Remote hand-held diagnostic instrument with video imaging
First Claim
1. A remote hand-held diagnostic instrument comprising:
- a hand-holdable casing including a body portion, a neck portion extending distally from the body portion, and a head portion formed with a front cover, a back cover, and a sealing means for providing a fluid seal between said front and back covers;
circuit board means and video processing circuitry within said casing, said circuit board means including a flexible board extending from said body portion through said neck portion of said casing and having a head member positioned in the head portion of said casing;
a solid state imager affixed within said head member and in circuit communication with said video processing circuitry;
focusing means carried on said front cover for focusing onto the imager an image of an object in its field of view;
a lamp carried on said head member;
means in said front cover for directing illumination from said lamp into said field of view;
electrical conduit means for carrying power to said video processor circuitry and to said lamp and for carrying from said video processor circuitry a video signal representing said object in said field of view; and
transmitter means for receiving said video signal from said electrical conduit means and remotely transmitting said video signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hand-held, fully remote diagnostic instrument having video capability is configured for any one of a number of clinical or industrial applications. The instrument has a casing that includes a hand-holdable body portion, a neck portion that extends from the body portion to a head portion that is formed of a back cover, a front cover, and a sealing gasket to form a fully soakable instrument. A circuit board assembly in the body portion contains video processing circuitry, and a flexible neck board which extends forward from the body portion through the neck portion of the casing to a head board located in the head portion of the casing. A solid state imager and a miniature lamp are disposed on the head board. The front cover contains an adjustable focus lens cell for focusing on the imager an image of a target in the lens cell'"'"'s field of view. The instrument can be configured for various applications by installing front and back covers that are suited for a specific purpose. The instrument can thus be used, for example, as an otoscope, a dental camera, or a episcope. The instrument provides a monitor-ready standard format full color video signal to a remotely located monitor.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A remote hand-held diagnostic instrument comprising:
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a hand-holdable casing including a body portion, a neck portion extending distally from the body portion, and a head portion formed with a front cover, a back cover, and a sealing means for providing a fluid seal between said front and back covers; circuit board means and video processing circuitry within said casing, said circuit board means including a flexible board extending from said body portion through said neck portion of said casing and having a head member positioned in the head portion of said casing; a solid state imager affixed within said head member and in circuit communication with said video processing circuitry; focusing means carried on said front cover for focusing onto the imager an image of an object in its field of view; a lamp carried on said head member; means in said front cover for directing illumination from said lamp into said field of view; electrical conduit means for carrying power to said video processor circuitry and to said lamp and for carrying from said video processor circuitry a video signal representing said object in said field of view; and transmitter means for receiving said video signal from said electrical conduit means and remotely transmitting said video signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A video diagnostic system comprising
a) a remote hand-held diagnostic instrument including: -
a hand-holdable casing including a body portion, a neck portion extending distally from the body portion, and a head portion formed with a front cover, a back cover, and sealing means for providing a fluid-seal between said front and back covers; circuit board means and video processing circuitry within said casing, said circuit board means including a flexible board extending from said body portion through said neck portion of said casing and having a head member positioned in the head portion of said casing; a solid state imager affixed within said head member and in circuit communication with said video processing circuitry; focusing means carried on said front cover for focusing onto said solid state imager an image of an object in its field of view; a lamp carried on said head member; means in said front cover for directing illumination from said lamp into said field of view; electrical conduit means for carrying power to said video processor circuitry and to said lamp and for carrying from said video processor circuitry a video signal representing said object in said field of view; and transmitter means for receiving said video signal from said electrical conduit means and remotely transmitting said video signal, and b) at least one video monitor having a receiver for receiving said video signal while said remote hand-held diagnostic instrument is being used at a distant location. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification