Patent ID: 8786691

Claim:
A receiving system comprising: an ex-vivo device for processing in-vivo information acquired by a capsule endoscope configured to be introduced into a subject; and a plurality of relay devices for relaying the in-vivo information acquired by the capsule endoscope to the ex-vivo device, the plurality of relay devices comprising: a first relay device comprising a first receiving unit and a first transmitting unit; and a second relay device comprising a second receiving unit and a second transmitting unit; wherein the first receiving unit and the second receiving unit are each configured to wirelessly receive an in-vivo information signal transmitted from the capsule endoscope, wherein the in-vivo information signal carries the in-vivo information, wherein the first receiving unit is configured to measure a first electrical field intensity of the in-vivo information signal received by the first receiving unit, and the second receiving unit is configured to measure a second electrical field intensity of the in-vivo information signal received by the second receiving unit, wherein the ex-vivo device is configured to transmit a polling signal to each of the first relay device and the second relay device, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to transmit a first electrical field intensity signal carrying the first electrical field intensity in response to the polling signal, and the second transmitting unit is configured to transmit a second electrical field intensity signal carrying the second electrical field intensity in response to the polling signal, wherein the ex-vivo device is configured to compare the first electrical field intensity signal and the second electrical field intensity signal to determine that the first electrical field intensity is stronger than the second electrical field intensity, and to transmit a selection signal identifying the first relay device as a selected relay device based on the determination that the first electrical field intensity is stronger, and wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to transmit an in-vivo information relay signal carrying the in-vivo information to the ex-vivo device, in response to the selection signal transmitted by the ex-vivo device.