Vein imaging device with differential image resolution at the center and the extremities of the vein image
AssigneeAccuVein, Inc.
InventorsFred Wood, Ron Goldman, Stephen P. Conlon, Vincent Luciano
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims10
A vein-image-enhancing device configured to image subcutaneous veins of a target surface of a patient, said vein-image-enhancing device comprising:
- a housing;
- a first light source configured to emit a first wavelength of light;
- a second light source configured to emit a second wavelength of light, being different than said first wavelength of light;
- one or more mirrors configured to selectively reflect said light at said first wavelength and said second wavelength;
- a drive circuit configured to cause at least one of said one or more mirrors to selectively move to scan said first wavelength of light and said second wavelength of light onto the target surface in a pattern;
- one or more optical detectors, said one or more optical detectors each configured to be responsive to said first wavelength of light, to receive a vein image formed by differential amounts of absorption and reflection of said first wavelength of light by the subcutaneous veins and surrounding tissue beneath the target surface;
- said one or more optical detectors further configured to convert said vein image into a vein image signal;
- wherein said second light source is further configured to receive said vein image signal and to emit said second wavelength of light to project, in combination with said one or more mirrors, said vein image onto the target surface to overlay the imaged veins;
- and
- wherein said drive circuit is configured to alter said pattern to provide higher resolution at a center portion of said projected vein image than outside of said center portion of said projected vein image.
A vein-image-enhancing device comprising:
- a first light source configured to emit a first wavelength of light;
- a second light source configured to emit a second wavelength of light, being different than said first wavelength of light;
- a scanner, said scanner configured to selectively scan said light at said first wavelength and said second wavelength;
- a drive circuit configured to cause said scanner to selectively move to scan said first wavelength of light and said second wavelength of light onto a target surface in a pattern;
- an optical detector, said optical detector configured to be responsive to said first wavelength of light, to receive a vein image formed by differential amounts of absorption and reflection of said first wavelength by the subcutaneous veins and surrounding tissue beneath the target surface;
- said optical detector further configured to convert said vein image into a vein image signal;
- wherein said second light source is further configured to receive said vein image signal and to emit said second wavelength of light to project said vein image, in combination with said scanner, onto the target surface to overlay the imaged veins;
- and
- wherein said drive circuit is configured to alter said pattern created by said scanner to provide higher resolution at a center portion of said vein image than outside of said center portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.