Patents by Inventor Bruce Yee

Bruce Yee 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: 11800990
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measuring perfusion using transmission laser speckle imaging are provided. The apparatus comprises a coherent light source and a detector configured to measure transmitted light associated with an unfocused image at one or more locations. The coherent light source and detector are positioned in a transmission geometry. The apparatus further comprises means for securing the coherent light source and the detector to the tissue sample in a fixed transmission geometry relative to the tissue sample. The apparatus may further comprise at least one processor to receive information from the detector and process detected variations in transmitted light intensity to determine a single metric of perfusion. The method may comprise the steps transilluminating a tissue sample with coherent light, recording spatial and/or temporal variations in the transmitted light signal, determining speckle contrast value(s), and computing a metric of perfusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien AG
    Inventors: Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang, Tyler Bywaters Rice
  • Patent number: 11759116
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes processing circuitry configured to generate a laser speckle contrast signal based on a received signal indicative of detected light, wherein the detected light is scatted by tissue from a coherent light source. The processing circuitry may also determine, from the laser speckle contrast signal, a flow value and determine, from the laser speckle contrast signal, a waveform metric. Based on the flow value and the waveform metric, the processing circuitry may determine a blood flow metric for the tissue and output a representation of the blood flow metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien AG
    Inventors: Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang, Tyler Bywaters Rice
  • Patent number: 11709120
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for improved laser speckle imaging of samples, such as vascularized tissue, for the determination of the rate of movement of light scattering particles within the sample. The system includes a structure adjoining a light source and a photo-sensitive detector. The structure can be positioned adjacent the sample (e.g., coupled to the sample) and configured to orient the light source and detector relative the sample such that surface reflections, including specular reflections and diffuse reflections, are discouraged from entering the detection field of the detector. The separation distance along the structure between the light source and the detector may further enable selective depth penetration into the sample and biased sampling of multiply scattered photons. The system includes an operably coupled processor programmed to derive contrast metrics from the detector and to relate the contrast metrics to a rate of movement of the light scattering particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien AG
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang
  • Patent number: 11579004
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices for calibrating contrast measurements from laser speckle imaging systems to accurately determine unknown particle motion characteristics, such as flow rate. The calibration stores to memory calibration data, which may include a set of measurements from samples with known particle characteristics and/or estimates of noise, including the effects on contrast arising from undesired signals unrelated to the unknown particle motion characteristics. The calibration data may be accessed and used to correct an empirical measurement of contrast and/or interpolate a value of the unknown particle motion characteristic. The system may include a light source, photodetector, processor, and memory, which can be combined into a single device, such as a wearable device, for providing calibrated flow measurements. The device may be used, for example, to measure blood flow, cardiac output, and heart rate, and can be used to amplify the pulsatile signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: COVIDIEN AG
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang
  • Publication number: 20210293595
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices for calibrating contrast measurements from laser speckle imaging systems to accurately determine unknown particle motion characteristics, such as flow rate. The calibration stores to memory calibration data, which may include a set of measurements from samples with known particle characteristics and/or estimates of noise, including the effects on contrast arising from undesired signals unrelated to the unknown particle motion characteristics. The calibration data may be accessed and used to correct an empirical measurement of contrast and/or interpolate a value of the unknown particle motion characteristic. The system may include a light source, photodetector, processor, and memory, which can be combined into a single device, such as a wearable device, for providing calibrated flow measurements. The device may be used, for example, to measure blood flow, cardiac output, and heart rate, and can be used to amplify the pulsatile signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang
  • Publication number: 20210177283
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes processing circuitry configured to generate a laser speckle contrast signal based on a received signal indicative of detected light, wherein the detected light is scatted by tissue from a coherent light source. The processing circuitry may also determine, from the laser speckle contrast signal, a flow value and determine, from the laser speckle contrast signal, a waveform metric. Based on the flow value and the waveform metric, the processing circuitry may determine a blood flow metric for the tissue and output a representation of the blood flow metric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang, Tyler Bywaters Rice
  • Patent number: 10955275
