Patents by Inventor Michael Wittnebel

Michael Wittnebel 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).

  • Publication number: 20240138827
    Abstract: An ophthalmic speculum includes arms, a locking mechanism, and an air-flow system. The arms include a first arm and a second arm. Each arm has a retractor shaped to conform to an eyelid of a pair of eyelids of an eye. The retractors are substantially symmetrical about a lateral axis. The locking mechanism is coupled to the arms. The locking mechanism moves the arms to allow the retractors to retract the pair of eyelids, and fixes the arms into place to maintain retraction of the pair of eyelids. The air-flow system is coupled to at least one arm, and moves air in a region disposed outwardly from a surface of the eye.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Mario Abraham, Michael Wittnebel
  • Patent number: 11896209
    Abstract: An ophthalmic speculum includes arms, a locking mechanism, and an air-flow system. The arms include a first arm and a second arm. Each arm has a retractor shaped to conform to an eyelid of a pair of eyelids of an eye. The retractors are substantially symmetrical about a lateral axis. The locking mechanism is coupled to the arms. The locking mechanism moves the arms to allow the retractors to retract the pair of eyelids, and fixes the arms into place to maintain retraction of the pair of eyelids. The air-flow system is coupled to at least one arm, and moves air in a region disposed outwardly from a surface of the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Mario Abraham, Michael Wittnebel
  • Patent number: 11816929
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a system that may receive an identification of a first patient; may retrieve, based at least on the identification of the first patient, first eye identification information that includes a first plurality of iris structures associated with a first eye of the first patient; may determine a second plurality of iris structures of an eye of a current patient; may determine if the second plurality of iris structures match the first plurality of iris structures; if the second plurality of iris structures match the first plurality of iris structures, may provide an indication that the first eye has been correctly identified; and if the second plurality of iris structures do match the first plurality of iris structures, may provide an indication that the first eye has not been correctly identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Wittnebel, Oliver Kern
  • Publication number: 20230346603
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system for aligning an eye with a patient interface of a laser device includes a camera, a display screen, and a computer. The camera records images of the eye through the patient interface of the laser device. A liquid is disposed between and is in contact with the patient interface and the outer surface of the eye. The images include an outline of the liquid. The display screen displays the images of the eye. The computer aligns the eye with the patient interface by: identifying the outline of the liquid in an image received from the camera; determining a misalignment of the eye according to the outline; and instructing the display screen to display a description of the misalignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Mario Abraham, Michael Wittnebel
  • Patent number: 11730627
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system for aligning an eye with a patient interface of a laser device includes a camera, a display screen, and a computer. The camera records images of the eye through the patient interface of the laser device. A liquid is disposed between and is in contact with the patient interface and the outer surface of the eye. The images include an outline of the liquid. The display screen displays the images of the eye. The computer aligns the eye with the patient interface by: identifying the outline of the liquid in an image received from the camera; determining a misalignment of the eye according to the outline; and instructing the display screen to display a description of the misalignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Mario Abraham, Michael Wittnebel
  • Patent number: 11723727
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to systems and methods for performing eye surgery in which a single image that simultaneously presents a graphical representation of a planned or actual flap location superimposed with a graphical representation of a planned or actual area of ablation is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Wittnebel, Mario Abraham, Stefan Schmid, Maik Lange, Martin Starigk
  • Publication number: 20230215217
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a system that may receive an identification of a first patient; may retrieve, based at least on the identification of the first patient, first eye identification information that includes a first plurality of iris structures associated with a first eye of the first patient; may determine a second plurality of iris structures of an eye of a current patient; may determine if the second plurality of iris structures match the first plurality of iris structures; if the second plurality of iris structures match the first plurality of iris structures, may provide an indication that the first eye has been correctly identified; and if the second plurality of iris structures do match the first plurality of iris structures, may provide an indication that the first eye has not been correctly identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Wittnebel, Oliver Kern
  • Patent number: 11625951
