Patents by Inventor Cha-Min Tang
Cha-Min Tang 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).
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Publication number: 20230263398Abstract: An apparatus provided for detecting tooth pulp vitality includes a handle, a pivot and a caliper. A pair of fiber optic lines pass through an interior of the handle, the pivot and the caliper. One of the fiber optic lines is a source line with a connector at an end of the source line and another of the fiber optic lines is a detector line with a connector at an end of the detector line. The source line is single mode in the handle and the detector line is multi mode. A system is also provided for detecting tooth pulp vitality that includes the apparatus. Additionally, a method is provided for detecting tooth pulp vitality that employs the apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2023Publication date: August 24, 2023Inventors: Cha-Min Tang, Joseph Schmitt
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Patent number: 11666223Abstract: An apparatus provided for detecting tooth pulp vitality includes a handle, a pivot and a caliper. A pair of fiber optic lines pass through an interior of the handle, the pivot and the caliper. One of the fiber optic lines is a source line with a connector at an end of the source line and another of the fiber optic lines is a detector line with a connector at an end of the detector line. The source line is single mode in the handle and the detector line is multi mode. A system is also provided for detecting tooth pulp vitality that includes the apparatus. Additionally, a method is provided for detecting tooth pulp vitality that employs the apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2018Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignees: University of Maryland, Baltimore, The United States Government as Represented by the Dept of Veterans AffairsInventors: Cha-Min Tang, Joseph Schmitt
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Patent number: 11285293Abstract: A device disclosed herein includes a tubular member which is flexible and configured to receive ultraviolet (UV) light from a UV illumination coupler. The tubular member contains a lumen defining a longitudinal interior space within the tubular member, a tubular body bounded by an inner wall defining an outer boundary of the lumen and an outer wall defining an outer surface of the tubular member, at least one optical fiber disposed outside of the interior space not parallel to an axis of the lumen and adapted to receive the UV light from the UV illumination coupler, and a protective component adapted to prevent substantively all of the UV light emitted from the optical fiber from exiting the outer wall. Methods for producing and using such devices are also disclosed herein.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2018Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignees: University Of Maryland, Baltimore, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRSInventors: Cha-Min Tang, Paul E. Bigeleisen, Samuel M. Galvagno, Jr., Mark E. Shirtliff
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Publication number: 20200237231Abstract: An apparatus provided for detecting tooth pulp vitality includes a handle, a pivot and a caliper. A pair of fiber optic lines pass through an interior of the handle, the pivot and the caliper. One of the fiber optic lines is a source line with a connector at an end of the source line and another of the fiber optic lines is a detector line with a connector at an end of the detector line. The source line is single mode in the handle and the detector line is multi mode. A system is also provided for detecting tooth pulp vitality that includes the apparatus. Additionally, a method is provided for detecting tooth pulp vitality that employs the apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2018Publication date: July 30, 2020Inventors: Cha-Min Tang, Joseph Schmitt
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Publication number: 20200057380Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that combine an amplitude modulation SLM with a phase modulating SLM in the same optical illumination system. The combination of the amplitude modulation SLM and the phase modulation SLM allows the optical illumination to compensate for the limitations of amplitude modulation SLM by using phase modulating SLM and conversely to compensate for the limitations of phase modulation SLM by using amplitude modulating SLM.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2019Publication date: February 20, 2020Inventors: Cha-Min Tang, Valentina Emiliani, Peter Pennefather
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Patent number: 10474035Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that combine an amplitude modulation SLM with a phase modulating SLM in the same optical illumination system. The combination of the amplitude modulation SLM and the phase modulation SLM allows the optical illumination to compensate for the limitations of amplitude modulation SLM by using phase modulating SLM and conversely to compensate for the limitations of phase modulation SLM by using amplitude modulating SLM.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2017Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: United States Government as Represented by the Department of Veterans AffairsInventors: Cha-Min Tang, Valentina Emiliani, Peter Pennefather
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Publication number: 20190192814Abstract: A device disclosed herein includes a tubular member which is flexible and configured to receive ultraviolet (UV) light from a UV illumination coupler. The tubular member contains a lumen defining a longitudinal interior space within the tubular member, a tubular body bounded by an inner wall defining an outer boundary of the lumen and an outer wall defining an outer surface of the tubular member, at least one optical fiber disposed outside of the interior space not parallel to an axis of the lumen and adapted to receive the UV light from the UV illumination coupler, and a protective component adapted to prevent substantively all of the UV light emitted from the optical fiber from exiting the outer wall. Methods for producing and using such devices are also disclosed herein.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2018Publication date: June 27, 2019Inventors: Cha-Min Tang, Paul E. Bigeleisen, Samuel M. Galvagno, JR., Mark E. Shirtliff
