Patent · US Active

Lighting control for in vivo capsule camera

US7796870B2 · kind B2 · utility

23Cited by
2References
54Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 16, 2007
Grant dateSep 14, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 5, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03B15/03
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method for controlling a lighting source in a capsule camera improves image quality by avoiding over-exposure or under-exposure in all regions of an image, while concurrently reducing significantly power dissipation in the capsule camera. A capsule camera using the method includes: (1) one or more sensor arrays each having one or more pixels in one or more designated regions in the field of view of the capsule camera; (2) lighting elements each providing illumination to one or more of the designated regions; and (3) a control unit that (a) extracts a parameter value from the pixels of each region; (b) evaluates the parameter value at each region; and (c) adjusts the lighting elements providing illumination to each region according to the evaluation. The parameter value may be an average value of the pixels. The purpose of the adjustment is to bring the parameter value for the region to within a predetermined range. In one embodiment, the control unit adjusts an amount of light provided by each lighting element, which may be given by integrating a light intensity of the lighting element over time. In one implementation, the light intensity in each lighting element is substantially…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.