Patents by Inventor Akio Uchiyama

Akio Uchiyama has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20100156399
    Abstract: A position detecting device includes a detected object that includes a circuit with an internal coil; a magnetic-field generator that includes a magnetic-field generating coil for generating a magnetic field with respect to a detection space of the detected object; detection coils that detect an induced magnetic field generated from the internal coil caused by the magnetic field; a magnetic-field-generating-coil switching unit that selects a magnetic-field generating coil from the magnetic-field generating coils in the magnetic-field generator; a storage unit that stores predetermined information for selecting a magnetic-field generating coil from the magnetic-field generating coils in the magnetic-field generator; and a control unit that controls the magnetic-field-generating-coil switching unit to select the magnetic-field generating coil to be operated among the magnetic-field generating coils in the first magnetic-field generator, based on at least one of a position and a direction of the detected object
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventors: Atsushi CHIBA, Atsushi KIMURA, Ryoji SATO, Akio UCHIYAMA, Hironao KAWANO, Masaki TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20100137708
    Abstract: From among plural receiver electrodes for receiving a transmission signal transmitted from transmitter electrodes of an intra-subject introduction device, receiver electrodes for receiving an image reception signal are selected by a receiver electrode selection circuit. Further, receiver electrodes for receiving a signal for position detection are selected by a receiver electrode selection circuit, from among the other ones of the plural receiver electrodes than the receiver electrodes selected by the receiver electrode selection circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicants: OLYMPUS CORPORATION, OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventors: Kazuaki TAMURA, Takeshi MORI, Tetsuo MINAI, Akio UCHIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20100134096
    Abstract: Provided is a position detecting device including a first magnetic-field generating unit including at least one magnetic-field generating coil and that generates a first magnetic field in a detection space where a detected object provided with a circuit including at least one built-in coil is disposed; a magnetic-field detecting unit having a plurality of detecting coils arrayed to detect an induced magnetic field generated from the built-in coil by the generated first magnetic field; and a second magnetic-field generating unit including at least one magnetic-field generating coil, that generates a second magnetic field, and including a magnetic-field component having a phase substantially opposite to the first magnetic field and entering the detecting coils, wherein the first magnetic-field generating unit and the detecting coils are disposed so that a generating direction of the first magnetic field and a detecting direction of the induced magnetic field intersect each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventors: Atsushi Chiba, Akio Uchiyama, Atsushi Kimura, Ryoji Sato
  • Patent number: 7711408
    Abstract: The present invention realizes a medical device guidance system capable of improving propulsion control characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Uchiyama, Hironao Kawano, Kenichi Arai, Kazushi Ishiyama, Masahiko Sendoh
  • Patent number: 7697970
    Abstract: In a capsule 3 as a medical apparatus inserted into a body cavity, the lengthwise direction of the capsule 3 is used as an insert axis, a manipulation/input device 8, which is magnetized in a direction orthogonal to the insert axis, is disposed at the center position of the insert axis. A magnetic field generation device 4, which is disposed outside of a body, is caused to generate a vibration magnetic field in a direction parallel with the insert axis of the capsule 3 by turning on a vibration (ON/OFF) switch 8f of a manipulation/input device 8 so that couples having lines of action, which are in parallel with the insert axis, are exerted on the capsule 3, thereby the capsule 3 executes a swiveling motion about the insert axis and smoothly travels along a cavity organ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Uchiyama, Hironao Kawano, Takeshi Yokoi, Kenichi Arai, Kazushi Ishiyama, Masahiko Sendoh
  • Publication number: 20100073185
    Abstract: There is provided a position detection system (1) including a first marker (4) that produces a first alternating magnetic field having a first position-calculating frequency by means of an external power supply; a second marker (3) including a magnetic induction coil (5) having a resonance frequency equal to the position-calculating frequency; a magnetic-field detection section (13) that is disposed outside a working region of the second marker (3) and that detects a magnetic field at the first position-calculating frequency; an extracting section (24) that extracts, from the detected magnetic field, a first detection-magnetic-field component having the first position-calculating frequency and having the same phase as the phase of the first alternating magnetic field; and a position/orientation analyzing section (22) that calculates at least one of the position and the orientation of the first marker (4) based on the intensity of the extracted first detection-magnetic-field component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akio Uchiyama, Ryoji Sato, Atsushi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20100076263
    Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an endoscope for picking up an image in a body cavity by an image pickup apparatus provided in a distal end of an insertion portion; a position detecting apparatus for detecting, based on luminal information acquired by the image pickup apparatus, position information used for inserting the distal end of the insertion portion; a recording apparatus for recording, in a time-sequential manner, the position information detected by the position detecting apparatus; a determining apparatus for determining whether or not the detecting operation of the position information performed by the position detecting apparatus satisfies a set condition; and a direction calculating apparatus for, when the determination result shows that the set condition is not satisfied, reading out the position information recorded in the recording apparatus and outputting information on a direction in which the distal end of the insertion portion is to be inserted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventors: Hideki TANAKA, Jun HASEGAWA, Toshio NAKAMURA, Akio UCHIYAMA, Atsushi CHIBA
  • Publication number: 20100060472
    Abstract: A position detection system for a detection object and a position detection method for a detection object that enable calibration without removing a detection object after the detection object is introduced into a detection space are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventors: Atsushi Kimura, Akio Uchiyama, Ryoji Sato, Atsushi Chiba
  • Publication number: 20100056866
    Abstract: A medical guidance system and a control method of a medical device are provided, which may increase the drive force of a medical device and improve controllability thereof. The medical guidance system has a medical device that includes a biologic information acquisition unit that acquires biologic information of the inside of a body cavity and a magnet that generates drive force in response to a magnetic field exerted from the outside of a body, a magnetic field generation unit 101 that generates the magnetic field to be exerted on the magnet from the outside of a body, and a displacement detection unit 105 that detects displacement being an angle formed between the magnetization direction of the magnet and the field direction of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generation unit 101 at the position of the medical device; wherein the magnetic field generation unit 101 is controlled based on the displacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventors: Akio Uchiyama, Atsushi Chiba, Hironao Kawano
  • Publication number: 20100049033
    Abstract: A medical device position detection system and a position detection method of a medical device guidance system, which are capable of detecting a direction of the medical device accurately, are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2007
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventors: Hironao Kawano, Atsushi Kimura, Akio Uchiyama, Atsushi Chiba
  • Publication number: 20100030026
    Abstract: A medical apparatus main body such as a capsule main body inserted in the body cavity includes a thrust generating mechanism such as a spiral projection. The medical apparatus main body further forms an information providing unit comprising at least one of a storing unit for storing a state of the thrust generating mechanism and a direction detecting unit for detecting the direction of the medical apparatus main body. An input unit instructs a thrust generating direction of the thrust generating mechanism and thus a control unit changes continuously or the like a thrust generating state of the thrust generating mechanism based on information from the information providing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akio Uchiyama, Hironao Kawano, Takeshi Yokoi, Hironobu Takizawa, Kenichi Arai, Kazushi Ishiyama, Masahiko Sendoh
  • Publication number: 20100030021
    Abstract: An image display apparatus according to the present invention includes: a storage unit which stores an image group including a same number of first and second images which have a coincident positional relationship with respect to a subject and are respectively obtained through different image processes; a display unit which displays at least the first image in a display area; an input unit which indicates a display switching area of the first image displayed in the display area; and a display controller which controls the display unit to keep displaying the first image in an image part outside the display switching area and to switch an image part inside the display switching area of the first image to an image part, having a coincident positional relationship with the image part inside the display switching area of the first image with respect to the subject, of the second image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Minai, Akio Uchiyama
  • Publication number: 20100022835
    Abstract: A situation where a medical device is outside a region suitable for guidance control thereof can be easily coped with. Included are a medical device provided with a magnet; a guiding unit (5X-1, 5X-2, 5Y-1, 5Y-2, 5Z-1, 5Z-2) that forms a control magnetic field for guidance control of the medical device, inside a prescribed control area; a detection unit (7Y-1, 7Y-2) that detects positional information of the medical device; and a computational unit that judges that the medical device has gone outside the control area on the basis of an output from the detection unit (7Y-1, 7Y-2) and calculates a direction for returning the medical device to the control area, wherein a signal-waveform calculating unit (21) stops forming the control magnetic field when the medical device is outside the control area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Kimura, Akio Uchiyama, Ryoji Sato, Atsushi Chiba
