Capsule type endoscope

Abstract

A capsule-type endoscope comprising a capsule body, an image pickup element, illuminating elements, an image signal processing circuit, a memory, an image information transmitting circuit and an antenna for wireless transmission. The capsule body contains the pickup element, the illuminating elements, the processing circuit, the memory, transmitting circuit and the antenna. While the capsule body remains in a living body, the image pickup element takes images of an interior of the living body. The processing circuit processes the image, generating image information. The memory stores the information. The transmitting circuit reads the information and supplies it to the antenna. The antenna transmits the information by radio, from the living body.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-186827, filed Jun. 20, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a capsule type endoscope having a capsule body internally equipped with an image taking device for taking images in the body cavity of a human subject. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] An endoscope can be inserted into the esophageal canal of the human subject to directly examine the inner wall of any affected region of interest with high reliability. However, this method needs relatively large equipment and, in addition, a large burden is inflicted on the patient and operator. Therefore, such conventional endoscopy is hard to adopt in a first screening such as mass screening. [0006] As a first screening such as ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] It is accordingly the object of the present invention to provide a capsule type endoscope which can take many more frames of images for a shorter period in which the capsule passes through an affected region or its neighborhood, or a region of interest, of the esophageal canal and internal organs.

[0012] It is, therefore, possible to take many more frames of images in a shorter period of time during which the capsule passes through the esophageal canal and obtain added reliability on examination.

Problems solved by technology

However, this method needs relatively large equipment and, in addition, a large burden is inflicted on the patient and operator.

Therefore, such conventional endoscopy is hard to adopt in a first screening such as mass screening.

However, upon image transmission in realtime, the video frame rate is normally very slow at two frames per second, while, on the other hand, the time during which the capsule passes through the esophageal canal is very short, being of the order of one second.

Therefore, adequate reliability can not be ensured at such a frame rate and hence it is not suitable for the examination of the esophagus.

Further, there has been some inconvenience in that exact examination of not only the esophagus but also the internal organs such as the stomach, the duodenum the small intestine and the large intestine can not be made for any affected region of interest or its neighborhood.

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