Systems and methods for enabling customers to obtain vision and eye health examinations
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10714217-B2
Publication Date
2020-07-14
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for eye health and vision examinations. A customer diagnostic center is configured to generate customer examination data pertaining to an examination of a customer's eye. The customer diagnostic center provides a user interface for communicating with a customer and ophthalmic equipment for administering tests to the customer. A diagnostic center server is configured to receive the customer examination data from the customer diagnostic center over a network and allow the customer examination data to be accessed by an eye-care practitioner. A practitioner device associated with the eye-care practitioner is configured to receive the customer examination data from the diagnostic center server and display at least a portion of the customer examination data to the eye-care practitioner. Customer evaluation data is generated pertaining to the eye-care practitioner's evaluation of the customer examination data. An eye health report is provided to the customer via the network.
Core Innovation
The disclosure describes a remotely assisted eye examination system in which a diagnostic center administers an eye examination to a customer using ophthalmic equipment. An equipment controller communicates with vision examination equipment, including an auto-phoropter and eye chart, and permits multiple individuals to control the ophthalmic equipment during the eye examination.
During the eye examination, the diagnostic center establishes a first real-time video conference connection with a first remote device and a second real-time video conference connection with a second remote device over a network to enable the remote individuals and the customer to communicate. The equipment controller receives commands from each of the multiple individuals so that each individual controls the ophthalmic equipment during the eye examination, including GUI selections transmitted over the network and used to control the vision examination equipment.
The method further includes administering a plurality of eye tests by the onsite individual, the first remote individual, and the second remote individual based, at least in part, on control of the ophthalmic equipment. The system generates evaluation data based on the plurality of eye tests, and the evaluation data and related processing include comparing customer examination data to norms and acceptable ranges, analyzing ganglion cell layer imaging for chronic glaucoma risk prediction, and generating eye health reports, optical prescriptions, recommendations, and referrals.
Claims Coverage
The document includes two independent claims: a system claim and a method claim. Across these independent claims, the inventive features include multi-individual remote control of shared ophthalmic equipment during real-time video conference sessions using graphical user interface command selections, and generation of evaluation data based on remotely and onsite administered eye tests.
Multi-individual control of ophthalmic equipment via equipment controller
An equipment controller communicates with at least a portion of the ophthalmic equipment and permits multiple individuals to control the ophthalmic equipment during the eye examination, including communication with a vision examination controller in communication with vision examination equipment such as an auto-phoropter and eye chart.
Real-time video conference connections between diagnostic center and remote devices
During the eye examination, the diagnostic center establishes a first real-time video conference connection with the first remote device over a network and a second real-time video conference connection with the second remote device over the network to enable communication between each remote individual and the customer.
GUI-driven remote commands to control shared vision examination equipment
The equipment controller receives first commands from the first remote device in response to selections received via a graphical user interface displayed on the first remote device, and receives second commands from the second remote device in response to selections received via a graphical user interface displayed on the second remote device, with the commands used to control a portion of the vision examination equipment, including remotely switching lenses of the auto-phoropter.
Administering plurality of eye tests by onsite and remote individuals and generating evaluation data
A plurality of eye tests is administered to the customer by the onsite individual, the first remote individual, and the second remote individual during the eye examination, and evaluation data is generated based on the plurality of eye tests.
Across both independent claims, the core claim coverage centers on enabling an onsite individual and multiple remote individuals to control shared ophthalmic and vision examination equipment through GUI-driven command transmissions received by an equipment controller during real-time video conference connections, while administering a plurality of eye tests and generating evaluation data.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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