  • Publication number: 20090326323
    Abstract: Smooth guiding through the inside of a body cavity is carried out by a magnetic field applied from the outside of the body. The provided capsule medical device (1) includes a bio-information detecting device (5) for detecting bio information of the inside of a body cavity; a magnet (12) for receiving a guidance magnetic field applied from outside the body and generating a driving force; a coil (7) for receiving a position-detection magnetic field applied from outside the body and generating a position-detection signal; a filter device (8), connected to the coil (7), for attenuating an induction signal component which is generated by the guidance magnetic field incident on the coil (7); and a wireless transmission device (10) for externally transmitting the position-detection signal which has passed through the filter device (8) and the bio information which has been detected by the bio-information detecting device (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventors: Akio Uchiyama, Atsushi Kimura, Ryoji Sato, Atsushi Chiba
  • Patent number: 7637864
    Abstract: A capsule medical apparatus inserted in the body cavity includes a spiral projected portion on the outer peripheral surface of a body cavity inserting portion. The pitch, height, and cross section of the projected portion and the like are set to have proper values and shapes suitable to the advance thereof. The body cavity inserting portion has a magnet. An external magnetic guiding device applies a rotating magnetic field to the magnet and the magnetic torque acts on a magnet for rotation. Thus, the medical apparatus stably advances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Yokoi, Hironobu Takizawa, Akio Uchiyama, Kenichi Arai, Kazushi Ishiyama, Masahiko Sendou
  • Publication number: 20090299142
    Abstract: An operating device operates a capsule endoscope with 6 degrees-of-freedom motion by using a magnetic field generator with respect to the capsule endoscope inserted into the subject. The operating device includes an operating unit including a fixed unit and a movable unit, and a force sensor incorporated in the operating unit. The operating unit has a three-dimensional shape substantially identical to the capsule endoscope and is a holdable size. The force sensor detects force information of the movable unit when the movable unit of the operating unit is operated once or continuously. The force information detected by the force sensor is output as instruction information for instructing 6 degrees-of-freedom motion of the capsule endoscope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventors: Akio UCHIYAMA, Atsushi KIMURA, Atsushi CHIBA, Ryoji SATO, Hironao KAWANO
  • Publication number: 20090295386
    Abstract: A position detection system that does not require calibration measurement to be performed in advance and reduces the work required for detecting a position and so on is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Ryoji Sato, Akio Uchiyama, Atsushi Kimura
  • Patent number: 7623904
    Abstract: In a capsule 3 as a medical apparatus inserted into a body cavity, the lengthwise direction of the capsule 3 is used as an insert axis, a manipulation/input device 8, which is magnetized in a direction orthogonal to the insert axis, is disposed at the center position of the insert axis. A magnetic field generation device 4, which is disposed outside of a body, is caused to generate a vibration magnetic field in a direction parallel with the insert axis of the capsule 3 by turning on a vibration (ON/OFF) switch 8f of a manipulation/input device 8 so that couples having lines of action, which are in parallel with the insert axis, are exerted on the capsule 3, thereby the capsule 3 executes a swiveling motion about the insert axis and smoothly travels along a cavity organ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Uchiyama, Hironao Kawano, Takeshi Yokoi, Kenichi Arai, Kazushi Ishiyama, Masahiko Sendoh
  • Publication number: 20090281387
    Abstract: Using a guidance system with a simple configuration, propulsive motion along a longitudinal direction and changing of the propulsion direction are easily performed with good precision and stability. There is provided a capsule-type medical apparatus 201 which is inserted into the body of a subject and is guided by an external magnetic field, the capsule-type medical apparatus 201 comprising: a substantially cylindrical capsule 202; a propulsion mechanism 207 for converting rotary motion about a longitudinal axis R of the capsule 202 into propulsive motion along the longitudinal axis R; a magnet 205 accommodated inside the capsule 202 and disposed in such a manner that the magnetic-pole direction thereof can be switched between a direction along the longitudinal axis R and a direction intersecting the longitudinal axis R; and a securing portion 212 for securing the magnet 205 to the capsule 202 in each of the switched states of the magnetic-pole direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicants: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP., OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hironobu Takizawa, Hironao Kawano, Akio Uchiyama, Shinsuke Tanaka, Atsushi Chiba
  • Patent number: 7604591
    Abstract: A capsule casing is inserted into the living body, a thin-film substrate is cylindrically-shaped with approximately the same size of the inner surface of the casing and a coil for receiving an AC magnetic field is formed, and thus AC power is generated by the AC magnetic field from the outside of the living body with a small mounting space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Uchiyama, Hironobu Takizawa, Masatoshi Homan