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In-vivo information acquisition apparatus and in-vivo information acquisition apparatus system

  • US 8,343,069 B2
  • Filed: 02/05/2008
  • Issued: 01/01/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An in-vivo information acquisition apparatus system comprising:

  • an in-vivo information acquisition apparatus for acquiring in-vivo information at an examination site in a body cavity;

    a capsule medical apparatus having a storage section for storing the in-vivo information acquisition apparatus, a release unit for releasing the in-vivo information acquisition apparatus at the examination site, and a casing formed in a capsule shape;

    an external antenna arranged outside a body to transmit and receive a signal to and from the in-vivo information acquisition apparatus;

    an external apparatus that acquires a signal transmitted by the in-vivo information acquisition apparatus from the external antenna and has an identifying section for identifying the identification information possessed by a labeling section arranged inside the in-vivo information acquisition apparatus;

    a position-detecting section provided in at least one of the capsule medical apparatus and the external apparatus to detect a location of the in-vivo information acquisition apparatus in a body, the capsule medical apparatus releases the in-vivo information acquisition apparatus based on the location information of the capsule medical apparatus acquired by the position-detecting section, the position-detecting section includes;

    a magnetic-field generating section provided in the capsule medical apparatus;

    an external magnetic sensor arranged outside a subject; and

    a third determining section provided in the external apparatus to determine the location of the capsule medical apparatus based on a vector of a magnetic field generated by the magnetic-field generating section; and

    an external control section provided in the external apparatus to transmit a common control signal to a plurality of the in-vivo information acquisition apparatuses,wherein the capsule medical apparatus further includes a timer and a control section for controlling the release unit; and

    wherein the control section controls the release unit in a manner such that a desired number of the in-vivo information acquisition apparatuses are released from the release unit to the outside at a desired time based on time information of the timer.

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