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices for calibrating contrast measurements from laser speckle imaging systems to accurately determine unknown particle motion characteristics, such as flow rate. The calibration stores to memory calibration data, which may include a set of measurements from samples with known particle characteristics and/or estimates of noise, including the effects on contrast arising from undesired signals unrelated to the unknown particle motion characteristics. The calibration data may be accessed and used to correct an empirical measurement of contrast and/or interpolate a value of the unknown particle motion characteristic. The system may include a light source, photodetector, processor, and memory, which can be combined into a single device, such as a wearable device, for providing calibrated flow measurements. The device may be used, for example, to measure blood flow, cardiac output, and heart rate, and can be used to amplify the pulsatile signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang
  • Publication number: 20210022623
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for determining physiological information in a subject. The system includes; a light source positionable along a first location outside of the subject; a photo-sensitive detector positionable along a second location outside of the subject and configured to detect scattered light and generate a signal; a processor having a program and a memory, wherein the processor is operably coupled to the detector and configured to receive and store the signals generated over a period of time; wherein the processor is programmed to derive contrast metrics from the stored signals, calculate a waveform from the contrast metrics, decompose the waveform into basis functions and respective amplitudes, and compare the basis function amplitudes to determine the physiological information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Michael Ghijsen, Bruce J. Tromberg, Bruce Yee Yang, Sean Michael White
  • Patent number: 10813597
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for determining physiological information in a subject. The system includes: a light source positionable along a first location outside of the subject; a photo-sensitive detector positionable along a second location outside of the subject and configured to detect scattered light and generate a signal; a processor having a program and a memory, wherein the processor is operably coupled to the detector and configured to receive and store the signals generated over a period of time; wherein the processor is programmed to derive contrast metrics from the stored signals, calculate a waveform from the contrast metrics, decompose the waveform into basis functions and respective amplitudes, and compare the basis function amplitudes to determine the physiological information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignees: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Michael Ghijsen, Bruce J. Tromberg, Bruce Yee Yang, Sean Michael White
  • Publication number: 20200158548
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices for calibrating contrast measurements from laser speckle imaging systems to accurately determine unknown particle motion characteristics, such as flow rate. The calibration stores to memory calibration data, which may include a set of measurements from samples with known particle characteristics and/or estimates of noise, including the effects on contrast arising from undesired signals unrelated to the unknown particle motion characteristics. The calibration data may be accessed and used to correct an empirical measurement of contrast and/or interpolate a value of the unknown particle motion characteristic. The system may include a light source, photodetector, processor, and memory, which can be combined into a single device, such as a wearable device, for providing calibrated flow measurements. The device may be used, for example, to measure blood flow, cardiac output, and heart rate, and can be used to amplify the pulsatile signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang
  • Publication number: 20190086316
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for improved laser speckle imaging of samples, such as vascularized tissue, for the determination of the rate of movement of light scattering particles within the sample. The system includes a structure adjoining a light source and a photo-sensitive detector. The structure can be positioned adjacent the sample (e.g., coupled to the sample) and configured to orient the light source and detector relative the sample such that surface reflections, including specular reflections and diffuse reflections, are discouraged from entering the detection field of the detector. The separation distance along the structure between the light source and the detector may further enable selective depth penetration into the sample and biased sampling of multiply scattered photons. The system includes an operably coupled processor programmed to derive contrast metrics from the detector and to relate the contrast metrics to a rate of movement of the light scattering particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang
  • Publication number: 20180296168
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for determining physiological information in a subject. The system includes: a light source positionable along a first location outside of the subject; a photo-sensitive detector positionable along a second location outside of the subject and configured to detect scattered light and generate a signal; a processor having a program and a memory, wherein the processor is operably coupled to the detector and configured to receive and store the signals generated over a period of time; wherein the processor is programmed to derive contrast metrics from the stored signals, calculate a waveform from the contrast metrics, decompose the waveform into basis functions and respective amplitudes, and compare the basis function amplitudes to determine the physiological information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Michael Ghijsen, Bruce J. Tromberg, Bruce Yee Yang, Sean Michael White
  • Publication number: 20180199829