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a system that may receive an identification of a first patient; may retrieve, based at least on the identification of the first patient, first eye identification information that includes a first plurality of iris structures associated with a first eye of the first patient; may determine a second plurality of iris structures of an eye of a current patient; may determine if the second plurality of iris structures match the first plurality of iris structures; if the second plurality of iris structures match the first plurality of iris structures, may provide an indication that the first eye has been correctly identified; and if the second plurality of iris structures do match the first plurality of iris structures, may provide an indication that the first eye has not been correctly identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Wittnebel, Oliver Kern
  • Publication number: 20230103117
    Abstract: A patient interface for an ophthalmic laser system includes an interface portion and an attachment portion. The interface portion includes a transmissive portion and an interface wall. The transmissive portion allows a laser beam through to the cornea of an eye to perform an ophthalmic procedure. The interface wall is disposed outwardly from the transmissive portion. The attachment portion couples the interface portion to a region of the cornea to allow the laser beam through to the cornea to perform the ophthalmic procedure. The attachment portion also decreases the temperature of the region during the ophthalmic procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Mario Abraham, Michael Wittnebel
  • Publication number: 20230083360
    Abstract: An ophthalmic surgical system for treating an eye comprises a laser device and computer. The laser device directs laser pulses at a treatment frequency towards the eye according to a shot list, which comprises a sequence of laser shots and corresponding locations. The sequence of laser shots comprises substrings, where each substring indicates a local shot frequency at a location. The number of laser shots in a substring depends on the treatment frequency. The computer performs the following for the substrings: if there is a change in the treatment frequency, adjust the number of laser shots in a substring; check whether the substring indicates that a local shot frequency satisfies a maximum local frequency at the treatment frequency; and if the local shot frequency fails to satisfy the maximum local frequency, adjust the shot list such that the local shot frequency satisfies the maximum local frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Mario Abraham, Michael Wittnebel
  • Patent number: 11559435
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for femtosecond ophthalmic surgery in which a measuring device and a camera generate data that is processed and used to create an enhanced pictorial representation based on the actual positions of the suction ring and the eye. The pictorial representation may include a graphic relating to ophthalmic surgery, such as for a flap or an incision. The disclosure further provides a method for docking a suction ring in femtosecond laser ophthalmic surgery, which includes observing and generating data relating to the position of the suction ring, generating data relating to a pictorial representation of the suction ring and the eye, processing the data relating to the observed position and the pictorial representation to generate an enhanced pictorial representation, and presenting it during surgery. The pictorial representation may include a graphic relating to ophthalmic surgery, such as for a flap or an incision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Schmid, Michael Wittnebel
  • Publication number: 20220304853
    Abstract: An ophthalmic surgical system for controlling a temperature of a cornea of an eye for a surgical procedure comprises a fluid management system and a computer. The fluid management system manages fluid within a channel structure created in the cornea of the eye. The computer instructs one or more of the controllable components to create the channel structure in the cornea. The channel structure provides a passageway between an interior of the eye and an exterior of the eye, and is proximate to a treatment site. The computer instructs the fluid management system to manage fluid within the channel structure in order to control the temperature of the cornea of the eye.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Mario Abraham, Michael Wittnebel
  • Publication number: 20220304670
    Abstract: An ophthalmic speculum includes arms, a locking mechanism, and an air-flow system. The arms include a first arm and a second arm. Each arm has a retractor shaped to conform to an eyelid of a pair of eyelids of an eye. The retractors are substantially symmetrical about a lateral axis. The locking mechanism is coupled to the arms. The locking mechanism moves the arms to allow the retractors to retract the pair of eyelids, and fixes the arms into place to maintain retraction of the pair of eyelids. The air-flow system is coupled to at least one arm, and moves air in a region disposed outwardly from a surface of the eye.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Mario Abraham, Michael Wittnebel
  • Patent number: 11376159
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method for maintaining the position of a suction cone on an eye during laser ophthalmic surgery that includes determining a distance and direction the suction cone or a support must be adjusted to maintain the position of the suction cone within an optimal working range, based on a detected position of the suction cone. The disclosure further provides a method for maintaining the position of a suction cone by determining a distance and direction the suction cone or a support must be adjusted to maintain the position of the suction cone within an optimal working range, based on a detected position of the suction cone. In the system and the method, a control signal is generated to adjust the position of the suction cone and/or the support to maintain the suction cone within the optimal working range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Wittnebel, Mario Abraham
  • Publication number: 20220183881
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic surgical system for performing a surgical procedure on an eye comprises a laser device, a camera, and a computer. The laser device comprises a laser source and a scanner. The laser source generates a laser beam comprising pulses, and the scanner directs the pulses towards tissue of the eye according to a laser focal spot pattern. The camera captures surgical images of the eye. The computer instructs the laser device to direct the pulses towards the eye according to the laser focal spot pattern, accesses and monitor the surgical images of the eye, identifies an interfering object from the surgical images of the eye, and modifies the control of the pulses to compensate for the interfering object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Mario Abraham, Michael Wittnebel
  • Publication number: 20220183888
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic surgical system for adjusting a dimension of an eye includes a camera and a computer. The camera generates a surgical image of the eye in contact with a patient interface, which distorts the cornea. The surgical image includes the pupil with a real pupil diameter. The computer accesses a diagnostic image of the eye with the cornea having a natural curvature. The natural curvature affects the real pupil diameter to yield a diagnostic pupil diameter of the diagnostic image that is different from the real pupil diameter of the surgical image. The computer adjusts the real pupil diameter of the surgical image using an eye model to yield a refracted pupil diameter that takes into account the curvature of the cornea and uses the refracted pupil diameter to compensate for the difference between the diagnostic and real pupil diameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Mario Abraham, Michael Wittnebel, Friederike Rubin-Schwarz, Evi Goos
  • Publication number: 20220096272
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic laser ablation system comprises a laser device, liquid remover, and computer. The laser device directs laser radiation towards an eye as a plurality of shots to ablate tissue of the eye according to a treatment pattern. The liquid remover removes liquid from a surface of the tissue of the eye. The computer: determines a moisture maintenance procedure; instructs the liquid remover to remove the liquid from the surface of the tissue at a location of the eye according to the moisture maintenance procedure; and instructs the laser device to ablate the tissue at the location of the eye according to the treatment pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Mario Abraham, Michael Wittnebel
  • Publication number: 20220062039
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system for aligning an eye with a patient interface of a laser device includes a camera, a display screen, and a computer. The camera records images of the eye through the patient interface of the laser device. A liquid is disposed between and is in contact with the patient interface and the outer surface of the eye. The images include an outline of the liquid. The display screen displays the images of the eye. The computer aligns the eye with the patient interface by: identifying the outline of the liquid in an image received from the camera; determining a misalignment of the eye according to the outline; and instructing the display screen to display a description of the misalignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Mario Abraham, Michael Wittnebel
  • Publication number: 20220062038
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a patient interface for an ophthalmic laser system comprises an interface portion and an attachment portion. The interface portion comprises a contact portion, a cone wall, and one or more structures. The contact portion has an abutment face that is configured to be in contact with the cornea of an eye. The cone wall is disposed outwardly from the contact portion and defines a cone interior. The cone wall has an inner surface and an outer surface, where the inner surface defines the cone interior. The cone wall has an upper portion and a lower portion, where the lower portion is coupled to the contact portion. The one or more structures direct light from the cone wall towards the cone interior. The attachment portion affixes the interface portion to the cornea of the eye.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Wittnebel, Mario Abraham
  • Patent number: 11197781
    Abstract: Laser pulse modulation for laser corneal treatments is used to control the thermal energy imparted to the cornea. The optical energy of the laser pulses may be modulated to reduce or increase the thermal energy, depending upon an expected thermal load or a measured temperature at each position location of the cornea subject to laser treatment. The laser pulse modulation may involve pulse frequency modulation, pulse amplitude modulation, and pulse duration modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Wittnebel