IP Library Granted Patent US 11,915,423
Granted Patent B1
US 11,915,423 · App. 18/211,143 · Granted Feb 27, 2024

Validating a sample collection device

Inventors: Christopher Wesley Allen (Austin, TX); Claudia Carrillo Gomez (Mexico City, MX); Emma Todd LaPorte (Philadelphia, PA); Matthew William Meyer (Cary, NC); Nini Luyuan Nathan (Providence, RI); Nicholas Mattsson Parker (Austin, TX); Jason Michael Pepas (Dripping Springs, TX); James Joseph Vanaria (Chicago, IL)
Assignee: Everly Well, Inc.
G06T7/0012A61B5/150786A61B5/150824G06T7/90G16H10/40G06T2207/10024G06T2207/30242
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,915,423
App. No.
18/211,143
Granted
Feb 27, 2024
Kind
B1
Abstract

An image of a sample collection device is captured. The image of the sample collection device is analyzed to determine whether the sample collection device includes a sufficient amount of fluid sample. The image of the sample collection device is validated based on a result of the image analysis.

Claims (69)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, an image of a sample collection device captured by an image sensor;

analyzing, by the processor, the image of the sample collection device to determine whether the sample collection device includes a sufficient amount of fluid sample, wherein analyzing the image of the sample collection device includes analyzing the image of the sample collection device utilizing a first image analysis algorithm, wherein utilizing the first image analysis algorithm includes:

applying one or more modifications to the image of the sample collection device, wherein one of the one or more modifications includes applying perspective correction to the image of the sample collection device;

determining a plurality of objects included in the image of the sample collection device;

identifying one or more areas of the image expected to include one or more objects;

filtering a first subset of the plurality of objects from the image of the sample collection device to produce a second subset of one or more remaining objects of the plurality of objects; and

determining an area associated with the fluid sample in the second subset of one or more remaining objects of the modified image of the sample collection device; and

validating, by the processor, the image of the sample collection device based on a result of the image analysis including by comparing the determined area associated with the fluid sample in the second subset of the one or more remaining objects of the modified image of the sample collection device to a total area associated with the sample collection device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample collection device includes one or more locations at which the fluid sample is to be provided.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image of the sample collection device is analyzed using one or more image analysis algorithms.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein validating the image based on the result of the image analysis includes validating the image based on a result of the first image analysis algorithm.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein utilizing the first image analysis algorithm further includes determining a corresponding ratio of an area associated with each of the one or more remaining objects to an area of the sample collection device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein utilizing the first image analysis algorithm further includes comparing the determined ratios to a threshold ratio, wherein the image of the sample collection device is validated based on the comparing of the determined ratios to the threshold ratio.

7. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, an image of a sample collection device captured by an image sensor;

analyzing, by the processor, the image of the sample collection device to determine whether the sample collection device includes a sufficient amount of fluid sample, wherein analyzing the image of the sample collection device includes analyzing the image of the sample collection device utilizing a first image analysis algorithm, wherein the sample collection device is not validated as a result of utilizing the first image analysis algorithm, wherein analyzing the image of the sample collection device includes utilizing one or more other image analysis algorithms including by:

applying one or more modifications to the image of the sample collection device, wherein one of the one or more modifications includes applying perspective correction to the image of the sample collection device; and

determining whether a threshold number of predetermined number of shapes having a particular dimension can be generated using the modified image; and

validating, by the processor, the image of the sample collection device based on whether the threshold number of predetermined number of shapes having the particular dimension can be generated using the modified image.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein analyzing the image of the sample collection device utilizing one or more other image analysis algorithms includes:

determining a plurality of objects included in the image; and

performing an average color analysis on one or more of the determined objects.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein analyzing the image of the sample collection device utilizing one or more other image analysis algorithms further includes:

filtering, based on a result of the average color analysis, a first subset of the plurality of objects from the image of the sample collection device to produce a second subset of one or more remaining objects of the plurality of objects.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein analyzing the image of the sample collection device utilizing one or more other image analysis algorithms further includes:

determining a corresponding total area for each of the one or more remaining objects; and

comparing the corresponding determined total area for each of the one or more remaining objects to a threshold area, wherein the image of the sample collection device is validated based on the comparing of the determined total areas to the threshold area.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein analyzing the image of the sample collection device utilizing one or more other image analysis algorithms further includes determining whether a threshold number of predetermined shapes can be generated using the one or more remaining objects.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the image of the sample collection device is validated based on whether the threshold number of predetermined shapes can be generated using the one or more remaining objects.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein analyzing the image of the sample collection device utilizing one or more other image analysis algorithms includes:

scanning a barcode or other machine-readable symbol associated with the sample collection device; and

identifying the sample collection device based on the scanned barcode or other machine-readable symbol, wherein the scanned barcode or other machine-readable symbol indicates an expected location for one or more fluid samples associated with the sample collection device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein analyzing the image of the sample collection device utilizing one or more other image analysis algorithms further includes:

determining a corresponding area associated with each of one or more objects included in the expected location for the one or more fluid samples associated with the sample collection device; and

determining a corresponding ratio of the determined corresponding area associated with each of the one or more objects included in the expected location to an area of sample collection device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein analyzing the image of the sample collection device utilizing one or more other image analysis algorithms further includes comparing the determined ratios to a threshold ratio, wherein the image of the sample collection device is validated based on the comparing of the determined ratios to the threshold ratio.

16. A system, comprising:

an image sensor configured to capture an image of a sample collection device; and

a processor configured to:

analyze the image of the sample collection device to determine whether the sample collection device includes a sufficient amount of fluid sample by analyzing the image of the sample collection device utilizing a first image analysis algorithm, wherein utilizing the first image analysis algorithm includes:

applying one or more modifications to the image of the sample collection device, wherein one of the one or more modifications includes applying perspective correction to the image of the sample collection device;

determining a plurality of objects included in the image of the sample collection device;

identifying one or more areas of the image expected to include one or more objects; and

filtering a first subset of the plurality of objects from the image of the sample collection device to produce a second subset of one or more remaining objects of the plurality of objects;

determining an area associated with the fluid sample in the second subset of one or more remaining objects of the modified image of the sample collection device; and

validate the image of the sample collection device based on a result of the image analysis including by comparing the determined area associated with the fluid sample in the second subset of the one or more remaining objects of the modified image of the sample collection device to a total area associated with the sample collection device.

17. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving, by a processor, an image of a sample collection device captured by an image sensor;

analyzing the image of the sample collection device to determine whether the sample collection device includes a sufficient amount of fluid sample, wherein analyzing the image of the sample collection device includes analyzing the image of the sample collection device utilizing a first image analysis algorithm, wherein utilizing the first image analysis algorithm includes:

applying one or more modifications to the image of the sample collection device, wherein one of the one or more modifications includes applying perspective correction to the image of the sample collection device;

determining a plurality of objects included in the image of the sample collection device;

identifying one or more areas of the image expected to include one or more objects; and

filtering a first subset of the plurality of objects from the image of the sample collection device to produce a second subset of one or more remaining objects of the plurality of objects; and

determine an area associated with the fluid sample in the second subset of one or more remaining objects of the modified image of the sample collection device; and

validating the image of the sample collection device based on a result of the image analysis including by comparing the determined area associated with the fluid sample in the second subset of the one or more remaining objects of the modified image of the sample collection device to a total area associated with the sample collection device.

18. A system, comprising:

an image sensor configured to capture an image of a sample collection device; and

a processor configured to:

analyze the image of the sample collection device to determine whether the sample collection device includes a sufficient amount of fluid sample by utilizing a first image analysis algorithm, wherein the sample collection device is not validated as a result of utilizing the first image analysis algorithm, wherein analyzing the image of the sample collection device includes utilizing one or more other image analysis algorithms including by:

applying one or more modifications to the image of the sample collection device, wherein one of the one or more modifications includes applying perspective correction to the image of the sample collection device; and

determining whether a threshold number of predetermined number of shapes having a particular dimension can be generated using the modified image; and

validate the image of the sample collection device based on whether the threshold number of predetermined number of shapes having the particular dimension can be generated using the modified image.

19. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving an image of a sample collection device captured by an image sensor;

analyzing the image of the sample collection device to determine whether the sample collection device includes a sufficient amount of fluid sample, wherein analyzing the image of the sample collection device includes analyzing the image of the sample collection device utilizing a first image analysis algorithm, wherein the sample collection device is not validated as a result of utilizing the first image analysis algorithm, wherein analyzing the image of the sample collection device includes utilizing one or more other image analysis algorithms including by:

applying one or more modifications to the image of the sample collection device, wherein one of the one or more modifications includes applying perspective correction to the image of the sample collection device; and

determining whether a threshold number of predetermined number of shapes having a particular dimension can be generated using the modified image; and

validating the image of the sample collection device based on whether the threshold number of predetermined number of shapes having the particular dimension can be generated using the modified image.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2024
From: ALLEN, CHRISTOPHER WESLEY; GOMEZ, CLAUDIA CARRILLO; LAPORTE, EMMA TODD; MEYER, MATTHEW WILLIAM; NATHAN, NINI LUYUAN; PARKER, NICHOLAS MATTSSON; PEPAS, JASON MICHAEL; VANARIA, JAMES JOSEPH
To: EVERLY WELL, INC.
Reel/Frame 066112/0932 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 63427571 · Nov 23, 2022