JP2006075244A - Receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a receiver capable of acquiring subject internal information with less noise with a simple constitution. <P>SOLUTION: This receiver is provided with antennas 5 receiving radio signals including the subject internal information which is transmitted from a transmitter 1 introduced in the interior of the subject, and includes a radio unit 1b receiving the radio signals and demodulating them for acquiring modulation signals, and a receiver body unit 1a detachably attached to the radio unit 1b receiving the radio signals and processing the demodulation signals for acquiring the subject internal information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a receiving device that receives a radio signal including in-subject information transmitted from a transmitting device introduced into the subject.

  In recent years, swallowable capsule endoscopes have appeared in the field of endoscopes. This capsule endoscope is provided with an imaging function and a wireless communication function. Capsule endoscopes are peristaltic in the body cavity, for example, the stomach, small intestine, etc., after being swallowed from the patient's mouth for observation (examination) and before being spontaneously discharged from the human body. It has the function to move according to and to image sequentially.

  While moving inside the body cavity, image information captured inside the body by the capsule endoscope is sequentially transmitted to the outside by a high-frequency signal and stored in a memory provided in an external receiving apparatus. When the patient carries the receiving device having the high-frequency signal receiving function and the memory function, the patient can freely act after swallowing the capsule endoscope until it is discharged. Thereafter, the doctor or nurse can make a diagnosis by displaying an organ image on the display based on the image data stored in the memory.

  In addition, in order to prevent noise from entering the receiving device, there is a technology in which the wireless control device that controls the radio and the receiving device are configured separately and connected by a connection cable, and the wireless control device and the receiving device are separated from each other. Presented (Patent Document 1).

JP-A-5-218984

  However, since the antenna is attached to the subject in the receiving apparatus, the antenna and the receiving apparatus main body are connected via a cord having a predetermined length. Therefore, it is desirable that the antenna and the receiver main body can be repeatedly attached and detached at any location. Further, in this case, it is desirable to avoid a portion that is repeatedly attached and detached from becoming a high-frequency connection portion.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned needs all at once.

  That is, the receiving device of the present invention is provided with an antenna that receives a radio signal including in-subject information transmitted from a transmitting device introduced into the subject, and receives the radio signal to obtain a demodulated signal. And a receiver body unit that is detachable from the wireless unit and performs processing for obtaining the in-vivo information from the demodulated signal.

  More preferably, the wireless unit and the antenna are integrally connected, and the wireless unit has a reception intensity detecting function.

  In order to prevent the occurrence of noise due to the detachable type, it is desirable that the wireless unit has a function of performing binarization processing and synchronization detection processing of the demodulated signal and a function of AD converting the received intensity signal.

  In such a case, since the wireless unit has a function of demodulating the wireless signal, the receiver can be repeatedly attached to and detached from the antenna-side wireless unit and the receiver body unit without causing deterioration due to high-frequency connection. become.

  Exemplary embodiments of a receiving apparatus according to the present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a wireless in-vivo information acquiring system using a receiving apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, this wireless in-vivo information acquisition system is introduced into the body of a plurality of antennas 5 having a wireless reception function, a receiving device 1 connecting the plurality of antennas 5, and a subject 2, The capsule endoscope 3 includes a capsule endoscope 3 that captures an in-vivo image and transmits image information and the like to the receiving device 1 using a high-frequency signal. In addition, the wireless in-vivo information acquiring system performs data exchange between the display device 4 that displays an intra-body cavity image based on the image information received by the receiving device 1 and the receiving device 1 and the display device 4. The portable recording medium 6 is provided. The receiving device 1 connects a plurality of antennas 5 and acquires image information based on a radio unit 1b that demodulates a high-frequency signal received through the plurality of antennas 5 and a baseband signal demodulated by the radio unit 1b. The radio unit 1b and the receiver main unit 1a are connected by a connector 1c.

  The display device 4 is for displaying an in-vivo image picked up by the capsule endoscope 3, and has a configuration such as a workstation that displays an image based on data obtained by the portable recording medium 6. Have Specifically, the display device 4 may be configured to directly display an image using a CRT display, a liquid crystal display, or the like, or may be configured to output an image to another medium such as a printer.

