# US 10,500,350 B2 · Combination vein contrast enhancer and bar code scanning device

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- Number: US 10,500,350 B2
- Document ID: US10500350B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/096,518
- Filed: 2016-04-12
- Published: 2016-10-20
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2006-01-10
- Assignees: AccuVein, Inc.
- Applicants: AccuVein, Inc.
- Inventors: Fred Wood; Ron Goldman; Stephen P. Conlon; Vincent Luciano
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500350B2

## CPC

- A61B 5/489: {Blood vessels}
- A61B 5/0059: {using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence (photoacoustic A61B5/0093; optical measurement of heart rate A61B5/02416; optical measurement of blood flow A61B5/0261; optical measurement of analytes A61B5/1455)}
- A61B 5/0064: {Body surface scanning}
- A61B 5/0082: {adapted for particular medical purposes}
- A61B 5/02416: {using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation (A61B5/14552 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/1172: using fingerprinting
- A61B 5/1176: {Recognition of faces}
- A61B 5/15003: {for venous or arterial blood}
- A61B 5/150343: {Collection vessels for collecting blood samples from the skin surface, e.g. test tubes, cuvettes (sampling from within body cavities A61B5/150015, A61B5/150045)}
- A61B 5/150748: {Having means for aiding positioning of the piercing device at a location where the body is to be pierced (means for aiding positioning of devices for bringing media into the body A61M5/427, locating blood vessels A61B5/489)}
- A61B 5/150786: {Optical identification systems, e.g. bar codes, colour codes}
- A61B 5/153: {Devices} specially adapted for taking samples of venous or arterial blood, e.g. with syringes
- A61B 5/4839: {combined with drug delivery}
- A61B 5/72: {Signal processing specially adapted for physiological signals or for diagnostic purposes}
- A61B 90/98: using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
- A61M 5/427: {Locating point where body is to be pierced, e.g. vein location means using ultrasonic waves, injection site templates}
- G06V 40/14: Vascular patterns
- A61B 5/024: Measuring pulse rate or heart rate
- A61B 5/7495: {using a reader or scanner device, e.g. barcode scanner}
- A61B 2090/366: {using projection of images directly onto the body}
- A61B 2576/00: Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis (A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence)
- A61M 2205/276: preventing unwanted use
- A61M 2205/50: with microprocessors or computers
- A61M 2205/52: with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
- A61M 2205/609: Biometric patient identification means
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING

## Abstract

It is known in the art to use an apparatus to enhance the visual appearance of the veins and arteries in a patient to facilitate insertion of needles into those veins and arteries. This application discloses a number of inventions that add additional data collection and presentation capabilities to a handheld vein enhancement apparatus and a set of processes for the collection of blood and the delivery of IV medicines that use the handheld device to mediate the process.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A handheld system configured for single-handed lifting and portable use, said handheld system configured to both image subcutaneous veins for use in the performance of a required venipuncture procedure and to verify the intended patient for the required venipuncture procedure and identify procedure data for the venipuncture procedure, said handheld system comprising:
a display means;
a memory, said memory configured to store data for a plurality of patients, the data for each patient being associated with a respective bar code on a wrist band on the patient;
a microprocessor and firmware, said microprocessor coupled to said memory, said microprocessor thereby configured to access the patient data stored in said memory, said patient data comprising patient identification data and data about the required venipuncture procedure;
a first laser configured to emit a beam of light at a first wavelength;
a second laser configured to emit a beam of light at a second wavelength;
an image capture means responsive to said first wavelength of light;
means for scanning said first wavelength of light from said first laser for imaging the bar-coded patient wrist band, with said image capture means and said microprocessor coupled together and thereby configured to decode the imaged bar code, and to display, upon said display means, said venipuncture procedure data corresponding to the imaged bar code;
a housing configured for single-handed lifting and portable use, said housing further configured to house said display means, said memory, said microprocessor, said first and second lasers, said image capture means, and said means for scanning;
wherein said means for scanning is further configured for scanning said first wavelength of light in a pattern onto a target area of the patient, with said first wavelength selected to form a contrasted image of subcutaneous veins by differential absorption and reflection between the subcutaneous veins and the surrounding tissue of said first wavelength of light;
wherein said image capture means is configured for receiving said contrasted image and outputting a signal representing said contrasted vein image to said second laser, with said second laser configured to receive and use said signal, in combination with said means for scanning, for scanning by said means for scanning of said contrasted vein image onto the target area using said first wavelength of light, for the imaged veins to overly the subcutaneous veins of the target area; and
wherein said microprocessor is further configured to verify the intended patient by comparing said patient identification data to a database of valid patients and to display feedback of said comparison on said display means.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The handheld system according to claim 1, wherein said firmware and said microprocessor coupled to said memory are further configured to access user privileges data stored therein, said user privileges data comprising identification data for one or more valid users of said system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The handheld system according to claim 2, wherein said firmware and said microprocessor coupled to said memory are further configured to store a record, in said memory, of said permitted usage by any of the one or more valid users.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The handheld system according to claim 3, wherein said firmware and said microprocessor coupled to said memory are further configured to record, in said memory, a completed status of the venipuncture procedure.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The handheld system according to claim 4, said system further comprising a keypad, and said firmware and said microprocessor coupled to said memory further configured to require entry of a passcode into said keypad to verify that a current user is a valid user of said system, to thereby permit use of said system.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The handheld system according to claim 5, wherein said first laser, said means for scanning, and said image capture means are further configured to capture a biometric image of a current user of said system, to verify that the current user is a valid user of said system, to thereby permit use of said system.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The handheld system according to claim 6, wherein said memory comprises a removable SD memory card.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The handheld system according to claim 7, further comprising a wired or a wireless connection with a computer system configured to upload data from said handheld system to said computer, or to download data from said computer to said handheld system.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The handheld system according to claim 8, wherein said first wavelength of light comprises an infrared wavelength, and said second wavelength of light comprises a visible wavelength.

### Claim 10

A hand-holdable device configured for single-handed lifting and portable use, said hand-holdable device configured to both image subcutaneous veins for use in assisting in the performance of a required venipuncture procedure and to verify the intended patient for the required venipuncture procedure, said device comprising:
means for imaging using a first wavelength of light and for projecting an acquired image using a second wavelength of light;
a processor, a memory, and firmware, said processor coupled to said memory, said processor thereby configured to access patient data stored in said memory, the patient data being associated with a bar code, the patient data comprising patient identification data and data regarding the required venipuncture procedure;
a hand-holdable housing configured for single-handed lifting and portable use;
a means for imaging and projecting configured for imaging a bar coded patient wrist band, said processor configured to receive and to decode the stored patient data of said bar code image, and said means for imaging and projecting further configured for receiving the decoded venipuncture data and for projecting the venipuncture procedure data onto an arbitrary surface;
said first wavelength selected for said means for imaging and projecting to be configured for imaging subcutaneous veins of a target area on the patient, by differential absorption and reflection of said first wavelength of light by the subcutaneous veins and the surrounding tissue therein;
said means for imaging and projecting further configured for projecting the vein image onto the target area, for the imaged veins to overlay the subcutaneous veins therein; and
wherein said processor is further configured to verify the intended patient by comparing said patient identification data to a database of valid patients and to cause said means for imaging and projecting to project feedback of said comparison onto an arbitrary surface.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The device according to claim 10, wherein said first wavelength comprises an infrared wavelength and second wavelength comprises a visible wavelength.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device according to claim 11, wherein said firmware and said processor coupled to said memory are further configured to access user privileges data stored therein, said user privileges data comprising identification data for one or more valid users of said device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The device according to claim 12, said means for imaging and projecting further configured to identify a biometric image of a current user of said device; and wherein said firmware and said processor are configured to compare the biometric feature of the current user to the identification data of the one or more valid users of said device, to thereby permit use of said device if the current user is a valid user.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The device according to claim 12, said device further comprising a keypad, said firmware and said processor coupled to said memory further configured to require entry of a passcode into said keypad to verify that a current user is a valid user of said system, and thereby permit use of said device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The device according to claim 12, wherein said firmware and said processor coupled to said memory are further configured to store a record, in said memory, of said permitted usage by any of the one or more valid users.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The device according to claim 12, wherein said firmware and said processor coupled to said memory are further configured to record, in said memory, a completed status of the venipuncture procedure.