Fundus Imaging Timing Control via Forehead Chin Pulse Phase

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing fundus imaging systems face challenges in accurately controlling the imaging timing due to deviations in the phase of pulse waves between the fundus part and other body locations like the earlobe or fingertip, leading to potential deviations from desired imaging timing.

Innovation Solution

A fundus imaging system that uses both forehead and chin pulse wave sensors to calculate the phase difference and control the imaging timing of the fundus part, ensuring accurate synchronization with the pulse wave phase at the fundus, thereby improving calculation accuracy and timing control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If only the pulse wave of the earlobe is used to determine imaging timing, then the system structure is simple, but the imaging timing accuracy deteriorates due to phase deviation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem structureVSAvoidimaging timing accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines pulse wave signals from multiple body locations (earlobe and fingertip) to determine imaging timing. By merging multiple pulse wave measurements, the system compensates for phase deviations that occur when using a single location, thereby improving imaging timing accuracy without excessive complexity increase

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a phase deviation correction mechanism that acts as an intermediary between the pulse wave measurement and imaging timing determination. The system calculates phase deviations from multiple locations and uses this information to correct the timing, serving as a mediator to achieve accurate synchronization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If only the pulse wave detector for fingertip is used, then the device structure is simple, but the imaging timing control accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice structureVSAvoidimaging timing control accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges pulse wave data from both fingertip and earlobe sensors to determine the optimal imaging timing. This combination approach leverages the advantages of multiple measurement locations while compensating for individual phase deviations, achieving better timing control than single-location methods

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Measurement precision

If multiple pulse wave sensors are used to improve calculation accuracy, then the imaging timing control improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecalculation accuracyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the pulse wave measurement system multi-functional by using sensors at multiple body locations that can serve different purposes. The same type of sensor is used at both earlobe and fingertip, allowing the system to leverage universal sensor technology while achieving improved accuracy through spatial diversity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring pulse waves from multiple locations and using this information to adjust and determine imaging timing. The phase deviation calculations from multiple sensors provide feedback that is processed to optimize the imaging timing, creating a closed-loop control system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3656287B1Ocular fundus imaging system, disease onset risk prediction method, and ocular fundus imaging method
Publication Date: 2024.03.06 TEIKYO UNIVERSITY
  • EP3656287B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3656287B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4A
  • EP3656287B1 patent drawingFigure 4B~4C

AI summary

A fundus imaging system includes: a fundus imaging camera main body unit that is configured to image a fundus part of a subject; a forehead contact unit that is brought into contact with a forehead of the subject when imaging the fundus part; a chin reception unit that is brought into contact with a chin of the subject when imaging the fundus part; a first pulse wave detection unit that is provided in the forehead contact unit; a second pulse wave detection unit that is configured to detect pulse waves in a part other than the forehead of the subject; and a control unit that is configured to control the fundus imaging camera main body unit. The control unit includes a phase calculation unit that is configured to calculate a phase of the pulse wave of the fundus part of the subject according to a phase of the pulse wave of the forehead of the subject detected by the first pulse wave detection unit and a phase of the pulse wave of the part other than the forehead of the subject detected by the second pulse wave detection unit, and an imaging timing control unit that is configured to control an imaging timing of the fundus part of the subject according to the phase of the pulse wave of the fundus part of the subject calculated by the phase calculation unit.