Capsule-type medical device, power supply apparatus, and power supply system

• US 8,915,840 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2011
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Sato, Ken, Miyahara, Hideharu, Yoshida, Naoki, Iwaisako, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torres Diaz, Arnaldo
• Application Number:
  US13/108,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20110218402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 600/118, 600/109, 600/130, 600/160, 600/101, 307/104, 340/539.12, 333/32, 333/17.3, 333/17.1
• US Class Current: 600/118
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00027 characterised by power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00029 externally powered, e.g. wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/56 Details of data transmission or power supply, e.g. use of slip rings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices

Abstract

Provided is a capsule-type endoscope that has a power receiving coil that wirelessly receives an electric power from outside a body of an individual to be examined, a processing circuit that performs predetermined processing, and an adjusting reactance section that is capable of adjusting a reactance that is connected to the power receiving coil.

Claims

1. A capsule-type medical device that receives an electric power from outside a body of an individual to be examined and performs a plurality of kinds of predetermined processing inside the body, comprising:

a processing circuit that performs the plurality of kinds of predetermined processing inside the body, a processing load for each of the plurality of kinds of predetermined processing being different; and

a power receiving circuit that has a power receiving coil that wirelessly receives an electric power from outside the body, a power receiving resonance capacitor, and an adjusting reactance section that is capable of adjusting a reactance that is connected to the power receiving coil and the power receiving resonance capacitor;

wherein the capsule-type medical device further comprises a reactance adjusting circuit that matches an impedance of the processing circuit and an impedance of the power receiving circuit by adjusting a reactance of the adjusting reactance section, in accordance with each of the plurality of kinds of predetermined processing.

2. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 1, wherein the reactance adjusting circuit adjusts the reactance based on each of control signals for the plurality of kinds of predetermined processing.

3. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 2, wherein:

the adjusting reactance section has a plurality of power receiving reactance elements that have different reactances to each other, and a reactance adjustment switch section that switches the power receiving reactance element that connects to the power receiving coil; and

the reactance adjusting circuit adjusts a reactance of the adjusting reactance section by switching the reactance adjustment switch section.

4. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a load detection circuit that detects an impedance of the processing circuit;

wherein the reactance adjusting circuit adjusts a reactance of the adjusting reactance section in accordance with information detected by the load detection circuit.

5. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 4, wherein:

the adjusting reactance section has a plurality of power receiving reactance elements that have different reactances to each other, and a reactance adjustment switch section that switches the power receiving reactance element that connects to the power receiving coil; and

the reactance adjusting circuit adjusts a reactance of the adjusting reactance section by switching the reactance adjustment switch section.

6. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuit has an illumination section that illuminates inside of a body.

7. A power supply apparatus that wirelessly supplies an electric power from outside a body of an individual to be examined to a capsule-type medical device that performs predetermined processing inside the body of the individual to be examined, comprising:

a power transmission coil that is disposed outside the body of the individual to be examined and that generates an AC magnetic field;

a power transmitting resonance capacitor that is connected in series to the power transmission coil; and

a power transmission coil drive section that drives the power transmission coil;

wherein upon detecting a termination of a resonant state of the AC magnetic field by an abrupt fall in a driving current or an abrupt rise in a driving voltage, the power transmission coil drive section performs control that restores the AC magnetic field to a resonant state in which a frequency of the AC magnetic field is equal to a resonance frequency of a power receiving circuit of the capsule-type medical device;

wherein the power transmission coil changes in shape due to a change in a posture of the individual to be examined;

wherein upon detecting a termination of a resonant state of the AC magnetic field, the power transmission coil drive section performs control that changes an inductance of the power transmission coil;

wherein said power supply apparatus further comprising;

a coil length adjusting section that shortens a coil length of the power transmission coil; and

wherein the power transmission coil drive section changes an inductance of the power transmission coil by means of the coil length adjusting section.

8. The power supply apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a power transmitting inductance adjustment section that is provided between the power transmission coil and the power transmission coil drive section;

wherein the power transmission coil drive section restores the AC magnetic field to a resonant state by means of the power transmitting inductance adjustment section.

9. The power supply apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a capacitance adjustment section that is provided between the power transmission coil and the power transmission coil drive section;

wherein the power transmission coil drive section restores the AC magnetic field to a resonant state by means of the capacitance adjustment section.

10. A power supply system comprising a capsule-type medical device and a power supply apparatus, in which:

the capsule-type medical device wirelessly receives an electric power from outside a body of an individual to be examined and performs a plurality of kinds of predetermined processing inside the body, and the power supply apparatus wirelessly supplies an electric power from outside the body of the individual to be examined to the capsule-type medical device that is inside the body, wherein;

the capsule-type medical device comprises;

a processing circuit that performs the plurality of kinds of predetermined processing inside the body, a processing load for each of the plurality of kinds of predetermined processing being different, and

a power receiving circuit that is a resonant circuit with a predetermined resonance frequency that has a power receiving coil that receives an electric power from outside the body, a power receiving resonance capacitor, and an adjusting reactance section that is capable of adjusting a reactance that is connected to the power receiving coil and the power receiving resonance capacitor,

wherein the capsule-type medical device further comprises a reactance adjusting circuit that matches an impedance of the processing circuit and an impedance of the power receiving circuit by adjusting a reactance of the adjusting reactance section, in accordance with each of the plurality of kinds of predetermined processing; and

the power supply apparatus comprises;

a power transmission coil that generates an AC magnetic field,

a power transmitting resonance capacitor that is connected in series to the power transmission coil, and

a power transmission coil drive section that drives the power transmission coil,

wherein upon detecting a termination of a resonant state of the AC magnetic field by an abrupt fall in a driving current or an abrupt rise in a driving voltage, the power transmission coil drive section performs control that restores the AC magnetic field to a resonant state in which a frequency of the AC magnetic field is equal to a resonance frequency of a power receiving circuit of the capsule-type medical device.

11. The power supply system according to claim 10, wherein the capsule-type medical device further comprises:

a load detection circuit that detects an impedance of the processing circuit;

wherein the reactance adjusting circuit adjusts a reactance of the adjusting reactance section in accordance with the impedance of the processing circuit that the load detection circuit detects.

12. The power supply system according to claim 11, wherein the capsule-type medical device is a capsule-type endoscope apparatus that has an illumination section that illuminates the inside of the body.

13. The power supply system according to claim 10, wherein the reactance adjusting circuit adjusts the reactance based on each of control signals for the plurality of kinds of predetermined processing.

14. The power supply system according to claim 10, wherein the power transmission coil changes in shape due to a change in a posture of the individual to be examined.