Wireless endoscopic camera

Abstract

A system and method for wirelessly transmitting a video image signal from an endoscopic camera to a receiver or control unit for storage and/or display on a video monitor. Use of a frame-specific, variable compression algorithm capable of progressively encoding a data stream provides for a better performing and higher quality wireless endoscopic camera system capable of generating images at varying resolutions. Use of a short-range, high-performance wireless technology, such as Ultrawideband (UWB), improves the performance capabilities of the system, while minimizing power consumption and extending battery life. Implementations of error correcting codes, as well as the use of multiple transmitting and receiving antennas, further improve the fidelity of the wireless communication.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wireless endoscopic camera system, comprising:
 a surgical endoscope for viewing tissue within the body of a patient;   a camera head for processing digital image data representative of an endoscopic image viewed by the endoscope, the camera head having a proximal end and a distal end, with the distal end detachably connected to the endoscope;   a compression unit contained within the camera head for reducing the amount of digital image data required to represent the endoscopic image;   a transmitter contained within the camera head for conveying the compressed digital image data to a remote receiver; and   a plurality of antennas located on a body of the camera head and in communication with the transmitter for receiving the compressed digital image data from the transmitter and wirelessly relaying the compressed digital image data to the remote receiver.