SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING VITAL SIGN INFORMATION

• US 20140253709A1
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: BRESCH, Erik, MUEHLSTEFF, Jens, NEUMANN, Rolf, ROCQUE, Mukul Julius, VERKRUIJSSE, Willem
• Granted Patent: US 11,272,142 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/77
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0037 Performing a preliminary scan, e.g. a prescan for identifying a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

In a system and method for determining vital sign information of a subject the subject is illuminated with radiation, and radiation reflected from the subject is received. A region of interest is located in a first phase. Said illumination is controlled to locally illuminate, in a second phase, the located region of interest with radiation allowing determination of vital sign information. Finally, vital sign information of the subject is determined from the radiation reflected from said region of interest and detected in said second phase.

Claims

1. A system for determining vital sign information of a subject comprising:

an illumination device that illuminates the subject with radiation,

a detection device that receives radiation reflected from the subject,

a processing unit that locates a region of interest in a first phase,

a control unit that controls said illumination device to locally illuminate, in a second phase, the located region of interest with radiation allowing determination of vital sign information, and

an analysis unit that determines vital sign information of the subject from the radiation reflected from said region of interest detected in said second phase.

2. The system according to claim 1,

wherein said control unit is configured to control said illumination device to illuminate, in said first phase, said subject with invisible or low-level visible radiation to enable or support locating the region of interest.

3. The system according to claim 2,

wherein said illumination device comprises a first illumination unit for illuminating the subject with radiation in a first frequency range in said first phase and a second illumination unit for illuminating said region of interest of the subject with light in at least a second frequency range in said second phase, and

wherein said detection device comprises a first detection unit for receiving first radiation reflected from the subject in said first frequency range in said first phase and a second detection unit for receiving second radiation reflected from at least said region of interest of the subject in said second frequency range in said second phase.

4. The system according to claim 3,

wherein said first detection unit and said second detection unit are implemented by a common imaging unit, in particular a video camera.

5. The system according to claim 3,

wherein said first illumination unit is configured to illuminate the subject with infrared radiation.

6. The system according to claim 1,

wherein said control unit is configured to control said illumination device to illuminate said region of interest with focused radiation at an increased intensity level compared to the radiation used for illumination in the first phase.

7. The system according to claim 1,

further comprising a marker attached to the subject'"'"'s body, the subject'"'"'s clothing and/or the subject'"'"'s surrounding and configured to reflect or emit radiation, and

wherein said processing unit is configured to detect said marker in the radiation detected in the first phase and to locate the region of interest at a predetermined relative location with respect to said marker or at a location indicated by said marker.

8. The system according to claim 7,

wherein said marker comprises machine-readable information, in particular a graphical pattern, including information about the position of the region of interest.

9. The system according to claim 7,

further comprising a user interface for entering an information about the relative location of the region of interest with respect to said marker.

10. The system according to claim 1,

wherein said illumination device comprises an LCD projector, an LED light source or an array of light sources.

11. The system according to claim 1,

further comprising a manipulation unit for mechanically or electronically moving and/or focusing the light beam emitted by said illumination device and/or for changing the position and/or orientation of said illumination device.

12. The system according to claim 1,

wherein said illumination device is configured to emit coded or modulated visible light in said second phase.

13. The system according to claim 7,

wherein the marker is arranged on a fabric that is adapted to contact the subject or a medical item that is adapted to contact the subject.

14. The system according to claim 7,

wherein the marker is positioned on or adjacent to the face, chest, arm, hand or neck of the subject.

15. The system according to claim 1,

wherein said processing unit is configured to detect the location of the eyes of the subject in the first phase and said control unit is configured to control said illumination device to illumination a portion of the subject'"'"'s face but not the eyes in the second phase.

16. A method for determining vital sign information of a subject comprising:

illuminating the subject with radiation,

receiving radiation reflected from the subject,

locating a region of interest in a first phase, to locally illuminate, in a second phase, the located region of interest with radiation allowing determination of vital sign information, and

determining vital sign information of the subject from the radiation reflected from said region of interest detected in said second phase.

17. A computer readable non-transitory medium having instructions stored thereon which, when carried out on a computer, cause the computer to perform the following steps of the method as claimed in claim 16:

locating a region of interest in a first phase,

controlling said illumination to locally illuminate, in a second phase, the located region of interest with radiation allowing determination of vital sign information, and

determining vital sign information of the subject from the radiation reflected from said region of interest detected in said second phase.

18. A system for determining vital sign information of a subject comprising:

an illuminator for illuminating the subject with radiation,

a detector for receiving radiation reflected from the subject,

a processor for locating a region of interest in a first phase,

a controller for controlling said illumination device to locally illuminate, in a second phase, the located region of interest with radiation allowing determination of vital sign information, and

an analyzer for determining vital sign information of the subject from the radiation reflected from said region of interest detected in said second phase.