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measuring perfusion using transmission laser speckle imaging are provided. The apparatus comprises a coherent light source and a detector configured to measure transmitted light associated with an unfocused image at one or more locations. The coherent light source and detector are positioned in a transmission geometry. The apparatus further comprises means for securing the coherent light source and the detector to the tissue sample in a fixed transmission geometry relative to the tissue sample. The apparatus may further comprise at least one processor to receive information from the detector and process detected variations in transmitted light intensity to determine a single metric of perfusion. The method may comprise the steps transilluminating a tissue sample with coherent light, recording spatial and/or temporal variations in the transmitted light signal, determining speckle contrast value(s), and computing a metric of perfusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang, Tyler Bywaters Rice
  • Patent number: 9848787
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measuring perfusion using transmission laser speckle imaging are provided. The apparatus comprises a coherent light source and a detector configured to measure transmitted light associated with an unfocused image at one or more locations. The coherent light source and detector are positioned in a transmission geometry. The apparatus further comprises means for securing the coherent light source and the detector to the tissue sample in a fixed transmission geometry relative to the tissue sample. The apparatus may further comprise at least one processor to receive information from the detector and process detected variations in transmitted light intensity to determine a single metric of perfusion. The method may comprise the steps transilluminating a tissue sample with coherent light, recording spatial and/or temporal variations in the transmitted light signal, determining speckle contrast value(s), and computing a metric of perfusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Laser Associated Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang, Tyler Bywaters Rice
  • Publication number: 20130204112
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measuring perfusion using transmission laser speckle imaging are provided. The apparatus comprises a coherent light source and a detector configured to measure transmitted light associated with an unfocused image at one or more locations. The coherent light source and detector are positioned in a transmission geometry. The apparatus further comprises means for securing the coherent light source and the detector to the tissue sample in a fixed transmission geometry relative to the tissue sample. The apparatus may further comprise at least one processor to receive information from the detector and process detected variations in transmitted light intensity to determine a single metric of perfusion. The method may comprise the steps transilluminating a tissue sample with coherent light, recording spatial and/or temporal variations in the transmitted light signal, determining speckle contrast value(s), and computing a metric of perfusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: Laser Associated Sciences, LLC
    Inventors: Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang, Tyler Bywaters Rice
  • Patent number: 7613868
    Abstract: A method and system for programming and reading a magnetic memory is disclosed. The magnetic memory includes a plurality of selectable word line segments and a plurality of magnetic storage cells corresponding to each word line segment. The method and system include reading the magnetic storage cells corresponding to a word line segment to determine a state of each magnetic storage cell. The method and system also include writing data to a portion of the magnetic cells corresponding to the word line segment after the reading. The method and system also include rewriting the state to each of a remaining portion of the magnetic storage cells corresponding to the word line segments at substantially the same time as the portion of the magnetic cells are written.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsu Kai (Karl) Yang, Xizeng Shi, Po-Kang Wang, Bruce Yee Yang
  • Patent number: 7027324
    Abstract: A method and system for providing a magnetic memory including magnetic memory cells associated with a word line segment is disclosed. The magnetic memory cell includes a magnetic storage device and an isolation device. The isolation device is coupled to the magnetic tunneling junction and with a combined word line for reading and writing to the magnetic memory cell. The magnetic storage device and the isolation device are configured such that no direct current path to ground exists during the writing to the magnetic memory cell. In one aspect, in a write mode, the combined word line associated with the word line segment and the word line segment are activated. In the read mode, at least a portion of the memory cells associated with the word line segment are selected using the combined word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignees: Headway Technologies, Inc., Applied Spintronics Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsu Kai (Karl) Yang, Xizeng Shi, Po-Kang Wang, Bruce Yee Yang
  • Patent number: 4834415
    Abstract: A dual-seat foldable baby cart adapted for babies to sit in or lie down, basically consists of a commonly known baby cart structure with its two pairs of horizontal frames forward extending longer than a conventional baby cart, whereto a pair of front supporting legs tilting backwardly may be riveted near the front end at a proper position and an extra back frame and an extra foldable awning support assembly may be adequately connected and, thus providing additional room for the baby cart. Meanwhile, an angle adjusting device is installed at the connection where back frames and the lower pair of the horizontal frames of the baby cart are jointed so that the back frames may be adjustably tilted at different angles for babies either to sit in or to lie down. The whole baby cart is constructed in such a foldable form that the whole structure is operated by a pedal lever, easily folded or unfolded by simply stepping down the pedal lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Apexcel Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Bruce Yee