Method and apparatus for determining diagnosis result data

A device for obtaining a thermal image for determining diagnosis result data, the device comprising:

• a temperature controller for transmitting, to a probe, a control signal for applying heat stimulation and cold stimulation to skin;
• the probe for applying heat stimulation and cold stimulation to skin, based on the control signal of the temperature controller;
• an infrared camera for obtaining a first thermal image from skin to which heat stimulation is applied by the probe and for obtaining a second thermal image from skin to which cold stimulation is applied by the probe;
• a temperature restoration feature extractor for extracting a temperature restoration feature of skin from each of the first thermal image and the second thermal image by:
• calculating temperature change rate values by each image frame from the first thermal image and determining an average value of the temperature change rate values to be a first temperature restoration feature;
• calculating temperature change rate values by each image frame from the second thermal image and determining an average value of the temperature change rate values to be a second temperature restoration feature;
• and
• a diagnosis result data determiner for determining diagnosis result data, based on a comparison of the first temperature restoration feature to a first threshold value and the second temperature restoration feature to a second corresponding threshold value, wherein the first threshold value is greater than the second threshold value, wherein the diagnosis result data indicates a presence of an abnormality when the first or second temperature restoration feature is greater than or equal to its corresponding threshold value,
• wherein the temperature change rate values equate to a difference in temperature between two sequential image frames divided by a time difference between the sequential image frames.

A device for determining diagnosis result data by using a thermal image, the device comprising:

• a thermal image receiver for receiving the first thermal image and the second thermal image from an infrared camera;
• a temperature restoration feature extractor for extracting a temperature restoration feature of skin from each of the first thermal image and the second thermal image by:
• calculating temperature change rate values by each image frame from the first thermal image and determining an average value of the temperature change rate values to be a first temperature restoration feature;
• calculating temperature change rate values by each image frame from the second thermal image and determining an average value of the temperature change rate values to be a second temperature restoration feature;
• and
• a determiner for determining diagnosis result data related to the skin, based on a comparison of the first temperature restoration feature to a first threshold value and the second temperature restoration feature to a second corresponding threshold value, wherein the first threshold value is greater than the second threshold value, wherein the diagnosis result data indicates a presence of an abnormality when the first or second temperature restoration feature is greater than or equal to its corresponding threshold value,
• wherein the temperature change rate values equate to a difference in temperature between two sequential image frames divided by a time difference between the sequential image frames.