Patents by Inventor Changho Chong

Changho Chong 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).

  • Publication number: 20150201833
    Abstract: Improved optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging systems are generally described. In an example, an OCT imaging system includes a tunable laser source, an interferometer, a splitter, and a detector. The tunable laser source is configured to provide a wavelength-scanned beam. The interferometer is configured to split the wavelength-scanned beam into a reference beam and an object beam. The splitter is configured to split the object beam into a first path corresponding to an anterior chamber imaging component and a second path corresponding to a retinal imaging component. The detector is configured to detect a signal caused by interference between the reference beam and at least a portion of the object beam reflected from the eye.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventor: Changho Chong
  • Patent number: 8690328
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure includes optical tomographic methods and systems for acquiring information based on an image precisely in a short time. In one example, an optical tomographic imaging device may irradiate light on an eye which is the object to be measured via an interferometer 13 using a wavelength scanning-type laser light source 11, and acquire a cross-sectional image. The optical tomographic imaging device may include an object lens 23 at the focus position of the two-axis tilt mirror 22. It may deflect light in the x-axis and y-axis direction using the two-axis tilt mirror 22 and obtain a three-dimensional cross-sectional image without having distortion in the optical axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Santec Corporation
    Inventor: Changho Chong
  • Patent number: 8107818
    Abstract: A light is incident on a refractive diffraction grating 13, and is distributed for each of wavelengths at different angles to be outputted. A lens 14 converts the distributed lights into belt-shaped lights, and the belt-shaped lights are incident on a mirror substrate 15 having selective reflection regions 17-1 to 17-x. By moving the mirror substrate 15 toward a direction different from a distribution direction of the belt-shaped lights, only the light of any one of wavelengths is reflected. Then, the light returning to the refractive diffraction grating 13 is reflected to an incident direction of the original light. Accordingly, a tunable filter which is able to select a light of an arbitrary wavelength by moving the mirror substrate 15 can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Santec Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuki Sakurai, Changho Chong
  • Patent number: 7835010
    Abstract: A tunable light source 10 for varying emission wavelength periodically and an optical interferometer are used. A reflector is disposed at a measurement position, a light interference signal is A/D converted at a regular time interval, and data numbers at timing giving peak and bottom are calculated according to a least-squares method. Based on this, an approximate equation is calculated according to polynomial approximation and a sequence including the number of exponentiation of 2 and converting the data number at a regular frequency interval is calculated. Then, by disposing a measured target at the measurement position, calculating the necessary number of pieces of data for FFT from measured data at each timing according to straight-line approximation and Fourier transforming a light beat signal obtained by an optical interferometer at regular frequency interval, a tomogram having high resolution and high sensitivity can be acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Santec Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Morosawa, Changho Chong
  • Patent number: 7701588
    Abstract: A surface emission laser light source is used as a tunable laser light source. Since the surface emission laser light source can realize a broad frequency scanning range at a high speed and in the single mode, a coherent length is longer than that of a multi mode light source. For this reason, when a tomography image is calculated by executing the Fourier transform for an output obtained from an interference optical device, measuring depth can be deepened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Santec Corporation
    Inventor: Changho Chong
  • Publication number: 20090097120
    Abstract: A light is incident on a refractive diffraction grating 13, and is distributed for each of wavelengths at different angles to be outputted. A lens 14 converts the distributed lights into belt-shaped lights, and the belt-shaped lights are incident on a mirror substrate 15 having selective reflection regions 17-1 to 17-x. By moving the mirror substrate 15 toward a direction different from a distribution direction of the belt-shaped lights, only the light of any one of wavelengths is reflected. Then, the light returning to the refractive diffraction grating 13 is reflected to an incident direction of the original light. Accordingly, a tunable filter which is able to select a light of an arbitrary wavelength by moving the mirror substrate 15 can be realized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Yasuki SAKURAI, Changho Chong
  • Patent number: 7489713
    Abstract: An optical fiber loop has a gain medium having a gain at an oscillation wavelength and optical circulators 13 and 14. Collimate lenses 22 and 24 enlarge light bean taken from the optical circulators 13 and 14. A polygon mirror 25 is provided on the light axis, and is rotated. A diffraction grating 27 is provided at the receiving position of the light reflected by the polygon mirror 25, and is of a Littrow configuration which reflects the light in the same direction as the incident light. A selected wavelength changes according to an incident angle to the diffraction grating 27, resulting in increase of selectivity owing to twice incident, thereby permitting to change an oscillation wavelength with narrow band even when changing the selected wavelength by rotating the polygon mirror 25 at high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Santec Corporation
    Inventors: Changho Chong, Atsushi Morosawa, Tooru Sakai
  • Publication number: 20080252899
    Abstract: A tunable light source 10 for varying emission wavelength periodically and an optical interferometer are used. A reflector is disposed at a measurement position, a light interference signal is A/D converted at a regular time interval, and data numbers at timing giving peak and bottom are calculated according to a least-squares method. Based on this, an approximate equation is calculated according to polynomial approximation and a sequence including the number of exponentiation of 2 and converting the data number at a regular frequency interval is calculated. Then, by disposing a measured target at the measurement position, calculating the necessary number of pieces of data for FFT from measured data at each timing according to straight-line approximation and Fourier transforming a light beat signal obtained by an optical interferometer at regular frequency interval, a tomogram having high resolution and high sensitivity can be acquired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Atsushi Morosawa, Changho Chong
