System, Method, and Apparatus For Monitoring, Regulating, or Controlling Fluid Flow
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for adjusting a flow rate of a fluid line, the method comprising:
- capturing an image of a drip chamber using an image sensor;
identifying a plurality of pixels of interest within the image;
determining a subset of pixels within the plurality of pixels of interest, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels is determined to be within the subset of pixels when there is a path to a baseline corresponding to the drip chamber;
performing a rotation operation on the subset of pixels;
estimating a volume of the drop within the drip chamber by counting a number of pixels within the rotated subset of pixels; and
adjusting a flow rate of fluid flowing through a fluid line.
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Abstract
A method for adjusting a flow rate of a fluid line is disclosed that includes one or more acts of: capturing an image of a drip chamber using an image sensor; identifying a plurality of pixels of interest within the image;
- determining a subset of pixels within the plurality of pixels of interest, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels is determined to be within the subset of pixels when there is a path to a baseline corresponding to the drip chamber; performing a rotation operation on the subset of pixels; estimating a volume of the drop within the drip chamber by counting a number of pixels within the rotated subset of pixels; and/or adjusting a flow rate of fluid flowing through a fluid line.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method for adjusting a flow rate of a fluid line, the method comprising:
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capturing an image of a drip chamber using an image sensor; identifying a plurality of pixels of interest within the image; determining a subset of pixels within the plurality of pixels of interest, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels is determined to be within the subset of pixels when there is a path to a baseline corresponding to the drip chamber; performing a rotation operation on the subset of pixels; estimating a volume of the drop within the drip chamber by counting a number of pixels within the rotated subset of pixels; and adjusting a flow rate of fluid flowing through a fluid line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A flow meter, comprising:
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a coupler adapted to couple to a drip chamber; a support member operatively coupled to the coupler; an image sensor having a field of view and operatively coupled to the support member, wherein the image sensor is positioned to view the drip chamber within the field of view; and at least one processor operatively coupled to the image sensor to receive image data therefrom, wherein the at least one processor is configured to; capture an image of the drip chamber using the image sensor; identify a plurality of pixels of interest within the image; determine a subset of pixels within the plurality of pixels of interest, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels is determined to be within the subset of pixels when there is a path to a baseline corresponding to the drip chamber; perform a rotation operation on the subset of pixels; and estimate a volume of a drop within the drip chamber by counting a number of pixels within the rotated subset of pixels. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification