CAPTURING DATA FOR INDIVIDUAL PHYSIOLOGICAL MONITORING

• US 20080292151A1
• Filed: 05/22/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kurtz, Andrew F., Border, John N., Gobeyn, Kevin M., Olson, Donald E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,831,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/10 Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1176 Recognition of faces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/442 Evaluating skin mechanical properties, e.g. elasticity, hardness, texture, wrinkle assessment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/444 Evaluating skin marks, e.g. mole, nevi, tumour, scar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/445 Evaluating skin irritation or skin trauma, e.g. rash, eczema, wound, bed sore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4547 Evaluating teeth
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

A method for capturing images of an individual to determine wellness for such individual, including establishing baseline physiological data for the individual, and baseline capture condition data for the individual; detecting and identifying the presence of the individual in the image capture environment; providing semantic data associated with the individual; capturing one or more images of the individual during a capture event and determining the capture conditions present during the capture event; using the event capture conditions, the baseline physiological data for the individual and the baseline capture condition data to determine the acceptability of event captured images; and using the acceptable images and the semantic data in determining the wellness of the individual.

Claims

1. A method for capturing images of an individual to determine wellness for such individual, comprising:

establishing baseline physiological data for the individual, and baseline capture condition data for the individual;

detecting and identifying the presence of the individual in the image capture environment;

providing semantic data associated with the individual;

capturing one or more images of the individual during a capture event and determining the capture conditions present during the capture event;

using the event capture conditions, the baseline physiological data for the individual and the baseline capture condition data to determine the acceptability of event captured images; and

using the acceptable images and the semantic data in determining the wellness of the individual.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including using variability measures in determining the acceptability of the event captured images.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the baseline capture conditions includes the subject orientation, subject size, and lighting conditions, or combinations thereof.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image capture environment is monitored relative to lighting characteristics, including intensity and spectral composition.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the image capture environment is monitored with a point sensor, an image sensor, or a spectral detector, or combinations thereof.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the captured images of the individual are modified using image normalization transforms.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the capture conditions are derived as capture parameters from one or more captured images acquired during a capture event.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the capture conditions are tabulated as capture parameters that are maintained on an ongoing basis.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the capture parameters are tracked and analyzed from one capture event to another to monitor changes in the capture environment.

10. The method according to claim 8 wherein the capture conditions are tabulated as capture parameters that are maintained in a capture parameters database.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein detecting the presence of one or more individuals by means of motion detection or image histogram changes.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the semantic data for the individual includes personal data concerning physical characteristics, physiological conditions information of the person or the person'"'"'s family, personal behavior, or activity records.

13. A method for capturing images of a group of individuals to determine wellness for such individuals, comprising using the method of claim 1 for each individual.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the group of individuals comprise a family unit, in which a portion of the semantic data for an individual is common with semantic data for at least some of the other individuals in the family.

15. A method for unobtrusively sensing physiological data of an individual to determine wellness for such individual, comprising:

establishing baseline physiological data for the individual, and baseline capture condition data for the individual;

detecting and identifying the presence of the individual in the capture environment;

providing semantic data associated with the individual;

unobtrusively acquiring physiological data of the individual using at least one sensing device during a capture event, and determining the capture conditions present during the capture event;

using the event capture conditions, the baseline physiological data for the individual and the baseline capture condition data to determine the acceptability of event captured images; and

using the acceptable images and the semantic data in determining the wellness of the individual.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the unobtrusive monitoring occurs on an ongoing basis, without need for intervention or preparation by the individual.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein a sensing device is an image capture device, a microphone, or an electric potential probe.

18. The method according to claim 15 wherein the semantic data for the individual includes personal data concerning physical characteristics, physiological conditions information of the person or the person'"'"'s family, personal behavior, or activity records.