Dermoscopic data acquisition employing display illumination
First Claim
1. A method of acquiring dermoscopic imagery, employing a portable device that includes both a camera and a display screen, the method comprising the acts:
- presenting a first illumination from the device display screen to a subject at a first time;
capturing a first image of said subject with the device camera while presenting said first illumination;
presenting a second, different illumination from the device display screen to the subject at a second time; and
capturing a second image of said subject with the device camera while presenting said second illumination;
wherein neither said first nor said second illumination comprises a viewfinder rendering of the captured first and second images;
wherein the subject comprises a dermal mole on a person'"'"'s skin;
wherein the first and the second images are multiple frames of imagery depicting said mole and are captured under varying spectral illumination from the display screen; and
diagnosing a pathology of said mole by using the multiple frames of imagery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one arrangement, a smartphone camera gathers skin imagery while controlled spectral illumination is emitted from the smartphone display. In a particular embodiment, differently colored bands move across a darkened screen to illuminate the skin from different angles as plural images are being captured. The collection of imagery from different viewing angles, with different spectral illumination, and different illumination angles, can provide imagery (including composite imagery) useful in manual or automated dermoscopic analysis. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
84 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of acquiring dermoscopic imagery, employing a portable device that includes both a camera and a display screen, the method comprising the acts:
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presenting a first illumination from the device display screen to a subject at a first time; capturing a first image of said subject with the device camera while presenting said first illumination; presenting a second, different illumination from the device display screen to the subject at a second time; and capturing a second image of said subject with the device camera while presenting said second illumination; wherein neither said first nor said second illumination comprises a viewfinder rendering of the captured first and second images; wherein the subject comprises a dermal mole on a person'"'"'s skin; wherein the first and the second images are multiple frames of imagery depicting said mole and are captured under varying spectral illumination from the display screen; and diagnosing a pathology of said mole by using the multiple frames of imagery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A dermal imaging method employing a portable device, the method comprising the acts:
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moving the portable device to plural different viewpoint positions relative to a skin location; at a first of said plural viewpoint positions, illuminating the skin location with light of a first spectrum from the portable device, and capturing a first image of the skin location illuminated with said light of the first spectrum using the portable device; at a second of said plural viewpoint positions, illuminating the skin location with light of a second spectrum from the portable device, and capturing a second image of the skin location illuminated with said light of the second spectrum using the portable device; wherein said skin location is imaged by the portable device from plural different viewpoint positions and with plural different illumination spectra; wherein said first and second viewpoint positions are at distances of less than six inches from said skin location; wherein neither said illumination with light of the first spectrum, nor said illumination with light of the second spectrum, comprises illumination with a viewfinder rendering of the captured first and second images; wherein the skin location comprises a dermal mole; wherein said first and said second images are multiple frames of imagery depicting said mole and are captured under varying spectral illumination; and diagnosing a pathology of said mole by using the multiple frames of imagery. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A method of imaging a skin location using a portable device, the method comprising the acts:
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(a) illuminating the skin location with light of a first spectrum emitted from a first region of a display of the portable device, and capturing a first image of the skin location illuminated with said light of the first spectrum using the portable device; and (b) illuminating the skin location with light of a second spectrum emitted from a second region of the display of the portable device that is different than said first region, and capturing a second image of the skin location illuminated with said light of the second spectrum using the portable device; wherein; the second region of the display is dark during act (a), and the first region of the display is dark during act (b); the second spectrum of light is different than the first spectrum of light; the illumination switches from the first region to the second region, and from the first spectrum to the second spectrum, in accordance with a software-defined sequence; the capturing of imagery is synchronized with said software-defined sequence; imagery of the skin location is captured by the portable device with plural different illumination angles and plural different illumination spectra; neither said illumination with light of the first spectrum, nor said illumination with light of the second spectrum, comprises illumination with a viewfinder rendering of the captured first and second images; wherein the skin location comprises a dermal mole; wherein said first and the second images are multiple frames of imagery depicting said mole and are captured under varying spectral illumination; and diagnosing a pathology of said mole by using the multiple frames of imagery.
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Specification