System and method for classifying follicular units
US7477782B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 25, 2006 |
| Grant date | Jan 13, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 1, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2207/30088
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method for classifying follicular units based on the number of hairs in a follicular unit of interest comprises (i) acquiring a digital image of a body surface having a follicular unit of interest; (ii) selecting a region of interest with the digital image which contains the follicular unit; (iii) segmenting the selected image to produce a binary image wherein the binary image defines a contour of the follicular unit; (iv) calculating an outline profile of the binary image which disregards concavities in the contour; and (v) determining the number of defects in the outline profile to determine the number of hairs in the follicular unit. The system and method may also adjust for hairs which converge beneath the skin and for images which appear as a single wide hair but which are actually multiple hairs.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.