Condition-analyzing device

• US 7,545,279 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAQUEST Inc.
• Original Assignee: KEIO University, Sumitomo Osaka Cement Company Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Isao, Nishiura, Tomofumi, Takesue, Toshiharu, Katou, Kei, Mimura, Kazuhiro, Nakajima, Masato, Takemura, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Toan N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US10/560,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20060279428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,832 Days
• Field of Search: 340/575, 340/573.1, 34053912-53915, 340/573, 359/3, 359/28, 359/33, 348143-161, 382/103
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0064 Body surface scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea

Abstract

A condition analysis apparatus capable of grasping the condition of an object easily and accurately is provided. The condition analysis apparatus 1 includes a three-dimensional sensor 10 for measuring sampling-point-moves in the height direction of an object 2 existing in a target area at a plurality of sampling points, and area definition means 22 for defining an area where a plurality of the sampling-point-moves are in the generally same phase. The thus constructed condition analysis apparatus 1 can grasp the condition of the object 2 easily and accurately. Preferably, the condition analysis apparatus 1 includes information output means 40 for outputting information of an area including the area defined by the area definition means 22.

Claims

1. A condition analysis apparatus comprising:

a three-dimensional sensor for measuring, at a plurality of sampling points, sampling-point-moves in a height direction of an object existing in a target area; and

area definition means for defining an area where a plurality of the sampling-point-moves are in generally a same phase, wherein the area definition means searches a specific area for sampling points representing the sampling-point-moves in the same specific type of phase, forms a group of the sampling points representing the sampling-point-moves in generally the same phase based on search results of the searching, and defines the formed group of sampling points as an area where the sampling-point-moves in generally the same phase are occurring;

said three-dimensional sensor comprising;

a projection device for projecting a light pattern on the target area;

an image capturing apparatus for capturing an image of the target area while the light pattern is projected thereon, said image capturing apparatus being installed distanced from said projection device; and

measurement means for measuring shifts of the pattern on the captured images,

wherein sampling-point-moves in the height direction of the object are measured at the plurality of points based on the shifts of the pattern measured.

2. The condition analysis apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

information output means for outputting information of an area including the area defined by the area definition means.

3. The condition analysis apparatus as recited in claim 1,

wherein, if a specific number or more of the sampling points in a specific area represent sampling-point-moves in the same specific type of phase, the area definition means defines the specific area as an area where the sampling-point-moves in the specific type of phase are occurring.

4. The condition analysis apparatus as recited in claim 2,

wherein, if a specific number or more of the sampling points in a specific area represent sampling-point-moves in the same specific type of phase, the area definition means defines the specific area as an area where the sampling-point-moves in the specific type of phase are occurring.

5. The condition analysis apparatus as recited in claim 1,

wherein the area definition means is further for defining two or more areas in different phases, defining a boundary between the two or more areas, and defining the areas divided by the boundary as new areas.

6. The condition analysis apparatus as recited in claim 2,

wherein the area definition means is further for defining two or more areas in different phases, defining a boundary between the two or more areas, and defining the areas divided by the boundary as new areas.

7. The condition analysis apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

anomaly determination means for determining an anomaly of the object based on the area defined by the area definition means.

8. The condition analysis apparatus as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

anomaly determination means for determining an anomaly of the object based on the area defined by the area definition means.