Patents Assigned to Pulse Medical Instruments
  • Patent number: 5610673
    Abstract: A pupil detection system projects two small infrared (IR) spots separated by approximately 0.5 mm. Each spot is turned on at different times (or alternatively, they can be modulated at different frequencies). The error signal produced by each spot is compared. If the errors are similar, a pupil is present. If the errors are different, no pupil is present (i.e., a blink or lost tracking). The sequencing of the IR spots and the reading of the detector data occur at the higher rates needed for accurate eye tracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Pulse Medical Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc D. Rafal, Eric Starin, Jeff L. Krichmar
  • Patent number: 5422690
    Abstract: A fitness impairment tester implements a self-administered screening test to determine whether a subject is physically impaired. The tester is fully automated to respond to the entering of a subject's personal identification on a keypad. By superposing two different colored lights as viewed through an eyepiece, the subject aligns his or her pupil on the optical axis of pupil imaging optics which focuses an image of the subject's pupil on an image plane. The tester automatically recognizes this condition and audibly signals the subject that the test is about to begin. Light stimuli are provided to cause the pupil to change size and the eye to move. Pupil diameter measurements are made of the image of the subject's pupil in response to on axis light stimuli. Eye tracking of the subject's eye in response to moving light stimuli provide a measure of eye movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: Pulse Medical Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Rothberg, Tom N. Cornsweet, Marc D. Rafal
  • Patent number: 5410376
    Abstract: An improved eye tracking system capable of accurately measuring fast eye movements, is controlled by a microprocessor and software to rapidly track a subject's eye movements. The hardware for the electro-optical tracking system includes a quadrant detector which detects the relative direction of movement of the subject's eye. The output of the quadrant detector is processed by the microprocessor under the control of three software subsystems. The first software subsystem is the servo tracking software which controls positioning motors that rapidly move a mirror mechanism which reflects light that forms an image of the subject's eye on the quadrant detector. The second software subsystem is the pupil recognition software which recognizes that an image of a pupil is present. The third software subsystem is the blink detection software which recognizes the presence of a blink and disables the servo tracking subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Pulse Medical Instruments
    Inventors: Tom N. Cornsweet, Michael Rothberg, Ross J. Beesmer
  • Patent number: 5210554
    Abstract: A pupil function analyzer has three major subsystems; an electro-optical system, an electronic interface system and a computer/software system. The electro-optical system can, in turn, be described in terms of three subsystems; one that delivers controlled lights to the patient's eyes, another that forms images of the two pupils on a video camera, and a third that moves the optics to maintain alignment with the patient's eyes. The electronic interface system converts signals from the video camera into digital signals to be read by the computer and also responds to the computer to move motors for the maintenance of optical alignment and also operates the light stimuli. The computer/software saves and analyzes the signals sent by the electronic interface, controls the alignment motors, and provides an operator interface, so that the operator can select tests and examine the results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Pulse Medical Instruments
    Inventors: Tom N. Cornsweet, Michael Rothberg, George Homsy, Robert W. Sibley
  • Patent number: 5196872
    Abstract: A pupil function analyzer has three major subsystem; an electro-optical system, an electronic interface system and a computer/software system. The electro-optical system can, in turn, be described in terms of three subsystems; one that delivers controlled lights to the patient's eyes, another that forms images of the two pupils on a video camera, and a third that moves the optics to maintain alignment with the patient's eyes. The electronic interface system converts signals from the video camera into digital signals to be read by the computer and also responds to the computer to move motors for the maintenance of optical alignment and also operates the light stimuli. The computer/software saves and analyzes the signals sent by the electronic interface, controls the alignment motors, and provides an operator interface, so that the operator can select tests and examine the results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Assignee: Pulse Medical Instruments
    Inventors: Ross J. Beesmer, Tom N. Cornsweet, George Homsy
  • Patent number: 5150137
    Abstract: A pupil function analyzer has three major subsystems; an electro-optical system, an electronic interface system and a computer/software system. The electro-optical system can, in turn, be described in terms of three subsystems; one that delivers controlled lights to the patient's eyes, another that forms images of the two pupils on a video camera, and a third that moves the optics to maintain alignment with the patient's eyes. The electronic interface system converts signals from the video camera into digital signals to be read by the computer and also responds to the computer to move motors for the maintenance of optical alignment and also operates the light stimuli. The computer/software saves and analyzes the signals sent by the electronic interface, controls the alignment motors, and provides an operator interface, so that the operator can select tests and examine the results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Pulse Medical Instruments
    Inventors: William W. Owens, II, Thomas P. Frangesh
  • Patent number: 5114222
    Abstract: A perimetry system uses pupillary light response to a small bright light spot or other suitable stimulus which moves at a constant speed in generally a circular path centered on a fixation mark upon which the patient's field of view is fixed. The pattern traced by the spot may be a spiral, starting at the periphery and shrinking toward the fixation mark. A measuring system continuously monitors pupil size and if the retinal image of the moving light spot moves across a region of reduced sensitivity, this event is signaled by a change in pupil size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1992
    Assignee: Pulse Medical Instruments
    Inventor: Tom N. Cornsweet
  • Patent number: 5042937
    Abstract: A pupil function analyzer has three major subsystems; an electro-optical system, an electronic interface system and a computer/software system. The electro-optical system can, in turn, be described in terms of three subsystems; one that delivers controlled lights to the patient's eyes, another that forms images of the two pupils on a television camera, and a third that moves the optics to maintain alignment with the patient's eyes. The electronic interface system converts signals from the television camera into digital signals to be read by the computer and also responds to the computer to move motors for the maintenance of optical alignment and also operates the light stimuli. The computer/software saves and analyzes the signals sent by the electronic interface, controls the alignment motors, and provides an operator interface, so that the operator can select tests and examine the results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1991
    Assignee: Pulse Medical Instruments
    Inventor: Tom N. Cornsweet