Patents by Inventor Alexander K. Sang
Alexander K. Sang has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11940305Abstract: Example embodiments include an optical interrogation system with a sensing fiber having a single core, the single core having multiple light propagating modes. Interferometric apparatus probes the single core multimode sensing fiber over a range of predetermined wavelengths and detects measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core for each predetermined wavelength in the range. Data processing circuitry processes the measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core to determine one or more shape-sensing parameters of the sensing fiber from which the shape of the fiber in three dimensions can be determined.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Dawn K. Gifford, Eric E. Sanborn, Alexander K. Sang
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Publication number: 20230417541Abstract: Example embodiments include an optical assembly for an optical interrogation system having a single core or a multicore sensing fiber, a measurement fiber to couple light into the sensing fiber, and a reference fiber arranged with the measurement fiber as part of an optical interferometer. A beam splitter combines light from the sensing fiber and with light from the reference fiber. A polarization beam splitting prism separates the combined light into first polarized light and second polarized light that is orthogonal to the first polarized light. The optical assembly can substantially reduce the size, complexity, or cost associated with the traditional optical components in an optical interrogation system that it replaces. Other example optical assemblies are described. Embodiments describe optical interrogation systems using the example optical assemblies.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2023Publication date: December 28, 2023Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Eric E. Sanborn, Alexander K. Sang
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Publication number: 20230349733Abstract: An optical fiber with one or more microgratings is disclosed. Methods and apparatus are described for making an optical fiber with one or more microgratings. Methods and apparatus are described for an optical fiber with one or more microgratings. Optical sensing methods and an optical sensing system effectively decouple strain range from the laser tuning range, permit the use of a smaller tuning range without sacrificing strain range, and compensate for ambiguity in phase measurements normally associated with smaller tuning ranges.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2023Publication date: November 2, 2023Applicant: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Dawn K. Gifford, Alexander K. Sang
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Patent number: 11761754Abstract: Example embodiments include an optical assembly for an optical interrogation system having a single core or a multicore sensing fiber, a measurement fiber to couple light into the sensing fiber, and a reference fiber arranged with the measurement fiber as part of an optical interferometer. A beam splitter combines light from the sensing fiber and with light from the reference fiber. A polarization beam splitting prism separates the combined light into first polarized light and second polarized light that is orthogonal to the first polarized light. The optical assembly can substantially reduce the size, complexity, or cost associated with the traditional optical components in an optical interrogation system that it replaces. Other example optical assemblies are described. Embodiments describe optical interrogation systems using the example optical assemblies.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2022Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Eric E. Sanborn, Alexander K. Sang
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Patent number: 11761797Abstract: An optical fiber with one or more microgratings is disclosed. Methods and apparatus are described for making an optical fiber with one or more microgratings. Methods and apparatus are described for an optical fiber with one or more microgratings Optical sensing methods and an optical sensing system effectively decouple strain range from the laser tuning range, permit the use of a smaller tuning range without sacrificing strain range, and compensate for ambiguity in phase measurements normally associated with smaller tuning ranges.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2018Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Dawn K. Gifford, Alexander K. Sang
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Publication number: 20230204852Abstract: An optical fiber includes multiple optical cores configured in the fiber including a set of primary cores and an auxiliary core. An interferometric measurement system uses measurements from the multiple primary cores to predict a response from the auxiliary core. The predicted auxiliary core response is compared with the actual auxiliary core response to determine if they differ by more than a predetermined amount, in which case the measurements from the multiple primary cores may be deemed unreliable.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2023Publication date: June 29, 2023Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Dawn K. Gifford, Jeffrey T. LaCroix, Patrick Roye, Alexander K. Sang
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Patent number: 11624870Abstract: An optical fiber includes multiple optical cores configured in the fiber including a set of primary cores and an auxiliary core. An interferometric measurement system uses measurements from the multiple primary cores to predict a response from the auxiliary core. The predicted auxiliary core response is compared with the actual auxiliary core response to determine if they differ by more than a predetermined amount, in which case the measurements from the multiple primary cores may be deemed unreliable.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2021Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Dawn K. Gifford, Jeffrey T. LaCroix, Patrick Roye, Alexander K. Sang
