Systems and methods for analyzing physical features of an individual

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12514467-B2
Application number	US-202117997294-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2021
Priority date	Apr 30, 2020
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

A method for analyzing physical features of an individual comprises directing an acoustic signal toward a mouth of the individual, receiving a reflected acoustic signal from the interior of the mouth of the individual, generating a structural profile of at least the interior of the mouth of the individual based at least in part on the reflected acoustic signal, and causing an action to be performed in response to generating the structural profile. The acoustic signal is configured to reflect off at least a portion of the interior of the mouth of the individual. The reflected acoustic signal is indicative of structural characteristics of the mouth of the individual. The structural profile can also be based on image data associated with the exterior of the head and neck of the individual, and image data associated with the interior of the mouth of the individual.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of analyzing physical features of an individual, the method comprising:
directing, using an acoustic sensor of a handheld device, an acoustic signal toward a mouth of the individual, the acoustic signal being configured to reflect off at least a portion of an interior of the mouth of the individual; receiving, using the acoustic sensor, a reflected acoustic signal from the interior of the mouth of the individual, the reflected acoustic signal being indicative of structural characteristics of the mouth of the individual; based at least in part on the reflected acoustic signal, generating a structural profile of at least the interior of the mouth of the individual; in response to generating the structural profile, determining a risk factor that the individual has sleep-disordered breathing, will develop sleep-disordered breathing, or both; and based at least in part on the structural profile, generating a recommendation for a type of therapy for the individual, wherein the recommendation for the type of therapy includes a recommendation to use a mandibular repositioning device, a recommendation to use a respiratory therapy device, or both.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating, using one or more image sensors of the handheld device, first image data reproducible as an image of at least a portion of an exterior of a head of the individual, a neck of the individual, or both the head and the neck of the individual; and generating, using the one or more image sensors, second image data reproducible as an image of at least a portion of the interior of the mouth of the individual, wherein the structural profile further includes at least a portion of the head of the individual, at least a portion of the neck of the individual, or at least the portion of the head of the individual and at least the portion of the neck of the individual, and is further based at least in part on the first image data, the second image data, or both the first image data and the second image data.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises:
displaying, on at least a first portion of a display of the handheld device, a real-time view of the individual based on the first image data, the second image data, or both; and illuminating, using at least a second portion of the display of the handheld device, at least a portion of the individual, such that the display of the handheld device is simultaneously used to display the real-time view of the individual and to illuminate the individual.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising displaying, on the first portion of the display of the handheld device, one or more augmented reality (AR) indicia configured to aid in directing the handheld device to a desired position to (i) generate the first image data, (ii) generate the second image data, (iii) direct the acoustic signal toward the mouth of the individual, or (iv) any combination of (i)-(iii).

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the one or more AR indicia include at least one marker configured to indicate a direction for the handheld device to move toward the desired position.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the one or more AR indicia include at least one outline configured to be overlaid with the real-time view of a feature of the individual on the first portion of the display when the handheld device is in the desired position.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least one outline has a shape corresponding to the shape of the feature of the individual.

8 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the handheld device is configured to indicate when the handheld device is in the desired position.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein in response to the handheld device being in the desired position, the handheld device is configured to (i) display an indicator on the display of the handheld device, (ii) generate an audible sound, (iii) modify the one or more AR indicia, or (iv) any combination of (i)-(iii).

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein in response to the handheld device being in the desired position, the handheld device is configured to (i) change a color of at least one of the one or more AR indicia, (ii) change a shape of the at least one of the one or more AR indicia, (iii) change a size of the at least one of the one or more AR indicia, or (iv) any combination of (i)-(iii).

11 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the desired position to generate the first image data is different than the desired position to generate the second image data and to direct the acoustic signal toward the mouth of the individual, and wherein the desired position to generate the second image data is identical to the desired position to direct the acoustic signal toward the mouth of the individual.

12 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising providing instructions, the provided instructions including at least instructions for positioning (i) the one or more image sensors to generate the first image data, (ii) the one or more image sensors to generate the second image data, (iii) the acoustic sensor for directing the acoustic signal toward the mouth of the individual, or (iv) any combination of (i)-(iii).

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the handheld device is configured to provide the instructions.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the instructions are configured to indicate a direction in which to move the handheld device to position the acoustic sensor for directing the acoustic signal toward the mouth of the individual.

15 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the handheld device is configured to generate an audible sound configured to aid in directing the handheld device to a desired first position to (i) generate the second image data, (ii) direct the acoustic signal toward the mouth of the individual, or (iii) any combination of (i) and (ii).

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the handheld device is configured to modify a characteristic of the audible sound based on a distance of the handheld device from the first position.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the handheld device is configured to (i) increase or decrease the volume of the audible sound in response to the handheld device being moved closer to the first position, (ii) increase or decrease the pitch of the audible sound in response to the handheld device being moved closer to the first position, (iii) increase or decrease a repetition rate of the audible sound in response to the handheld device being moved closer to the first position, or (iv) any combination of (i)-(iii).

18 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises displaying, on an external display separate from the handheld device, a real-time view of the individual based on the first image data, the second image data, or both the first image data and the second image data, to thereby aid in positioning the handheld device to (i) generate the first image data, (ii) generate the second image data, (iii) direct the acoustic signal toward the mouth of the individual, or (iv) any combination of (i)-(iii).

19 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a three-dimensional (3D) model of at least the interior of the mouth of the individual based at least in part on the reflected acoustic signal, the 3D model configured to be used as a template for creating a customized mandibular repositioning device or a customized user interface to use with the respiratory therapy device.

20 . A system for analyz

Assignees

• Resmed Sensor Tech Ltd
• Redmed Sensor Tech

Inventors

• Shouldice Redmond
• Mcmahon Stephen

Classifications

• A61B5/6898

  Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers · CPC title

• A61B5/1079

  using optical or photographic means · CPC title

• A61B5/1076 Primary

  for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters (A61B3/1005 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B8/4209

  by using holders, e.g. positioning frames · CPC title

• A61B8/12

  in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters · CPC title