  The portable recording medium 6 is detachable from the receiver body unit 1a and the display device 4, and has a structure capable of outputting or recording information when being inserted into both. Specifically, the portable recording medium 6 is inserted into the receiver body unit 1 a and transmitted from the capsule endoscope 3 while the capsule endoscope 3 is moving in the body cavity of the subject 2. Record data to be recorded. Then, after the capsule endoscope 3 is discharged from the subject 2, that is, after the imaging of the inside of the subject 2 is finished, the capsule endoscope 3 is taken out from the receiver body unit 1a and inserted into the display device 4, Data recorded by the display device 4 is read out. Data is transferred between the receiver main unit 1a and the display device 4 by a portable recording medium 6 such as a Compact Flash (registered trademark) memory, so that the receiver main unit 1a and the display device 4 are wired. The subject 2 can move freely during imaging in the body cavity, compared to the case of being connected, and also contributes to shortening the data transfer period with the display device 4. Here, the portable recording medium 6 is used for data transfer between the receiver body unit 1a and the display device 4, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the receiver body unit 1a has a built-in type. Other recording devices may be used, and both may be configured to be wired or wirelessly connected to exchange data with the display device 4.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the detailed structure of the receiver 1 is demonstrated. As shown in FIG. 2, the receiving device 1 has a receiver body unit 1a and a wireless unit 1b. The wireless unit 1b is electrically connected to the receiver body unit 1a by a connector 1c and is physically fixed. Is done. The wireless unit 1b connects a plurality of antennas 5, and the plurality of antennas 5 are fixed to the subject 2 (not shown). The connector 1c is constituted by a plug and a socket, one of which is attached to the radio unit 1b and the other is attached to the receiver body unit 1a. The radio unit 1b is easily attached to and detached from the receiver main unit 1a via the connector 1c.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the wireless unit 1b includes an antenna switching unit 10b that connects a plurality of antennas 5, inputs a switching signal S4, and selectively switches the antennas from the plurality of antennas 5 to one, and an antenna switching unit. A demodulator 11b that demodulates a high-frequency signal received via 10b, a binarizer 12b that binarizes the baseband signal demodulated by the demodulator 11b and outputs a binarized signal S1, and a demodulator 11b. A synchronization detection unit 13b that detects a synchronization signal composed of a vertical synchronization signal and a horizontal synchronization signal based on the demodulated baseband signal and outputs a synchronization detection signal S2, and is received by the antenna 5 via the antenna switching unit 10b. A signal intensity detector 14b that detects the signal intensity of the high-frequency signal and outputs a detection signal S3; and an electric signal S5 that receives power from the receiver body unit 1a. And a radio unit power source 15b for supplying power to each functional unit in line unit 1b.

  The receiver main unit 1a receives the binarized signal S1 and the synchronization detection signal S2, and receives the signal processing unit 11a that performs processing for obtaining an image signal, and receives the detection signal S3 that is an analog signal and converts it into a digital signal A / D conversion unit 12a that performs the processing, a control unit 10a that receives the image signal obtained by the signal processing unit 11a and acquires image information, and a display unit that is connected to the control unit 10a and displays the image information simply 13a, a storage unit 14a that is connected to the control unit 10a and stores image information, and a receiver body power supply 15a that supplies power to each function unit in the receiver body 1a and supplies power to the wireless unit 1b. Have. The control unit 10a includes an antenna selection unit 100 that performs switching control of the antenna switching unit 10b by outputting a switching signal S4 based on the digital signal output from the A / D conversion unit 12a.

  The connector 1c physically couples the radio unit 1b and the receiver main unit 1a and electrically connects the radio unit 1b and the receiver main unit 1a, and a binary signal S1, a synchronization detection signal S2, and a detection Signal S3, switching signal S4, and electrical signal S5 are transmitted. In this case, since the signal transmitted by the connector 1c is a low-frequency signal, a low-frequency connector is used as the connector 1c, but noise hardly enters from the connector 1c. Therefore, the receiver body unit 1a can input the binarized signal S1, the synchronization detection signal S2, and the detection signal S3 with less noise, and as a result, good image information with less noise can be acquired. Further, a multi-pin type connector can be used as the connector 1c, and the fixing between the radio unit 1b and the receiver body unit 1a can be simplified. Since the structure of the low-frequency signal connector 1c is simpler than that of the high-frequency signal connector, it has the advantage that it does not easily deteriorate even when it is repeatedly attached and detached and has a long life.

  In the first embodiment, the receiving device 1 separates the radio unit 1b that performs demodulation and the receiver main unit 1a that acquires image information, and couples them together by a low-frequency signal connector 1c. Therefore, it is difficult for noise to enter from the connector 1c, and good image information with less noise can be obtained on the receiver body unit 1a side.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, a second embodiment according to the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment, the radio unit 1b and the receiver main unit 1a are separated and the signal is transmitted by the low frequency connector 1c. However, in the second embodiment, the signal is transmitted by the photocoupler, The wireless unit and the receiver main unit are provided with individual batteries.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the receiving apparatus 2 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the receiving device 2 includes a radio unit 2b and a receiver body unit 2a. The radio unit 2b includes an A / D conversion unit 17b arranged at a stage subsequent to the reception intensity detection unit 14b. The light emitting diodes 20a, 20c, 20e and the photodiode 20g are arranged. The receiver body unit 2a includes photodiodes 20b, 20d, and 20f and a light emitting diode 20h. Each light emitting diode 20a, 20c, 20e, 20h and each photodiode 20b, 20d, 20f, 20g form a photocoupler. Since the photocoupler transmits a signal using light as a medium, the radio unit 2b and the receiver body unit 2a are insulated without being electrically connected.

  The wireless unit 2b includes a wireless unit battery 18b that drives each functional unit of the wireless unit 2b, and the receiver body unit 2a includes a receiver body battery 18a that drives each functional part of the receiver body unit 2a. ing.

