[0001] The present invention relates to a data capture system of the type that, for example, obtains results data from a co-located metrology device. The present invention also relates to a method of recording results data, the method being of the type that, for example, comprises capturing results data from a co- located metrology device. The present invention further relates to a communications device of the type that, for example, obtains results data from a co-located metrology device.

[0002] In the field of patient monitoring, it is known to use various different kinds of metrology devices in order to measure certain parameters associated with the physiology of a patient. For example, to measure blood coagulation in the circulatory system of the patient, the so-called "International Normalized Ratio (INR)" measurement is used, a patient is typically required to take periodic blood tests at home or at a hospital using an INR measurement device. Once measured, the INR value needs to be communicated to a physician. The measurement and communication of the results data need to be performed in accordance with a recommended frequency, for example weekly or biweekly.

[0003] A telephone-based system is known for recording measurement data and requires a patient to interact with an automated telephone system that prompts the patient to provide results data generated by, for example, the INR measurement device. The telephone system records the results data obtained for various applications, for example monitoring of a patient's wellbeing by a physician.

[0004] However, use of an audio telephone system can be difficult to use by the hearing impaired and also requires the patient to remember a number of pieces of information to be provided to the telephone system. Indeed, in the reading of results from the metrology device and communicating them by telephone, various opportunities arise for the introduction of errors, ranging from mistranscription of results data to miscommunication of the results data to the automated system. Furthermore, encouraging patients to report test results promptly is a challenge for organisations charged with collecting medical results data, a significant number of patients being non-compliant in this respect.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a data capture system comprising: a portable communications device comprising an image capture device and a character recognition module; a server remotely located from the portable communications device; and a metrology device co- located with the portable communications device and having a display arranged to display results data; wherein the portable communications device is arranged to read the results data using the character recognition module in cooperation with the image capture device; and the portable communications device is further arranged to communicate the results data read to the server.

[0006] The portable communications device may comprise a processing resource arranged to support the character recognition module; the processing resource may be operably coupled to the image capture device. [0007] The portable communications device may be a smartphone comprising a camera constituting the image capture device.

[0008] The server may be arranged to receive the results data communicated by the portable communications device and to store the results data received.

[0009] The portable communications device may be arranged to communicate the results data to the computing facility of a healthcare professional. [0010] The server may be arranged to provide a computing facility of a healthcare professional with access to the results data. [0011] The display of the metrology device may be a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) device.

[0012] The LCD device may be a segmented display device.

[0013] The character recognition module may be arranged to modify a parameter of the image in order to facilitate accurate reading of the results data.

[0014] The parameter may be contrast. The parameter may be brightness.

[0015] The character recognition module may be arranged to identify an area in the captured image containing the results data.

[0016] The character recognition module may be arranged to identify another area in the captured image containing information associated with the results data.

[0017] The character recognition module may be arranged to read the information bounded by the another area.

[0018] The system may further comprise a data enrichment module arranged to associate identifying data with the results data read in order to facilitate data processing. [0019] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of recording results data, the method comprising: providing a metrology device to display results data; using a portable communications device to capture an image of the results data displayed by the metrology device; reading results data in the captured image; communicating the read results data to a remote server.

[0020] According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a communications device comprising: a communications module; an image capture device; and a character recognition module; wherein the image capture device is arranged to capture an image comprising results data; the character recognition module is arranged to read the results data from the captured image; and the communications module is further arranged to communicate the results data read.

[0021] It is thus possible to provide an apparatus and method that obtains results data from a metrology device with improved speed and reliability, both in terms of timely submission of results, but also fidelity of the results data.

[0022] At least one embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a results data capture system constituting an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a metrology device of the system of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a portable communications apparatus of the system of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of results data recordal functionality supported by the portable communications apparatus of Figure 3 and constituting another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is flow of screen shots presented by the portable communications apparatus executing the results data recordal functionality of Figure 4 during operation thereof; and

Figure 6 is flow diagram of a method of recording results data constituting a further embodiment of the invention. [0023] Throughout the following description identical reference numerals will be used to identify like parts.

[0024] Referring to Figure 1 , a results data capture system 100 comprises a portable communications apparatus 102, for example a cellular communications apparatus, such as a smartphone constituting a User Equipment (UE) unit, capable of communicating with a server apparatus 104 located remotely at a results data processing centre. In this example, the smartphone 102 is capable of communicating with the server 104 via a cellular communications network, for example a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communications network, comprising an eNode B 106 for access thereto, and a Wide Area Network (WAN) 108, for example the Internet. Since the architecture of the communications network is not central to an understanding of the embodiments described herein, the communications network will not be described in further detail for the sake of preservations of clarity and conciseness of description.

[0025] In order to store results data, the server 104 supports a database of result data 1 10 and is accessible remotely, for example by a client computing apparatus operably coupled to the WAN 108, such as a Personal Computer (PC) 1 12 available to a physician, such as via a web browser interface supported by the client computing apparatus 1 12.

[0026] The smartphone 102 is possessed, in this example, by a patient, and co-located with a metrology device, for example an INR measurement device 1 14. However, the skilled person should appreciate that the INR measurement device is merely one example of the metrology device and any other desired metrology device can be employed. [0027] The metrology device 1 14 comprises a display device, for example a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) device 1 16 via which results data can be communicated to the patient. Referring to Figure 2, the LCD device 1 16 is a monochromatic segmented display comprising a number of areas that display information to be read, for example a time area 200, a date area 202 and a measurement value area 204. The information contained in the time area 200 and the data area 202 constitutes information associated with result data contained in the measurement value area 204.

[0028] Turning to Figure 3, the smartphone 102 comprises a processing resource 300, for example a microprocessor, a volatile memory 302, for example a Random Access Memory (RAM), and a non-volatile memory 304, for example a digital memory, each being coupled to the processing resource 300. The processing resource 300 is also coupled to a microphone 306, a speaker unit 308, an input device 310, for example a touch sensing component, such as a digitiser, and a display 312. Typically, the digitiser 310 and the display 312 can be combined into a single unit. An image capture device, for example a digital camera component 314, is operably coupled to the processing resource 300, the processing resource 300 also being coupled to a transceiver comprising a transmitter chain 316 and a receiver chain 318, the transmitter and receiver chains 316, 318 being coupled to a duplexing component 320. The duplexing component 320 is coupled to an antenna 322. The skilled person should appreciate that the architecture of the smartphone 102 described above comprises other elements, but such additional elements are not central to an understanding of the embodiments set forth herein and so have not been described further for the sake of preserving conciseness and clarity of description. [0029] Referring to Figure 4, as mentioned above, the digital camera component 314 of the smartphone 102 is operably coupled to the processing resource 300. In supporting and indeed executing a results data recordal application 400, the smartphone 102 constitutes a results data recordal apparatus. In this respect, the results data recordal functionality is implemented as a software application, although the skilled person will appreciate that other manners of implementation are possible. [0030] The processing resource 300 supports an image capture processing module 402 operably coupled to the camera component 314. A character recognition module 404, for example an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) module also supported by the processing resource 300, is operably coupled to the image capture module 402, for example via an Application Programming Interface (API) provided by the manufacturer of the smartphone 102. The character recognition module 404 is operably coupled to a data enrichment module 406 and a main logic module 408. The data enrichment module 406 is also operably coupled to the control module 408 and the digital memory 304. The main logic module 408 is also operably coupled to the image capture module 402 and to a communications module 410 that interfaces with the communications hardware and software of the smartphone 102 in order facilitate communication of data received by the communications module 410. [0031] Turning to Figures 5 and 6, when the results data recordal application 400 is first launched, a user, for example a patient, is presented with a login screen 500 (Step 600). The login screen 500 is generated by the main logic module 408 operating in cooperation with a graphics processing interface (not shown) of the smartphone 102. Assuming the patient has successfully logged in, the main logic module 408 presents a home screen 502 via the display 312. In this example, the home screen 502 is a preselection (Step 602) of a data capture initiation screen or page, which is one of a number of menu options available, details of which will be provided further later herein. In the data capture initiation screen, the results data recordal application 400 provides the patient with two routes to input results data: manual input of the information through a traditional keyboard interface (not shown) of the smartphone apparatus 102 or via an optical or scanning route. In this respect, the home screen 502 comprises a "Scan Device" button 504 for the patient to select the latter option mentioned above. Selection (Step 604) of the "Scan Device" button 504 results in the camera functionality of the smartphone 102 being activated and the patient then has to direct (Step 606) the camera 314 of the smartphone apparatus 102 to the metrology device 1 14 so that the LCD device 1 16 is in the field of view of the digital camera 314 of the smartphone apparatus 102. In order to ensure this happens, the display 312 of the smartphone apparatus 102 is used in a "viewfinder" mode in order that the patient can see what falls into the field of view of the digital camera 314. Furthermore, the main logic module 408 superimposes a capture zone border 506 within which the patient has to ensure the image of the LCD device 1 16 resides.

