Patent Application
20110144431
The disclosed embodiment concerns the use of capsule endoscopes which are typically ingested by a patient and which traverse the gastrointestinal tract of the patient, and which are then voided in a natural manner.
Capsule endoscopes are well known for testing for therapy of a gastrointestinal tract where, for example, an image sensor unit may capture views of the interior of the body. The patient swallows the capsules and they traverse the gastrointestinal tract. After eight hours, for example, the endoscopy capsule is voided naturally via the anus.
Capsule endoscopes known today are relatively expensive and normally may be used only once.
The capsule endoscope traverses the gastrointestinal tract of a patient and obtains images by means of an image sensor, for example, which are transmitted by a wireless transmission to a receiver.
It is known to provide magnets within the capsule endoscopes within a shell or casing of the capsule. By use of a large magnet creating a magnetic field, the capsule is then steered within the patient. The capsule endoscope magnetic steering system is a relatively expensive system, since the magnet required is relatively large. Some customers for the capsules such as physicians, physician groups, hospitals, etc. may have a choice to invest in the relatively expensive capsule endoscope magnetic steering system and also purchase the capsules for use in that system. Other customers may decide not to make an investment in the capsule endoscope magnetic steering system but prefer to either lease the system, or have free use of the system provided that they pay a higher price for the capsule endoscopes.
Also, it may be desirable to provide free use of the magnetic steering system together with the relatively lower priced capsule endoscopes to certain customers on a promotional and/or charitable basis such as medical schools or the like. Also in certain regions of the world it may be desirable to provide the steering system and the less expensive capsules for humanitarian and/or charitable reasons.
For the first alternative listed above where the customer buys or leases the system, he may receive the capsules at a discounted price in view of his investment or lease payments for the relatively expensive capsule endoscope magnetic steering system. There is, of course, the possibility and risk that those customers might sell the capsules which they obtained at a lower price to the other customers who did not invest or lease the capsule endoscope magnetic steering system, but who would be required normally to pay a higher price for the capsules given free use of the capsule endoscope magnetic steering system.
In a method or system for limiting use of capsule endoscopes by a capsule endoscope magnetic steering system used by a customer, the capsule endoscope is provided with a use code stored with the capsule. The use code is read and analyzed to determine whether or not the customer's capsule endoscope magnetic steering system will be enabled or disabled for use with the capsule endoscope from which the use code was read.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the preferred embodiments/best mode illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, and such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates are included.
The use code transmitter/receiver 19 forwards the use code to a use code logic module 22 which then sends an enable or disable signal to the capsule endoscope magnetic steering system 14 with its control unit 16. As shown in
The transmitter in
Alternatively, in a second embodiment shown in
In a third embodiment shown in
Typically, use codes which will be authorized to enable the capsule endoscope use by the capsule endoscope magnetic steering system 14 will be for those capsules which were sold at a relatively low price to customers who had purchased or leased the capsule endoscope magnetic steering system or for promotional and/or charitable (humanitarian) customers such as medical schools for the like.
On the other hand, for those customers who have not purchased the capsule endoscope magnetic steering system who have been given free use of a “loaner system”, but who purchase more expensive capsules, the use code logic with such a loaner steering system would preclude use of relatively low price capsules by disabling the capsule endoscope magnetic steering system for use with such lower price capsules.
Customers deemed to be authorized to use the relatively lower price capsules could be also in certain regions based on charitable and/or humanitarian needs for those regions.
The use code logic module may also authorize certain use codes for use in a given time period so that a customer may use a certain number of the relatively lower priced capsules for a certain time period. Also use may be permitted for a fixed number of lower price capsules, then thereafter only the use of relatively higher price capsules may be permitted based on the use code logic and use codes provided.
The use codes may be combinations of numbers and/or letters, and/or may be a serial number of each individual capsule.
While preferred embodiments have been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention both now or in the future are desired to be protected.
