Patent US4658814A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5016173A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for monitoring visually accessible surfaces of the body
Assignee: Vanguard Imaging Ltd
•
Filing: 1989-04-13
•
Granted: 1991-05-14
•
Expires: 2009-04-13
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to an improved apparatus and method for in vivo monitoring of visually accessible surfaces of the body. The invention synthesizes methods of systems identification and computer vision to quantify and/or classify features of surface or subsurface anatomic, physiologic, or pathologic structures or processes. Such is accomplished by the stimulation of anatomic surfaces with light (visible, infrared, and/or ultraviolet, structured or uniform), followed by the quantitative analysis of digital images (multiresolution, multiview, and/or multispectral) of reflected or emitted light from the surface of interest.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert O. Kenet
- 👤 Barney J. Kenet
- 👤 Guillermo J. Tearney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 18:00
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/0002; G06T7/0012; A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/0059; A61B5/0062; A61B5/0064; A61B5/44; A61B5/441; A61B5/444; G06T5/00; G06T5/50; G06T7/10; G06T7/11; G06T7/136; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/10; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/203; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00452; A61B2018/00476; A61B2018/00636; A61B2018/00904; A61B90/00; A61B90/36; A61B90/37; A61B2090/373; A61B5/0068; A61B5/72; A61B5/7235; A61B5/7264; A61B5/74; A61B5/742; A61B5/745; G06T2207/00; G06T2207/10; G06T2207/10048; G06T2207/20; G06T2207/20004; G06T2207/20012; G06T2207/20021; G06T2207/30; G06T2207/30004; G06T2207/30041; G06T2207/30088; G06T2207/30096; G06T2207/30101
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
An apparatus for monitoring visually accessible surfaces of the body comprising: means for acquiring digital images; means for pre-processing said digital image to calibrate and correct for aberrations in the digital image; means for determining or estimating a three-dimensional representation of the surface of which the image is taken; means for estimating the boundaries of lesions on said surface from said image; means for extracting two- and three-dimensional quantitative features of the lesions on said surface from said image; means for visual display and hardcopy presentation of two- dimensional and reconstructed three-dimensional representations of the lesions on said surface; means for storing said digital images in a database; and means for extracting information from the database for comparison of images at different points in time or space.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
127 words
An apparatus for monitoring visually accessible surfaces of the body comprising: means for acquiring digital images; means for pre-processing said digital image to calibrate and correct for aberrations in the digital image; means for determining or estimating a three-dimensional representation of the surface of which the image is taken; means for estimating the boundaries of lesions on said surface from said image; means for extracting two- and three-dimensional quantitative features of the lesions on said surface from said image; means for visual display and hardcopy presentation of two- dimensional and reconstructed three-dimensional representations of the lesions on said surface; means for storing said digital images in a database; and means for extracting information from the database for comparison of images at different points in time or space.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 further a plurality of lighting means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein lighting means are spatially uniform.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the lighting means are structured.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the lighting means are monochromatic.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparaturs according to claim 2 wherein the lighting means are natural ambient light.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the image acquisition means is a CCD (charge coupled device).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the image acquisition means is a high resolution video camera.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the image acquisition means is a laser scan camera.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the image is multispectral.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the image is obtained through a filter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the acquired images are obtained from a single view.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the digital images are obtained from a plurality of views.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the digital images are obtained from more than one simultaneous view.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the digital images are obtained from a plurality of sequential views.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4731745A
Cited
US4533947A
Cited
US4641349A
Cited
US4780907A
Cited
US4771469A
Cited
US4839807A
Cited
US4851984A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-05-13 | 1994-11-12 | 1995-05-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-05-13 | 1998-11-12 | 1999-05-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-05-13 | 2002-11-12 | 2003-05-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |