Patents by Inventor Wayne H. Knox

Wayne H. Knox 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: 11831354
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for transmitting information optically. For instance, a system may include an optical source configured to generate a beam of light. The system may include at least one modulator configured to encode data on the beam of light to produce an encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses. The system may include a spectrally-equalizing amplifier configured to receive the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses from the at least one modulator and both amplify and filter the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses to produce a filtered beam of light/filtered plurality of pulses, thereby spectrally equalizing a gain applied to the encoded beam of light. In some cases, the system may slice the beam of slight, to ensure a detector has impulsive detection. In some cases, the system may include a temperature controller to shift a distribution curve of wavelengths of the optical source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne H. Knox
  • Patent number: 11831352
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for transmitting information optically. For instance, a system may include an optical source configured to generate a beam of light. The system may include at least one modulator configured to encode data on the beam of light to produce an encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses. The system may include a spectrally-equalizing amplifier configured to receive the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses from the at least one modulator and both amplify and filter the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses to produce a filtered beam of light/filtered plurality of pulses, thereby spectrally equalizing a gain applied to the encoded beam of light. In some cases, the system may slice the beam of slight, to ensure a detector has impulsive detection. In some cases, the system may include a temperature controller to shift a distribution curve of wavelengths of the optical source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne H. Knox
  • Patent number: 11824588
    Abstract: System, method, and instrumentalities are described herein for transmitting information optically. The optical source may be configured to generate a beam. The beam may include a series of light pulses. The beam of light may be modulated. A modulator may be configured to modulate the series of light pulses in response to a data transmission signal, thereby encoding transmission data into the series of light pulses. The modulated beam of light may be received and both amplified and filtered. The filtered beam of light may be transmitted from to a detector having a photoreceiver. The photoreceiver may be configured to extract the transmission data from the filtered beam of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne H. Knox, Alexander B. LeBon, Brian M. Gregory, Taz M. Colangelo
  • Patent number: 11824587
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for transmitting information optically. For instance, a system may include an optical source configured to generate a beam of light. The system may include at least one modulator configured to encode data on the beam of light to produce an encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses. The system may include a spectrally-equalizing amplifier configured to receive the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses from the at least one modulator and both amplify and filter the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses to produce a filtered beam of light/filtered plurality of pulses, thereby spectrally equalizing a gain applied to the encoded beam of light. In some cases, the system may slice the beam of slight, to ensure a detector has impulsive detection. In some cases, the system may include a temperature controller to shift a distribution curve of wavelengths of the optical source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne H. Knox
  • Publication number: 20230346602
    Abstract: A method for modifying a refractive property of ocular tissue in an eye by creating at least one optically-modified gradient index (GRIN) layer in the corneal stroma and/or the crystalline by continuously scanning a continuous stream of laser pulses having a focal volume from a laser having a known average power along a continuous line having a smoothly changing refractive index within the tissue, and varying either or both of the scan speed and the laser average power during the scan. The method may further involve determining a desired vision correction adjustment, and determining a position, number, and design parameters of gradient index (GRIN) layers to be created within the ocular tissue to provide the desired vision correction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Wayne H. Knox, Krystel R. Huxlin
  • Patent number: 11757529
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an optical communication system may include an optical source, a modulator, and a photoreceiver. The optical source may be configured to generate a beam comprising a series of light pulses. The photoreceiver may have a detection window duration of 1 nanosecond or less. When a first pulse travels through a variably refractive medium, photons in the first pulse may be refracted to travel along different ray paths to arrive at the photoreceiver according to a temporal distribution curve. A full width at half maximum (FWHM) value of the temporal distribution curve may be greater than a coherence time value of the first pulse, and the detection window of the photoreceiver may be greater than the FWHM value of the temporal distribution curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne H. Knox, Alexander B. LeBon, Brian M. Gregory, Taz M. Colangelo
  • Patent number: 11690759
