Abstract: After a receiving antenna (A1) is inserted from a slot (B16) into a housing portion (B14) formed between cover members (B11, B12), the slot (B16) is pasted so as to secure the receiving antenna (A1). The receiving antenna (A1) is thus housed. Further, a tab (B17) which extends from one side of a pasted edge portion, holes (B20, B21) that penetrate opposing surfaces of the cover members (B11, B12), and perforated lines (B22, B23) running from the slot (B16) to the holes (B20, B21), respectively, are provided. Therefore, the receiving antenna (A1) can be easily attached to the antenna cover (B1) and to an outer surface of a subject (1), and the receiving antenna (A1) can be easily removed from the antenna cover (B1) and from the outer surface of the subject (1).

Abstract: A body-insertable apparatus is inserted into a subject body and travels through the subject body and includes a magnetic field generator that generates a constant magnetic field; a covering member that covers the magnetic field generator and that is made of a biocompatible material; and a container that houses and seals the magnetic field generator covered by the covering member.

Abstract: A medical image recording system easily obtains information of a device, etc. used at the time of an examination without conscious effort on operator's part, and records image information and the device information, which are obtained at the time of the examination, by making a 1-to-1 association between them. The system comprises at least an image information obtaining unit obtaining an observation image at the time of an examination for a medical treatment, a device information obtaining unit obtaining information of a device used at the time of the examination, and a recording unit recording information composing of the image information obtained by the image information obtaining unit and the device information obtained by the device information obtaining unit, as one associated information.

Abstract: A receiving apparatus which is used while connected to a plurality of antennas, the receiving apparatus receiving a radio signal through the antennas to perform a predetermined process to the received radio signal, the radio signal being transmitted from a body-insertable apparatus inserted into a subject, includes a receiving antenna selection unit that selects the antenna which is suitable for reception of the radio signal when the radio signal is transmitted from the body-insertable apparatus; a sequential antenna selection unit that sequentially selects each of the plurality of antennas when performance inspection of the plurality of antennas is performed; and a signal processing unit that performs a predetermined process to the radio signal received through the antenna, the antenna being selected by the receiving antenna selection unit or the sequential antenna selection unit.

Abstract: A receiving apparatus is for selecting and receiving a radio signal in a frame structure having an information body part including at least information body and an additional part including information for receiving field intensity measurement by using a plurality of antennas. The apparatus includes a controller that measures a receiving field intensity of not a first antenna which has received the information body in a transmission period of the additional part in a current frame but a second antenna, and measures a receiving field intensity of the first antenna in a transmission period of the information body part in the current frame, and if the receiving field intensity of the second antenna exceeds the receiving field intensity of the first antenna, selects and changes to the second antenna as the first antenna of a next frame.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to receive, with a high sensitivity, a radio signal transmitted within a short time before a capsule endoscope reaches the stomach of a subject and acquire, in a satisfactory state, information on the interior of the subject such as image data picked up by the capsule endoscope. The receiving apparatus according to the invention includes a plurality of receiving antennas including a specified receiving antenna for receiving a radio signal from a capsule endoscope before the stomach is reached, a switching controller, an arrival determining unit and a mode switching unit. The switching controller performs a control operation for switching to and maintaining the receiving antenna in an initial mode or a control operation for switching to the receiving antennas in a normal mode. The arrival determining unit determines whether the capsule endoscope has reached the stomach or not.

Abstract: A portable simplified image display apparatus and a receiving system are provided, which can sensuously know the state of received strength of radio signals transmitted from a body-insertable apparatus, in either case of before examination or during examination. A viewer (7) includes a detector that detects received strength of a radio signal transmitted from a capsule endoscope (2) and a notifying unit that notifies the detected state of received strength in a display pattern such as a picture display of a capsule (41). Therefore, in either case of before examination or during examination, the state of received strength of radio signals transmitted from the capsule endoscope (2) can be sensuously known according to the notification result of the state of received strength. If it is during examination, supplementary observation can be performed based on an excellent received image by searching a site having strong received strength, thereby enabling contribution to satisfactory examination.

Abstract: An intra-subject position display system for displaying a position of an intra-subject device, which is introduced into a subject and moves therein, wherein a relative position of the intra-subject device to an outer surface of the subject is detected and displayed. The position of the intra-subject device is displayed in a relation with the outer surface of the subject. Thereby, it is possible to easily determine in which site of the subject the intra-subject device exists. The present invention is effective to recognize a position of, for example, a capsule type endoscope or a test capsule therefor in the subject (e.g., a human body). To recognize the outer surface of the subject, for example, a plurality of radio devices are arranged on the outer surface of the subject and their radio signals are analyzed.

Abstract: A receiving apparatus is for selecting and receiving a radio signal in a frame structure having an information body part including at least information body and an additional part including information for receiving field intensity measurement by using a plurality of antennas. The apparatus includes a controller that measures a receiving field intensity of not a first antenna which has received the information body in a transmission period of the additional part in a current frame but a second antenna, and measures a receiving field intensity of the first antenna in a transmission period of the information body part in the current frame, and if the receiving field intensity of the second antenna exceeds the receiving field intensity of the first antenna, selects and changes to the second antenna as the first antenna of a next frame.

Abstract: The invention provides a receiving apparatus that can suppress data loss when an antenna is detached. When a non-connection of an antenna is detected (step S103: Yes) after a recording operation is started (step S101: Yes), the receiving apparatus operates a warning unit to issue a warning to a user to the effect that the antenna is detached (step S105). Therefore, the receiving apparatus does not issue a warning (step S102) when there is no problem even when the antenna is detached, such as when an examination is not yet started (step S101: No). When the antenna is detached in a state that the use of the antenna is essential during an examination, the receiving apparatus notifies the user such as a subject about this fact, thereby prompting the user to correct the connection of the antenna. As a result, the data loss when the antenna is detached can be suppressed.

Abstract: In a capsule casing 16 as an exterior case that includes end cover casings 16a and 16b and body cover casings 16a and 16b, planar portions 16f and 16g are formed at portions of a circumferential surface of the body cover casings 16c and 16d, and imaging units 14a and 14b are arranged inside the capsule casing 16 at positions at which imaging inside of body cavities of a subject is possible through the planar portions 16f and 16g, thereby preventing a lens effect, eliminating image failures to improve images, and enhancing image quality.

Abstract: A receiving apparatus that can prevent beforehand that a portable recording medium is erroneously ejected during examination, and can prevent body cavity image data from being lost and the portable recording medium from being damaged is provided. When an ejection operation of the portable recording medium is detected (step S103: Yes) during a recording operation (step S101: Yes), a warning unit is operated before the portable recording medium is ejected to give a warning to a user so as not to perform the ejection operation (step S105). Accordingly, the portable recording medium can be prevented beforehand from being ejected during the recording operation, thereby preventing body cavity image data from being lost and the portable recording medium from being damaged.

Abstract: A remaining-power-amount recognizing circuit 20 provided within a capsule endoscope 2 recognizes a remaining power amount of a body-insertable apparatus (capsule endoscope 2), and superimposes the remaining-power-amount information on a transmission signal. An RF transmitting unit 15 of the capsule endoscope 2 transmits the superimposed information to a receiving apparatus 3 at the outside of the subject. A remaining-power-amount detecting circuit 48 provided within an external device 32 of the receiving apparatus 3 detects the remaining-power-amount information, and displays the detected information on a display unit 51 provided within the external device 32. With this arrangement, a user can promptly recognize a remaining power amount of the capsule endoscope 2.

Abstract: A capsule endoscope 3 is inserted into a subject and transmits a capsule ID, which is received by an RF receiving unit 11 of a receiving apparatus 2. A capsule ID detecting circuit 19 detects the capsule ID. A control unit C recognizes a type of the capsule endoscope 3 based on the detected capsule ID, and changes over a threshold of received field strength of a receiving antenna. Thus, a content of processing for the capsule endoscope 3 is changed over, and a selection controller C1 selects a receiving antenna for an image receiving period from receiving antennas A1 to An.

