Methods, systems, and devices for monitoring anisocoria and asymmetry of pupillary reaction to stimulus
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-7967442-B2
Publication Date
2011-06-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
A Pupillometer is disclosed. The Pupillometer has a display, an imaging apparatus that has a pupil finder and a microprocessor, and a memory in communication with the microprocessor. The display is sized to simultaneously display a video of y or more seconds in length of a left pupil and a video of y or more seconds in length of a right pupil. The pupil finder identifies the perimeter of a pupil. The imaging apparatus is capable of recording images of an individual's pupils at a rate of x image frames per second for a period of y or more seconds and playing back said image frames as a video at x image frames per second or at another rate that is faster or slower than x image frames per second. The memory has stored therein a program for enabling said microprocessor to do the following: (i) identify a center of the left pupil and a center of the right pupil for each image frame; (ii) synchronize each image frame of the two videos starting from the first frame; (iii) cause the display to display the two videos simultaneously such that each of the image frames of the video of the left eye is synchronized to a corresponding image frame of the video of the right eye when played back on the display; and (iv) cause the two videos to be displayed so that the center of the left pupil in each image frame is aligned on the display with the center of the right pupil for the corresponding image frame.
Core Innovation
A pupillometer system is described for monitoring anisocoria and pupillary response asymmetry by recording responses of a left pupil and a right pupil to a stimulus. The responses are recorded as sequential image frames for a period of time y at a rate of x image frames per second, producing a first set for the left pupil and a second set for the right pupil.
The two sets of sequential image frames are synchronized per frame starting from the first frame for each set. The system simultaneously displays the first set and the second set on a display, and aligns a center of the left pupil with a center of the right pupil on the display so that corresponding frames show aligned pupil centers.
The implementation includes identifying pupil perimeters and centers per frame and visualizing asymmetry in real time or via playback control using center/line alignment and parallel-line annotations tied to left/right pupil diameters. The visualization may use parallel lines with spacing based on the pupil diameters and optionally color-coded annotations to make asymmetry readily perceivable.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent claims. Across these claims, the inventive coverage focuses on recording left and right pupil responses for a defined duration and frame rate, synchronizing image frames per frame, simultaneously displaying corresponding frames, and aligning the centers of the left and right pupils on the display.
Per-frame synchronization and simultaneous aligned display of left/right pupil videos
Recording for a period of time y at a rate of x image frames per second a response of a left pupil to the stimulus thereby resulting in a first set of sequential image frames; recording for the same period of time y at the same rate of x image frames per second a response of a right pupil to the stimulus thereby resulting in a second set of sequential image frames; displaying on a display simultaneously the first set of image frames and the second set of image frames, wherein the two sets of image frames are synchronized per frame starting from the first frame for each set, and wherein a center of the left pupil is aligned with a center of the right pupil on the display.
Pupillometer with pupil perimeter finding, frame synchronization, and center alignment on simultaneous display
A Pupillometer comprising a display sized to simultaneously display a video of y or more seconds in length of a left pupil and a video of y or more seconds in length of a right pupil; an imaging apparatus comprising a pupil finder that identifies the perimeter of a pupil and a microprocessor, said imaging apparatus capable of recording images of an individual's pupils at a rate of x frames per second for a period of y or more seconds and playing back said images as a video at x frames per second or at another rate; and a memory in communication with said microprocessor having stored a program enabling the microprocessor to identify a center of the left pupil and a center of the right pupil for each image frame, synchronize each frame of the two videos starting from the first frame, cause the display to display the two videos simultaneously such that each of the frames of the video of the left eye is synchronized to a corresponding frame of the video of the right eye, and cause the two videos to be displayed so that the center of the left pupil in each frame is aligned with the center of the right pupil for the corresponding frame.
Program product for synchronized per-frame left/right pupil image sets with aligned centers
A program product comprising a computer-readable medium and computer-executable instructions recorded on the computer-readable medium for performing a method comprising recording for a period of time y at a rate of x image frames per second a response of a left pupil to the stimulus resulting in a first set of sequential image frames; recording for the same period of time y at the same rate of x image frames per second a response of a right pupil to the stimulus resulting in a second set of sequential image frames; displaying on a display simultaneously the first set of image frames and the second set of image frames, wherein the two digital sets of image frames are synchronized per frame starting from the first frame for each set, and wherein a center of the left pupil is aligned with a center of the right pupil on the display.
Across the independent claims, the central claim coverage is the combination of generating left- and right-pupil sequential image-frame sets for a stimulus over the same period and frame rate, synchronizing the two sets per frame from the first frame, and simultaneously displaying corresponding frames with the centers of the left and right pupils aligned on the display.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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