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Patent number: 10183144Abstract: A device disclosed herein includes a tubular member which is flexible and configured to receive ultraviolet (UV) light from a UV illumination coupler. The tubular member contains a lumen defining a longitudinal interior space within the tubular member, a tubular body bounded by an inner wall defining an outer boundary of the lumen and an outer wall defining an outer surface of the tubular member, at least one optical fiber disposed outside of the interior space not parallel to an axis of the lumen and adapted to receive the UV light from the UV illumination coupler, and a protective component adapted to prevent substantively all of the UV light emitted from the optical fiber from exiting the outer wall. Methods for producing and using such devices are also disclosed herein.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2014Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignees: The University of Maryland, Baltimore, The United States of America as represented by the Department of Veterans AffairsInventors: Cha-Min Tang, Paul E. Bigeleisen, Samuel M. Galvagno, Jr., Mark E. Shirtliff
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Publication number: 20170371248Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that combine an amplitude modulation SLM with a phase modulating SLM in the same optical illumination system. The combination of the amplitude modulation SLM and the phase modulation SLM allows the optical illumination to compensate for the limitations of amplitude modulation SLM by using phase modulating SLM and conversely to compensate for the limitations of phase modulation SLM by using amplitude modulating SLM.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2017Publication date: December 28, 2017Inventors: Cha-Min TANG, Valentina EMILIANI, Peter PENNEFATHER
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Patent number: 9778573Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that combine an amplitude modulation SLM with a phase modulating SLM in the same optical illumination system. The combination of the amplitude modulation SLM and the phase modulation SLM allows the optical illumination to compensate for the limitations of amplitude modulation SLM by using phase modulating SLM and conversely to compensate for the limitations of phase modulation SLM by using amplitude modulating SLM.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRSInventors: Cha-Min Tang, Valentina Emiliani, Peter Pennefather
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Patent number: 9486140Abstract: A motion sensor applicable to medical procedures includes a source of light with a wavelength bandwidth and an optical detector. A first optical coupler terminates in a first probe tip and couples the light into the first probe tip. A second optical coupler terminates in a second probe tip and directs onto the detector scattered light returning through the second probe tip. A presentation device outputs a signal that indicates motion in a target volume of a sample in a vicinity of the probe tips based on a Doppler shift of the scattered light. The volume depends on coherence distance determined by the bandwidth. In variations, the first and second tips are the same tip, a multimode fiber is included, the bandwidth is between 0.1% and 5% of a center wavelength, or the presentation device is a speaker, or some combination.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2013Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignees: University of Maryland, Baltimore, The United States of America as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs, St. Jude Medical, University of Maryland, College ParkInventors: Cha-Min Tang, Chia-Pin Liang, Yu Chen, Ashraf Fouad, Joseph Schmitt, Nicholas Woolsey
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Publication number: 20160033874Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that combine an amplitude modulation SLM with a phase modulating SLM in the same optical illumination system. The combination of the amplitude modulation SLM and the phase modulation SLM allows the optical illumination to compensate for the limitations of amplitude modulation SLM by using phase modulating SLM and conversely to compensate for the limitations of phase modulation SLM by using amplitude modulating SLM.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2014Publication date: February 4, 2016Applicant: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AS REPRESENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRSInventors: Cha-Min TANG, Valentina EMILIANI, Peter PENNEFATHER
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Publication number: 20150126976Abstract: A device disclosed herein includes a tubular member which is flexible and configured to receive ultraviolet (UV) light from a UV illumination coupler. The tubular member contains a lumen defining a longitudinal interior space within the tubular member, a tubular body bounded by an inner wall defining an outer boundary of the lumen and an outer wall defining an outer surface of the tubular member, at least one optical fiber disposed outside of the interior space not parallel to an axis of the lumen and adapted to receive the UV light from the UV illumination coupler, and a protective component adapted to prevent substantively all of the UV light emitted from the optical fiber from exiting the outer wall. Methods for producing and using such devices are also disclosed herein.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2014Publication date: May 7, 2015Inventors: Cha-Min Tang, Paul E. Bigeleisen, Samuel M. Galvagno, JR., Mark E. Shirtliff
