Internal device, external device, diagnosis apparatus including the same, and endoscope apparatus

• US 9,706,901 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2015
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation
• Original Assignee: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation Yonsei University
• Inventors: Kim, Tae Wook
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duley, Janese
• Application Number:
  US14/609,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20150208906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00006 of control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00036 Means for power saving, e.g. sleeping mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes

Abstract

Provided is a diagnosis apparatus. The diagnosis apparatus includes: an internal device inserted into an inside of a body and moving therein; and an external device located at an outside of the body and controlling the internal device, wherein the internal device includes: a first communication unit communicating with the external device; a power supply unit supplying power for driving of the internal device; and a first control unit controlling an operation of the internal device according to a control signal when the control signal is received from the external device, and the external device includes: a second communication unit communicating with the internal device; a location detection unit processing a signal received from the internal device to detect a location of the internal device; and a second control unit generating a control signal for controlling the internal device based on the location of the internal device.

Claims

1. An internal device inserted into an inside of a body and to move therein, the internal device comprising a processor configured to:

communicating with an external device located at an outside of the body;

supplying power for driving of the internal device; and

controlling an operation of the internal device according to a control signal when the control signal is received from the external device,

wherein the processor receives, from the external device, a resolution control signal for enabling the internal device to selectively increase the resolution of an image on only a region to be captured with the internal device.

2. The internal device of claim 1, wherein the processor transmits and receives a signal wirelessly by using an antenna or through the body by using an electrode.

3. The internal device of claim 1, further comprising a camera configured to capture an image of the inside of the body.

4. The internal device of claim 3, wherein the processor transmits, to the external device, image data obtained through a corresponding image-capturing operation whenever the camera captures an image.

5. The internal device of claim 3, wherein the camera starts to capture an image in response to an image-capturing initiation request from the external device and finishes to capture an image in response to an image-capturing stop request from the external device.

6. The internal device of claim 5, wherein the processor transmits image data obtained from an image-capturing start request time to an image-capturing stop request time to the controller in response to the image-capturing stop request.

7. The internal device of claim 1, wherein the processor switches the internal device to an idle mode to reduce power consumption, when a power cutoff signal is received from the external device.

8. The internal device of claim 7, wherein the processor switches the internal device to an operation mode to increase power consumption, when a power-supply connection signal is received from the external device.

9. The internal device of claim 3, wherein the processor cuts off power supply to the camera when a power-supply cutoff signal is received from the external device, and supplies power to the camera when a power-supply connection signal is received from the external device.

10. An external device located at an outside of a body and to control an internal device inserted into an inside of the body and to move therein, the external device comprising a processor configured to:

communicate with the internal device;

processing a signal received from the internal device to detect a location of the internal device; and

generating a control signal for controlling the internal device based on the location of the internal device,

wherein the processor generates a resolution control signal for enabling the internal device to selectively increase the resolution of an image on only a region to be captured with the internal device.

11. The external device of claim 10, wherein the processor controls at least three receivers located at different points on the body and receives a signal from the internal device via the at least three receivers.

12. The internal device of claim 11, wherein the processor calculates a difference between times when the processor receives a signal from the internal device via each receiver, and detects the location of the internal device based on a time difference between received signals.

13. The external device of claim 11, wherein the receivers are located on the same plane, and

the processor controls at least one secondary receiver located at another point on the body spaced apart from the same plane.

14. The external device of claim 13, wherein the receivers are located at any one of front and rear sides of a human body, and

the secondary receiver is located at another one of the front and rear sides.

15. The external device of claim 13, wherein the receivers are located at any one of front and rear sides of a human body, and

the secondary receiver is located on a lateral face of the human body.

16. A diagnosis apparatus comprising:

an internal device inserted into an inside of a body and to move therein; and

an external device located at an outside of the body and to control the internal device,

wherein the internal device comprises a first processor configured to;

communicate with the external device;

supply power for driving of the internal device; and

control an operation of the internal device according to a control signal when the control signal is received from the external device, and

the external device comprises a second processor configured to;

communicate with the internal device;

process a signal received from the internal device to detect a location of the internal device; and

generate a control signal for controlling the internal device based on the location of the internal device,

wherein the second processor generates a resolution control signal for enabling the internal device to selectively increase the resolution of an image on only a region to be captured with the internal device.