[0032] Once the main logic module 408 determines that the LCD display device 1 16 is in focus and the image of the LCD device 1 16 has not moved substantially, the image capture module 402 is instructed by the main logic module 408 to capture (Step 608) an image of the LCD device 1 16. The image is communicated to the character recognition module 404, which identifies (Step 610) the time area 200, the date area 202 and the measurement value area 204 within the capture zone border 506. For each of the three areas, the character recognition module 404 employs optical character recognition in order to read (Step 612) the characters in each of the three areas 200, 202, 204. The characters read are superimposed by the main logic module 408 over the image of the LCD device 1 16 displayed by the display 312 in the positions where the characters have been read. A "Confirm Results" button 508 is also presented on the display 312 and the patient presses (Step 614) the "Confirm Results" button 508 in the event that the read characters displayed in the image have been read accurately. Optionally, a copy of the image is also retained to accompany the reading of the image. In the event that the image has not been correctly read by the character recognition module 404, the patient can select a "Re-Scan" button 510 presented at the top of the display 312 in this example, and the above procedure can be repeated (Steps 604 to 614). In order to improve reading of the LCD device 1 16, the character reading module 404 can modify a parameter of the image of the LCD device 1 16 in order to facilitate accurate reading of the results data, for example modifying a contrast and/or a brightness parameter.

[0033] Once the image captured has been read accurately, the main logic module 408 instructs the character recognition module 404 to communicate the captured image and the read results data to the data enrichment module 406, which associates (Step 616) other useful infornnation, for example a patient identifier and/or image processing parameters, concerning the patient and the read information, and optionally the captured image, to the captured image (when retained) and/or read results data using any suitable data structure. The enrichment of the read results data facilitates subsequent data processing. The captured image and/or the read results data, as enriched, are/is stored (Step 618) by the data enrichment module 406 in the digital memory 304 and communicated to the main logic module 408 for communication. [0034] The main logic module 408 then communicates the information received from the data enrichment module 406 to the communications module 410 with an instruction to communicate (Step 620) the information to the server 104. Upon receipt of the information received, the server 104 stores the information received in the database of results data 1 10. The main logic module 408 can additionally or alternatively communicate the information to the client computing apparatus 1 12 of the physician. The physician can access, if required, the results data stored by the server 104 from the client computing apparatus 1 12 constituting a computing facility of a healthcare professional. [0035] Referring back to the results data recordal application 400, the main logic module 408 returns the display 312 to showing the home screen 502 after the information has been communicated to the server 104.

