IP Library Granted Patent US 12685483
Granted Patent B2
US 12685483 · App. 18/337,801 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Physiological information processing device, physiological information processing method, and storage medium

Inventors: Tetsuri Ariyama (Tokorozawa, JP); Minoru Matsushima (Tokorozawa, JP); Hideki Ochiai (Tokorozawa, JP); Nobuyuki Yasumaru (Tokorozawa, JP); Rie Fukuhara (Hiroshima, JP)
Assignees: Nihon Kohden Corporation; Hiroshima Prefecture
A61B5/4824A61B5/0205A61B5/14542A61B5/748G16H50/30A61B5/024A61B2503/04
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12685483
App. No.
18/337,801
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A physiological information processing device includes one or more processors, and one or more memories for storing computer-readable commands. When the computer-readable commands are executed by the processors, the physiological information processing device executes processing of acquiring attribute information associated with an attribution of an infant, acquiring state information related to a state of the infant before a start of a pain event that causes pain in the infant, acquiring physiological information data of the infant, acquiring facial expression information associated with infant's facial expression after the start of the pain event, calculating a pain assessment index for assessing the pain of the infant in the pain event based on the attribute information, the state information, the physiological information data, and the facial expression information, and outputting the calculated pain assessment index.

Claims (83)

1 . A physiological information processing device comprising:

one or more processors;

a display; and

one or more memories for storing computer-readable commands, wherein

when the computer-readable commands are executed by the processors, the physiological information processing device executes processing of:

displaying on the display a button associated with a feature related to an infant's facial expressions;

acquiring attribute information associated with an attribution of the infant;

acquiring state information related to a state of the infant before a start of a pain event that causes pain in the infant;

acquiring physiological information data of the infant;

acquiring facial expression information associated with infant's facial expression after the start of the pain event based in part on input received from a user input from the button;

identifying a first pain assessment point based on the facial expression information, wherein the facial expression information includes a ratio of a time during which the facial expression of the infant has a predetermined feature relative to a predetermined time after the start of the pain event;

calculating a pain assessment index for assessing the pain of the infant in the pain event based on the attribute information, the state information, the physiological information data, and the facial expression information, wherein the pain assessment index comprises the first pain assessment point; and

outputting the calculated pain assessment index.

2 . The physiological information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the physiological information processing device executes processing of displaying the pain assessment index on the display.

3 . The physiological information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the attribute information includes information indicating gestational age of the infant.

4 . The physiological information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the state information includes information related to movement of the infant and information related to wakefulness of the infant.

5 . The physiological information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the physiological information data includes data indicating a heart rate or pulse rate of the infant and data indicating oxygen saturation of the infant.

6 . The physiological information processing device according to claim 5 , wherein

the physiological information processing device executes processing of:

identifying a first representative value of the heart rate or pulse rate of the infant before the start of the pain event;

identifying a second representative value of the oxygen saturation of the infant before the start of the pain event;

identifying the maximum variation in the heart rate or pulse rate of the infant with respect to the first representative value in data indicating the heart rate or pulse rate of the infant acquired during a predetermined period of time after the start of the pain event;

identifying the maximum variation in the oxygen saturation of the infant with respect to the second representative value in data indicating the oxygen saturation of the infant acquired during the predetermined time period after the start of the pain event; and

calculating the pain assessment index based at least in part on the maximum variation in the heart rate or pulse rate and the maximum variation in the oxygen saturation.

7 . The physiological information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the physiological information processing device executes processing of:

counting a first time during the predetermined time after the start of the pain event to determine the ratio of the first time to the predetermined time, the first time being a time during which the facial expression of the infant has a first feature;

counting a second time during the predetermined time after the start of the pain event to determine the ratio of the second time to the predetermined time, the second time being a time during which the facial expression of the infant has a second feature; and

counting a third time during the predetermined time after the start of the pain event to determine the ratio of the third time to the predetermined time, the third time being a time during which the facial expression of the infant has a third feature, and

the facial expression information includes information related to the ratio of the first time to the predetermined time, information related to the ratio of the second time to the predetermined time, and information related to the ratio of the third time to the predetermined time.