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Publication number: 20140043618Abstract: A motion sensor applicable to medical procedures includes a source of light with a wavelength bandwidth and an optical detector. A first optical coupler terminates in a first probe tip and couples the light into the first probe tip. A second optical coupler terminates in a second probe tip and directs onto the detector scattered light returning through the second probe tip. A presentation device outputs a signal that indicates motion in a target volume of a sample in a vicinity of the probe tips based on a Doppler shift of the scattered light. The volume depends on coherence distance determined by the bandwidth. In variations, the first and second tips are the same tip, a multimode fiber is included, the bandwidth is between 0.1% and 5% of a center wavelength, or the presentation device is a speaker, or some combination.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2013Publication date: February 13, 2014Applicants: University of Maryland, Baltimore, The United States of America as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs, St. Jude Medical, University of Maryland, College ParkInventors: Cha-Min Tang, Chia-Pin Liang, Yu Chen, Ashraf Fouad, Joseph Schmitt, Nicholas Woolsey
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Publication number: 20090264981Abstract: Methods comprising the use of optical coherence tomography to examine a harvested conduit for its suitability for grafting, to examine a candidate conduit prior to harvesting for coronary artery bypass graftings to assess the quality of an anastomosis, to assess the quality of the suturing of a small vessel or duct with a suture coated with a contrast agent, and to detect coronary artery disease in a harvested donor heart prior to transplantation.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2007Publication date: October 22, 2009Inventors: Robert Poston, Cha-Min Tang
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Publication number: 20090209867Abstract: Methods for diagnosing altered neuropathology in an animal are disclosed, wherein said methods comprise imaging brain, spinal cord, or other neural tissue of the animal, analyzing the appearance of the tissue, and determining whether the appearance of the tissue is altered relative to corresponding unaltered tissue. Also disclosed are methods for diagnosing spongiform encephalopathies in an animal, wherein said methods comprise imaging brain, spinal cord, or other neural tissues of the animal, analyzing the appearance of vacuoles in the tissue, and determining whether the appearance of the vacuoles in the tissue is altered relative to corresponding spongiform encephalopathy-free tissue. Also disclosed are automated methods for diagnosing altered neuropathy and spongiform encephalopathies.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2009Publication date: August 20, 2009Inventors: Cha Min TANG, Robert G. ROHWER
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Patent number: 7532323Abstract: A device for discriminately illuminating a sample (22) to be viewed with excitation light (70). For example, an image taken with a CCD (10) provides feedback which is used to modulate the output of an excitation light source (40), thereby allowing a sample (22) to be viewed within the optimal range of detection for the particular CCD device (10) being used, despite the potential of wide dynamic ranges of sample luminescence.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2004Date of Patent: May 12, 2009Inventors: Cha-Min Tang, Andrew Bartfay-Szabo
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Publication number: 20080145312Abstract: Methods for diagnosing altered neuropathology in an animal are disclosed, wherein said methods comprise imaging brain, spinal cord, or other neural tissue of the animal, analyzing the appearance of the tissue, and determining whether the appearance of the tissue is altered relative to corresponding unaltered tissue. Also disclosed are methods for diagnosing spongiform encephalopathies in an animal, wherein said methods comprise imaging brain, spinal cord, or other neural tissues of the animal, analyzing the appearance of vacuoles in the tissue, and determining whether the appearance of the vacuoles in the tissue is altered relative to corresponding spongiform encephalopathy-free tissue. Also disclosed are automated methods for diagnosing altered neuropathy and spongiform encephalopathies.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2008Publication date: June 19, 2008Inventors: Cha Min Tang, Robert G. Rohwer
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Publication number: 20070132998Abstract: A device for discriminately illuminating a sample (22) to be viewed with excitation light (70). For example, an image taken with a CCD (10) provides feedback which is used to modulate the output of an excitation light source (40), thereby allowing a sample (22) to be viewed within the optimal range of detection for the particular CCD device (10) being used, despite the potential of wide dynamic ranges of sample luminescence.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2004Publication date: June 14, 2007Inventors: Cha-Min Tang, Andrew Bartfay-Szabo
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Patent number: 7197193Abstract: An instrument to acquire and methods to obtain three-dimensional (3D) images from a series of two-dimensional (2D) images which are obtained without moving the relative positions of the target, the detector, or the focusing lens is disclosed. The 2D images consist of one centered image obtained with the aperture at the center of optical system, and at least two directional images obtained with apertures at off-axis locations. The images can be obtained simultaneously or sequentially. The blurred 2D images are sectioned by computational method using point spread function of the optical system resulting in a set of decoupled 2D layers of the 3D object. The layered images are then sharpened by deconvolution using point spread function. The 3D reconstructed image is displayed. This technique provides fast data acquisition and fast image reconstruction and eliminates problems associated with motion, phototoxicity and photobleaching.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2003Date of Patent: March 27, 2007Assignee: Creatv MicroTech, Inc.Inventors: Shuhong Li, Cha-Min Tang, Cha-Mei Tang