[0036] The home screen 502 also comprises a navigation section 512 to allow selection (Step 602) of different screens to obtain different functionality from the results data recordal application 400. For example, the patient can select the "History" button 516 to which the main logic module 408 responds by displaying a history screen 518 (Step 622) listing historical results data, which can be viewed graphically by rotating the display 312 of the smartphone 102. In this respect, after verifying (Step 624) whether or not the patient has finished reviewing historical results data by selection of a "Done" button 520, the main logic module 408 determines (Step 626) an orientation of the smartphone 102, and hence the display 312 of the smartphone 102, for example using accelerometer sensors (not shown) with which the smartphone 102 is equipped. Hence, in the event that the smartphone 102 is rotated into a landscape orientation, the main logic module 408 arranges for the historical results data to be displayed graphically via a graphical statistics screen 522. When the main logic module 408 detects (Step 626) that the smartphone apparatus 102 has been placed in a portrait orientation, the main logic module 408 reverts to displaying (Step 630) the history screen 518.

[0037] Returning to the home screen 502, selection (Step 602) of the "Strips" button 524 causes the main logic module 408 to respond by presenting (Step 632) a re-supply screen 526. This kind of screen can be used for the patient to submit orders for replacement consumables for with the metrology device 1 14, for example where the metrology device 1 14 requires blood samples to make measurements in respect thereof. In this example, the re-supply screen 526 comprises an "Order Strips" button 528 to confirm completion (Step 634) of the order for re-supply of consumables and, assuming all fields are completed, the main logic module 408 cooperates with the communications module 410 in order to communicate an order for re-supply to a suitable service provider. Thereafter, the main logic module 408 arranges for the home screen 502 to be displayed.

[0038] In this example, selection (Step 602) of a "More" button 530 of the navigation section 518, results in the main logic module 408 displaying (Step 636) a reminders screen 532. Upon completion of the reminders screen 536, the patient selects (Step 638) a "Save" button 534 to record the reminder input. The reminders screen 532 allows the patient to add reminders that the main logic module 408 can use to remind the patient, and optionally a "buddy", for example a third party known to the patient, that a measurement needs to be made at a time and date provided by the patient in the reminders screen 532. As the detail of entering reminders is not central to the explanation of the inventive concepts set forth herein, for the sake of conciseness, the reminders screen 536 will not be described further. [0039] The skilled person should appreciate that the "More" button 530 can also be used to provide the patient with access to functionality that is used less often than other functionality. [0040] The skilled person should appreciate that the above-described implementations are merely examples of the various implementations that are conceivable within the scope of the appended claims.

[0041] In this respect, although in the above examples, communications with the server are achieved using a cellular communications network, the skilled person will appreciate that other communications technologies, standards and protocols can be employed. For example, one of the WiFi standards can be used. Also, the examples set forth herein have been described in the context of use of the smartphone 102. However, the skilled person should appreciate that other portable computing devices can be employed irrespective of whether or not they support voice telephony functionality. In this respect, provided the portable computing device supports data network connectivity, the portable computing device can be employed, for example a Portable Digital Assistant (PDA) device.

[0042] The apparatus and methods of the above embodiments may be implemented in a computer system (in particular in computer hardware or in computer software) or in specifically manufactured or adapted integrated circuits, in addition to the structural components and user interactions described.

[0043] The methods of the above embodiments may be provided as computer programs or as computer program products or computer readable media carrying a computer program which is arranged, when run on a computer or other processor, to perform the method(s) described above.

[0044] The term "computer readable media" includes, without limitation, any medium or media which can be read and accessed directly by a computer or computer system. The media can include, but are not limited to, magnetic storage media such as floppy discs, hard disc storage media and magnetic tape; optical storage media such as optical discs or CD-ROMs; electrical storage media such as memory, including RAM, ROM and flash memory; and hybrids and combinations of the above such as magnetic/optical storage media. While specific examples of the invention have been described above, the skilled person will appreciate that many equivalent modifications and variations are possible. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth above are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.