8 . The physiological information processing device according to claim 7 , wherein

the first feature is a feature related to raised eyebrows,

the second feature is a feature related to tightly closed eyes, and

the third feature is a feature related to nasolabial folds.

9 . The physiological information processing device according to claim 7 , wherein

the first feature is a feature having one among the raised eyebrows, the tightly closed eyes, and the nasolabial folds;

the second feature is a feature having two among the raised eyebrows, the tightly closed eyes, and the nasolabial folds; and

the third feature is a feature having all of the raised eyebrows, the tightly closed eyes, and the nasolabial folds.

10 . The physiological information processing device according to claim 8 , wherein

the physiological information processing device executes processing of:

displaying on the display a first button associated with the first feature, a second button associated with the second feature, and a third button associated with the third feature;

starting or stopping counting of the first time in response to an input operation by a healthcare professional on the first button;

starting or stopping counting of the second time in response to an input operation by the healthcare professional on the second button; and

starting or stopping counting of the third time in response to an input operation by the healthcare professional on the third button.

11 . The physiological information processing device according to claim 10 , wherein

the physiological information processing device executes processing of:

starting counting the first time in response to a first input operation by the healthcare professional on the first button;

stopping counting of the first time in response to a second input operation by the healthcare professional on the first button; and

restarting counting of the first time in response to a third input operation by the healthcare professional on the first button.

12 . The physiological information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the physiological information processing device executes processing of:

identifying a second pain assessment point based on the attribute information;

identifying a third pain assessment point based on the state information;

identifying a fourth pain assessment point based on the physiological information data;

calculating the pain assessment index by summing the first to fourth pain assessment points.

13 . The physiological information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the physiological information processing device executes processing of:

displaying on the display an event start button associated with the start of the pain event;

receiving a first input operation by a healthcare professional on the event start button;

acquiring the attribute information and the state information before receiving the first input operation; and

acquiring the facial expression information after receiving the first input operation to output the pain assessment index.

14 . A physiological information processing method executed by a computer, the method comprising:

a step of displaying a button associated with a feature related to an infant's facial expressions;

a step of acquiring attribute information associated with an attribution of the infant;

a step of acquiring state information related to a state of the infant before a start of a pain event that causes pain in the infant;

a step of acquiring the physiological information data of the infant;

a step of acquiring facial expression information associated with infant's facial expression after the start of the pain event based in part on input received from a user input from the button;

a step of identifying a first pain assessment point based on the facial expression information, wherein the facial expression information includes a ratio of a time during which the facial expression of the infant has a predetermined feature relative to a predetermined time after the start of the pain event;

a step of calculating the pain assessment index for assessing the pain of the infant in the pain event based on the attribute information, the state information, the physiological information data, and the facial expression information, wherein the pain assessment index comprises the first pain assessment point; and

outputting the calculated pain assessment index.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program, the program being configured to cause a computer to execute processing of:

displaying a button associated with a feature related to an infant's facial expressions:

acquiring attribute information associated with an attribution of the infant;

acquiring state information related to a state of the infant before a start of a pain event that causes pain in the infant;

acquiring physiological information data of the infant;

acquiring facial expression information associated with infant's facial expression after the start of the pain event based in part on input received from a user input from the button;

identifying a first pain assessment point based on the facial expression information, wherein the facial expression information includes a ratio of a time during which the facial expression of the infant has a predetermined feature relative to a predetermined time after the start of the pain event;

calculating a pain assessment index for assessing the pain of the infant in the pain event based on the attribute information, the state information, the physiological information data, and the facial expression information wherein the pain assessment index comprises the first pain assessment point; and

outputting the calculated pain assessment index.