In vivo camera with multiple sources to illuminate tissue at different distances
First Claim
1. An endoscope comprising:
- a transmitter enclosed within a housing, to transmit image data to an external device;
a set of one or more sensors enclosed within said housing and coupled to said transmitter, said set supplying said image data to said transmitter;
a first source enclosed within said housing, to generate first electromagnetic radiation exiting said housing;
wherein said first source is positioned at a location whereby said first electromagnetic radiation passes through a first region of the housing defined by a first intersection of said first electromagnetic radiation with a curved surface of the housing;
a second source enclosed within said housing, to generate second electromagnetic radiation exiting said housing;
wherein said second source is positioned at a location whereby said second electromagnetic radiation passes through a second region of the housing defined by a second intersection of said second electromagnetic radiation with the curved surface;
wherein the first region is larger than the second region;
wherein a third electromagnetic radiation forms said image data;
wherein at least a portion of said third electromagnetic radiation arises from reflection of at least a first fraction of said first electromagnetic radiation and a second fraction of said second electromagnetic radiation;
wherein a third region of the housing is defined by an intersection of a surface of the housing with said third electromagnetic radiation; and
wherein at least a majority of the second electromagnetic radiation passes through a portion of the second region not overlapping the third region.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An in vivo endoscope illuminates tissue using multiple sources. Light from a short-range source exits a tubular wall of the endoscope through a first illumination region that overlaps an imaging region, and the light returns through the imaging region after reflection by tissue, to form an image in a camera. Light from a long-range source exits the tubular wall through a second illumination region that does not overlap the imaging region. The endoscope of some embodiments includes a mirror, and light from an emitter for the short-range source is split and reaches the first illumination region from both sides of an optical axis of the camera. Illuminating the first illumination region with split fractions of light results in greater uniformity of illumination, than illuminating directly with an un-split beam. The energy generated by each source is changed depending on distance of the tissue to be imaged.
55 Citations
45 Claims
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1. An endoscope comprising:
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a transmitter enclosed within a housing, to transmit image data to an external device; a set of one or more sensors enclosed within said housing and coupled to said transmitter, said set supplying said image data to said transmitter; a first source enclosed within said housing, to generate first electromagnetic radiation exiting said housing; wherein said first source is positioned at a location whereby said first electromagnetic radiation passes through a first region of the housing defined by a first intersection of said first electromagnetic radiation with a curved surface of the housing; a second source enclosed within said housing, to generate second electromagnetic radiation exiting said housing; wherein said second source is positioned at a location whereby said second electromagnetic radiation passes through a second region of the housing defined by a second intersection of said second electromagnetic radiation with the curved surface; wherein the first region is larger than the second region; wherein a third electromagnetic radiation forms said image data; wherein at least a portion of said third electromagnetic radiation arises from reflection of at least a first fraction of said first electromagnetic radiation and a second fraction of said second electromagnetic radiation; wherein a third region of the housing is defined by an intersection of a surface of the housing with said third electromagnetic radiation; and wherein at least a majority of the second electromagnetic radiation passes through a portion of the second region not overlapping the third region. - 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)
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30. A method of in vivo imaging comprising:
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an endoscope emitting first electromagnetic radiation that exits a housing from a first source enclosed within the housing; wherein said first electromagnetic radiation exits the endoscope from a first region of said housing; wherein the first region is defined by a first intersection of said first electromagnetic radiation with a curved surface of said housing; said endoscope emitting second electromagnetic radiation that exits said housing from a second source enclosed within the housing; wherein said second electromagnetic radiation exits the endoscope from a second region of said housing; wherein the second region is defined by a second intersection of said second electromagnetic radiation with said curved surface; wherein the first region is larger than the second region; wherein a third electromagnetic radiation forms image data; wherein at least a portion of said third electromagnetic radiation arises from reflection of at least a first fraction of said first electromagnetic radiation and a second fraction of said second electromagnetic radiation; wherein a third region of the housing is defined by an intersection of a surface of the housing with said third electromagnetic radiation; wherein at least a majority of the second electromagnetic radiation passed through a portion of the second region not overlapping the third region; and said endoscope storing inside a memory at least said image data. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification