In-vivo image display apparatus and receiving system

• US 8,920,310 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2008
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation, Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Mori, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): KASZTEJNA, MATTHEW JOHN
• Application Number:
  US12/146,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20080262298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,379 Days
• Field of Search: 600/109, 600/118, 348/65
• US Class Current: 600/109
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/000095 for image enhancement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0005 combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00059 provided with identification means for the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period

Abstract

A viewer includes a display unit. The display unit has a first display area for displaying an in-vivo image obtained by a first capsule endoscope received from a first receiver, and second display areas for displaying in-vivo images obtained by second capsule endoscopes received from second receivers. The viewer displays the in-vivo images in the first and second display areas, respectively.

Claims

1. An in-vivo image display system for displaying in-vivo images received from a plurality of body-insertable apparatuses respectively inserted in a plurality of subjects, the in-vivo image display system comprising:

an in-vivo image display apparatus comprising a first display unit, the first display unit having;

a first display area for displaying image data obtained inside a first subject by a first body-insertable apparatus, and

a second display area for displaying image data obtained inside a second subject by a second body-insertable apparatus; and

a first receiver carried by the first subject for receiving the image data obtained inside the first subject, and transmitting the image data to the in-vivo image display apparatus as a first radio signal; and

a second receiver carried by the second subject for receiving the image data obtained inside the second subject, and transmitting the image data to the in-vivo image display apparatus as a second radio signal,

wherein the in-vivo image display apparatus further comprises a received signal strength detector having a display mode for;

detecting a strength of the first radio signal received from the first receiver and a strength of the second radio signal received from the second receiver,

determining that the strength of the first radio signal is stronger than the strength of the second radio signal,

selecting the first receiver based on the determination that the strength of the first radio signal is stronger than the strength of the second radio signal, and

displaying the image data obtained inside the first subject by the first body-insertable apparatus based on the selection of the first receiver.

2. The in-vivo image display system according to claim 1,

wherein the first display unit displays image data of a still image, and

wherein the in-vivo image display apparatus further comprises a second display unit that sequentially receives image data from any one of the first body-insertable apparatus and the second body-insertable apparatus directly or indirectly, and sequentially displays the image data in real time.

3. The in-vivo image display system according to claim 1, wherein the output frequency of the first radio signal and the output frequency of the second radio signal are set to different values.

4. The in-vivo image display system according to claim 1, wherein the first radio signal transmitted by the first receiver has a parameter for identifying the first receiver and the second radio signal transmitted by the second receiver has a parameter for identifying the second receiver.

5. The in-vivo image display system according to claim 1, further comprising an image selector for switching between displaying image data for one image and displaying image data for a plurality of images.