Apparatuses and methods for mobile imaging and analysis
First Claim
1. An automated method of guiding a subject to take an image of a tympanic membrane using an otoscope apparatus, the method comprising:
- displaying, on a display, an image from the otoscope apparatus while the otoscope apparatus is inserted into a patient'"'"'s ear;
using the otoscope apparatus to automatically detect from the image either or both of;
one or more deeper regions in the image, and at least a portion of a tympanic membrane; and
providing real-time guidance to the subject indicating a direction that the subject should orient the otoscope apparatus in the patient'"'"'s ear based on either or both of the detected one or more deeper regions and the detected at least the portion of the tympanic membrane.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for mobile imaging and image analysis. In particular, described herein are methods and apparatuses for assisting in the acquisition and analysis of images of the tympanic membrane to provide information that may be helpful in the understanding and management of disease, such ear infection (acute otitis media). These apparatuses may guide or direct a subject in taking an image of a tympanic membrane, including automatically detecting which direction to adjust the position of the apparatus to capture an image of the tympanic membrane and automatically indicating when the tympanic membrane has been imaged.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An automated method of guiding a subject to take an image of a tympanic membrane using an otoscope apparatus, the method comprising:
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displaying, on a display, an image from the otoscope apparatus while the otoscope apparatus is inserted into a patient'"'"'s ear; using the otoscope apparatus to automatically detect from the image either or both of;
one or more deeper regions in the image, and at least a portion of a tympanic membrane; andproviding real-time guidance to the subject indicating a direction that the subject should orient the otoscope apparatus in the patient'"'"'s ear based on either or both of the detected one or more deeper regions and the detected at least the portion of the tympanic membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An automated method of guiding a subject to take an image of a tympanic membrane using an otoscope apparatus, the method comprising:
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displaying, on a mobile phone display coupled to the otoscope, an image from the otoscope apparatus while the otoscope apparatus is inserted into a patient'"'"'s ear; using the otoscope apparatus to automatically detect one or more deeper regions in the image; providing real-time guidance to the subject indicating a direction that the subject should orient the otoscope apparatus on the display based on the detected one or more deeper regions; and using the otoscope to indicate when the image includes at least a portion of a tympanic membrane. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An automated method of guiding a subject to take an image of a tympanic membrane using an otoscope apparatus, the method comprising:
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displaying, on a display, an image from the otoscope apparatus; using the otoscope apparatus to detect one or more deeper regions in the image by; correcting for uneven illumination in the image, identifying one or more regions of brightness below a threshold in the image, extracting features for each identified region, and determining if an identified region is deeper in the ear canal based on the extracted features; providing real-time guidance to the subject on the display indicating a direction that the subject should orient the otoscope apparatus based on the detected one or more deeper regions; and determining if the image includes a tympanic membrane by;
extracting a set of feature values from a plurality of subregions from the image, estimating, for each subregion, a probability that the subregion is part of a tympanic membrane based on the extracted sets of feature values. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification