SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONVERTING AN INPUT SIGNAL INTO AN OUTPUT SIGNAL

• US 20130226007A1
• Filed: 11/09/2011
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Jeanne, Vincent, Velthoven, Nathalie
• Granted Patent: US 9,186,111 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/473
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/00 Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence; image processing per se G06T; details of algorithms for analysing medical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1032 Determining colour for diagnostic purposes measuring colour in general G01J3/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4857 Indicating the phase of biorhythm clocks or watches with indicators for biological cycles G04B19/264
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7228 Signal modulation applied to the input signal sent to patient or subject; demodulation to recover the physiological signal modulation H03C
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5288 involving retrospective matching to a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/02 Preprocessing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method for processing data obtained from an input signal (24) comprising physiological information (54) representative of at least one at least partially periodic vital signal (18). The physiological information (54) is derivable from visible radiation (20) reflected by an object (16). The system comprises a detector means (28) for detecting at least one vital signature (50) in the input signal (24) and a converter means (30) for creating an output signal (34) by modifying the input signal (24) depending on the detected vital signature (50). The output signal (34) comprises an artificial signature (56) at least partially replacing a respective vital signature (50) of the at least one vital signature (50) of the input signal (24). In one embodiment the system further comprises a sensor means (22) for detecting visible electromagnetic radiation (20) within at least one particular wavelength range.

Claims

1. Privacy preservation system for processing data obtained from an input signal (24) comprising physiological information derived from visible radiation reflected by an object, the physiological information being representative of at least one at least partially periodic vital signal, the system comprising:

a detector means for detecting at least one vital signature in the input signal, wherein the input signal comprises a continuous or discrete sequence of image frames related to a specific signal space, the at least one vital signature varying over time and corresponding to the at least one at least partially periodic vital signal, wherein the at least one at least partially periodic vital signal is selected from the group consisting of heart rate, respiration rate, and heart rate variability, and wherein the at least one at least partially periodic vital signal is obtained from slight variations of skin tone color over time,

a converter means for creating an output signal by modifying the input signal depending on the detected vital signature,

wherein the output signal comprises an artificial signature at least partially replacing a respective vital signature of the at least one vital signature of the input signal.

4. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detector means is further adapted to detect temporal variations of the at least one vital signature, the temporal variations being indicative of the at least one at least partially periodic vital signal.

5. System as claimed in claim 4, wherein the converter means further comprises a submeans selected from the group consisting of a leveling means for leveling the temporal variations of the at least one vital signature, a mask means for removing the at least one vital signature from the input signal, an evaluation facilitating means for enhancing the amplitude of the vital signal indicative of temporal variations of the at least one vital signature, and a modulator means for modifying the temporal variations of the at least one vital signature, the modulator means being adapted for applying a frequency modification to the temporal variations.

6. System as claimed in claim 4, wherein the converter means further comprises an overall converter for varying a major portion of the image frames, the major portion also comprising a non-indicative signature, wherein the overall converter is preferably adapted for applying a destructive modulation to the temporal variations of the at least one vital signature.

7. System as claimed in claim 4, wherein the converter means is adapted to apply a multi stage conversion to the at least one vital signature.

8. System as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a sensor means for detecting a visible electromagnetic radiation within at least one particular wavelength range selected from the group consisting of visible light, infrared light, and ultraviolet radiation, the sensor means being connectable to the input channel.

9. System as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a buffer means for buffering the input signal, the buffer means comprising an access protection for preventing an unauthorized data access.

10. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detector means is further adapted for applying a color normalization and a luminance normalization to the signal space.

12. Computer program comprising program code means for causing a computer to carry out the steps of the method as claimed in claim 9 when said computer program is carried out on a computer.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

11. Privacy preservation method for processing data obtained from an input signal comprising physiological information (54) derived from visible radiation reflected by an object, the physiological information being representative of at least one at least partially periodic vital signal, the method comprising:

receiving an input signal from an input channel,

detecting at least one vital signature in the input signal, wherein the input signal comprises a continuous or discretes sequence of frames related to a specific signal space, the at least one vital signature varying over time and corresponding to the at least one at least partially periodic vital signal, wherein the at least one at least a partially periodic vital signal is selected from the group consisting of heart rate, respiration rate, and heart rate variability, and wherein the at least one at least partially periodic vital signal is obtained from slight variations of skin tone color over time,

creating an output signal by modifying the input signal depending on the detected vital signature, wherein the output signal comprises an artificial signature at least partially replacing a respective vital signature of the at least one vital signature of the input signal, and

delivering the output signal to an output channel.