Handheld wireless endoscope image streaming apparatus

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media relate to a handheld wireless endoscope image streaming apparatus. The apparatus may establish a wireless connection to a computer system. The apparatus may obtain, via a digital camera, video imagery via an endoscope, the video imagery including multiple frames. The apparatus may stream to a computer system video data.

1 . An endoscope system, comprising:
 a portable wireless endoscope device comprising:
 a hand-held body, a battery-operated onboard processor, a light source, a wireless transceiver, a digital camera, and a storage system, and the housing having an endoscope coupler with a lens and an attachment connector, wherein the onboard processor is configured to perform the operations comprising: 
   creating, by the wireless endoscope device, a wireless network for connection by a computer system;   establishing a wireless connection to the computer system, wherein the wireless connection comprises a secure connection with the computer system and the wireless endoscope device, enabling the computer system to execute commands on the wireless endoscope device;   initiating a video streaming service on the wireless endoscope device;   initiating a video steaming receiver service on the computer system;   receiving a start command from either the computer system or an input via the wireless endoscope device, the start command starting the streaming of a video stream from the wireless endoscope device to the computer system;   obtaining, via the digital camera, video imagery via an endoscope optically connected to the endoscope coupler, the video imagery including multiple frames;   transmitting, via the video streaming service, the video stream of the video imagery to the computer system via the wireless transceiver;   receiving, via the video streaming receiver service, the video stream; and   displaying, via a display device of the computer system, the video stream.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising the operations of:
 tracking a position and rotational movement of the wireless endoscope device via an accelerometer and gyroscope of the wireless endoscope device; and   providing an alert when a rotation of the hand-held body rotates greater than a predetermined threshold angular value.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising the operations of:
 in response to an orientation command, setting an orientation position of the wireless endoscope device in relationship to a patient's body.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising the operations of:
 performing an initialization procedure to set a position of the wireless endoscope device in a 3-dimensional space.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising the operations of:
 a light case coupled to the endoscope, the light case containing the light source, the light source comprising a light-emitting diode, and wherein the lens is positioned between the camera and the endoscope.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising the operations of:
 determining whether the endoscope is in a patient's body cavity; and   automatically turning on the light source of the wireless endoscope device when the endoscope is determined to be in the patient's body cavity.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless network is automatically created, by the wireless endoscope device, when the wireless endoscope device is powered on via a power button. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising the operations of:
 determining whether the endoscope is in a patient's body cavity; and   automatically begin obtaining, via the digital camera, video imagery when the wire endoscope device is determined whether the endoscope is in a patient's body cavity.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising the operations of:
 receiving a stop command from either the computer system or an input via the endoscope, the stop command stopping the streaming of the video stream from the wireless endoscope device to the computer system.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the computer system scans for the wireless network for a predetermined media access control (MAC) address and obtains an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with a MAC address of the portable wireless endoscope device. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method for streaming endoscopic video data comprising:
 providing a wireless endoscope device comprising:
 a hand-held body, a battery-operated onboard processor, a light source, a wireless transceiver, a digital camera, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, and a storage system, and the housing having an endoscope coupler with a lens and an attachment connector; 
   creating, by the wireless endoscope device, a wireless network for connection by a computer system;   establishing a wireless connection to the computer system, wherein the wireless connection comprises a secure connection with the computer system and the wireless endoscope device, enabling the computer system to execute commands on the wireless endoscope device;   initiating a video streaming service on the wireless endoscope device;   initiating a video steaming receiver service on the computer system;   receiving a start command from either the computer system or an input via the wireless endoscope device, the start command starting the streaming of a video stream from the wireless endoscope device to the computer system;   obtaining, via the digital camera, video imagery via an endoscope optically connected to the endoscope coupler, the video imagery including multiple frames;   transmitting, via the video streaming service, the video stream of the video imagery to the computer system via the wireless transceiver;   receiving, via the video streaming receiver service, the video stream; and   displaying, via a display device of the computer system, the video stream.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 tracking a position and rotational movement of the wireless endoscope device via an accelerometer and gyroscope of the wireless endoscope device; and   providing an alert when a rotation of the hand-held body rotates greater than a predetermined threshold angular value.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 in response to an orientation command, setting an orientation position of the wireless endoscope device in relationship to a patient's body.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 performing an initialization procedure to set a position of the wireless endoscope device in a 3-dimensional space.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a light case coupled to the endoscope, the light case containing the light source, the light source comprising a light-emitting diode, and wherein the lens is positioned between the camera and the endoscope.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining whether the endoscope is in a patient's body cavity; and   automatically turning on the light source of the wireless endoscope device when the endoscope is determined to be in the patient's body cavity.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the wireless network is automatically created, by the wireless endoscope device, when the wireless endoscope device is powered on via a power button. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , the further comprising:
 determining whether the endoscope is in a patient's body cavity; and   automatically begin obtaining, via the digital camera, video imagery when the wire endoscope device is determined whether the endoscope is in a patient's body cavity.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the wireless endoscope device, a stop command from either the computer system or an input via the endoscope, the stop command stopping the streaming of the video stream from the wireless endoscope device to the computer system.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 scanning by the computer system for the wireless network for a predetermined media access control (MAC) address and obtains an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with a MAC address of the portable wireless endoscope device.