Devices, systems, and methods for oral and non-oral examination and diagnosis
Inventors
Harris, Michael D. • Barthelemy, Joel E.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10548575-B2
Publication Date
2020-02-04
Expiration Date
Abstract
An examination device for use with a mobile device comprises a housing removably coupled to the mobile device. The housing may be coupled to the mobile device by a rear surface, opposing side surfaces, a top surface, and a retention lip that extends over the front of the mobile device. A retention structure may be mechanically coupled to the housing and may also define a rectangular slot. A tongue depressor may be retained by the retention structure and may also extend away from the rectangular slot. A cutaway may be defined by a wall of the housing. The cutaway may be positioned on the housing to expose a camera of the mobile device facing towards the end of the tongue depressor. The examination device is configured to manipulate an oral feature of a mouth while the camera of the mobile device captures an image of the mouth.
Core Innovation
The examination device includes a housing configured to removably engage a mobile device, a retention structure defining a slot, and a tongue depressor retained by the structure. A cutaway in the housing exposes the mobile-device camera, which faces the extending end of the tongue depressor. The disclosed arrangement combines an oral examination component with a mobile-device camera for capturing an image of the mouth.
The disclosed method and computer-based system use the mobile-device camera to capture a mouth image while an oral feature is manipulated with a tongue depressor. The image is transmitted to a remote computing device to request a diagnosis, and the diagnosis is received from that device; a server-based diagnosis is also described. The background section and the problem being solved are not explicitly described in the provided content.
Claims Coverage
The three independent claims are claims 1, 11, and 19. They cover three inventive features: an examination device for a mobile device, a method of examining a mouth, and a computer-based system for mouth imaging.
Mobile-device examination device
Claim 1 covers an examination device with a housing configured to removably engage a mobile device, a mechanically coupled retention structure defining a slot, a tongue depressor retained by the structure and extending away from the slot, and a housing cutaway configured to expose a mobile-device camera facing the depressor's extending end.
Mouth examination and remote diagnosis
Claim 11 covers a method involving manipulation of an oral feature with a tongue depressor extending from a housing coupled to a mobile device, capture of a mouth image using the exposed mobile-device camera, transmission of the image to a remote computing device to request a diagnosis, and receipt of the diagnosis.
Mobile-device examination system
Claim 19 covers a computer-based system comprising a mobile device with a camera and a removably coupled examination device. The examination device has a housing, a mechanically coupled retention structure defining a slot, and a tongue depressor retained in the slot and extending away from the housing; it is configured to manipulate an oral feature while the camera captures an image of the mouth.
The independent claims cover the examination device's housing, retention structure, tongue depressor, and camera exposure; a mouth-examination method that sends an image for remote diagnosis; and a mobile-device system that combines oral-feature manipulation with image capture.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Examination of a mouth using a tongue depressor and a mobile-device camera to capture an image.
Transmission of a mouth image to a remote computing device or server for diagnosis, including diagnosis of an oral ailment.
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