    Abstract: A method for modifying a refractive property of ocular tissue in an eye by creating at least one optically-modified gradient index (GRIN) layer in the corneal stroma and/or the crystalline by continuously scanning a continuous stream of laser pulses having a focal volume from a laser having a known average power along a continuous line having a smoothly changing refractive index within the tissue, and varying either or both of the scan speed and the laser average power during the scan. The method may further involve determining a desired vision correction adjustment, and determining a position, number, and design parameters of gradient index (GRIN) layers to be created within the ocular tissue to provide the desired vision correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: University of Rochester
    Inventors: Wayne H. Knox, Krystel R. Huxlin
  • Publication number: 20230038030
    Abstract: A refractive index writing system includes a pulsed laser source, an objective lens for focusing an output of the pulsed laser source to a focal spot in an optical material, and a scanner for relatively moving the focal spot with respect to the optical material along a scan region. A beam multiplexer divides the output of the laser source into at least two working beams that are focused to variously shaped focal spots within the optical material. A controller controls at least one of a temporal and a spatial offset between the focal spots of the working beams together with the relative speed and direction of the scanner for maintaining an energy profile within the optical material along the scan region above a nonlinear absorption threshold of the optical material and below a breakdown threshold of the optical materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventor: Wayne H. Knox
  • Patent number: 11575433
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an optical communication system may include an optical source, a modulator, and a photoreceiver. The optical source may be configured to generate a beam comprising a series of light pulses each having a duration of less than 100 picoseconds. The photoreceiver may have a detection window duration of less than 1 nanosecond. When a first pulse travels through a variably refractive medium, photons in the first pulse may be refracted to travel along different ray paths to arrive at the photoreceiver according to a temporal distribution curve. A full width at half maximum (FWHM) value of the temporal distribution curve may be at least three times as large as a coherence time value of the first pulse, and the detection window of the photoreceiver may be at least six times as large as the FWHM value of the temporal distribution curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne H. Knox, Alexander B. LeBon, Brian M. Gregory, Taz M. Colangelo
  • Publication number: 20230032944
    Abstract: Subsurface optical elements are formed within an ophthalmic lens using modulation of depth to which refractive index change inducing laser pulses are focused within the ophthalmic lens. A system for forming one or more subsurface optical structures within an ophthalmic lens comprises a control unit operatively coupled with a laser pulse source and a focusing assembly. The control unit is configured to control operation of the focusing assembly to sequentially focus each of the sequence of laser pulses onto a respective sub-volume of a sequence of sub-volumes of the ophthalmic lens. The sub-volumes of the sequence of sub-volumes have modulated depths within the ophthalmic lens and varying transverse locations within the ophthalmic lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicants: Clerio Vision, Inc., University of Rochester
    Inventors: Lisen J. Xu, Brian T. Smith, Gustavo A. Gandara-Montano, Wayne H. Knox
  • Publication number: 20220228964
    Abstract: A device, system and method for the detection and screening of plastic microparticles in a sample is disclosed. A nanoporous silicon nitride membrane is used to entrap plastic microparticles contained in the sample. The sample may be a water sample, an air sample, or other liquid or gas sample. The entrapped plastic microparticles are then heated or otherwise processed on the nanoporous silicon nitride membrane. An imaging system observes the nanoporous silicon nitride membrane with tic entrapped plastic microparticles to determine the type and quantity of the various plastic microparticles that are entrapped on the membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: University of Rochester
    Inventors: Wayne H. Knox, Gregory Madejski, James Lionel McGrath
  • Publication number: 20220001495
    Abstract: Methods of designing a laser writing system for modifying a plurality of ophthalmic devices, and systems designed in accordance with those methods. One example of such a method includes: (a) determining at least one material characteristic of the ophthalmic devices, determined over a range of laser writing system parameters; (b) determining at least one design characteristic of the ophthalmic device; and (c) using at least the determined material and design characteristics, configuring at least one system parameter of the laser writing system to optimize throughput of the laser writing system, the laser writing system including: (i) a laser configured to generate a laser beam, (ii) a splitter configured to split the laser beam into a plurality of outputs, and (iii) a plurality of writing heads, each writing head configured to direct at least one of the outputs to an ophthalmic device to write one or more localized refractive index modifications into the ophthalmic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Wayne H. Knox, Ruiting Huang
  • Publication number: 20210128294
    Abstract: An optical device comprising an optical hydrogel with select regions that have been irradiated with laser light having a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 50 nJ and a wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. The irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06, and exhibit little or no scattering loss. The optical hydrogel is prepared with a hydrophilic monomer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Wayne H. Knox, Li Ding, Jay F. Kunzler, Dharmendra Jani
  • Publication number: 20210063769
