METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SLAVING THE ACTIVATION OF A SET OF INFRARED EMITTERS OF A SENSOR OF VENOUS NETWORKS TO THE PRESENCE OF A LIVING BODY

• US 20120298871A1
• Filed: 10/25/2010
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Morpho (Advent International Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Morpho (Advent International Corporation)
• Inventors: Morin, Aurélie, Darbois, Matthieu, Goudon, Olivier, Balzac, Yannick
• Granted Patent: US 8,957,382 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/349
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/117 Identification of persons methods or arrangements for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints, G06F18/00, G06V40/00; identification of persons by analysing their voice or speech G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/489 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/141 Control of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1312 direct reading, e.g. contactless acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1318 using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1341 Sensing with light passing through the finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/14 Vascular patterns

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for slaving the activation of a set of infrared emitters of a sensor of venous networks to the presence of a living body between this set and an image acquisition means of the sensor. The method is characterized in that each infrared emitter (E) is activated if the presence of a part of the living body (CV) is detected by at least one presence detector (DP) which is associated therewith and each infrared emitter (E) is deactivated as long as the presence of a part of the living body (CV) is not detected.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. Method for slaving the activation of a set of infrared emitters of a venous network sensor comprising an acquisition means, to the presence of a living body, at least one presence detector being associated with each infrared emitter, the method comprising

a step of detecting the presence of the living body,

an activation step during which each infrared emitter (E) is activated if the presence of a part of the living body (CV) is detected by at least one presence detector (DP) that is associated therewith and, in the contrary case

a deactivation step during which the said infrared emitter (E) is deactivated, characterised in that

the acquisition means being situated facing the set of infrared emitters, the detection step is such that each presence detector determines whether a part of the living body is present between the infrared emitter with which this presence detector is associated and the acquisition means.

19. Method according to claim 18, in which, only one presence detector (DP) being associated with each infrared emitter (E),

during the activation step, an infrared emitter (E) is activated if the presence of a part of the living body is detected by the presence detector (DP) that is associated therewith, and

during the deactivation step, an infrared emitter (E) is deactivated as long as the presence of a part of the living body is not detected by the presence detector (DP) that is associated therewith.

20. Method according to claim 18, in which several presence detectors (DP) are associated with each infrared emitter (E),

during the activation step, an infrared emitter (E) is activated when all the presence detectors (DP) that are associated therewith simultaneously indicate the presence of a part of the living body, and

during the deactivation step, an infrared emitter (E) is deactivated as soon as one of these presence detectors (DP) no longer indicates the presence of a part of the living body.

21. Method according to claim 18, in which an image is acquired by the image acquisition means of the sensor as soon as an infrared emitter in the set is activated.

22. Method according to claim 18, in which the steps of activation and deactivation of the infrared emitters (E) are not implemented during the acquisition of an image by the image acquisition means of the sensor.

23. Set of infrared emitters intended to be used in a venous network sensor for illuminating a living body and comprising at least one detector (DP) for the presence of a living body associated with each infrared emitter (E), each infrared emitter and each presence detector being positioned in at least one row and/or in at least one column, characterised in that an infrared emitter alternates with a presence detector on each row and/or on each column.

24. Set according to claim 23, in which at least one of the presence detectors (DP) associated with at least one infrared emitter (E) is in the following group:

ultrasonic telemeter;

infrared detector;

laser telemeter;

switch reacting to a light flux.

25. Set according to claim 23, in which four presence detectors are associated with each infrared emitter, each of these four presence detectors being positioned at a cardinal point of each infrared emitter.

27. Device according to claim 26, in which the set of infrared emitters is in accordance with claim 23.

29. Device according to claim 28, in which the light source (S) is formed by at least one of the infrared emitters (E) in a set in accordance with claim 23.

32. Sensor for venous networks in a part of a living body, comprising a set of infrared emitters and a means of acquiring images of this venous network, characterised in that the set of infrared emitters is in accordance with claim 23 and in that it comprises a device in accordance with claim 26 for slaving the activation of the infrared emitters to the presence of the part of the living body.

26. Device for slaving the activation of a set of infrared emitters of a venous network censor comprising an acquisition means, to the presence of a living body, at least one presence detector being associated with each infrared emitter, the device comprising

means of activating at least one infrared emitter;

means of deactivating at least one infrared emitter;

the activation means being used, for each infrared emitter (E), if the presence of a part of the living body (CV) is detected by at least one presence detector (DP) that is associated therewith, and the deactivation means being used for the said infrared emitter (E) in the contrary case,

characterised in that the acquisition means is situated facing the set of infrared emitters and each presence detector is able to determine whether a part of the living body is present between the infrared emitter with which this presence detector is associated and the acquisition means.

28. Device according to claim 26, in which at least one presence detector in the set is a switch reacting to a light flux, and which comprises a single light source (S) designed to illuminate said at least one switch.

30. Device according to claim 28, in which the single light source (S) is positioned so as either to illuminate said at least one switch by reflection on a part of the living body, or to illuminate said at least one switch in the absence of a living body.

31. Device according to claim 28, which comprises means (MDP) for checking whether one of the presence detectors (DP) indicates the presence of a part of the living body.