Abstract: A receiving apparatus includes a receiving unit which receives image data acquired through image capturing by a capsule endoscope introduced inside a subject; a reader to which a portable recording medium on which identification information identifying the subject is recorded in an erasable manner is detachably connected, the reader reading out the identification information of the subject in the recording medium; a display unit which displays the identification information of the subject read out by the reader; and a control unit which controls registration of the identification information of the subject displayed by the display unit and erasure of the registered identification information of the subject remaining in the recording medium.

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: A curving control device to which an electrically-controlled endoscope is connected has a main CPU for primarily performing curving driving control, and a monitoring CPU for monitoring whether the operating state relating to curving actions is normal or abnormal. IN the event of detecting an abnormality from the monitoring CPU, the curving control device also performs processing for handling the occurrence of the abnormality, such as outputting an emergency stop through an interlock via the main CPU, turning the main power and the like of a servo driver OFF.

Abstract: A protection circuit 26c detects a voltage at a point A on an electric-power supply path from a battery 29 to an intra-capsule function executing circuit 30. When the voltage at the point A becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold value (a predetermined midpoint potential), the protection circuit 26c performs a switching control of a switch element 26a, connects the battery 29 to a resistive load 26b, stops supplying driving power to the intra-capsule function executing circuit 30 and at the same time enables to supply electric power to the resistive load 26b, and prevents a false operation of a circuit at the midpoint potential by exhausting the electric power stored in the battery 29 by the resistive load 26b.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to easily start to operate a body-insertable apparatus which is introduced into a subject and executes a predetermined function. In a capsule endoscope 3 of the invention, a magnetic switch 14 is arranged in a tubular capsule casing 16 of the capsule endoscope 3 in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis t direction of the capsule casing 16. A movable electrode of the magnetic switch 14 is brought into contact with a fixed electrode of the magnetic switch by a magnetic induction action by a magnetic field generated by a magnet 6, which is applied to the magnetic switch 14 from the outside of the capsule endoscope 3 in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis t direction of the capsule casing 16. As a result, electric power can be supplied from a power source unit to a function executing unit.

Abstract: At startup, a main CPU renders and copies various types of unique parameters stored in an SRAM card corresponding to an ID unique to endoscopes to DPRAM and SDRAM and enables the endoscopes to be used with these parameters. Also in the event of desiring to change the set parameters, the user requests a change via an HMI, whereby the changed parameters are copied to the SDRAM via the DPRAM, and electrically-operated curving actions of the endoscope can be performed with the changed parameters.

Abstract: An electric bending endoscope includes a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of a motor as a state value indicating the driving state of a bending drive unit. A bending control device comprises: a temperature detection unit that receives the data of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor; a record unit in which the limits of motor temperature inputted in advance are recorded; a comparison unit that compares the data of the temperature sent from the temperature detection unit with the limits of motor temperature recorded in the record unit; and a notification unit that notifies that the driving state of a motor is approaching the limit.

Abstract: A body-insertable apparatus is inserted into a subject and obtains information of an inside of the subject. The body-insertable apparatus includes an illuminating unit that outputs an illumination light to illuminate the inside of the subject; an imaging unit that obtains image information of the inside of the subject which is illuminated by the illuminating unit; a radio transmitting unit that transmits information of the inside of the subject by radio; a clock generating unit that generates a clock for obtainment of the image information by the imaging unit; and a correcting unit that corrects a clock for radio transmission by the radio transmitting unit based on the clock generated by the clock generating unit.