  • Publication number: 20080159468
    Abstract: A surface emission laser light source is used as a tunable laser light source. Since the surface emission laser light source can realize a broad frequency scanning range at a high speed and in the single mode, a coherent length is longer than that of a multi mode light source. For this reason, when a tomography image is calculated by executing the Fourier transform for an output obtained from an interference optical device, measuring depth can be deepened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventor: Changho Chong
  • Patent number: 7382809
    Abstract: An optical fiber loop has a gain medium having a gain at an oscillation wavelength and optical circulators 13 and 14. Collimate lenses 22 and 24 enlarge light bean taken from the optical circulators 13 and 14. A polygon mirror 25 is provided on the light axis, and is rotated. A diffraction grating 27 is provided at the receiving position of the light reflected by the polygon mirror 25, and is of a Littrow configuration which reflects the light in the same direction as the incident light. A selected wavelength changes according to an incident angle to the diffraction grating 27, resulting in increase of selectivity owing to twice incident, thereby permitting to change an oscillation wavelength with narrow band even when changing the selected wavelength by rotating the polygon mirror 25 at high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Santec Corporation
    Inventors: Changho Chong, Atsushi Morosawa, Tooru Sakai
  • Patent number: 7352783
    Abstract: A loop is formed with an optical fiber by providing a gain medium having a gain with respect to an oscillation wavelength. Light retrieved by the optical circulator 13 from the optical fiber loop is enlarged and projected to a mirror 23. A diffraction grating 25 is provided with respect to the light reflected in the mirror. The diffraction grating 25 has a Littrow arrangemnt wherein the light is reflected in a same direction as incident light. A selected wavelength is changed in accordance with an incident angle with respect to the diffraction grating 25. Therefore, when the mirror 23 is rotated so as to change the selected wavelength, the oscillation wavelength can be changed at high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Santec Corporation
    Inventor: Changho Chong
  • Patent number: 7323680
    Abstract: An optical fiber transmits signal light and the excitation light for driving an actuator each having a different wavelength to a probe. In the probe, the signal light and excitation light are separated from each other by an optical filter and the excitation light is irradiated to a photo diode. The signal light is supplied to a MEMS mirror unit. Then, the MEMS mirror unit is driven by an electromotive force obtained by the photo diode. In this manner, by modulating intensity of the excitation light, the signal light can be deflected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Santec Corporation
    Inventor: Changho Chong
  • Publication number: 20060255250
    Abstract: An optical fiber transmits signal light and the excitation light for driving an actuator each having a different wavelength to a probe. In the probe, the signal light and excitation light are separated from each other by an optical filter and the excitation light is irradiated to a photo diode. The signal light is supplied to a MEMS mirror unit. Then, the MEMS mirror unit is driven by an electromotive force obtained by the photo diode. In this manner, by modulating intensity of the excitation light, the signal light can be deflected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventor: Changho Chong
  • Publication number: 20060251131
    Abstract: An optical fiber loop has a gain medium having a gain at an oscillation wavelength and optical circulators 13 and 14. Collimate lenses 22 and 24 enlarge light bean taken from the optical circulators 13 and 14. A polygon mirror 25 is provided on the light axis, and is rotated. A diffraction grating 27 is provided at the receiving position of the light reflected by the polygon mirror 25, and is of a Littrow configuration which reflects the light in the same direction as the incident light. A selected wavelength changes according to an incident angle to the diffraction grating 27, resulting in increase of selectivity owing to twice incident, thereby permitting to change an oscillation wavelength with narrow band even when changing the selected wavelength by rotating the polygon mirror 25 at high speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Inventors: Changho Chong, Atsushi Morosawa, Tooru Sakai
  • Publication number: 20060193352
    Abstract: An optical fiber loop has a gain medium having a gain at an oscillation wavelength and optical circulators 13 and 14. Collimate lenses 22 and 24 enlarge light bean taken from the optical circulators 13 and 14. A polygon mirror 25 is provided on the light axis, and is rotated. A diffraction grating 27 is provided at the receiving position of the light reflected by the polygon mirror 25, and is of a Littrow configuration which reflects the light in the same direction as the incident light. A selected wavelength changes according to an incident angle to the diffraction grating 27, resulting in increase of selectivity owing to twice incident, thereby permitting to change an oscillation wavelength with narrow band even when changing the selected wavelength by rotating the polygon mirror 25 at high speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Publication date: August 31, 2006
    Inventors: Changho Chong, Atsushi Morosawa, Tooru Sakai
  • Patent number: 7099358
    Abstract: A gain medium 12 and a tunable filter are provided in an optical path of laser oscillation. The tunable filter has an optical beam deflector for periodically changing an optical beam at a constant angular speed, a prism 26 on which deflected light is made incident, and a diffraction grating 27. Appropriate selection of the apex angle ? of the prism 26 and an angle ? formed by the prism 26 and the diffraction grating 27 can provide a tunable laser light source for changing the oscillation frequency at high speed and a constant variation rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Santec Corporation
    Inventor: Changho Chong
  • Publication number: 20060056464
    Abstract: A loop is formed with an optical fiber by providing a gain medium having a gain with respect to an oscillation wavelength. Light retrieved by the optical circulator 13 from the optical fiber loop is enlarged and projected to a mirror 23. A diffraction grating 25 is provided with respect to the light reflected in the mirror. The diffraction grating 25 has a Littrow arrangemnt wherein the light is reflected in a same direction as incident light. A selected wavelength is changed in accordance with an incident angle with respect to the diffraction grating 25. Therefore, when the mirror 23 is rotated so as to change the selected wavelength, the oscillation wavelength can be changed at high speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Inventor: Changho Chong