Localized physiologic status from luminosity around fingertip or toe

• US 10,076,262 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2014
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TSI Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Epic Research & Diagnostics, Inc.
• Inventors: Rizzo, Nancy R
• Primary Examiner(s): Turchen, Rochelle
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOFFMAN, JOANNE M
• Application Number:
  US14/341,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20140336516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,515 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0082 adapted for particular medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0093 Detecting, measuring or recording by applying one single type of energy and measuring its conversion into another type of energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/05 Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves impedance plethysmography A61B5/0295; measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/201 Assessing renal or kidney functions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/42 Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the gastrointestinal, the endocrine or the exocrine systems A61B1/00, A61B5/4857, A61B5/486, A61B5/4866, A61B5/4869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4842 Monitoring progression or stage of a disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6825 Hand
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/70 for mining of medical data, e.g. analysing previous cases of other patients
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means

Abstract

Systems and methods are directed to generating and analyzing light. Spatial light response around a human fingertip in response to electrical stimulation is associated with the status of various body organs. A system that provides a particularized response indication based on spatial light response includes a camera, an electrical signal generator, a light source, a circuit, and a computer. The signal generator stimulates emission of light from the finger when the finger is at a position relative to the camera. The light source illuminates the finger at the position. The circuit activates the light source and the camera to obtain a first image of the finger at the position, activates the signal generator and the camera to obtain a second image of the emission of light from the finger at the position, determines a direction from the first image, determines a centroid from the second image, and determines a description of the second image in accordance with the direction and the centroid. The computer receives indicia of the description and provides the particularized response indication in accordance with the description, wherein the particularized response indication describes a status of various body organs.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a. a camera;

b. an electrical signal generator;

c. an electrode, coupled to the signal generator, that stimulates emission of light from a finger associated with a subject when the finger is at a predetermined distance from the camera;

d. a light source that illuminates the finger at the distance;

e. a removable dielectric barrier, the removable dielectric barrier configured to be selectably placed in a first position between the finger and the electrode, and a second position not located between the finger and the electrode; and

f. a computer including a microcontroller circuit configured to;

i) activate the light source and the camera to obtain a first live image of the finger illuminated with light from the light source while the finger is disposed at the predetermined distance; and

ii) activate the signal generator and the camera to obtain one or more second energized images of the emission of light from the finger obtained in response to AC electrostimulation of the finger while the finger is disposed at the predetermined distance; and

g. a processor circuit configured to process information obtained from the first image and to use the processed information to orient the one or more second images;

wherein the one or more second energized images comprise a first component obtained with the dielectric barrier in the first position, the first component being associated with physical composite scores, and a second component obtained without the presence of the dielectric barrier and with the dielectric barrier in the second position, the second component being associated with autonomic composite scores, wherein the first component and the second component comprise separate images.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

a. the circuit comprises a processor circuit and a memory circuit coupled to the processor; and

b. the processor circuit, by reading from the memory circuit instructions stored in the memory circuit, performs a method comprising;

determining a reference direction from the first image, determining a centroid from the second image, and determining polar coordinates of the second image in accordance with the reference direction and the centroid.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to obtain the first image without using the electrical signal generator.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to obtain the one or more second images without using the light source.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor circuit configured to use orientation information from the first image to determine polar coordinates for the one or more second images.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the polar coordinates are used to map light intensity information to particular body anatomy remote from the fingertip.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor circuit is configured to use information from the first image to orient an oval onto the one or more second images.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor circuit is further configured to use the polar coordinates to radially sector the energized image.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor circuit configured to rotationally orient the second image relative to the first image.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor circuit configured to translationally orient the second image relative to the first image.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the polar coordinates correspond to angular locations of radial rays extending radially outward from the centroid of the second image.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the reference direction corresponds to 0°

, and the angular locations of radial rays are defined relative to the reference direction.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to obtain respective first and second images for a thumb, forefinger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger for a human subject.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the circuit is configured to determine a respective reference direction and respective polar coordinates for each of the thumb, forefinger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to obtain the first image without using the electrical signal generator and to obtain the second image without using the light source, and to use orientation information from the first image to determine polar coordinates for the second image, wherein the polar coordinates are used to map light intensity information to a particular body anatomy remote from the fingertip.