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Publication number: 20230032157Abstract: Example embodiments include an optical assembly for an optical interrogation system having a single core or a multicore sensing fiber, a measurement fiber to couple light into the sensing fiber, and a reference fiber arranged with the measurement fiber as part of an optical interferometer. A beam splitter combines light from the sensing fiber and with light from the reference fiber. A polarization beam splitting prism separates the combined light into first polarized light and second polarized light that is orthogonal to the first polarized light. The optical assembly can substantially reduce the size, complexity, or cost associated with the traditional optical components in an optical interrogation system that it replaces. Other example optical assemblies are described. Embodiments describe optical interrogation systems using the example optical assemblies.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2022Publication date: February 2, 2023Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Eric E. Sanborn, Alexander K. Sang
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Publication number: 20220412778Abstract: Example embodiments include an optical interrogation system with a sensing fiber having a single core, the single core having multiple light propagating modes. Interferometric apparatus probes the single core multimode sensing fiber over a range of predetermined wavelengths and detects measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core for each predetermined wavelength in the range. Data processing circuitry processes the measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core to determine one or more shape-sensing parameters of the sensing fiber from which the shape of the fiber in three dimensions can be determined.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2022Publication date: December 29, 2022Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Dawn K. Gifford, Eric E. Sanborn, Alexander K. Sang
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Patent number: 11499818Abstract: Example embodiments include an optical assembly for an optical interrogation system having a single core or a multicore sensing fiber, a measurement fiber to couple light into the sensing fiber, and a reference fiber arranged with the measurement fiber as part of an optical interferometer. A beam splitter combines light from the sensing fiber and with light from the reference fiber. A polarization beam splitting prism separates the combined light into first polarized light and second polarized light that is orthogonal to the first polarized light. The optical assembly can substantially reduce the size, complexity, or cost associated with the traditional optical components in an optical interrogation system that it replaces. Other example optical assemblies are described. Embodiments describe optical interrogation systems using the example optical assemblies.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2021Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Eric E. Sanborn, Alexander K. Sang
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Patent number: 11473941Abstract: Example embodiments include an optical interrogation system with a sensing fiber having a single core, the single core having multiple light propagating modes. Interferometric apparatus probes the single core multimode sensing fiber over a range of predetermined wavelengths and detects measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core for each predetermined wavelength in the range. Data processing circuitry processes the measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core to determine one or more shape-sensing parameters of the sensing fiber from which the shape of the fiber in three dimensions can be determined.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2021Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Dawn K. Gifford, Eric E. Sanborn, Alexander K. Sang
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Patent number: 11193751Abstract: Interferometric measurement signals are detected by a single optical interferometric interrogator for a length of a sensing light guide and an interferometric measurement data set corresponding to the interferometric measurement signals is generated. The interferometric measurement data set is transformed into a spectral domain to produce a transformed interferometric measurement data set. The transformed interferometric measurement data set is compared to a baseline interferometric data set to identify a time-varying signal corresponding to a time-varying disturbance. The baseline interferometric data set is representative of the sensing light guide not being subjected to the time-varying disturbance. A compensating signal is determined from the time-varying signal and used to compensate at least a portion of the interferometric measurement data set for the time-varying disturbance as part of producing a measurement of the parameter.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2018Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Alexander K. Sang, Dawn K. Gifford, Justin W. Klein
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Publication number: 20210254967Abstract: Example embodiments include an optical assembly for an optical interrogation system having a single core or a multicore sensing fiber, a measurement fiber to couple light into the sensing fiber, and a reference fiber arranged with the measurement fiber as part of an optical interferometer. A beam splitter combines light from the sensing fiber and with light from the reference fiber. A polarization beam splitting prism separates the combined light into first polarized light and second polarized light that is orthogonal to the first polarized light. The optical assembly can substantially reduce the size, complexity, or cost associated with the traditional optical components in an optical interrogation system that it replaces. Other example optical assemblies are described. Embodiments describe optical interrogation systems using the example optical assemblies.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2021Publication date: August 19, 2021Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Eric E. Sanborn, Alexander K. Sang
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Publication number: 20210199884Abstract: An optical fiber includes multiple optical cores configured in the fiber including a set of primary cores and an auxiliary core. An interferometric measurement system uses measurements from the multiple primary cores to predict a response from the auxiliary core. The predicted auxiliary core response is compared with the actual auxiliary core response to determine if they differ by more than a predetermined amount, in which case the measurements from the multiple primary cores may be deemed unreliable.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2021Publication date: July 1, 2021Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Dawn K. Gifford, Jeffrey T. LaCroix, Patrick Roye, Alexander K. Sang
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Patent number: 11035699Abstract: Example embodiments include an optical interrogation system with a sensing fiber having a single core, the single core having multiple light propagating modes. Interferometric apparatus probes the single core multimode sensing fiber over a range of predetermined wavelengths and detects measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core for each predetermined wavelength in the range. Data processing circuitry processes the measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core to determine one or more shape-sensing parameters of the sensing fiber from which the shape of the fiber in three dimensions can be determined.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2017Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Dawn K. Gifford, Eric E. Sanborn, Alexander K. Sang
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Publication number: 20210172768Abstract: Example embodiments include an optical interrogation system with a sensing fiber having a single core, the single core having multiple light propagating modes. Interferometric apparatus probes the single core multimode sensing fiber over a range of predetermined wavelengths and detects measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core for each predetermined wavelength in the range. Data processing circuitry processes the measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core to determine one or more shape-sensing parameters of the sensing fiber from which the shape of the fiber in three dimensions can be determined.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2021Publication date: June 10, 2021Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Dawn K. Gifford, Eric E. Sanborn, Alexander K. Sang
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Patent number: 10983268Abstract: An optical fiber includes multiple optical cores configured in the fiber including a set of primary cores and an auxiliary core. An interferometric measurement system uses measurements from the multiple primary cores to predict a response from the auxiliary core. The predicted auxiliary core response is compared with the actual auxiliary core response to determine if they differ by more than a predetermined amount, in which case the measurements from the multiple primary cores may be deemed unreliable.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2019Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Dawn K. Gifford, Jeffrey T. LaCroix, Patrick Roye, Alexander K. Sang
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Patent number: 10976155Abstract: Example embodiments include an optical assembly for an optical interrogation system having a single core or a multicore sensing fiber, a measurement fiber to couple light into the sensing fiber, and a reference fiber arranged with the measurement fiber as part of an optical interferometer. A beam splitter combines light from the sensing fiber and with light from the reference fiber. A polarization beam splitting prism separates the combined light into first polarized light and second polarized light that is orthogonal to the first polarized light. The optical assembly can substantially reduce the size, complexity, or cost associated with the traditional optical components in an optical interrogation system that it replaces. Other example optical assemblies are described. Embodiments describe optical interrogation systems using the example optical assemblies.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2017Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Mark Froggatt, Eric Sanborn, Alexander K. Sang
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Patent number: 10823627Abstract: Shape sensing with a multi-core fiber can achieve high accuracy as well as accommodate small bend radii by measuring signals with peripheral waveguide cores placed at multiple different radial distances from the center axis of the fiber, and computing strain metrics from signals of cores selected based on the respective radial distances and a determination of whether the waveguide cores have strained out of range.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2017Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Eric E. Sanborn, Mark E. Froggatt, Dawn K. Gifford, Jeffrey T. LaCroix, Patrick Roye, Alexander K. Sang
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Patent number: 10775157Abstract: An interferometric measurement system measures a spun optical fiber sensor that includes multiple optical cores configured in the fiber sensor. A calibration machine includes a calibration fixture having known dimensions, one or more automatically controllable actuators for wrapping the fiber sensor starting at one end of the fiber sensor onto a calibration fixture having known dimensions, and an actuator controller configured to control the one or more actuators with actuator control signals. Interferometric detection circuitry, coupled to the actuator controller and to the other end of the fiber sensor, detects measured interferometric pattern data associated with each of the multiple cores when the fiber sensor is wrapped onto the calibration fixture.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2017Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Dawn K. Gifford, Mark E. Froggatt, Jeffrey T. Lacroix, Eric E. Sanborn, Alexander K. Sang