Detection of when a capsule camera enters into or goes out of a human body and associated operations
First Claim
1. A method for detecting a capsule camera entering into or exiting the GI tract, comprising:
- determining if the capsule camera has previously been determined to have already entered the GI tract;
if the capsule camera has previously been determined to have already entered the GI tract, determining if a predetermined criterion is satisfied for initiating detection of whether or not the capsule camera has exited the GI tract;
if the capsule camera has not previously been determined to have already entered the GI tract, or if the predetermined criterion is already satisfied;
taking a first test image under the condition that an illumination system of the capsule camera is substantially disabled;
taking a second test image under the same condition as the first test image;
comparing selected corresponding pixel values of the first test image and the second test image to determine if a significant change in pixel values has occurred; and
upon detecting the significant change in pixel values, determining if the capsule camera has entered or exited the GI tract, and performing operations appropriate to follow such determination.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for detecting a capsule camera entering into or exiting the GI tract, includes (a) taking a first test image under the condition that an illumination system of the capsule camera is disabled; (b) taking a second test image under the same condition as the first test image; (c) comparing selected corresponding pixel values of the first test image and the second test image to determine if a significant change in pixel values has occurred; and (d) upon detecting the significant change in pixel values, determining if the capsule camera has entered or exited the GI tract, and performing operations appropriate to follow such determination. The appropriate operations performed after detecting the capsule camera'"'"'s exit from the GI tract includes stopping further taking or storing of images and, optionally, activating an audio signal to indicate the capsule camera has exited the GI tract. The appropriate operations performed after detecting the capsule camera'"'"'s entering into the GI tract includes entering into an imaging mode for a next section of the GI tract, which may be the esophagus.
67 Citations
80 Claims
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1. A method for detecting a capsule camera entering into or exiting the GI tract, comprising:
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determining if the capsule camera has previously been determined to have already entered the GI tract; if the capsule camera has previously been determined to have already entered the GI tract, determining if a predetermined criterion is satisfied for initiating detection of whether or not the capsule camera has exited the GI tract; if the capsule camera has not previously been determined to have already entered the GI tract, or if the predetermined criterion is already satisfied; taking a first test image under the condition that an illumination system of the capsule camera is substantially disabled; taking a second test image under the same condition as the first test image; comparing selected corresponding pixel values of the first test image and the second test image to determine if a significant change in pixel values has occurred; and upon detecting the significant change in pixel values, determining if the capsule camera has entered or exited the GI tract, and performing operations appropriate to follow such determination. - 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, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for detecting a capsule camera entering into or exiting the GI tract, comprising:
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taking a first test image under the condition that an illumination system of the capsule camera is substantially disabled; taking a second test image under the same condition as the first test image; comparing selected corresponding pixel values of the first test image and the second test image to determine if a significant change in pixel values has occurred; determining if a significant change in the capsule camera'"'"'s operating environment has occurred, as measured by a thermometer; and upon detecting the significant change in pixel values and the significant change in the capsule camera'"'"'s operating environment, determining if the capsule camera has entered or exited the GI tract, and performing operations appropriate to follow such determination, wherein the thermometer comprises a first set of one or more devices connected in series with a second set of one or more devices, the first set of devices having a different temperature dependence than the second set of devices, and wherein the first set of devices and the second set of devices each comprise one or more transistors. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for detecting a capsule camera entering into or exiting the GI tract, comprising:
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taking a first test image under the condition that an illumination system of the capsule camera is substantially disabled; taking a second test image under the same condition as the first test image; comparing selected corresponding pixel values of the first test image and the second test image to determine if a significant change in pixel values has occurred; determining if a significant change in the capsule camera'"'"'s operating environment has occurred, as measured by a thermometer; and upon detecting the significant change in pixel values and the significant change in the capsule camera'"'"'s operating environment, determining if the capsule camera has entered or exited the GI tract, and performing operations appropriate to follow such determination, wherein the thermometer operates according to a method for measuring a leakage current across a PN junction, comprising pre-charging the PN junction by applying a reverse bias voltage across the PN junction, and measuring a voltage of the PN junction after a predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. A method for detecting a capsule camera entering into or exiting the GI tract, comprising:
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determining if the capsule camera has already entered the GI tract, and if the capsule camera has already entered the GI tract, further determining if a predetermined criterion is satisfied for initiating detection of whether or not the capsule camera has exited the GI tract; if the capsule camera has not already entered the GI tract, or if the predetermined criterion is satisfied; taking a test image under the condition that an illumination system of the capsule camera is substantially disabled; comparing the pixel values of the first test image against a threshold value to determine if a significant event has occurred; and upon detecting the significant event in pixel values, determining if the capsule camera has entered or exited the GI tract, and performing operations appropriate to follow such determination. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. A method for detecting a capsule camera entering into or exiting the GI tract, comprising:
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taking a test image under the condition that an illumination system of the capsule camera is substantially disabled; comparing the pixel values of the first test image against a threshold value to determine if a significant event has occurred; determining if a significant change in the capsule camera'"'"'s operating environment has occurred, as measured by a thermometer; and upon detecting the significant event in pixel values and the significant change in the capsule camera'"'"'s operating environment, determining if the capsule camera has entered or exited the GI tract, and performing operations appropriate to follow such determination, wherein the thermometer comprises a first set of one or more devices connected in series with a second set of one or more devices, the first set of devices having a different temperature dependence than the second set of devices, and wherein the first set of devices comprise one or more short channel transistors, and wherein the second set of devices comprise one or more long channel devices. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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79. A method for detecting a capsule camera entering into or exiting the GI tract, comprising:
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taking a test image under the condition that an illumination system of the capsule camera is substantially disabled; comparing the pixel values of the first test image against a threshold value to determine if a significant event has occurred; determining if a significant change in the capsule camera'"'"'s operating environment has occurred, as measured by a thermometer; and upon detecting the significant event in pixel values and the significant change in the capsule camera'"'"'s operating environment, determining if the capsule camera has entered or exited the GI tract, and performing operations appropriate to follow such determination, wherein the thermometer operates according to a method for measuring a leakage current across a PN junction, comprising; pre-charging the PN junction by applying a reverse bias voltage across the PN junction, and measuring a voltage of the PN junction after a predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (80)
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Specification