DETERMINING INFORMATION ABOUT A PATIENTS FACE

• US 20170128686A1
• Filed: 11/10/2016
• Published: 05/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: MARGARIA, ELIZABETH POWELL, GRASHOW, JONATHAN SAYER, VONCKEN, RUDOLF MARIA JOZEF, ZNAMENSKIY, DMITRY NIKOLAYEVICH
• Granted Patent: US 10,398,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0053 by applying pressure, e.g. compression, indentation, palpation, grasping, gauging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1077 Measuring of profiles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/70 Means for positioning the patient in relation to the detecting, measuring or recording means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/13 guided by light, e.g. laser pointers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/56 Devices for preventing snoring by influencing the respiratory system by gas treatment A61M16/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 13/003 Blowing gases other than for carrying powders, e.g. for inflating, dilating or rinsing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0661 with customised shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/04 Tools for specific apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders

Abstract

An electronic apparatus includes a compilation unit structured to receive a plurality of different 3-D models of a patient'"'"'s face, to compare the different 3-D models of the patient'"'"'s face and to determine additional information about the patient'"'"'s face based on the comparison, wherein the additional information includes at least one of a location of hard tissue, a depth of soft tissue, and a compliance of soft tissue, and wherein the patient'"'"'s face is manipulated between the different 3-D models.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus (20) comprising:

a compilation unit (24) structured to receive a plurality of different 3-D models of a patient'"'"'s face, to compare the different 3-D models of the patient'"'"'s face and to determine additional information about the patient'"'"'s face based on the comparison,

wherein the additional information includes at least one of a location of hard tissue, a depth of soft tissue and a compliance of soft tissue and/or hard tissue, and

wherein the patient'"'"'s face is manipulated between the different 3-D models.

2. The electronic apparatus (20) of claim 1, further comprising:

a face scanning unit (20;

50) structured to scan the patient'"'"'s face to generate the different 3-D models of the patient'"'"'s face.

3. The electronic apparatus (20) of claim 1, further comprising:

an output unit (24) structured to provide the additional information to a user.

4. The electronic apparatus (20) of claim 1, wherein the compilation unit is structured to correlate the different 3-D models of the patient'"'"'s face based on landmarks on the patient'"'"'s face.

5. The electronic apparatus (20) of claim 4, wherein the landmarks include at least one of a sellion (30), eye corners (32) and a glabella (34).

6. The electronic apparatus (20) of claim 1, wherein in one 3-D model of the patient'"'"'s face, the patient'"'"'s teeth are shown, and in another 3-D model of the patient'"'"'s face, the patient'"'"'s teeth are not shown.

7. The electronic apparatus (20) of claim 6, wherein a lip retractor (40) is used to show the patient'"'"'s teeth.

8. The electronic apparatus (20) of claim 1, further comprising:

an air blower (54) structured to generate airflow, wherein the airflow is used to manipulate the patient'"'"'s face.

9. The electronic apparatus (20) of claim 8, further comprising:

an air cushion (42) having a body (44) in a shape of a cushion of a patient interface device and including a plurality of apertures (46) formed therein, wherein the air cushion is structured to provide the airflow generated by the air blower to the patient'"'"'s face through the plurality of apertures.

10. The electronic apparatus (20) of claim 8, further comprising:

a laser pointer (56) structured to generate a laser dot on the patient'"'"'s face in the area where the airflow manipulates the patient'"'"'s face.

11. The electronic apparatus (20) of claim 8, wherein the air blower is structured to modulate the airflow.

12. The electronic apparatus (20) of claim 1, wherein the patient'"'"'s face is manipulated by changing an expression of the patient'"'"'s face or pressing on the patient'"'"'s face.

13. A method of determining additional information about a patient'"'"'s face, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of different 3-D models of the patient'"'"'s face;

comparing the different 3-D models of the patient'"'"'s face; and

determining the additional information about the patient'"'"'s face based on the comparison,

wherein the additional information includes at least one of a location of hard tissue, a depth of soft tissue and a compliance of soft tissue and/or hard tissue, and

wherein the patient'"'"'s face is manipulated between the different 3-D models.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

generating one 3-D model of the patient'"'"'s face;

manipulating the patient'"'"'s face; and

generating another 3-D model of the patient'"'"'s face.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein comparing the different 3-D models of the patient'"'"'s face comprises:

correlating the different 3-D models of the patient'"'"'s face based on landmarks on the patient'"'"'s face.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein in one 3-D model of the patient'"'"'s face, the patient'"'"'s teeth are shown, and in another 3-D model of the patient'"'"'s face, the patient'"'"'s teeth are not shown.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein airflow is used to manipulate the patient'"'"'s face.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the airflow is provided through an air cushion (42) having a body (44) in a shape of a cushion of a patient interface device and including a plurality of apertures (46) formed therein.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the airflow is modulated.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the patient'"'"'s face is manipulated by changing an expression of the patient'"'"'s face or pressing on the patient'"'"'s face.