3. A system that provides a particularized response indication in accordance with images of a finger of a human, the system comprising:

a. a camera;

b. an electrical signal generator;

c. an electrode, coupled to the signal generator, that stimulates emission of light from the finger when the finger is at a predetermined distance from the camera;

d. a light source that illuminates the finger at the position;

e. a computer including a microcontroller circuit configured to;

activate the light source and the camera to obtain a first live image of the finger illuminated with light from light source while the finger is disposed at the predetermined distance; and

ii) activate the signal generator and the camera to obtain one or more second energized images of the emission of light from the finger obtained in response to AC electrostimulation of the finger while the finger is disposed at the predetermined distance;

iii) determine a reference direction from the first image, determine a centroid from the second image, and determine polar coordinates of the second image in accordance with the reference direction and the centroid;

f. a processor circuit configured to receive indicia of the polar coordinates and to provide the particularized response indication in accordance with the polar coordinates, wherein the particularized response indication describes a status of an organ of the human; and

g. a removable dielectric barrier, the removable dielectric barrier configured to be selectably placed in a first position between the finger and the electrode, and a second position not located between the finger and the electrode;

wherein the one or more second energized images comprise a first component obtained with the dielectric barrier between the finger or toe and the electrode, the first component being associated with physical composite scores, and a second component obtained without the presence of the dielectric barrier, the second component being associated with autonomic composite scores, wherein the first component and the second component comprise separate images.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the computer is coupled to the circuit via a network.

19. The system of claim 3, wherein the circuit is configured to obtain the first image without using the electrical signal generator and to obtain the second image without using the light source, and to use orientation information from the first image to determine polar coordinates for the second image, wherein the polar coordinates are used to map light intensity information to a particular body anatomy remote from the fingertip.

5. A system for providing a particularized response indication in accordance with images of a finger of a human, the apparatus comprising:

a. a camera;

b. an electrical signal generator;

c. an electrode, coupled to the signal generator, that stimulates emission of light from the finger when the finger is at a predetermined distance from the camera;

d. a light source that illuminates the finger at the position;

e. a removable dielectric barrier, the removable dielectric barrier configured to be selectably placed in a first position between the finger and the electrode, and a second position not located between the finger and the electrode; and

f. a computer including a microcontroller circuit configured to;

(1) activate the light source and the camera to obtain a first live image of the finger while the finger is disposed at the predetermined distance;

(2) activate the signal generator and the camera to obtain one or more second energized images of the emission of light from the finger while the finger is disposed at the predetermined distance; and

(3) determine a reference direction from the first image, determine a centroid from the second image, determine polar coordinates of the second image in accordance with the reference direction and the centroid, and provide the particularized response indication in accordance with the polar coordinates, wherein the particularized response indication describes a status of an organ of the human;

wherein the one or more second images comprise;

i) a first component obtained with the dielectric barrier in the first position, the first component being associated with physical composite scores; and

ii) a second component obtained without the presence of the dielectric barrier and with the dielectric barrier in the second position, the second component being associated with autonomic composite scores, wherein the first component and the second component comprise separate images;

wherein the circuit is configured to obtain the first image without using the electrical signal generator and to obtain the one or more second images without using the light source, and to use orientation information from the first image to determine polar coordinates for the one or more second images, wherein the polar coordinates are used to map light intensity information to a particular body anatomy remote from the fingertip;

wherein the particular body anatomy remote from the fingertip is part of at least one of;

a cardiovascular system;

a gastrointestinal/endocrine system;

a respiratory system;

a renal system; and

a hepatic system.