Abstract: An intrabody introduced device comprising: a power storage section for supplying driving power to a function executing section; a detecting section for detecting a supply voltage of the power storage section; and a timing output section for outputting a detection signal for use in detecting the supply voltage using the detecting section at given timing. The detection timing of the supply voltage can be controlled in this manner, and therefore the supply voltage can be detected at timing at which the load of function executing section is low, thereby enabling efficient voltage detection. For example, if the aforementioned timing is synchronized with the blanking period of a picked-up image, a stable voltage measurement is enabled at timing at which the intrabody introduced device applies a low load.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to enable a receiving side to easily recognize which of imaging devices has picked up received image data. A capsule endoscope (one example of the in-vivo image acquiring apparatus) of the present invention is swallowed by a subject, and picks up images of the inside of organs of the subject. The capsule endoscope has a plurality of LEDs, a plurality of CCDs, and a transmission module. The CCDs paired with the LEDs pick up images of the inside of a body cavity illuminated by the LEDs. The transmission module adds identification data for identifying the CCDs to image data in front and rear directions of the capsule endoscope picked up by the CCDS, and transmit the image data together with the identification data to the receiving side.

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 capsule endoscope, which is inserted into a subject and picking up an image inside the subject, includes an illuminating unit that illuminates an interior surface of the subject with illuminating light; an imaging unit that generates an electronic signal corresponding to incident light and outputs the electronic signal generated; a noise canceller that eliminates noise charges which are caused by dark current and accumulated in the imaging unit; and a timing controller that controls driving timing of the noise canceller so that the driving timing lays within a period after the imaging unit finishes an output operation of the electronic signals and before the illuminating unit starts to emit the illuminating light.

Abstract: A monitor device for use with an endoscope apparatus, which has first and second display modes. In the first display mode, the monitor device displays, in real time, any image transmitted in a normal radio communication state. In the second display mode, the monitor device displays a noise-free image in real time, if a radio communication error occurs. If one-frame (or one-field) image data is not received within the frame (or field) time due to a communication error, the monitor device displays, in the second display mode, the image data received in a normal state immediately before the one-frame (or one-field) image data, and informs the operator of the communication error.

Abstract: An intra-subject device is introduced into a subject to acquire information of the interior of the subject and has a lighting member to output an illuminating light for illuminating the interior of the subject and an imaging member to acquire an image of the interior of the subject. The intra-subject device also has a parameter memory to store a parameter for canceling a noise contained in color information of the image. The intra-subject device also has a radio-transmitting section that radio-transmits the image information, to which the parameter stored in the parameter memory is added.

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: An endoscope system of the invention includes an elongated insertion portion; an image pickup portion provided with an objective optical system having an optical axis diagonal to a longitudinal axis direction of the insertion portion and that picks up an image of a subject present in a field of view of the objective optical system and can rotate around the longitudinal axis of the insertion portion; a rotation angle detection portion that detects a rotation angle of the image pickup portion; an image pickup control portion that can have images of a plurality of subjects picked up while the image pickup portion makes one rotation by controlling the image pickup portion on the basis of the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle detection portion; and a signal processing portion that carries out signal processing for having each image of the plurality of subjects displayed on one display portion.

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 system control circuit 26 monitors a drive of a light emitting diode (LED) driving circuit 21 and a charge coupled device (CCD) driving circuit 23, a motor 30 as a function executing unit in a capsule endoscope is driven at a timing for an arbitrarily predetermined period different from a lighting period in which the system control circuit 26 lights a LED 20 and an imaging period in which a CCD 22 captures an intra-subject image, and interference for an image caused by a drive of the motor is prevented. As a result, the function executing unit in the capsule endoscope is driven at an arbitrarily predetermined timing, and image collection and image transmission inside the subject is properly performed.

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: A processing device (2) includes an analog circuit block (6), a digital circuit block (7), a casing (12) which houses elements including (6) and (7) and serves as a conductive shield member, and a connecting connector (13) which has functions, for example, of electrically connecting the casing (12) and a first ground terminal (6a) provided in the analog circuit block (6). Level of noise signals generated from the analog circuit block (6) is lower than the level of noise signals generated from the digital circuit block (7). Therefore, when the casing (12) is electrically connected to the first ground terminal (6a) provided in the analog circuit block (6), the casing (12) can maintain a stable potential thereby more effectively working as the conductive shield member. Thus, leakage of the noise signals generated at driving of internal electronic circuitry is effectively suppressed in an electronic apparatus such as a receiving apparatus.