US 8,300,092 B2 · In-vivo image acquiring apparatus, in-vivo image receiving apparatus, in-vivo image displaying apparatus, and noise eliminating method

Abstract

An in-vivo image acquiring apparatus includes an operation control unit which controls a black image acquiring operation, in which the operation control unit controls an imaging unit and an illuminating unit in such a manner the imaging unit conducts an image acquiring operation in a state the illuminating unit does not conduct an illuminating operation. The in-vivo image acquiring apparatus also includes an average calculating unit which calculates the average value of pixel value in a predetermined determining area, and a black image determining unit, which determines whether the image information acquired by the image acquiring operation is the black image by comparing the average value with a predetermined threshold value. The image information determined as the black image by the black image determining unit is transmitted, as the black image information, to an external apparatus by radio.

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Claims13

Dependent claims

An in-vivo image acquiring apparatus to be taken into a body of a subject, comprising:

an imaging unit that acquires in-vivo image information;
an illuminating unit that illuminates imaging regions of which images are taken by the imaging unit;
a radio transmitting unit that transmits the image information acquired by the imaging unit to an external apparatus by radio;
an operation control unit that controls operations of the imaging unit and the illuminating unit so as to control a black image acquiring operation in which the imaging unit conducts an imaging operation with the illuminating unit not conducting an illuminating operation;
an average value calculating unit that calculates an average value of pixel values of a predetermined determining area among the image information acquired by the black image acquiring operation;
a black image determining unit that determines whether the image information acquired by the black image acquiring operation indicates a black image by comparing the average value calculated by the average value calculating unit with a predetermined threshold value;
and
a dimmer controller that controls an amount of illuminating light emitted by the illuminating unit depending on a brightness of a predetermined dimming area based on the image information acquired by the imaging unit, wherein
the radio transmitting unit transmits to the external apparatus by radio the image information which is determined by the black image determining unit as the black image, as black image information, and
the average value calculating unit calculates the average value of pixel values which are included in the dimming area by regarding the dimming area as the determining area.

7 more elements

An in-vivo image receiving apparatus for receiving in-vivo image information from an in-vivo image acquiring apparatus which is taken into a body of a subject and which acquires the in-vivo image information in an illuminating state or in a non-illuminating state, the in-vivo image receiving apparatus comprising:

an average value calculating unit that calculates an average value of pixel values of a predetermined determining area among the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus;
a black image determining unit that determines whether the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus indicates a black image by comparing the average value calculated by the average value calculating unit with a predetermined threshold value;
a black image storage unit that stores as black image information the image information determined as the black image by the black image determining unit;
a black image compensating unit that, based on the black image information stored in the black image storage unit, eliminates fixed pattern noises in the image information acquired in the illuminating state by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus, and compensates the image information;
and
a dimmer controller that controls an amount of illuminating light emitted by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus depending on a brightness of a predetermined dimming area based on the image information acquired by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus, wherein
the average value calculating unit calculates the average value of pixel values which are included in the dimming area by regarding the dimming area as the determining area.

4 more elements

An in-vivo image displaying apparatus for displaying image information acquired by an in-vivo image acquiring apparatus which is taken into a body of a subject and acquires in-vivo image information in an illuminating state or in a non-illuminating state, the in-vivo image displaying apparatus comprising:

a black image pixel value averaging unit that calculates an average value of pixel values of a predetermined determining area among the image information acquired in a non-illuminating state by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus;
a black image determining unit that determines whether the image information acquired in the non-illuminating state indicates a black image by comparing the average value calculated by the black image pixel value averaging unit with a predetermined threshold value;
a black image storage unit that stores as black image information the image information determined as the black image by the black image determining unit;
an image compensating unit that, based on the black image information stored in the black image storage unit, eliminates fixed pattern noises in the image information acquired in the illuminating state by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus, and compensates the image information;
and
a dimmer controller that controls an amount of illuminating light emitted by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus depending on a brightness of a predetermined dimming area based on the image information acquired by the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus, wherein
the black image pixel value calculating unit calculates the average value of pixel values which are included in the dimming area by regarding the dimming area as the determining area.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description14,525 words

Summary1,913 words

#This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-055454, filed on Mar. 5, 2008, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to an in-vivo image acquiring apparatus which is taken into the body of a subject (patient) and acquires in-vivo image information, an in-vivo image receiving apparatus which receives the image information acquired with the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus, an in-vivo image displaying apparatus which displays the image information acquired with the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus, and a noise eliminating method that eliminates fixed pattern noises in the in-vivo image information of the subject.

Brief description of the drawings17 figures

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an overall configuration of an in-vivo image acquiring system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a capsule endoscope according to the first embodiment;

#FIG. 3 is an example of transmitting signal generated by the transmission signal generator according to the first embodiment;

Detailed description12,295 words

#Exemplary preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an overall configuration of an in-vivo image acquiring system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the in-vivo image acquiring system includes a capsule endoscope 10, a receiving apparatus 30, and a displaying apparatus 70. The capsule endoscope 10 is an in-vivo image acquiring apparatus which acquires in-vivo image information (in-vivo image information) of the subject 1. The receiving apparatus 30 is an in-vivo image receiving apparatus which receives the image information transmitted from the capsule endoscope 10 by radio. The displaying apparatus 70 is an in-vivo image displaying apparatus which displays the image information acquired by the capsule endoscope 10, based on the image information received by the receiving apparatus 30. For transferring the image information between the receiving apparatus 30 and the displaying apparatus 70, for example, a portable recording medium 50 may be used.

#The capsule endoscope 10 is provided with an imaging function and a radio communication function. The capsule endoscope 10 is swallowed from the mouth of the subject 1 and taken into the body of the subject 1, and sequentially acquires inside the body cavity image information by travelling inside the body cavity, and transmits the acquired image information to outside the body via the radio communication.

Facts

Application

12/398,505Filed 5 Mar 2009

Priority

JP 2008-0554545 Mar 2008

Published

US 2009/0225158 A110 Sep 2009

Granted

30 Oct 2012

Term ends

23 Aug 2031

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 901 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification11 codes

A61B 1/041
Combined with photographic or television appliances: capsule endoscopes for imaging
A61B 1/000095
Of image signals during a use of endoscope: for image enhancement
A61B 1/00016
Characterised by signal transmission: using wireless means
A61B 1/045
Combined with photographic or television appliances: control thereof

Timeline

5 Mar 2008Priority claimedJP 2008-055454
5 Mar 2009Application filedUS 12/398,505
5 Mar 2009Assigned to Olympus Medical Systems Corp.assignment of assignor's interest
10 Sep 2009PublishedUS 2009/0225158 A1
30 Oct 2012GrantedUS 8,300,092 B2
5 Aug 2015Assigned to Olympus Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
27 Jun 2016Assigned to Olympus Corporationchange of address
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
23 Aug 2031Term endsEstimated, includes 901 days of adjustment

In-vivo image acquiring apparatus, in-vivo image receiving apparatus, in-vivo image displaying apparatus, and noise eliminating method

Life of this patent

In-vivo image acquiring apparatus, in-vivo image receiving apparatus, in-vivo image displaying apparatus, and noise eliminating method

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims13

Description14,525 words

Drawings

Classification11 codes

Life of this patent

Description14,525 words