Viewing and processing multispectral images

• US 8,913,118 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2013
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas Nathan Millikan
• Original Assignee: Thomas Nathan Millikan
• Inventors: Millikan, Thomas Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Andy S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELAHI, SHAN E
• Application Number:
  US14/027,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20140015951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 457 Days
• Field of Search: 348/77
• US Class Current: 348/77
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/00 Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence; image processing per se G06T; details of algorithms for analysing medical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/429 applied to measurement of ultraviolet light using counting tubes G01T
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/58 using luminescence generated by light
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/1213 Filters in general, e.g. dichroic, band
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/2826 Multispectral imaging, e.g. filter imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0208 using focussing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or mirrors; performing aberration correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0229 using masks, aperture plates, spatial light modulators or spatial filters, e.g. reflective filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0264 Electrical interface; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/027 Control of working procedures of a spectrometer; Failure detection; Bandwidth calculation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/10 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/14 using refracting elements, e.g. prisms G01J3/18, G01J3/26 take precedence prisms per se G02B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/2823 Imaging spectrometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/36 Investigating two or more bands of a spectrum by separate detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/513 having fixed filter-detector pairs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 : Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 : Infrared image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30088 : Skin; Dermal
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 : Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 : Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 : Determination of colour characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 : for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 : for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 : Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 : Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Multispectral images, including ultraviolet light and its interactions with ultraviolet light-interactive compounds, can be captured, processed, and represented to a user. Ultraviolet-light related information can be conveniently provided to a user to allow the user to have awareness of UV characteristics and the user'"'"'s risk to UV exposure.

Claims

1. A method of processing, the method comprising:

capturing, in an image capture device, a first image of a human, the first image of the human representing wavelengths of light in the ultraviolet spectrum;

capturing, in the image capture device, simultaneously as the first image of the human, a second image of the human, the second image of the human—

representing wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum;

processing, in the image capture device, the second image of the human to identify an area of interest within the second image of the human;

wherein the area of interest within the second image of the human depicts part of the human'"'"'s skin;

identifying, in the image capture device, a corresponding area of interest within the first image of the human that represents approximately the same area as the identified area of interest within the second image of the human;

wherein the corresponding area of interest within the first image of the human depicts approximately the same part of the human'"'"'s skin as the area of interest within the second image of the human;

determining, in the image capture device, a portion of the corresponding area of interest identified as being human skin by comparing the amount of ultraviolet light in the first image of the human, to a predetermined ultraviolet light threshold based on a reflectivity of chemical filters and physical filter of a topical compound comprising sunscreen or a relative ultraviolet light threshold based on the reflectivity on a portion of the human'"'"'s skin relative to another portion of the human'"'"'s skin and the surrounding environment in the first image of the human;

representing, in the image capture device, the portion of the corresponding area of interest in the first image of a human in a false color to create a false colored portion of the area of interest;

overlaying, in the image capture device, the false colored portion of the area of interest on top of the second image to create a composite image; and

displaying the composite image in the image capture device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from a user, information comprising a specific type of sunscreen; and

obtaining the ultraviolet reflective or absorptive characteristics for that type of sunscreen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wavelengths of light in the ultraviolet spectrum in the first image of the human are ultraviolet B wavelengths.

4. A mobile device comprising:

a camera sensor capable of capturing multispectral images of a human at approximately the same time;

the multispectral images comprising representations of wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum and the ultraviolet spectrum;

a computer system processor coupled to the camera sensor and configured to process the multispectral images to identify an area of interest;

wherein the area of interest comprises a portion of the human'"'"'s skin;

wherein the computer system processor is further configured to determine a portion of the area of interest by comparing the amount of ultraviolet light in the multispectral images of the human, in the area of interest identified as being human skin, to a predetermined ultraviolet light threshold based on a reflectivity of chemical filters and physical filter of a topical compound comprising sunscreen or a relative ultraviolet light threshold based on the reflectivity on a portion of the human'"'"'s skin relative to another portion of the human'"'"'s skin and the surrounding environment in the multispectral images of the human;

wherein the computer system processor is further configured to render a display image for display from the multispectral images;

wherein the rendering indicates whether the portion of the area of interest lacks ultraviolet protection by identifying the portion of the area of interest with a false color on top of the representation of wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum; and

a display coupled to the computer system processor and operable to display the rendered display image.

7. The mobile device of claim 4, further comprising:

a light source coupled to the computer system processor operable to provide ultraviolet light to the area captured by the camera sensor.

5. The mobile device of 4, wherein:

the camera sensor is further capable of separately capturing ultraviolet A wavelengths and ultraviolet B wavelengths,

the computer system processor is further configured to separately identify whether the portion of the area of interest lacks ultraviolet A protection and ultraviolet B protection; and

the computer system processor is further configured, when rendering the display image, to assign different false colors to the portion of the area of interest that lacks ultraviolet A protection and the portion of the area of interest that lacks ultraviolet B protection.

6. The mobile device of 4, further comprising:

means to obtain information comprising a type of sunscreen;

means to obtain the ultraviolet characteristics of that type of sunscreen; and

wherein the computer system processor is further operable to use the ultraviolet characteristics to set the predetermined threshold of ultraviolet light.