Abstract: A capsule endoscope 2 includes a partial-image acquiring unit that has a field of vision of 360° around a central axis in a longitudinal direction (moving direction), and acquires a plurality of partial image data on inner circumferential areas 28a, 28b and the like according to a movement of the capsule endoscope 2. On the other hand, the capsule endoscope 2 is configured to acquire position related data based on which positions Z(t1) and Z(t2) at which the respective partial image data is acquired can be calculated, and enables a receiving apparatus or the like to constitute overall image data based on the partial image data and the position related data, whereby an overall image of a predetermined imaging target in a body of a subject is acquired with simple constitution while suppressing an increase in data amount.

Abstract: The invention provides a receiving apparatus that can suppress data loss when an antenna is detached. When a non-connection of an antenna is detected (step S103: Yes) after a recording operation is started (step S101: Yes), the receiving apparatus operates a warning unit to issue a warning to a user to the effect that the antenna is detached (step S105). Therefore, the receiving apparatus does not issue a warning (step S102) when there is no problem even when the antenna is detached, such as when an examination is not yet started (step S101: No). When the antenna is detached in a state that the use of the antenna is essential during an examination, the receiving apparatus notifies the user such as a subject about this fact, thereby prompting the user to correct the connection of the antenna. As a result, the data loss when the antenna is detached can be suppressed.

Abstract: A condition for determining that an examination by a capsule endoscope 3 (body insertable device) completes is set in advance. When a predetermined time period has passed since the examination starts, and when received electric-field strength of receiving antennas A1 to An detected during a predetermined time period is not higher than a predetermined value, the examination is determined to have been completed. An examination completion determining unit C1 determines whether the condition is satisfied or not. According to the result of determination, a notification controller C2 makes a notifying unit 15 notify that the examination completes, and a power supply controller C3 stop power supply to a radio unit 2a. Thus, unnecessary power consumption is prevented and the completion of the examination by the body insertable device is recognized.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to be able to ensure detecting whether an open-circuit occurs to a feeder within short time with simple configuration. A receiving apparatus 2 according to the present invention receives image information transmitted from a capsule endoscope 3 through a coaxial cable and a receiving antenna selected and switched to from among coaxial cables 9a to 9d connected to receiving antennas 8a to 8d, respectively by a changeover switch 20. The receiving apparatus 2 includes a changeover switch 22, an open-circuit detecting circuit 23, and a control unit 26. The changeover switch 22 branches the coaxial cables 9a to 9d near the changeover switch 20, and selects and switches to one of the branched coaxial cables.

Abstract: After a receiving antenna (A1) is inserted from a slot (B16) into a housing portion (B14) formed between cover members (B11, B12), the slot (B16) is pasted so as to secure the receiving antenna (A1). The receiving antenna (A1) is thus housed. Further, a tab (B17) which extends from one side of a pasted edge portion, holes (B20, B21) that penetrate opposing surfaces of the cover members (B11, B12), and perforated lines (B22, B23) running from the slot (B16) to the holes (B20, B21), respectively, are provided. Therefore, the receiving antenna (A1) can be easily attached to the antenna cover (B1) and to an outer surface of a subject (1), and the receiving antenna (A1) can be easily removed from the antenna cover (B1) and from the outer surface of the subject (1).

Abstract: A camera control unit for processing a signal output from an imaging device incorporated in an endoscope is provided with an analog video signal output terminal through which a video signal is output to a monitor, and a digital video signal output terminal to which a still image-specific or motion picture-specific expansion unit is coupled in a freely detachable manner. By handling a release switch, a still image or motion picture can be recorded digitally. Even when the recorded image data is edited or subjected to any other processing, deterioration of image quality can be prevented. An imaging system having these advantages can be realized on a small scale.