Patents by Inventor Nathaniel J. Kemp

Nathaniel J. Kemp 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).

  • Patent number: 8531676
    Abstract: Provided are forward-imaging optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems and probes. In one embodiment, a scanning reflector surface is configured to be rotated about two axes in a single operating plane to direct light transmitted along the sample path to a sample to be imaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignees: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Volcano Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan C. Condit, Nathaniel J. Kemp, Kumar Karthik, Thomas E. Milner, Xiaojing (John) Zhang
  • Publication number: 20130090536
    Abstract: Provided herein are systems, methods, and apparatuses for an analyte sensor. In one aspect, an analyte sensing device comprises a sensor body member including at least one nanopore and an optical conduit in optical communication with the sensor body member. The optical conduit transmits optical energy to the sensor body member and receives reflected optical energy back from the sensor body member. A photodetector is optically coupled to the optical conduit to determine an optical parameter from the reflected optical energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Inventors: Thomas E. Milner, Nathaniel J. Kemp, Paul Castella
  • Patent number: 8401610
    Abstract: The invention is a rotating tip catheter-imaging probe where electromagnetic energy is delivered to the distal end of a catheter and converted to mechanical energy using a light drive apparatus. The mechanical energy is then used to rotate a mirror that redirects light in fixed pattern on a sample. The rotating element of the light drive apparatus contains vanes, which rotate about an axis and positioned with bearings to minimize friction. A chamber encompasses the rotating element and is set to a vacuum pressure. The rotational speed of the catheter tip can be controlled by varying the optical power delivered to the vanes, the vacuum pressure in the chamber, or by a braking mechanism applied to the rotating element. The vanes may be shaped in a particular geometry to increase forces on the vanes from thermally driven gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Thomas E. Milner, Nathaniel J. Kemp
  • Patent number: 8395781
    Abstract: The disclosed automatic calibration systems and methods provide a repeatable way to detect internal catheter reflections and to shift the internal catheter reflections to calibrate an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Volcano Corporation
    Inventors: Nathaniel J. Kemp, Badr Elmaanaoui, Elizabeth Begin
  • Patent number: 8280470
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to systems, methods, and apparatuses for an analyte sensor. In one aspect, an analyte sensing device comprises a sensor body member including at least one nanopore and an optical conduit in optical communication with the sensor body member. The optical conduit transmits optical energy to the sensor body member and receives reflected optical energy back from the sensor body member. A photodetector is optically coupled to the optical conduit to determine an optical parameter from the reflected optical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Volcano Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Milner, Nathaniel J. Kemp, Paul Castella
  • Publication number: 20120224751
    Abstract: The disclosed automatic calibration systems and methods provide a repeatable way to detect internal catheter reflections and to shift the internal catheter reflections to calibrate an image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: Volcano Corporation
    Inventors: Nathaniel J. Kemp, Elizabeth Begin, Badr Elmaanaoui
  • Publication number: 20120170848
    Abstract: A method for artifact management in a rotational imaging system is presented. The method includes the steps of acquiring data employing a helical scanning pattern over N revolutions, where N is greater than 1, and detecting at least one artifact in the acquired data of each revolution. The method further includes segmenting the data acquired over N revolutions into N-1 data frames each bounded by at least one of the at least one artifacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: Volcano Corporation
    Inventors: Nathaniel J. Kemp, Vladimir Zagrodsky
  • Publication number: 20120162660
    Abstract: The disclosed automatic calibration systems and methods provide a repeatable way to detect internal catheter reflections and to shift the internal catheter reflections to calibrate an image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: VOLCANO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nathaniel J. Kemp
  • Publication number: 20120165661
    Abstract: Provided herein are systems, methods and apparatuses for an integrated system and architectures comprising a central processing unit (CPU) located a substantial physical distance from a sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: Volcano Corporation
    Inventors: Nathaniel J. Kemp, Timothy K. Glynn
  • Publication number: 20120136259
    Abstract: A polarization sensitive spectral interferometer apparatus and method for analyzing a sample by optical energy reflected from the sample. The polarization sensitive spectral interferometer apparatus and method determines polarization properties of the sample by optical energy reflected from the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicants: Volcano Corporation, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Thomas E. MILNER, Nathaniel J. KEMP, Eunha KIM
  • Patent number: 8125648
