Vein scanner
First Claim
1. A portable apparatus for identifying vasculature information of a patient to aid in venipuncture processes, said apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
a means for providing power to said apparatus;
a display;
a first laser diode and a second laser diode;
said first laser diode emitting at least a first wavelength of light and said second laser diode emitting at least a second wavelength of light;
said at least a second wavelength being different than said at least a first wavelength of light;
one or more optical detectors;
said one or more optical detectors each being responsive to said at least a first wavelength of light;
said one or more optical detectors converting a contrasted infrared image reflected from a patient into an electrical signal; and
electronic circuitry;
said electronic circuitry being adapted to minimize noise;
said electronic circuitry being usable for projection of said noise-minimized vein image and vasculature information upon a patient'"'"'s skin surface using said at least a second wavelength of light.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
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
60 Claims
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1. A portable apparatus for identifying vasculature information of a patient to aid in venipuncture processes, said apparatus comprising:
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a housing; a means for providing power to said apparatus; a display; a first laser diode and a second laser diode;
said first laser diode emitting at least a first wavelength of light and said second laser diode emitting at least a second wavelength of light;
said at least a second wavelength being different than said at least a first wavelength of light;one or more optical detectors;
said one or more optical detectors each being responsive to said at least a first wavelength of light;
said one or more optical detectors converting a contrasted infrared image reflected from a patient into an electrical signal; andelectronic circuitry;
said electronic circuitry being adapted to minimize noise;
said electronic circuitry being usable for projection of said noise-minimized vein image and vasculature information upon a patient'"'"'s skin surface using said at least a second wavelength of light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A portable apparatus for identifying vasculature information of a patient to aid in venipuncture processes, said apparatus comprising:
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a housing; a means for providing power to said apparatus; a display; a first laser diode and a second laser diode;
said first laser diode emitting at least a first wavelength of light and said second laser diode emitting at least a second wavelength of light;
said at least a second wavelength being different that said at least a first wavelength of light;one or more optical detectors;
said one or more optical detectors each being responsive to said at least a first wavelength of light;
said one or more optical detectors converting a contrasted infrared image reflected from a patient into an electrical signal; andelectronic circuitry;
said electronic circuitry comprising an image processing algorithm being usable for projection of said contrasted vein image and vasculature information upon a patient'"'"'s skin surface using said at least a second wavelength of light. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A portable apparatus for identifying vasculature information of a patient to aid in venipuncture processes, said apparatus comprising:
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a housing; a means for providing power to said apparatus; a display; a first laser diode and a second laser diode;
said first laser diode emitting at least a first wavelength of light and said second laser diode emitting at least a second wavelength of light;
said at least a second wavelength being different that said at least a first wavelength of light;one or more optical detectors;
said one or more optical detectors each being responsive to said at least a first wavelength of light;
said one or more optical detectors converting a contrasted infrared image reflected from a patient into an electrical signal; andelectronic circuitry;
said electronic circuitry comprising a complex programmable logic device being usable for projection of said contrasted vein image and vasculature information upon a patient'"'"'s skin surface using said at least a second wavelength of light. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
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48. A portable apparatus comprising:
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a housing; a means for providing power to said apparatus; a display; a first laser diode;
said first laser diode emitting at least a first wavelength of light;one or more optical detectors;
said one or more optical detectors each being responsive to said at least a first wavelength of light;
said one or more optical detectors converting a contrasted infrared image reflected from a patient into an electrical signal;a projection means; and electronic circuitry;
said electronic circuitry comprising an image processing algorithm being usable for projection of said contrasted vein image and vasculature information upon a patient'"'"'s skin surface using said at least a second wavelength of light. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. The combination of a portable apparatus for identifying vasculature locations of a patient to aid in venipuncture processes, and a coated venipuncture needle being identifiable by said apparatus when inserted beneath skin of a patient, said apparatus comprising:
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a housing; a means for providing power to said apparatus; a display; a first laser diode and a second laser diode;
said first laser diode emitting at least a first wavelength of light and said second laser diode emitting at least a second wavelength of light;
said at least a second wavelength being different that said at least a first wavelength;one or more optical detectors;
said one or more optical detectors each being responsive to said at least a first wavelength of light;
said one or more optical detectors converting a contrasted infrared image returned from a patient into an electrical signal; andelectronic circuitry, said electronic circuitry comprising an image processing algorithm being usable for projection of said contrasted vein image and projection of said coated needle image onto a skin surface of a patient. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification