# US 11,998,173 B1 · Imaging system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,173 B1 - Document ID: US11998173B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/210,830 - Filed: 2023-06-16 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-22 - Applicants: Gustav Lo - Inventors: Gustav Lo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998173B1 ## CPC - A61B 1/00126: {optical, e.g. for light supply cables} - A61B 1/00009: {of image signals during a use of endoscope} - A61B 1/0002: {provided with data storages} - A61B 1/0004: {for electronic operation} - A61B 1/00042: {for mechanical operation} - A61B 1/00052: {positioned at proximal end of the endoscope body} - A61B 1/042: {characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera} - A61B 1/227: for ears, i.e. otoscopes - A61B 1/233: for the nose, i.e. nasoscopes {, e.g. testing of patency of Eustachian tubes} - A61B 5/7271: {Specific aspects of physiological measurement analysis (specific diagnostics methods using bioelectric or biomagnetic signals A61B5/316)} - A61B 5/74: {Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient; User input means} - A61B 5/742: {using visual displays (displays for heart-related electrical signals, e.g. ECG, A61B5/339)} - A61B 5/7425: {Displaying combinations of multiple images regardless of image source, e.g. displaying a reference anatomical image with a live image} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An imaging connector includes a proximal side and a distal side. The proximal side includes a light input opening and an image output opening. The distal side includes a light output opening and an image input opening. The imaging connector is operable to (i) transmit light from the light input opening to the light output opening, and (ii) transmit an image from the image input opening to the image output opening. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: at least one processor; and memory in communication with the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions that when executed on the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising: receiving an image from an image capturing device, the image corresponding to a target area of a patient; comparing the received image to a reference image, the reference image corresponding to a normality of the target area; determining a difference between the received image and the reference image; and identifying a disease or other abnormality based on the difference between the received image and the reference image. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise encrypting the received image of the target area of the patient. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise editing the received image of the target area of the patient. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein editing the received image includes at least one of enhancing or marking-up the received image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein editing the received image includes editing only a portion of the received image. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising overlaying one of the received image or the reference image relative to the other of the received image or the reference image. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a personal communication device comprising the at least one processor and the memory. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise storing the received image in the memory. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise retrieving the received image from the memory based on a fingerprint. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the reference image is a previously-captured image of the target area of the patient. ### Claim 11 A method comprising: receiving, at at least one processor, an image from an image capturing device, the image corresponding to a target area of a patient; comparing, at the at least one processor, the received image to a reference image, the reference image corresponding to a normality of the target area; determining, by the at least one processor, a difference between the received image and the reference image; and identifying a disease or other abnormality based on the difference between the received image and the reference image. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising encrypting, by the at least one processor, the received image of the target area of the patient. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising editing, by the at least one processor, the received image of the target area of the patient. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein editing the received image includes at least one of enhancing or marking-up the received image. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein editing the received image includes modifying only a portion of the received image. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising overlaying one of the received image or the reference image relative to the other of the received image or the reference image. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a personal communication device comprises the at least one processor and memory in communication with the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions configured to be executed by the at least one processor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising storing, by the at least one processor, the received image in memory in communication with the at least one processor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising retrieving, by the at least one processor, the received image from the memory based on a fingerprint. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the reference image is a previously-captured image of the target area of the patient.