    Abstract: A polarization sensitive spectral interferometer apparatus and method for analyzing a sample. The polarization sensitive spectral interferometer apparatus and method determines polarization properties of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Thomas E. Milner, Nathaniel J. Kemp, Eunha Kim
  • Publication number: 20120022360
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to methods for determining when to initiate an imaging procedure inside a lumen of a vessel. In certain embodiments, methods of the invention involve introducing an imaging apparatus into a lumen of a vessel, introducing a flushing fluid into the lumen of the vessel, detecting a signal associated with introduction of the flushing fluid, and initiating an imaging procedure based upon results of the detecting step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: VOLCANO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nathaniel J. Kemp
  • Publication number: 20120013914
    Abstract: A method and a system for Uniform Frequency Sample Clocking to directly sample the OCT signal with a temporally-non-linear sampling clock derived from a k-space wavemeter on the external sample clock input port of a digitizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: VOLCANO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nathaniel J. Kemp, Roman Kuranov, Austin Broderick McElroy, Thomas E. Milner
  • Patent number: 8049900
    Abstract: A method and a system for Uniform Frequency Sample Clocking to directly sample the OCT signal with a temporally-non-linear sampling clock derived from a k-space wavemeter on the external sample clock input port of a digitizer. The Uniform Frequency Sample Clocking comprises at least one Pathway, which includes characterizing the swept light source, creating a digital representation of the waveform based from the characterization data, and generating a clock signal using a waveform generator to output the clock signal to a digitizer external clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Volcano Corporation
    Inventors: Nathaniel J. Kemp, Roman Kuranov, Austin Broderick McElroy, Thomas E. Milner
  • Publication number: 20110190586
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for initiating intravascular imaging and flushing is described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Volcano Corporation
    Inventor: Nathaniel J. Kemp
  • Publication number: 20110137124
    Abstract: An Optical imaging catheter that balances optical aberrations and allows recording of high quality optical images while relaxing the requirement of a fluid occupying the space between the prism and the inner sheath of the catheter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: Volcano Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Milner, Nathaniel J. Kemp
  • Publication number: 20110112409
    Abstract: The invention is a rotating tip catheter-imaging probe where electromagnetic energy is delivered to the distal end of a catheter and converted to mechanical energy using a light drive apparatus. The mechanical energy is then used to rotate a mirror that redirects light in fixed pattern on a sample. The rotating element of the light drive apparatus contains vanes, which rotate about an axis and positioned with bearings to minimize friction. A chamber encompasses the rotating element and is set to a vacuum pressure. The rotational speed of the catheter tip can be controlled by varying the optical power delivered to the vanes, the vacuum pressure in the chamber, or by a braking mechanism applied to the rotating element. The vanes may be shaped in a particular geometry to increase forces on the vanes from thermally driven gas flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Thomas E. Milner, Nathaniel J. Kemp
  • Patent number: 7929148
    Abstract: Provided herein are systems, methods, and compositions for optical coherence tomography implementations. The OCT implementation generally applies to both spectrometer-based and swept source-based implementations of PS-FD-OCT, and also to both fiber based and bulk-optical and Michelson and Mach-Zender PS-OCT implementations, where the detection arm is free from two photoreceivers or spectrometers for detecting the interference of the first polarization state and the second polarization state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Volcano Corporation
    Inventor: Nathaniel J. Kemp
  • Publication number: 20110077528
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for simultaneous hemoglobin reflectivity measurement and OCT measurement, thrombus detection and treatment, and OCT flushing. A first optical energy for OCT and a second optical energy for hemoglobin may be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: Volcano Coproration
    Inventors: Nathaniel J. Kemp, Thomas E. Milner, Christopher E. Banas, Vincent J. Burgess, Paulina M. Margolis
  • Patent number: 7844321
    Abstract: The invention is a rotating tip catheter-imaging probe where electromagnetic energy is delivered to the distal end of a catheter and converted to mechanical energy using a light drive apparatus. The mechanical energy is then used to rotate a mirror that redirects light in fixed pattern on a sample. The rotating element of the light drive apparatus contains vanes, which rotate about an axis and positioned with bearings to minimize friction. A chamber encompasses the rotating element and is set to a vacuum pressure. The rotational speed of the catheter tip can be controlled by varying the optical power delivered to the vanes, the vacuum pressure in the chamber, or by a braking mechanism applied to the rotating element. The vanes may be shaped in a particular geometry to increase forces on the vanes from thermally driven gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Board of Regents, the University of Texas System
    Inventors: Thomas E. Milner, Nathaniel J. Kemp