Ingestible endoscopic optical scanning device

• US 8,529,441 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2009
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innurvation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Innurvation Incorporated
• Inventors: Bandy, William Robert, Jamieson, Brian Glenn, Powell, Kevin James, Salsman, Kenneth Edward, Schober, Robert Charles, Weitzner, John, Arneson, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Philip R
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOU, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US12/370,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20100016673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: 600/109, 600/160, 600/170, 600/171, 600/173, 600/178, 600/179, 600/476
• US Class Current: 600/173
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0607 for annular illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An ingestible scanning device includes, in an embodiment, a capsule housing having a transparent window and sized so as to be ingestible, a photo-sensing array located within the capsule housing, a mirror located within the housing and oriented to direct an image from a surface outside the transparent window to the photo-sensing array, and a light source for illuminating the surface outside the transparent window.

Claims

1. An ingestible scanning device, comprising:

an ingestible capsule housing having a transparent window;

a one-dimensional photo-sensing array comprising at least one photosensor located within the capsule housing;

a mirror located within the housing and oriented to direct an image from a surface outside the transparent window to the photo-sensing array;

a light source for illuminating the surface outside the transparent window,

wherein at least one of the mirror and the one-dimensional array is movable with respect to the housing; and

a cylindrical lens between the photo-sensing array and the mirror, the cylindrical lens being oriented so that its axis is parallel to the photo-sensing array to direct light from the mirror onto the photo-sensing array.

2. The ingestible scanning device of claim 1, wherein the mirror is rotatable.

3. The ingestible scanning device of claim 1, wherein the mirror is a cylindrically symmetrical reflective element or is an element combining reflective and refractive surfaces.

4. The ingestible scanning device of claim 1, wherein the light source is located within the capsule housing.

5. The ingestible scanning device of claim 1, wherein the light source is attached to an outer surface of the capsule housing.

6. The ingestible scanning device of claim 1, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode.

7. The ingestible scanning device of claim 1, wherein the light source is a light distribution ring.

8. The ingestible scanning device of claim 1, wherein a focus position of the image is variable.

9. The ingestible scanning device of claim 1, wherein a rotation rate of the mirror is variable.

10. An ingestible scanning device, comprising:

an ingestible capsule housing having a transparent window;

a photo-sensing array located within the capsule housing;

a mirror located within the housing and oriented to direct an image from a surface outside the transparent window to the photo-sensing array;

a light source for illuminating the surface outside the transparent window; and

a toroidal lens located around the photo-sensing array, the toroidal lens oriented to direct light from the light source onto the mirror