# US 12,222,290 B2 · Detection method and detection pad > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,222,290 B2 - Document ID: US12222290B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/617,249 - Filed: 2020-06-03 - Published: 2022-07-28 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-07 - Assignees: Qstag Co., Ltd. - Applicants: QSTAG Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Dong Hoon Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222290B2 ## CPC - G01N 21/78: producing a change of colour - G01N 33/487: of liquid biological material - G01N 33/521: {Single-layer analytical elements} - G06T 7/90: Determination of colour characteristics - H04M 1/725: Cordless telephones (user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724) - H04N 23/84: for processing colour signals - G01N 2021/8488: {the band presenting reference patches} - G06T 2207/10024: Color image - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A detection method according to the present embodiment comprises the steps of (a) photographing a first reference color area indicated by a first reference color, a second reference color area indicated by a second reference color, and a detection region reacting with a target so as to change color, (b) converting a photography result into a single element, (c) extracting a single element gradation value from the converted photography result, (d) converting the extracted single element gradation value into a standard gradation value, and (e) detecting the concentration of the target from the standard gradation value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A detection method comprising: (a) photographing a first reference color area displayed in a first reference color, a second reference color area displayed in a second reference color, and a detection area of which a color is changed in response to a target; (b) converting a photography result into a single factor; (c) extracting a single factor gradation value from the converted photography result; (d) converting the extracted single factor gradation value into a standard gradation value; and (e) detecting a concentration of the target from the standard gradation value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The detection method of claim 1, wherein operation (c) is performed by calculating an average single factor gradation value of a plurality of different points in each of the first reference color area, the second reference color area, and the detection area. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The detection method of claim 1, wherein operation (d) comprises: (d1) scaling a single factor gradation value of the first reference color to 0 and a single factor gradation value of the second reference color area to 2n−1 (n is a natural number greater than 4); and (d2) adjusting a single factor gradation value extracted from the detection area according to results of operation (d1). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The detection method of claim 1, wherein operation (b) is performed by converting the photography result to grayscale. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The detection method of claim 1, wherein operation (b) is performed by converting the photography result into any one selected from the group consisting of any one of a red (R) value, a green (G) value, a blue (B) value, and a linear combination of the R value, the G value, and the B value in a red-green-blue (RGB) color space, any one of a hue value, a saturation value, a value value, and a linear combination of the hue value, the saturation value, and the value value in a hue saturation value (HSV) color space, any one of a cyan value, a magenta value, a yellow value, a key value, and a linear combination of the cyan value, the magenta value, the yellow value, and the key value in a cyan magenta yellow key (CMYK) color space, and any one of an L* value, an a* value, a b* value, an L* value, and a linear combination of the L* value, the a* value, and the b* value in a CIELAB color space. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The detection method of claim 1, wherein operation (e) comprises detecting the target concentration by calculating a concentration equation for standard gradation values with the standard gradation value obtained in operation (d). ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The detection method of claim 6, wherein the concentration equation for standard gradation values is derived from averages of the standard gradation values acquired from types of devices with which photography is performed in operation (a). ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The detection method of claim 6, wherein the concentration equation for standard gradation values corresponds to a type of device with which photography is performed in operation (a). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The detection method of claim 1, wherein operation (e) comprises detecting the concentration of the target with respect to the standard gradation value by searching a memory, in which the target concentration is stored in connection with a standard gradation value, with the standard gradation value obtained in operation (d). ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The detection method of claim 9, wherein the standard gradation value corresponds to a type of device with which photography is performed in operation (a). ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The detection method of claim 9, wherein the standard gradation value is an average of standard gradation values acquired from a plurality of types of devices with which photography of operation (a) is performed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The detection method of claim 1, wherein the first reference color area is a quick response (QR) code of a quadrangle having three vertices at which orientation markers are displayed, and operation (c) comprises: (c1) forming a center point between the two orientation markers diagonally located in the quadrangle; (c2) forming a reference point at a distance corresponding to a predetermined ratio of a length between the orientation markers from the center point; and (c3) detecting the detection area by rotating the reference point by a predetermined first angle with respect to the center point. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The detection method of claim 12, wherein the detection area includes a first reagent patch, a second reagent patch, a third reagent patch, and a fourth reagent patch, and the detection method detects the first reagent patch by performing operation (c3) and further comprises: (c4) detecting the fourth reagent patch by rotating the reference point by a predetermined second angle with respect to the center point; and (c5) detecting the second reagent patch and the third reagent patch by trisecting a distance between the detected first reagent patch and second reagent patch. ### Claim 14 A detection pad for testing a target in a fluid, the detection pad comprising: a machine-readable code displayed in a first reference color; a second reference color area used for removing an influence of a color change caused by the fluid; and reagent patches, each including a reagent of which a color is changed in response to the target, wherein the machine-readable code is a quick response (QR) code of a quadrangle having three vertices at which orientation markers are displayed, and wherein the detection pad further comprises: a center point between two orientation markers diagonally located in the quadrangle, a reference point at a distance corresponding to a predetermined ratio of a length between the orientation markers from the center point; and all the reagent patches of the detection pad located in detection area, along an arc defined by rotating the reference point by a first angle θ1 and a second angle θ2 with respect to the center point located within a display of the machine-readable code. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The detection pad of claim 14, wherein the first reference color is black, and the second reference color is white. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The detection pad of claim 14, wherein the machine-readable code displays information on a number of the reagent patches included in the detection pad and classification information of the detection pad. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The detection pad of claim 14, wherein the fluid is a body fluid of any one of a human or an animal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The detection pad of claim 14, wherein the detection area includes a plurality of reagent patches. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The detection pad of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of reagent patches includes a reagent of which a color is changed according to glucose in the fluid, protein in the fluid, hydrogen ions in the fluid, occult blood in the fluid, bilirubin in the fluid, urobilinogen in the fluid, ketone bodies in the fluid, nitrides in the fluid, a specific gravity of the fluid, and white blood cells in the fluid. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The detection pad of claim 14, wherein the detection area includes a first reagent patch, a second reagent patch, a third reagent patch, and a fourth reagent patch.