Endoscopic smart probe and method

Abstract

An improved endoscopic device which is introduced into, for example, the intestinal tract of a living organism and which operates autonomously therein, adapted to obtain and store or transmit one or more types of data such as visual image data, laser autofluorescence data, pressure data, or ultrasonic waveform data. In one embodiment, the device includes one or more pressure sensing apparatus configured to enable measurement of pressure resulting from, for instance, peristaltic contractions within the intestinal tract, including transmission of pressure data as a function of time off of the device via a wireless interface while the device is within the intestinal tract.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An electronic probe for use within a human being, said electronic probe comprising:
 a housing with an exterior shape and at least one an exterior surface;   at least one pressure sensing apparatus in communication with at least a portion of the housing; and   circuitry in signal communication with the at least one pressure sensing apparatus and configured to generate data based at least in part on a pressure being applied to said at least one pressure sensing apparatus while said probe is within said human being.   
     
     
         17 . The probe of  claim 16 , wherein the use within a human being comprises use within an intestinal tract of the human being, and the probe is configured to perform said generation of data based on sensing one or more peristaltic contractions within said intestinal tract. 
     
     
         18 . The probe of  claim 17 , further comprising a wireless transmitter in communication with said circuitry and configured to generate radio frequency energy encoding at least a portion of said generated data. 
     
     
         19 . The probe of  claim 18 , wherein the wireless transmitter comprises a transmitter complaint with an RFID (radio frequency identification) standard. 
     
     
         20 . The probe of  claim 16 , further comprising a wireless apparatus in communication with said circuitry and configured to transmit radio frequency energy encoding at least a portion of said generated data. 
     
     
         21 . The probe of  claim 20 , wherein the wireless apparatus comprises a passive radio frequency device configured to backscatter at least a portion of radio frequency energy incident thereon, the backscatter comprising the encoded at least portion of the generated data. 
     
     
         22 . The probe of  claim 20 , further comprising an energy source, and wherein the wireless apparatus comprises an active passive radio frequency device configured to transmit the encoded at least portion of the generated data using electrical energy generated by the energy source. 
     
     
         23 . The probe of  claim 16 , wherein said data comprises a plurality of digital data representative of at least one pressure value as a function of time. 
     
     
         24 . The probe of  claim 17 , wherein said data comprises a plurality of digital data representative of at least one pressure value resulting from at least one peristaltic contraction by said intestinal tract. 
     
     
         25 . The probe of  claim 16 , wherein said at least one pressure sensing apparatus comprises a piezoelectric device. 
     
     
         26 . The probe of  claim 16 , wherein said at least one pressure sensing apparatus comprises a plurality of pressure sensors disposed so that an active face of each communicates at least in part with said exterior surface. 
     
     
         27 . The probe of  claim 20 , wherein said wireless apparatus is configured to communicate with an external wireless interface, the external wireless interface configured for use external to the human being and having: (i) at least a receiver capable of receiving the radio frequency energy encoding at least a portion of said generated data; and (ii) a radio frequency device capable of at least wirelessly transmitting the at least portion of the generated data encoded in the received radio frequency energy to a portable electronic device. 
     
     
         28 . The probe of  claim 20 , further comprising an external wireless interface configured to operate external to the human being, the external wireless interface having (i) at least a receiver capable of receiving the radio frequency energy encoding at least a portion of said generated data; and (ii) a radio frequency device capable of at least wirelessly transmitting the at least portion of the generated data encoded in the received radio frequency energy to a portable electronic device. 
     
     
         29 . The probe of  claim 20 , further comprising an external wireless interface configured to operate external to the human being and communicate wirelessly with the wireless apparatus, the external wireless interface having (i) at least a receiver capable of receiving the radio frequency energy encoding at least a portion of said generated data; and (ii) a storage device and computerized logic configured to store the at least portion of the generated data encoded in the received radio frequency energy. 
     
     
         30 . An electronic probe for use within an intestinal tract of a human being, said electronic probe comprising:
 a housing with a substantially cylindrical exterior shape so as to enable passage through the intestinal tract;   pressure sensing apparatus in communication with at least a portion of the housing;   data processing apparatus in communication with the pressure sensing apparatus;   a wireless transmitter in data communication with the data processing apparatus; and   storage apparatus in communication with the data processing apparatus and comprising at least one computer program disposed thereon, the at least one program configured to, when executed on the data processing apparatus:
 obtain data from the pressure sensing apparatus, the data generated based at least in part on a pressure being sensed by said pressure sensing apparatus while said probe is within said human being; and 
 cause transmission of at least a portion of the generated data via the wireless transmitter to a receiver disposed external to the human being. 
   
     
     
         31 . The probe of  claim 30 , further comprising a data storage device in data communication with the data processing apparatus and configured to store at least a portion of the generated data prior to said transmission. 
     
     
         32 . The probe of  claim 31 , wherein the probe further comprises at least one data processing algorithm, the at least one algorithm configured to, when executed on said data processing apparatus, process at least a portion of said generated data prior to said transmission. 
     
     
         33 . The probe of  claim 32 , wherein the processing of at least a portion of said generated data prior to said transmission comprises filtration of at least a portion of the data. 
     
     
         34 . The probe of  claim 32 , wherein the pressure sensing apparatus comprises a plurality of pressure sensors, and the processing of at least a portion of said generated data prior to said transmission comprises statistical analysis of at least a portion of the data obtained from each of the plurality of sensors. 
     
     
         35 . An electronic probe for use within an intestinal tract of a human being, said electronic probe comprising:
 a housing with a substantially cylindrical exterior shape so as to enable passage through the intestinal tract;   pressure sensing apparatus configured to sense pressure applied to at least a portion of the housing due to peristaltic contractions of the intestinal tract;   analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) apparatus in signal communication with the pressure sensing apparatus, the ADC apparatus configured to convert analog signals generated by the pressure sending apparatus over time to a digital bitstream;   data processing apparatus in data communication with the ADC apparatus;   data storage apparatus in data communication with said data processing apparatus;   a wireless transmitter in data communication with the data processing apparatus; and   storage apparatus in communication with the data processing apparatus and comprising at least one computer program disposed thereon, the at least one program configured to, when executed on the data processing apparatus:
 obtain the digital bitstream, the bitstream generated from signals produced based at least in part on a pressure sensed by said pressure sensing apparatus as a result of said peristaltic contractions; 
 store the obtained bitstream at least temporarily in the data storage apparatus; and 
 cause transmission of at least a portion of the stored bitstream via the wireless transmitter to a receiver disposed external to the human being, the transmitted portion being useful for at least producing a representation of the peristaltic contractions as a function of time for use by a clinician or caregiver of the human being.