OCR Interface for Biometric Device Data Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and complexity of maintaining and developing proprietary interfaces for various biometric devices to report health readings to health agencies, due to the lack of standardization among manufacturers, limits the availability of biometric devices for home-bound elderly and disabled individuals.
Innovation Solution
A biologic reporting system that uses an imaging device to capture and recognize images from different biometric devices, allowing for the retrieval and reporting of health readings through a standardized interface, connecting to a central database via public communication networks, and utilizing image recognition and OCR processors to extract and transmit data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If proprietary interfaces are developed for each biometric device, then device compatibility is improved, but system complexity and maintenance cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an imaging device as an intermediary component that captures images from various biometric devices and converts them into readable data. This mediator allows the system to interface with multiple proprietary devices without requiring separate proprietary interfaces for each device, thus maintaining device compatibility while reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates visual copies (images) of the display screens from various biometric devices using an imaging device. By capturing and processing these images through OCR technology, the system can extract data from any device with a visual display without needing device-specific interfaces, thereby improving adaptability while avoiding the complexity of developing and maintaining multiple proprietary interfaces
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple proprietary interfaces are maintained, then support for various biometric devices is improved, but maintenance cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging device serves as a universal interface that can capture displays from any biometric device type. This single multi-functional device replaces the need for multiple device-specific interfaces, allowing the health reporting agency to support numerous biometric devices while incurring minimal maintenance costs
Solution Approach 2:
By positioning the imaging device as an intermediary between various biometric devices and the health reporting agency, the system eliminates the need for the agency to maintain multiple proprietary interfaces. The imaging device handles all device types uniformly, significantly reducing maintenance burden and costs
3Adaptability or versatility
If standardized interface is implemented, then availability of biometric devices is improved, but compatibility with proprietary devices may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the imaging device to create visual copies of proprietary device displays, allowing standardized processing without direct electronic interfacing. This approach maintains compatibility with proprietary devices by working with their visual output while enabling standardized data extraction and reporting procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct electronic/mechanical interfaces with optical imaging and OCR processing. By substituting physical interface connections with image capture and digital recognition, the system achieves standardized processing while maintaining compatibility with diverse proprietary devices that have visual displays
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and cost-effective reporting of health data from multiple biometric devices to a central database, reducing the burden on health agencies and increasing the availability of biometric devices for home use by standardizing the interface and simplifying the reporting process.
Implementation Method 1
uses an imaging device to capture and recognize images from different biometric devices
Implementation Method 2
utilizing image recognition and OCR processors to extract and transmit data
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus are provided. The method includes the steps of an imaging device capturing an image of a display of a medical instrument, an image processor determining a location of a patient biometric measurement within the image, an optical character recognition module recognizing a set of alphanumeric characters within the determined location and a communication processor sending the recognized characters to a remotely located healthcare database.