Utilizing personal communications devices for medical testing

Abstract

Systems and methods for analyzing visible chemical reactions are provided. In one implementation, the method may include receiving from an image sensor associated with a mobile communications device an image of a reagent pad in proximity to a colorized surface having at least one pair of colored reference elements. The method includes identifying in the image the reagent pad, a first colored reference element, and a second colored reference element. Thereafter, the method includes using the first colored reference element and the second colored reference element to determine an extent of a chemical reaction on the reagent pad irrespective of local illumination conditions. Then the method includes causing the mobile communications device to provide data based on the extent of the chemical reaction.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method for analyzing visible chemical reactions, the method comprising:
 receiving from an image sensor associated with a mobile communications device an image of a reagent pad in proximity to a colorized surface having a plurality of colored reference elements designed to be used together to determine an extent of a reaction on the reagent pad;   identifying in the image the reagent pad;   identifying in the image a first colored reference element having a first color;   identifying in the image a second colored reference element having a second color differs from the first color; using the first colored reference element and the second colored reference element to determine an extent of a chemical reaction on the reagent pad irrespective of local illumination conditions; and   providing data based on the extent of the chemical reaction.   
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the method further includes:
 identifying illumination parameters indicative of the local illumination conditions, based on the plurality of colored reference elements; and   determining the extent of the chemical reaction on the reagent pad irrespective of local illumination conditions based on the identified illumination parameters.   
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory computer readable medium product of  claim 21 , wherein the method further includes:
 calculating a normalized reagent test color based on the first colored reference element and the second colored reference element; and   determining the extent of the chemical reaction on the reagent pad irrespective of local illumination conditions based on the normalized reagent test color.   
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory computer readable medium product of  claim 23 , wherein the image includes a depiction of a plurality of reagent pads and the method further includes:
 using the normalized reagent test color to determine a uniform color for pixels associated with each of the plurality of reagent pads; and   determining the extent of the chemical reaction on each of the plurality of reagent pads based on the uniform color associated with each of the plurality of reagent pads.   
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the reagent pad is located on a dipstick. 
     
     
         26 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim  5 , wherein the dipstick includes a plurality of reagent pads, and the colorized surface depicted in the image includes a plurality of pairs of colored reference elements. 
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein the method further comprises calculating a first normalized color for a first reagent pad using at least one of the plurality of pairs of colored reference elements, and calculating a second normalized color for a second reagent pad using at least one other of the plurality of pairs of colored reference elements. 
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein the colorized surface depicted in the image includes at least ten pairs of colored reference elements. 
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein the method further comprises analyzing relations among a plurality of colored test reagents using a coordinate system. 
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the reagent pad is configured for use in urinalysis. 
     
     
         31 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the provided data based on the extent of the chemical reaction is medical data associated with a plurality of differing urinary properties. 
     
     
         32 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein providing the data based on the extent of the chemical reaction includes causing the mobile communications device to provide the data. 
     
     
         33 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 32 , wherein causing the mobile communications device to provide the data includes causing the mobile communications device to transmit the data to a medical entity associated with a user of the mobile communications device. 
     
     
         34 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 32 , wherein causing the mobile communications device to provide the data includes causing the mobile communications device to display the data on a screen associated with the mobile communications device. 
     
     
         35 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one processor includes a processor within the mobile communications device. 
     
     
         36 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one processor includes a server remote from the mobile communications device. 
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the first and the second colored reference elements of a pair of colored reference elements of the plurality of colored reference elements share substantially a same color. 
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises:
 identifying in the image, at least one position marker distinguished from the plurality of colored reference elements;   analyzing the image using the at least one position marker to determine that an orientation of the reagent pad is an undesired orientation; and   in response to the determination that the orientation of the reagent pad is an undesired orientation, providing a notification to a user.   
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim  18 , wherein the at least one position marker has a color that differs from the first and second colors. 
     
     
         40 . A method for analyzing visible chemical reactions, the method comprising:
 receiving from an image sensor associated with a mobile communications device an image of a reagent pad in proximity to a colorized surface having a plurality of colored reference elements designed to be used together to determine an extent of a reaction on the reagent pad;   identifying in the image the reagent pad;   identifying in the image a first colored reference element having a first color;   identifying in the image a colored reference element having a second color differs from the first color; and   using the first colored reference element and the second colored reference element to determine an extent of a chemical reaction on the reagent pad irrespective of local illumination conditions; and   providing data based on the extent of the chemical reaction.