OCR Biometric Data Capture from Medical Device Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical devices often lack the capability to capture, archive, and transmit biometric data, and do not integrate with computers or computer networks to transfer this data to a database record, limiting the analysis and management of biological signs and biometric data.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that generates machine-readable biometric data from medical devices by obtaining an image of the device, comparing it to a reference image to identify alpha-numeric symbols, and converting these symbols into machine-readable format for storage or transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If medical devices display biometric data on a screen, then the data is visible to users, but the data cannot be captured, archived, or transmitted to database records
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of an image capture device (such as a camera or smartphone), image processing software, and OCR technology that acts as a mediator between the medical device display and the database. This intermediary captures the displayed biometric data through imaging, processes it to extract relevant information, and transmits it to database records, thereby enabling data capture and transmission without modifying the original medical device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs copying by creating an image copy of the displayed biometric data on the medical device screen. Instead of requiring direct electronic connection or data export functionality, the system captures a visual copy of the display through imaging technology, then processes this copy to extract and transmit the biometric information to database records.
2Loss of information
If medical devices integrate computer connection capability for data transfer, then biometric data can be transmitted to databases, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electronic connection system (physical computer integration, data ports, communication protocols) with an optical system. Instead of using electrical connections or wireless communication hardware integrated into the medical device, the system uses optical imaging (camera capture) to acquire the displayed data, then uses software-based OCR and image processing to extract and transmit the information digitally.
3Productivity
If manual data entry is used to transfer biometric data from medical devices, then data can be entered into databases, but time and human resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the system to automatically capture, process, extract, and transmit biometric data without requiring manual data entry by healthcare professionals. The image capture device automatically captures the display, the OCR software automatically extracts the biometric information, and the system automatically transmits it to the database, eliminating the need for human intervention in the data transfer process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the image processing system continuously monitors the captured images, verifies the quality and readability of the extracted data, and automatically adjusts capture parameters or re-captures images if the data quality is insufficient. This feedback loop ensures accurate data extraction and transmission while minimizing manual intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, computer readable storage media, and systems are provided for generating machine-readable biometric data from a medical device, which may include: obtaining an image of the medical device including a display of the medical device; retrieving a reference image of a reference display corresponding to the medical device, the reference image defining a reference data field within the reference display; comparing the image to the reference image to identify a data field within the display corresponding to the reference data field within the reference display; identifying one or more alpha-numeric symbols within the data field; and converting the alpha-numeric symbols into the machine-readable biometric data. The machine-readable biometric data may be used to create a data record for a user of the medical device, and can be communicated to an Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility (IDTF) database or server.