Vein scanner with user interface
First Claim
1. A vein imaging apparatus, for use in imaging veins of a patient and for locating the veins for a medical practitioner by projecting the vein image onto the patient'"'"'s skin surface, said vein imaging apparatus comprising:
- a first laser configured to emit at least a first wavelength of light;
one or more optical detectors, said one or more optical detectors each configured to be responsive to said first wavelength of light, and to receive a contrasted vein image formed by reflected light at said first wavelength, and to convert said image into a signal;
a second laser configured to emit at least a second wavelength of light, being different than said at least a first wavelength of light;
a user interface board comprising;
electronic circuitry;
a display screen;
one or more buttons;
a memory; and
firmware, said firmware configured to display a menu screen list of two or more configuration settings, and parameters for each of said two or more configuration settings, on said display screen, said firmware further configured to permit actuation of said one or more buttons to select and to modify any of said two or more configuration settings to be the default setting for said apparatus, and to permit said selected default settings to be stored in said memory, said two or more configuration settings comprising a plurality of vein visualization settings; and
wherein said electronic circuitry is configured to receive said signal from said one or more optical detectors and to output said signal to said second laser, said electronic circuitry configured to cause said second laser to use said signal to emit said at least a second wavelength of light to project said vein image in accordance with said two or more configuration settings.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable vein viewer apparatus may be battery powered and hand-held to reveal patient vasculature information to aid in venipuncture processes. The apparatus comprises a first laser diode emitting infrared light, and a second laser diode emitting only visible wavelengths, wherein vasculature absorbs a portion of the infrared light causing reflection of a contrasted infrared image. A pair of silicon PIN photodiodes, responsive to the contrasted infrared image, causes transmission of a corresponding signal. The signal is processed through circuitry to amplify, sum, and filter the outputted signals, and with the use of an image processing algorithm, the contrasted image is projected onto the patient'"'"'s skin surface using the second laser diode. Revealed information may comprise vein location, depth, diameter, and degree of certainty of vein locations. Projection of vein images may be a positive or a negative image. Venipuncture needles may be coated to provide visibility in projected images.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A vein imaging apparatus, for use in imaging veins of a patient and for locating the veins for a medical practitioner by projecting the vein image onto the patient'"'"'s skin surface, said vein imaging apparatus comprising:
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a first laser configured to emit at least a first wavelength of light; one or more optical detectors, said one or more optical detectors each configured to be responsive to said first wavelength of light, and to receive a contrasted vein image formed by reflected light at said first wavelength, and to convert said image into a signal; a second laser configured to emit at least a second wavelength of light, being different than said at least a first wavelength of light; a user interface board comprising;
electronic circuitry;
a display screen;
one or more buttons;
a memory; and
firmware, said firmware configured to display a menu screen list of two or more configuration settings, and parameters for each of said two or more configuration settings, on said display screen, said firmware further configured to permit actuation of said one or more buttons to select and to modify any of said two or more configuration settings to be the default setting for said apparatus, and to permit said selected default settings to be stored in said memory, said two or more configuration settings comprising a plurality of vein visualization settings; andwherein said electronic circuitry is configured to receive said signal from said one or more optical detectors and to output said signal to said second laser, said electronic circuitry configured to cause said second laser to use said signal to emit said at least a second wavelength of light to project said vein image in accordance with said two or more configuration settings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A vein imaging apparatus comprising:
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a first laser configured to emit a first wavelength of light; one or more optical detectors, said one or more optical detectors each configured to be responsive to said first wavelength of light, and to receive a contrasted image of veins and surrounding tissue, formed by reflected light at said first wavelength, and further configured to convert said contrasted image into a signal; a second laser configured to emit a second wavelength of light, being different than said first wavelength of light; a circuit board comprising;
electronic circuitry;
a memory;
firmware; and
means for modifying any of one or more configuration settings from a list of said configuration settings, wherein said one or more configuration settings comprise a vein visualization setting, and further for modifying one or more default settings of said apparatus;
said memory configured to store said modified one or more default settings; andwherein said electronic circuitry is configured to receive said signal from said one or more optical detectors and to output said signal to said second laser, said electronic circuitry further configured to cause said second laser to use said signal to emit said second wavelength of light to project said vein image according to said configuration settings. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A vein imaging apparatus comprising:
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a first light source configured to emit a first wavelength of light; one or more optical detectors, said one or more optical detectors each configured to be responsive to said first wavelength of light, to receive a vein image formed by differential amounts of absorption of said emitted light at said first wavelength by the subcutaneous veins and surrounding tissue, and said one or more optical detectors further configured to convert said vein image into a signal; a second light source configured to emit a second wavelength of light, being different than said first wavelength of light; a user interface comprising;
electronic circuitry;
one or more buttons;
a memory; and
firmware, said user interface configured to control operation of said vein imaging apparatus according to two or more settings, said user interface further configured to permit actuation of said one or more buttons to modify any of said two or more settings to modify operation of said vein imaging apparatus, said two or more settings comprising a plurality of visualization settings;wherein said electronic circuitry is configured to receive said signal from said one or more optical detectors and to output said signal to said second light source, said electronic circuitry further configured to cause said second light source to use said signal to emit said second wavelength of light to project said vein image according to said plurality of visualization settings; and wherein said plurality of visualization settings comprise at least two of a first brightness setting, a second brightness setting, and an inverse projection setting for inversion of said projection of said vein image between a positive vein image and a negative vein image. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A vein imaging apparatus comprising:
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a housing having a first portion proximate to a first end of said housing, and a second portion proximate to a second end of said housing; a first light source configured to emit a first wavelength of light; one or more optical detectors, said one or more optical detectors each configured to be responsive to said first wavelength of light, to receive a vein image formed by differential amounts of absorption of said emitted light at said first wavelength by the subcutaneous veins and surrounding tissue, and said one or more optical detectors further configured to convert said vein image into a signal; a second light source configured to emit a second wavelength of light, begin different than said first wavelength of light; and wherein said housing comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface of said housing comprising one or more buttons; and
said bottom surface comprising at least one exit opening for said emission of light from said first light source; andwherein said first portion of said housing houses said first light source, said second light source, said at least one exit opening, and said one or more optical detectors; and wherein said second portion of said housing is configured to be narrower than said first portion to thereby be hand-holdable for single-handed lifting and use; and wherein said second portion of said housing comprises a compartment configured to house a battery; a user interface comprising;
electronic circuitry, a memory, and firmware;
said user interface configured to control operation of said vein imaging apparatus according to two or more settings, said user interface further configured to permit actuation of said one or more buttons to modify any of said two or more settings to modify operation of said vein imaging apparatus, said two or more settings comprising a plurality of visualization settings;wherein said electronic circuitry is configured to receive said signal from said one or more optical detectors and to output said signals to said second light source, said electronic circuitry further configured to cause said second light source to use said signal to emit said second wavelength of light to project said vein image according to said plurality of visualizations settings; and wherein said plurality of visualization settings comprise at least two of a first brightness setting, a second brightness setting, a power on mode, a power off mode and an inverse projection setting for inversion of said projection of said vein image between a positive vein image and a negative vein image. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification