“Systems And Methods For Self-Administered Sample Collection” in Patent Application Approval Process (USPTO 20230072470): Patent Application
2023 MAR 29 (NewsRx) -- By a
This patent application has not been assigned to a company or institution.
The following quote was obtained by the news editors from the background information supplied by the inventors: “
“Field
“The present disclosure is directed to remote medical diagnostic testing. Some embodiments are directed to self-administered sample collection.
“Description
“The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Thus, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the material described in this section qualifies as prior art merely by virtue of its inclusion in this section.
“Use of telehealth to deliver healthcare services has grown consistently over the last several decades and has experienced very rapid growth in the last several years. Telehealth can include the distribution of health-related services and information via electronic information and telecommunication technologies. Telehealth can allow for long-distance patient and health provider contact, care, advice, reminders, education, intervention, monitoring, and remote admissions. Often, telehealth can involve the use of a user or patient’s personal computing device, such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop, personal computer, or other type of personal computing device.
“Remote or at-home healthcare testing and diagnostics can solve or alleviate some problems associated with in-person testing. For example, health insurance may not be required, travel to a testing site is avoided, and tests can be completed at a patient’s convenience. However, remote or at-home testing introduces various additional logistical and technical issues, such as guaranteeing timely test delivery to a patient, providing test delivery from a patient to an appropriate lab, ensuring proper sample collection, ensuring test verification and integrity, providing test result reporting to appropriate authorities and medical providers, and connecting patients with medical providers and proctors, who are sometimes needed to provide guidance and/or oversight of remote testing procedures. For example, in some circumstances, a patient may need an order from a doctor in order to take a test.
“In some cases, patients may encounter difficulty following testing procedures needed to ensure that samples are suitable for laboratory testing. For example, users may be unfamiliar with sample collection processes. While users may collect samples in some ways (e.g., using a nasal swab) with relative ease, other types of sample collection may be more difficult. For example, a user may struggle to collect a sample from their throat for a variety of reasons, such as being unable to see their throat clearly, accidentally touching the collection device to their tongue, and so forth.
“Various other types of tests require saliva collection, such as at-home collection for DNA sequencing, various in vitro diagnostic rapid molecular tests, drug tests, etc. These tests may require that the testing user produce a significant amount of saliva. For example, during such tests, users may need to generate and spit a certain volume of saliva into a test tube or other container, or may need to collect saliva using a swab. In some instances, the testing user may produce insufficient saliva, resulting in frustration to the testing user and possibly to the collected sample being insufficient or otherwise unsuitable for testing.
“Additionally, a remotely located user (e.g., an at-home patient) may need to perform certain tasks on their own (e.g., without the assistance of an in-person healthcare professional). For example, during a telehealth consultation or test that involves inspecting the remotely located user’s mouth or throat, the user may be instructed to capture one or more pictures and/or videos of the user’s mouth or throat using a user device, such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop, personal computer, or other type of personal device. These pictures can then be sent over a network to a healthcare platform where they can be reviewed and analyzed by a healthcare professional.
“However, capturing a picture or video of one’s own mouth or throat, can be difficult as, in order to align the camera on the user device with one’s mouth, it may not be possible to simultaneously view the output of the camera on a display of the user device. Thus, it can be difficult for the user to properly align the camera on the user device with his or her mouth, ensure that the features of interest are captured within the frame, and/or ensure that the image or video is in focus and/or adequately lit, among other issues.”
In addition to the background information obtained for this patent application, NewsRx journalists also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent application: “Among other things, this application describes systems, methods, and devices for self-administered sample collection. These systems, methods, and devices may make it easier for patients to obtain orders for medical testing from a medical provider and for patients to carry out sample collection procedures themselves in an acceptable manner. This can lead to improved outcomes as patients are less likely to collect samples that cannot be used for testing or that produce inaccurate results. In some instances, the present disclosure provides for systems and methods that can aid users in collecting throat samples.
“Additionally, some of the systems, methods, and devices described in this application facilitate and enable users to self-image their own mouth and/or throat and may help to alleviate the challenges associated with such self-imaging. In some embodiments, the systems, methods, and devices described herein may implement face tracking techniques to facilitate self-imaging of the mouth or throat. For example, keypoints corresponding to a user’s upper and lower lips can be identified and tracked within images that are captured by the camera of the user device. Using these keypoints, a distance between the upper and lower lip can be determined to provide a measure of how wide the user’s mouth is open and/or a distance between the camera of the user device and the user’s mouth. In some instances, in order to adequately image the inside of the user’s mouth and/or the user’s throat, the user’s mouth must be opened wide enough to reveal their mouth or throat to the camera of the smartphone, and the camera of the smartphone must be positioned sufficiently close to the opening of the user’s mouth and oriented in a manner such that the inside of the user’s mouth and/or the user’s throat is sufficiently within the field of view (FOV) of the camera. Based on the distances and calculations determined from the keypoints, the systems, methods, and devices described herein can ensure that these conditions are met before images are captured.
“In telehealth and other contexts, imaging of the mouth and throat may be leveraged for the remote evaluation and diagnosis of strep throat, mouth and gum disease, postnasal drip, and the like, as well as for the remote provision of dental and/or orthodontic services, among other uses.
“In one aspect, a computer-implemented method for assisting a user in self-imaging a user’s mouth or throat using a camera on a user device can include: receiving, by a computer system, a first set of images captured by the user using the camera of the user device, the first set of images include a view of a mouth of the user; determining, by the computer system and based on the first set of images, an extent to which the mouth of the user is open; determining, by the computer system and based on the first set of images, a distance between the camera and the mouth of the user; based on the extent to which the user’s mouth is open and the distance between the camera and the user’s mouth, determining, by the computer system, that one or more image criteria is met, the image criteria configured to ensure that the mouth and throat of the user are visible within a field of view of the camera; and based on determining that the image criteria are met, causing, by the computer system, the user device to capture a second set of images of the user’s mouth using the camera on the user device.
“The method may include one or more of the following features in any combination: (a) wherein determining, based on the first set of images, an extent to which the user’s mouth is open comprises identifying, by the computer system, keypoints within the first set of images associated with an upper lip and a lower lip of the user, and determining, by the computer system, a distance between the keypoints; (b) based on determining that the image criteria are not met, providing, by the computer system, instructions to the user to reposition the camera; and receiving, by the computer system, an updated first set of images from the camera of the user device; © wherein the instructions comprise audio instructions played on a speaker of the user device; (d) sending, by the computer system, the second set of images over a network to a telehealth platform for analysis or review; (e) wherein the image criteria include a degree to which the mouth of the user is open exceeding a threshold degree; (f) wherein the image criteria include a distance between the mouth of the user being within a threshold distance; (g) wherein the image criteria include a determination that a feature of interest is positioned within a center region of the field of view of the camera; (h) wherein the feature of interest comprises the throat of the user; (i) causing, by the computer system, a flash of the user device to trigger prior to capturing the second set of images; (j) wherein one or both of the first set of images or the second set of images comprises a single image; and/or other features as described herein.
“In another aspect, a computer system for assisting a user in self-imaging a user’s mouth or throat using a camera on a user device can include at least one memory and at least one processor, the at least one memory storing instructions that cause the processor to: receive a first set of images captured by the user using the camera of the user device, the first set of images include a view of a mouth of the user; determine, based on the first set of images, an extent to which the mouth of the user is open; determine, based on the first set of images, a distance between the camera and the mouth of the user; based on the extent to which the user’s mouth is open and the distance between the camera and the user’s mouth, determine that one or more image criteria is met, the image criteria configured to ensure that the mouth and throat of the user are visible within a field of view of the camera; and based on determining that the image criteria are met, cause the user device to capture a second set of images of the user’s mouth using the camera on the user device.
“The system can include one or more of the following features in any combination: (a) wherein determining, based on the first set of images, an extent to which the user’s mouth is open comprises identifying keypoints within the first set of images associated with an upper lip and a lower lip of the user, and determining a distance between the keypoints; (b) wherein the processor is further configured to, based on determining that the image criteria are not met, provide instructions to the user to reposition the camera; and receive an updated first set of images from the camera of the user device; © wherein the instructions comprise audio instructions played on a speaker of the user device; (d) sending the second set of images over a network to a telehealth platform for analysis or review; (e) wherein the image criteria include a degree to which the mouth of the user is open exceeding a threshold degree; (f) wherein the image criteria include a distance between the mouth of the user being within a threshold distance; (g) wherein the image criteria include a determination that a feature of interest is positioned within a center region of the field of view of the camera; (h) wherein the feature of interest comprises the throat of the user; (i) causing a flash of the user device to trigger prior to capturing the second set of images; (j) wherein one or both of the first set of images or the second set of images comprises a single image; and/or other features as described herein.
“In another aspect, a securement device for assisting a user in self-imaging a user’s mouth or throat using a camera on a user device can include: a first support configured to contact a proximal-facing side of the user device; a second support configured to contact a distal-facing side of the user device, wherein the second support is parallel to the first support; a base portion comprising: a proximal-facing side coupled to a bottom edge of the first support; a distal-facing side coupled to a bottom edge of the second support; and an attachment mechanism; a tongue depressor coupled to the base portion by the attachment mechanism; and a mirror movably attached to the base portion, wherein the mirror is configured to direct light from a flashlight of the user device into the user’s mouth or throat. The attachment mechanism can be configured to receive and secure a tongue depressor. The user device can be a mobile phone or a tablet. The mirror can extend from the base portion in an opposite direction than the first support and the second support.
“In another aspect, a securement device for assisting a user in self-imaging a user’s mouth or throat using a camera on a user device can include: a first support configured to contact a proximal-facing side of the user device; a second support configured to contact a distal-facing side of the user device, wherein the second support is parallel to the first support; and a connector portion comprising: a proximal-facing side coupled to a bottom edge of the first support; a distal-facing side coupled to a bottom edge of the second support; and an attachment mechanism. The attachment mechanism can be configured to receive and secure a tongue depressor. The attachment mechanism can be a clip. The securement device can include a mirror.
“Additionally, this application describes systems, methods, and devices for increasing saliva production in testing users in order to increase success rates with at-home testing requiring saliva samples, making the collection process faster and creating an overall better testing user experience and result.”
There is additional summary information. Please visit full patent to read further.”
The claims supplied by the inventors are:
“1. A computer-implemented method for assisting a user in self-imaging a user’s mouth or throat using a camera on a user device, the method comprising: receiving, by a computer system, a first set of images captured by the user using the camera of the user device, the first set of images include a view of a mouth of the user; determining, by the computer system and based on the first set of images, an extent to which the mouth of the user is open; determining, by the computer system and based on the first set of images, a distance between the camera and the mouth of the user; based on the extent to which the user’s mouth is open and the distance between the camera and the user’s mouth, determining, by the computer system, that one or more image criteria is met, the image criteria configured to ensure that the mouth and throat of the user are visible within a field of view of the camera; and based on determining that the image criteria are met, causing, by the computer system, the user device to capture a second set of images of the user’s mouth using the camera on the user device.
“2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, based on the first set of images, an extent to which the user’s mouth is open comprises: identifying, by the computer system, keypoints within the first set of images associated with an upper lip and a lower lip of the user; and determining, by the computer system, a distance between the keypoints.
“3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based on determining that the image criteria are not met: providing, by the computer system, instructions to the user to reposition the camera; and receiving, by the computer system, an updated first set of images from the camera of the user device.
“4. The method of claim 3, wherein the instructions comprise audio instructions played on a speaker of the user device.
“5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending, by the computer system, the second set of images over a network to a telehealth platform for analysis or review.
“6. The method of claim 1, wherein the image criteria include a degree to which the mouth of the user is open exceeding a threshold degree.
“7. The method of claim 1, wherein the image criteria include a distance between the mouth of the user being within a threshold distance.
“8. The method of claim 1, wherein the image criteria include a determination that a feature of interest is positioned within a center region of the field of view of the camera.
“9. The method of claim 8, wherein the feature of interest comprises the throat of the user.
“10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, causing, by the computer system, a flash of the user device to trigger prior to capturing the second set of images.
“11. The method of claim 1, wherein one or both of the first set of images or the second set of images comprises a single image.
“12. A computer system for assisting a user in self-imaging a user’s mouth or throat using a camera on a user device, the system comprising at least one memory and at least one processor, the at least one memory storing instructions that cause the processor to: receive a first set of images captured by the user using the camera of the user device, the first set of images include a view of a mouth of the user; determine, based on the first set of images, an extent to which the mouth of the user is open; determine, based on the first set of images, a distance between the camera and the mouth of the user; based on the extent to which the user’s mouth is open and the distance between the camera and the user’s mouth, determine that one or more image criteria is met, the image criteria configured to ensure that the mouth and throat of the user are visible within a field of view of the camera; and based on determining that the image criteria are met, cause the user device to capture a second set of images of the user’s mouth using the camera on the user device.
“13. The system of claim 12, wherein determining, based on the first set of images, an extent to which the user’s mouth is open comprises: identifying keypoints within the first set of images associated with an upper lip and a lower lip of the user; and determining a distance between the keypoints.
“14. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to, based on determining that the image criteria are not met: provide instructions to the user to reposition the camera; and receive an updated first set of images from the camera of the user device.
“15. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions comprise audio instructions played on a speaker of the user device.
“16. The system of claim 12, further comprising sending, by the computer system, the second set of images over a network to a telehealth platform for analysis or review.
“17. The system of claim 12, wherein the image criteria include a degree to which the mouth of the user is open exceeding a threshold degree.
“18. The system of claim 12, wherein the image criteria include a distance between the mouth of the user being within a threshold distance.
“19. The system of claim 12, wherein the image criteria include a determination that a feature of interest is positioned within a center region of the field of view of the camera.
“20. The system of claim 19, wherein the feature of interest comprises the throat of the user.”
URL and more information on this patent application, see: Bryant,
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