    Abstract: Described refractive correctors, include, but are not limited to, intraocular lenses (IOLs), contact lenses, corneal inlays, and other optical components or devices, incorporating a continuous central phase zone and peripheral phase discontinuities. Further embodiments are directed to a method for using a laser to modify the refractive properties of refractive correctors to form such continuous central phase zone and peripheral phase discontinuities, and other applications. The refractive corrector and methods adapt a Fresnel lens structure to include continuous phase retarding regions having a wavefront height of greater than one design wavelength in a central zone of a refractive corrector to improve human vision applications, while maintaining benefits of phase wrapping in the peripheral region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Wayne H. Knox, Gustavo A. Gandara-Montano, Leonard Zheleznyak
  • Publication number: 20210045920
    Abstract: A method for modifying a refractive property of ocular tissue in an eye by creating at least one optically-modified gradient index (GRIN) layer in the corneal stroma and/or the crystalline by continuously scanning a continuous stream of laser pulses having a focal volume from a laser having a known average power along a continuous line having a smoothly changing refractive index within the tissue, and varying either or both of the scan speed and the laser average power during the scan. The method may further involve determining a desired vision correction adjustment, and determining a position, number, and design parameters of gradient index (GRIN) layers to be created within the ocular tissue to provide the desired vision correction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Wayne H. Knox, Krystel R. Huxlin
  • Patent number: 10893936
    Abstract: An optical device comprising an optical hydrogel with select regions that have been irradiated with laser light having a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 50 nJ and a wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. The irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06, and exhibit little or no scattering loss. The optical hydrogel is prepared with a hydrophilic monomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: University of Rochester
    Inventors: Wayne H. Knox, Li Ding, Jay F. Kunzler, Dharmendra Jani
  • Patent number: 10838233
    Abstract: Described refractive correctors, include, but are not limited to, intraocular lenses (IOLs), contact lenses, corneal inlays, and other optical components or devices, incorporating a continuous central phase zone and peripheral phase discontinuities. Further embodiments are directed to a method for using a laser to modify the refractive properties of refractive correctors to form such continuous central phase zone and peripheral phase discontinuities, and other applications. The refractive corrector and methods adapt a Fresnel lens structure to include continuous phase retarding regions having a wavefront height of greater than one design wavelength in a central zone of a refractive corrector to improve human vision applications, while maintaining benefits of phase wrapping in the peripheral region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: University of Rochester
    Inventors: Wayne H. Knox, Gustavo A. Gandara-Montano, Leonard Zheleznyak
  • Patent number: 10813791
    Abstract: A method for modifying a refractive property of ocular tissue in an eye by creating at least one optically-modified gradient index (GRIN) layer in the corneal stroma and/or the crystalline by continuously scanning a continuous stream of laser pulses having a focal volume from a laser having a known average power along a continuous line having a smoothly changing refractive index within the tissue, and varying either or both of the scan speed and the laser average power during the scan. The method may further involve determining a desired vision correction adjustment, and determining a position, number, and design parameters of gradient index (GRIN) layers to be created within the ocular tissue to provide the desired vision correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: University of Rochester
    Inventors: Wayne H. Knox, Krystel R. Huxlin
  • Patent number: 10806567
    Abstract: A method for modifying the refractive index of an optical, polymeric material. The method comprises irradiating select regions of the optical, polymeric material with a focused, visible or near-IR laser having a pulse energy from 0.05 nJ to 1000 nJ. The irradiation results in the formation of refractive optical structures, which exhibit little or no scattering loss. The method can he used to modify the refractive index of an intraocular lens following the surgical implantation of the intraocular lens in a human eye. The invention is also directed to an optical device comprising refractive optical structures, which exhibit little or no scattering loss and are characterized by a positive change in refractive index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: University of Rochester
    Inventors: Wayne H. Knox, Li Ding, Jay Friedrich Kunzler, Dharmendra M. Jani
  • Patent number: 10649115
    Abstract: A method for modifying the refractive index of an optical polymeric material. The method comprises continuously irradiating predetermined regions of an optical, polymeric material with femtosecond laser pulses to form a gradient index refractive structure within the material. The optical polymeric material can include a photosensitizer to increase the photoefficiency of the two-photo process resulting in the formation of the observed refractive structures. An optical device includes an optical, polymeric lens material having an anterior surface and posterior surface and an optical axis intersecting the surfaces and at least one laser-modified, GRIN layer disposed between the anterior surface and the posterior surface and arranged along a first axis 45° to 90° to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: University of Rochester
    Inventors: Wayne H. Knox, Dharmendra Jani, Li Ding