  In the receiving device 2, the binarized signal S1 output from the binarizing unit 12b is transmitted to the signal processing unit 11a by a photocoupler formed by the light emitting diode 20a and the photodiode 2b, and output from the synchronization detecting unit 13b. The synchronization detection signal S2 is transmitted to the signal processing unit 11a by a photocoupler formed by the light emitting diode 20c and the photodiode 20d. The A / D conversion unit 20c converts the detection signal detected by the reception intensity detection unit 14b into a digital signal S6. The digital signal S6 is generated by a photocoupler formed by the light emitting diode 20e and the photodiode 20f. It is transmitted to the control unit 10a. The switching signal S4 output from the antenna selection unit 100 in the control unit 10a is transmitted to the antenna switching unit 10b by a photocoupler formed by the light emitting diode 20h and the photodiode 20g.

  The wireless unit 2b includes a wireless unit battery 18b that drives each function unit, and the receiver body unit 2a includes a receiver body battery 18a that drives each function unit.

  In the second embodiment, the light emitting diodes 20a, 20c, 20e, and 20h and the photodiodes 20b, 20d, 20f, and 20g are arranged on the wireless unit 2b and the receiver main body 2a to form a photocoupler. Since the unit 1b and the receiver body unit 1a are each provided with a separate battery, the wireless unit 2b and the receiver body unit 2a do not have an electrical junction and communicate while maintaining high insulation. Connection can be performed, and good image information with less noise can be acquired on the receiver body unit 2a side.

  In the second embodiment, the receiving device 2 does not have a connector for connecting the radio unit 1b and the receiver main unit 1a. Therefore, when the subject 2 is washed with alcohol, the connector 2 is waterproofed. This has the advantage that the receiving apparatus 2 is easy to use.

  In the second embodiment, the wireless unit 2b includes the A / D converter 17b and transmits the digital signal S6 with less noise to the receiver body unit 2a. However, the A / D converter 17b The receiver main unit 2a may be provided. That is, communication connection may be performed by an analog baseband signal instead of the digital binary signal S1.

  Further, the radio unit battery 18b and the receiver main body battery 18a described in the second embodiment may be a primary battery or a secondary battery.

(Embodiment 3)
Next, a third embodiment according to the present invention will be described. In the third embodiment, when the wireless unit is inserted into the receiver body unit, power is supplied from the receiver body unit side to the wireless unit side using a transformer.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of receiving apparatus 3 according to the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the wireless unit 3b includes a secondary coil 19b and a power supply unit 21b in place of the wireless unit battery 18b described in the second embodiment, and the receiver body unit 3a includes a receiver body battery. Instead of 18a, a primary coil 19a and a power supply unit 21a are provided.

  The power supply unit 21a supplies power to the receiver body unit 1a and causes an alternating current to flow through the coil 19a. When the radio unit 3b is inserted into the receiver body unit 3a, a transformer 19c is formed by the primary side coil 19a and the secondary side coil 19a, and an AC electromotive force is generated in the secondary side coil 19b. The power supply unit 21b rectifies this AC electromotive force and supplies power to each function unit in the wireless unit 3b to drive each function unit.

  In the third embodiment, since the wireless unit 3b is supplied with power from the receiver body unit 3a by forming the transformer 19c, the wireless unit 3b is insulated not only in the signal system but also in the power supply system, and the noise. As a result, good image information with less noise can be acquired on the receiver body unit 3a side.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the whole transmission / reception system using the receiver concerning Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the external appearance of the receiver concerning Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the receiver concerning Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the receiver concerning Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the receiver concerning Embodiment 3 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Receiver 1a, 2a, 3a Receiver main body unit 1b, 2b, 3b Wireless unit 1c Connector 2 Subject 3 Capsule endoscope 4 Display device 5 Antenna 6 Portable recording medium 10a Control unit 10b Antenna switching unit 11a Signal processing Unit 11b demodulation unit 12a, 17b A / D conversion unit 12b binarization unit 13a display unit 13b synchronization detection unit 14a storage unit 14b signal intensity detection unit 15a receiver main body power supply 15b radio unit power supply 18a receiver main unit battery 18b radio unit battery 19a Primary side coil 19b Secondary side coil 19c Transformer 20a, 20c, 20e, 20f Light emitting diode 20b, 20d, 20f, 20g Photodiode 21a, 21b Power supply part

Claims (5)

An antenna for receiving a radio signal including in-subject information transmitted from a transmission device introduced into the subject, and a radio unit for performing demodulation processing for receiving the radio signal and obtaining a demodulated signal;
A receiver body unit that is detachable from the wireless unit and performs processing for obtaining the in-vivo information from the demodulated signal; and
A receiving apparatus comprising:   The receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless unit and the antenna are integrally connected.   The receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless unit has a reception intensity detection function.   The receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless unit has a function of performing a binarization process and a synchronization detection process on a demodulated signal.   The receiving apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the wireless unit has a function of AD converting the received intensity signal.

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