Flow metering using a difference image for liquid parameter estimation
AssigneeDEKA Products Limited Partnership
InventorsBob D. Peret, Derek G. Kane, Dean Kamen, Colin H. Murphy, John M. Kerwin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flow meter includes an image sensor, a coupler, a support member and one or more processors. The coupler is adapted to couple to a drip chamber. The support member is operatively coupled to the coupler. The image sensor has a field of view and is operatively coupled to the support member. The image sensor is positioned to view the drip chamber within the field of view. The processor receives data from the image sensor and is configured to: receive a first image from the image sensor, compare the first image to a second image, and generate a difference image based upon the comparison between the first and second images.
Claims28
A flow meter, comprising:
- a coupler adapted to couple to a drip chamber;
- a support member operatively coupled to the coupler;
- an image sensor having a field of view and operatively coupled to the support member, wherein the image sensor is positioned to view the drip chamber within the field of view;
- and
- at least one processor in communication with the image sensor to receive data from the image sensor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
- receive a first image from the image sensor,
- compare the first image to a second image wherein the second image contains a pattern having a plurality of lines, and
- generate a difference image based upon the comparison between the first and second images.
A processor-implemented method implemented by an operative set of processor executable instruction configured for execution on at least one processor, the method comprising:
- capturing an image of a drip chamber and a background pattern disposed behind the drip chamber, wherein the image is captured using an image sensor;
- subtracting the image from a dynamic background image to thereby generate a difference image;
- and
- examining the difference image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.