ORAL MONITOR

• US 20160066776A1
• Filed: 09/08/2014
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wavemarket Incorporated (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Weiss, Andrew, Hotes, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 10,178,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00032 internally powered
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00181 for multiple fixed viewing angles A61B1/00193 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/24 for the mouth, i.e. stomatoscopes, e.g. with tongue depressors tongue depressors per se A61B13/00; Instruments for opening or keeping open the mouth combined with saliva removers A61C17/00; mouth openers for animals A61D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14507 specially adapted for measuring characteristics of body fluids other than blood devices for taking samples of body liquids A61B10/0045
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4845 Toxicology, e.g. by detection of alcohol, drug or toxic products A61B5/4848 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/682 Mouth, e.g., oral cavity; tongue; Lips; Teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/04 Measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C5/44 takes precedence; testing vitality of teeth A61B5/0534; radiation diagnosis specially adapted for dentistry A61B6/51
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/14 Brackets A61C7/28 takes precedence; Fixing brackets to teeth

Abstract

An oral monitoring system is provided. The oral monitoring system includes one or more cameras configured for installation in a mouth for capturing images. A memory is configured for storing images. One or more processors are configured to process images captured by the one or more cameras, and a wireless transmitter is configured to transmit data corresponding to the captured images. A chemical sensor is further provided and the wireless transmitter is further configured to transmit data corresponding to substances detected by the chemical sensor.

Claims

1. An oral monitoring system comprising:

at least one camera configured for installation in a mouth for capturing images;

a memory configured for storing images;

at least one processor configured to process images captured by the at least one camera; and

a wireless transmitter configured to transmit data corresponding to the captured images.

2. The oral monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a housing configured for attaching the oral monitoring system to an orthodontic apparatus connected to the teeth in the mouth.

3. The oral monitoring system of claim 1, the at least one camera comprising:

a first camera configured for positioning within the mouth facing outside of the mouth; and

a second camera configured for positioning within the mouth facing toward the cheek of the mouth.

4. The oral monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter comprises a wireless transceiver configured to operate under at least one of wireless Ethernet and Bluetooth™

protocols.

5. The oral monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising:

a chemical sensor configured to detect food sugars in the mouth;

the at least one processor further configured to process food sugar information collected by the chemical sensor; and

the wireless transmitter configured to transmit data corresponding to the food sugar information.

6. The oral monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a power source comprising:

a sugar collector configured to collect sugar in the mouth; and

a chemical converter configured to produce electricity from sugar collected in the mouth to power the oral monitoring system.

7. The oral monitoring system of claim 1, the at least one processor further configured to determine tooth brushing based on the images captured by the at least one camera.

8. The oral monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is configured to apply a classifier to the images captured to determine the tooth brushing.

9. The oral monitoring system of claim 1, the at least one camera configured to capture images of teeth in the mouth, the at least one processor further configured to determine based on the images captured at least one of an amount of plaque, a formation of a cavity, an abscess, and a dental anomaly in the mouth.

10. The oral monitoring system of claim 9, the at least one processor further configured to:

determine based on the images captured a medical anomaly within a mouth; and

transmit a notification responsive to determining the medical anomaly.

11. The oral monitoring system of claim 9, the at least one processor further configured to:

determine based on the images captured when a threshold amount of plaque has accumulated on teeth within the mouth;

transmit a notification responsive to determining the threshold amount of plaque has accumulated.

12. The oral monitoring system of claim 1, the at least one camera configured to capture images of consumption in the mouth, the at least one processor further configured to:

determine consumption activities based on the captured images;

generate a report based on the consumption activities; and

transmit the report to a user.

13. The oral monitoring system of claim 12, further comprising a chemical sensor configured to detect food sugars, the at least one processor further configured to:

determine based on the captured images and based on detected food sugars a quality of food consumed in the mouth;

generate a report comprising an indication of the quality of the food consumed in the mouth; and

transmit the report to a user.

14. The oral monitoring system of claim 1, the at least one camera configured to captured images of smoke in the mouth, the at least one processor further configured to:

determine based on the captured images smoking activity,

generate a report comprising an indication of the smoking activity.

15. The oral monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a chemical sensor configured to detect at least one particular mind altering substance consumed in the mouth, the at least one processor further configured to generate a report comprising an indication of the at least one particular mind altering substance.

16. The oral monitoring system of claim 15, wherein the at least one particular mind altering substance comprises an illicit drug.

17. The oral monitoring system of claim 15, wherein the at least one particular mind altering substance comprises at least one of alcohol and marijuana.

18. The oral monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a network connected server, the at least one processor comprising a processor of the server, the server configured to:

receive the data transmitted from the wireless transmitter;

determine by the processor of the server at least one of a health state of the mouth and a substance consumed by the mouth based on the images captured;

transmit a notification to a user based on the determined at least one of the health state and the substance consumed.

19. The oral monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the at least one camera comprises a video camera.

20. An oral monitoring method comprising:

providing at least one camera;

installing the at least one camera in a mouth;

capturing at least one image by the at least one camera;

determining by at least one processor based on the at least one image captured at least one of a health state of the mouth, a substance consumed by the mouth, and an activity performed by the mouth; and

transmitting a notification to a user based on the determined at least one of the health state, the substance consumed, and the activity performed by the mouth.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing a chemical sensor;

detecting by the chemical sensor a substance in the mouth; and

transmitting a notification to a user based on the detected substance in the mouth.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising determining a number of times a particular activity is performed based on the at least one image captured and the at least one detected substance.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining by the chemical sensor an amount of food sugar in the substance; and

classifying the detected substance based on the amount of food sugar;

wherein the transmitted notification comprises an indication of the classification of the detected substance.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising determining a number of times the classified detected substance was consumed, wherein the transmitted notification comprises an indication of the number of times the classified detected substance was consumed.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing a chemical sensor;

detecting by the chemical sensor a food sugar in the mouth; and

transmitting a notification to a user based on the detected food sugar in the mouth.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the mouth is that of a first person and the user is a second person who supervises the first person.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising determining a number of times a particular activity is performed based on the at least one image captured.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the particular activity is eating.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the particular activity is teeth brushing.

30. An oral monitoring method comprising:

providing at least one chemical sensor;

installing the at least one chemical sensor in a mouth;

detecting a substance by the at least one chemical sensor;

determining a notification by at least one processor based on the detected substance; and

transmitting the notification to a user.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

determining by the chemical sensor an amount of food sugar in the substance; and

classifying the detected substance based on the amount of food sugar;

wherein

the transmitted notification comprises an indication of the classification of the detected substance.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising determining a number of times the classified detected substance was consumed, wherein the transmitted notification comprises an indication of the number of times the classified detected substance was consumed.