# US 2010/0166269 A1 · Automatic body silhouette matching for remote auscultation

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- Number: US 2010/0166269 A1
- Document ID: US20100166269A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/347,861
- Filed: 2008-12-31
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2008-12-31
- Inventors: Beth Logan; Jean-Manuel Van Thong; Rahul Sukthankar; Frank Bomba
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100166269A1

## CPC

- A61B 5/0077: {Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens}
- A61B 5/6889: {Rooms}
- A61B 5/744: {Displaying an avatar, e.g. an animated cartoon character}
- A61B 7/02: Stethoscopes
- G06T 7/75: {involving models}
- G16H 30/20: for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
- G16H 40/67: for remote operation
- A61B 5/706: {Indicia not located on the patient, e.g. floor marking}
- G06T 2207/10004: Still image; Photographic image
- G06T 2207/30004: Biomedical image processing
- G06T 2207/30196: Human being; Person
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA

## Abstract

A system provides a means to detect and track a patient silhouette which may be used to instruct him/her in positioning a medical sensing device on his/her chest with guidance from a computer or from a remotely located physician. The medical sensing device may be, for example a stethoscope or other device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of silhouette templates having predefined placement locations marked for placing a medical device;
a camera for capturing the image of a patient;
means for selecting an appropriate one of the plurality of silhouette templates that best matches the image of the patient; and
means for mapping the predefined placement locations from the selected silhouette template to the patient.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for selecting comprises a computer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the means from mapping comprises a dot displayed on the image of the patient on a computer display screen.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
a vertical X-Y plotter to be positioned relative to the patient; and
wherein the means for mapping comprises a computer controlling the position of the X-Y plotter.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus as recited in claim 4 further comprising:
a stethoscope movable with the X-Y plotter.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
means to communicate over a network with a remotely located medical professional.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the means from mapping comprises a computer controlled video projector to project a dot onto the patient.

### Claim 8

A method, comprising:
storing a plurality of silhouette templates with at least one predefined medical device placement location;
capturing an image of a patient;
matching the image of the patient to an appropriate silhouette template; and
mapping the predefined medical device placement location to the patient.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method as recited in claim 8 where in the medical device comprises a stethoscope.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the mapping comprises:
displaying a dot on the image of the patient on a display screen.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the mapping comprises:
projecting a light dot directly onto the patient.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the mapping comprises:
moving the stethoscope on a vertical X-Y plotter relative to the patient.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method as recited in claim 9 further comprising:
indicating to the patient when proper placement of the stethoscope has been achieved.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising:
indicating to the patient the duration the stethoscope should remain in that placement.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method as recited in claim 9 further comprising:
sending stethoscope data to a remotely located medical professional.

### Claim 16

A system, comprising:
a plurality of silhouette templates having at least one predefined placement location marked for placing a stethoscope;
a camera for capturing the image of a patient;
a computer to map the predefined placement location from one of the silhouette templates to the patient.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system as recited in claim 16 further comprising:
a video projector controlled by the computer to display a dot indicating the predefined placement location directly onto the patient.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The system as recited in claim 16, further comprising:
a computer display screen displaying a dot on the image of the patient indicating the predefined placement location.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The system as recited in claim 16, further comprising:
an X-Y plotter controlled by the computer to move the stethoscope relative to the patient.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The system as recited in claim 16, further comprising:
a connection to a remote computer for communication with a medical professional.