality of image data from said sensor, said image data generated while said probe moves substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a living being; processing at least a portion of said plurality of image data using at least said digital processor, said processing comprising purposely and selectively eliminating at least some of said image data using a computer program running on said processor so as to reduce off-probe transmission bandwidth requirements; transferring at least a portion of said plurality of data off-probe; and processing at least a portion of said transferred portion of data off-probe. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of expediently evaluating data obtained from at least two substantially autonomous intestinal probes within different beings, comprising:
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obtaining a plurality of first data from a first of said at least two probes while said first probe moves substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a living being; obtaining a plurality of second data from a second of said at least two probes while said second probe moves substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a second living being; and evaluating at least portions of said first and second data substantially simultaneously in order to reduce the time needed to evaluate both said first and second data. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A method of processing image data derived from a sensor disposed on a substantially autonomous intestinal probe having a digital processor, comprising:
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obtaining a plurality of image data from said sensor, said image data generated while said probe moves substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a living being and being part of an image data stream; processing at least a portion of said plurality of image data using at least said digital processor, said processing comprising purposely and selectively eliminating substantially all of the image data of said image data stream occurring between a first time and second time using a computer program running on said processor, said eliminating reducing off-probe image data review burden; transferring at least a portion of said plurality of data off-probe; and processing at least a portion of said transferred portion of data off-probe. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of processing image data derived from a sensor disposed on a substantially autonomous intestinal probe having a digital processor, comprising:
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obtaining a plurality of image data from said sensor, said image data generated while said probe moves substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a living being; processing at least a portion of said plurality of data using at least said digital processor, said processing comprising purposely and selectively eliminating at least some of said image data using a computer program running on said processor so as to reduce off-probe review burden; transferring at least a portion of said plurality of data off-probe; and processing at least a portion of said transferred portion of data off-probe. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of expediently evaluating data obtained from at least two substantially autonomous intestinal probes within different beings, comprising:
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obtaining a plurality of first data from a first of said at least two probes while said first probe moves substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a living being; obtaining a plurality of second data from a second of said at least two probes while said second probe moves substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a second living being; and evaluating at least portions of said first and second data substantially simultaneously as first and second data streams, respectively; wherein, a rate of presentation of at least one of said first and second data streams is selected so as to; enable a reviewer thereof to review both streams substantially simultaneously without missing any significant portion of either said first or second data; and reduce the time needed to evaluate both said first and second data as compared to evaluating them individually.
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38. A method of expediently evaluating data obtained from at least two substantially autonomous intestinal probes within different beings, comprising:
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obtaining a plurality of first data from a first of said at least two probes while said first probe moves substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a living being; obtaining a plurality of second data from a second of said at least two probes while said second probe moves substantially autonomously through the intestinal tract of a second living being; and evaluating at least portions of said first and second data substantially simultaneously in order to reduce the time needed to evaluate both said first and second data; wherein said substantially simultaneous evaluation is performed in order to initially identify one or more regions of interest within said intestinal tract of said first or second living being.
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Specification