Noninvasive ocular monitor and method for measuring and analyzing physiological data

• US 8,109,633 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2007
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Trimmier, Lance Molnar
• Original Assignee: James Trimmier, Lance Molnar
• Inventors: Molnar, Lance, Trimmier, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAHLE, MAHIDERE S
• Application Number:
  US11/896,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20080212026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 351/200, 351205-206, 351/221, 351/246, 514/912, 600/558, 600/561, 606/4
• US Class Current: 351/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/112 for measuring diameter of pupils
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/12 for looking at the eye fundus, e.g. ophthalmoscopes A61B3/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/14 Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs per se G03B

Abstract

A non-invasive device and methods for acquiring and analyzing ocular images from a subject is presented. Aspects of the method comprise of the acquisition of ocular image(s) and subsequent evaluation, classification and/or interpretation of these image(s). The ocular image(s) are acquired using ocular scanning instruments or suitable substitutes. Evaluation, classification, and/or interpretation are most easily accomplished automatically through the use of one or more algorithms.

Claims

1. A non-invasive device for acquiring an ocular image, comprising:

an optic assembly comprising one or more light sources and a lens;

an imaging system;

a linear activator to focus the optic assembly;

wherein the imaging system acquires an ocular image that is processed to extract one or more ocular features from the ocular image;

wherein a rate of change map is applied, wherein the rate of change map comprises;

(1) for each pixel, determining an average of the sum of the differences of the current pixel or taking a mean difference of the current pixel using a matrix that has the current pixel as the center;

(2) recording this value if this value is above a threshold, otherwise setting this value to 0; and

(3) creating a map with white edges and most of the picture is black;

wherein the one or more ocular features are compared to a standard and used to identify existence of one or more ocular abnormalities, specify a type and extent of the one or more ocular abnormalities, and correlate the type and extent of the one or more ocular abnormalities to a disease state.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources are LEDs, and wherein the LEDs emit light at wavelengths corresponding to near infrared light.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources are LEDs, and wherein the LEDs emit light at wavelengths corresponding to visible light.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the diseased state is selected from the group consisting of:

exposure to organophosphate nerve agents, exposure to cyanide compounds, exposure to carbon monoxide, exposure to botulinum toxin, and combinations thereof.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing of the ocular image is performed on the device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more ocular abnormalities are classified.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources are light emitting diodes.

8. A non-invasive method of diagnosing a disease state, the method comprising:

accessing an ocular image;

applying a rate of change map, wherein the rate of change map comprises;

(1) for each pixel, determining an average of the sum of the differences of the current pixel or taking a mean difference of the current pixel using a matrix that has the current pixel as the center;

(2) recording this value if this value is above a threshold, otherwise setting this value to 0; and

(3) creating a map with white edges and most of the picture is black;

processing the ocular image to extract ocular characteristics;

classifying the ocular characteristics to determine one or more ocular abnormalities or ocular damage;

comparing the one or more ocular abnormalities to a standard; and

determining whether the ocular characteristics are abnormal, a type of disease state, and severity of the disease state.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising acquiring the ocular image using a non-invasive device comprising an optic assembly comprising one or more light sources and a lens, an imaging system, and a linear activator to focus the optic assembly.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more light sources are light emitting diodes.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising comparing the ocular image to standard images in a collected database for determining whether the ocular characteristics are abnormal.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising comparing the ocular image to previous ocular images for the same subject in a collected database for determining a progression of the one or more ocular abnormalities or ocular damage.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining pupil size based upon an average color measurement of the ocular image.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining pupil size comprises making points above an average color threshold white, fitting dark areas of the ocular image with an approximated ellipse, and using an x- and y-radii of the approximated ellipse to calculate pupil surface area.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining pupil size by determining a center of lights, searching outwardly until a set number of consecutive non-black points are found, superimposing a box, searching for outer edges of a pupil located in the box, fitting an ellipse to edges of the box, and recording surface area.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising repeating the determining of pupil size for a second pupil of a subject.

17. The method of claim 8, further comprising locating one or more optic vessels, determining type of the one or more optic vessels, and measuring average pixel color of each of the one or more optic vessels.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising one or more of pupil edge detection, pupillary light reflex analysis, and fundal vascular assessment.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising finding an optic disk in the ocular image, finding vessel bases, finding vessel edges, and checking for vessel forks.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising tracing down a larger part of a vessel fork, if present, for a predetermined length.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising repeating the tracing for other vessel forks in the ocular image.

22. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining pupil size based upon low intensity light, determining pupil size based upon high intensity light, determining venous coloration, determining arterial coloration, and determining strobe light cutoff frequency.

23. The method of claim 8, further comprising enhancing the ocular image prior to processing the ocular image.

24. The method of claim 8, wherein the disease states are selected from the group consisting of:

exposure to organophosphate nerve agents, exposure to cyanide compounds, exposure to carbon monoxide, exposure to botulinum toxin, and combinations thereof.

25. The method of claim 8, wherein the standard is an average normal value established for a population.

26. The method of claim 8, further comprising finding lights in the ocular image, determining a center of the lights, searching outwardly until a predetermined number of consecutive points are non-black, finding a largest box bound by points, search for outer edges of pupil located in the box, fitting an ellipse to the edges, and recording a surface area.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising finding additional lights in a second ocular image, determining a center of the additional lights, searching outwardly until a non-black point is found, finding a center by determining a mean of x and y of non-black points, defining a search area as a diameter of the ellipse of the first ocular image, searching for an outer edge of pupil in the box, fitting an ellipse to the edge, and recording a surface area.