Capturing and processing instant drug test results using a mobile device

• US 9,350,956 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2014
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FormFox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Compliance Software, Inc
• Inventors: Quilter, Eric J., Buckmiller, James Steven, Clark, Scott M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Application Number:
  US14/482,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20140375803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/423, 455/417
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00108 Test strips, e.g. paper
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/95 Pattern authentication; Markers therefor; Forgery detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/034 of medical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2228 Video assist systems used in motion picture production, e.g. video cameras connected to viewfinders of motion picture cameras or related video signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus allow for capturing the results of drug tests using mobile devices. One or more implementations include apparatus that interface a mobile computing device with a drug test, while ensuring that an imaging device of the mobile computing device is optically aligned with a test display areas of the drug test. One or more additional implementations include a method for analyzing drug testing results. The method includes receiving and analyzing drug testing data, which includes an identification of a type drug testing apparatus being used at a remote testing device, and an image that visually represents a portion of a drug test. The method also includes analyzing the test results of the drug test based on the identification of the type drug testing apparatus.

Claims

1. A computerized method, implemented at a server computer system that includes one or more processors and that is connected to one or more remote testing devices via one or more network connections, the computerized method for analyzing drug testing results from the one or more remote testing devices in a manner that ensures privacy of a test subject, the method comprising acts of:

establishing a network communications session with a remote testing device, the remote testing device being located at a remote geographical location;

receiving drug testing data at the server computer system from the remote testing device, the drug testing data including;

an identification of a type of drug testing apparatus being used at the remote testing device; and

an image, the image comprising a visual representation of at least a portion of the drug testing apparatus being used at the remote testing device;

identifying the type of the drug testing apparatus being used at the remote testing device based on the portion of drug testing apparatus that was visually represented in the image; and

ascertaining, at the server computer system, the results of the one or more drug tests from the image received from the remote testing device based the type of the drug testing apparatus being used at the remote testing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the image includes the identification of the type of the drug testing apparatus being used at the remote testing device, and

identifying the type of the drug testing apparatus being used at the remote testing device comprises an act of analyzing the image to identify the type of the drug testing apparatus being used at the remote testing device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the act of analyzing the image to identify the type of the drug testing apparatus being used at the remote testing device comprises an act of analyzing a computer-readable visual tag contained in the image.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the results of the one or more drug tests with the network communications session.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein ascertaining the results of the one or more drug tests from the image comprises recognizing one or both of presence of a line or color or a lack of a line or color on the visual results of one or more drug tests.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein recognizing one or both of presence of a line or color or a lack of a line or color on the visual results of one or more drug tests is based on the identified the type of the drug testing apparatus.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein ascertaining, at the server computer system, the results of the one or more drug tests from the image comprises reading a lateral flow test.

8. A computerized method, implemented in a system comprising a remote testing device and a second computer system, the remote testing device and second computer system each including one or more processors and each being connected to one or more server computer systems via one or more network connections, the computerized method for analyzing drug testing results from the one or more remote testing devices and second computer system in a manner that ensures privacy of a test subject, the method comprising acts of:

establishing a network communications session with a server computer systems, the server computer system being located at a remote geographical location;

sending drug testing data to the server computer system from the remote testing device, the drug testing data including;

an identification of a type of drug testing apparatus being used at the remote testing device; and

an image, the image comprising a visual representation of at least a portion of the drug testing apparatus being used at the remote testing device, the image allowing the type of the drug testing apparatus to be determined based on the portion of the drug testing apparatus that was visually represented in the image;

the second computer system establishing a second network communications session with the server computer system; and

receiving at the second computer system from the server computer system, the results of the one or more drug tests from the image received from the remote testing device based the type of the drug testing apparatus being used at the remote testing device.