Patent Application
20110037842
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the inspection (viewing and measurement over time) of dermatologic target areas.
2. Prior Art
Cosmetic mirrors have historically included features such as built-in illumination (U.S. Pat. No. 3,714,411 to Waters, et al) and magnification options. These devices require the subject to hold up a second mirror in order to view dermatologic areas on one's back or other awkward areas. Large scale systems do exist for viewing oneself from different vantage points (U.S. Pat. No. 7,171,114 to Milton) but require significant space. In addition to devices used simply for viewing areas for grooming, measurement devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,702 to Foss have been developed for use by medical professionals to track dermatologic lesions or areas of differing pigmentation. These prior devices, however, require a third party to operate and do not allow for actual viewing by the subjects.
A more appropriate solution has been developed including a handheld imaging device which connects to a remotely located monitor (U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,261 to Monroe, et al). However, this requires many pieces of equipment, more practical for the office of a medical professional than a personal residence, and does not allow for measurement of skin lesions as there is no apparatus included for viewing areas at a fixed distance for comparison. Additionally, there is no software engine for automatically focusing or zooming using controls at the viewing monitor. Dermatologic imaging devices such as in U.S. Pat. No. 7,369,692 to Shirai, et al are intended for strong magnification and viewing of the texture of epidural layers, and can not be used for viewing of vantage points for grooming. Additionally, they do not include a software engine or display apparatus for personal dermatologic care.
Recently, video screens have been embedded in cosmetic mirrors for the viewing of promotional materials during cosmetic sales (US patent application 2002/0196333 by Gorischek) or as an added vehicular navigation feature (U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,120 to Frankhouse, et al). Again, these devices incorporate imaging into a personal cosmetic mirror, but do not allow a subject to view and measure changes in dermatologic areas or inspect oneself from varying vantage points for grooming with a small handheld device.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide an apparatus to view oneself from different vantage points for grooming and cosmetic purposes, while also offering a solution to view dermatologic areas and measure changes over time in a conveniently sized cosmetic appliance.
In accordance with one embodiment, an apparatus built into a cosmetic mirror including an embedded display with an embedded reticule using a hand-held imaging device to view oneself from different vantage points and view and measure dermatologic areas for comparison over time.
101—Display unit frame
102—Left side array of light emitting diodes (LEDs)
103—Right side array of light emitting diodes (LEDs)
104—Upper mirror hinge
105—Lower mirror hinge
106—Non-volatile memory card slot
107—Mirror panel
108—LCD display
109—Reticule
110—Array of buttons
111—Cable from display unit to camera unit
112—Non-volatile memory card
201—Hollow standoff
202—Camera unit housing
203—Cable from camera unit to display unit
204—Camera unit aperture
301—Outer rim of standoff
302—Aperture of camera unit
303—Light emitting diodes (LEDs)
304—Camera lens
The diagram of a display unit in
The display unit frame 101 retains a center mirror panel 107. The user may rotate the mirror panel 107 on upper mirror hinge 104 and lower mirror hinge 105 to a convenient angle for viewing. In the normal non-camera mode, the mirror panel 107 acts as a simple mirror. The user may illuminate the reflected object using the array of buttons 110 to turn on the left side array of LEDs 102 and the right side array of LEDs 103. The user may switch on the camera unit using the array of buttons 110. While in camera mode, LCD panel 108 is visible beneath the mirror. The user may also switch on an optional reticule 109 displayed on the LCD panel 108. The image on the LCD panel 108 is received via the cable from display unit to camera unit 111.
Once the display unit is in camera mode, the user grips the camera unit housing 202 and presses the outer rim of standoff 301 directly against the skin area wishing to be observed, exposing the area to the aperture 302 at a known distance (based on the length of the standoff 201. The LED's 303 illuminate the skin area so that the camera lens 304 can capture an image. The image is then sent to the display unit (from
Images displayed on the LCD panel 108 can be time-stamped and saved to a non-volatile memory card 112 inserted into the non-volatile memory card slot 106 using the array of buttons 110.
Accordingly, the reader will see that at least one embodiment of this cosmetic and dermatologic measurement apparatus provides an improved method for subjects to view themselves from differing vantage points and measuring dermatologic areas, exceeding what is currently available by affording the following advantages:
While my above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of one embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example, the cable from display unit to camera unit 111 (same as cable from camera unit to display unit 203) could be replaced with a wireless connection. Additionally, the mirrored surface could be removed or the LCD panel 108 could be adjacent to a mirrored surface instead of embedded within it. Also, there are many different possible reticules, standoff options, and measurement scales, and the video could be stored as full motion rather than still images.
Alternative embodiments are possible to support different personal viewing applications outside of dermatologic measurement such as monitoring of alopecia or seborrhea. Thus, the scope of the embodiment should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.
