Patents by Inventor Christoph Nieten

Christoph Nieten 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: 11835461
    Abstract: A microscopy system for simultaneously observing fluorescent and non-fluorescent regions of an object, and a method for operating the microscopy system are provided. The microscopy system includes a microscopy optical unit configured to image an object plane through an observation beam path onto an image plane, an observation filter arrangeable in the observation beam path, two light sources, one being provided for exciting a fluorescent dye in the object and another being provided for visualizing non-fluorescent regions of the object, and a controller to control the light sources individually. With a suitable configuration of the observation filter, all light sources can be operated with a minimum operating current, which ensures the stability of the light. The color rendering of the non-fluorescent regions can be set by the individual settability of the light sources which can be set such that fluorescent and non-fluorescent regions appear to be approximately equally bright.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Marco Wilzbach, Christoph Nieten, Stefan Meinkuss
  • Patent number: 11550138
    Abstract: A microscopy method is for producing an electronic image of an object, wherein the object is imaged with an adjustable optical imaging scale on an image detector. The method includes: selecting a parameter for the electronic image, wherein the parameter can be influenced by the optical imaging scale and differs from the image field dimensions, and setting a setpoint value range for the parameter, setting a total imaging scale for the electronic image, wherein adjusting or controlling the parameter of the electronic image is implemented such that, at the same time, the parameter of the electronic image lies in the specified setpoint value range with a tolerance and the set total imaging scale is obtained, wherein the optical imaging scale forms a basis for a manipulated variable of the adjustment or closed-loop control and a digital image magnification is carried out on the basis of the set total imaging scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Alois Regensburger, Christoph Nieten, Artur Hoegele, Christoph Hauger
  • Patent number: 11372223
    Abstract: A microscope and method for high resolution scanning microscopy of a sample, having an illumination device, an imaging device for the purpose of scanning at least one point or linear spot across the sample and of imaging the point or linear spot into a diffraction-limited, static single image below a reproduction scale in a detection plane. A detector device is used for detecting the single image in the detection plane for various scan positions, with a location accuracy which, taking into account the reproduction scale in at least one dimension/measurement, is at least twice as high as a full width at half maximum of the diffraction-limited single image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Kleppe, Yauheni Novikau, Christoph Nieten, Ralf Netz
  • Patent number: 11079330
    Abstract: A filter set for simultaneously observing fluorescent and non-fluorescent object regions, and an observation system and a method in which the filter set is used are disclosed. The illumination and observation light filters of the filter set each have two separate passbands with high transmission, which are spectrally defined such that illumination light outside the emission spectrum of fluorescence can pass through the illumination and observation light filters and fluorescent light is not swamped by the illumination light. The transmission of the passbands is defined such that non-fluorescent object regions can be observed substantially with color fidelity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Marco Wilzbach, Christoph Nieten
  • Publication number: 20210231941
    Abstract: A microscopy method is for producing an electronic image of an object, wherein the object is imaged with an adjustable optical imaging scale on an image detector. The method includes: selecting a parameter for the electronic image, wherein the parameter can be influenced by the optical imaging scale and differs from the image field dimensions, and setting a setpoint value range for the parameter, setting a total imaging scale for the electronic image, wherein adjusting or controlling the parameter of the electronic image is implemented such that, at the same time, the parameter of the electronic image lies in the specified setpoint value range with a tolerance and the set total imaging scale is obtained, wherein the optical imaging scale forms a basis for a manipulated variable of the adjustment or closed-loop control and a digital image magnification is carried out on the basis of the set total imaging scale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: Alois Regensburger, Christoph Nieten, Artur Hoegele, Christoph Hauger
  • Patent number: 10942122
    Abstract: A microscopy method includes illuminating an object with illumination light, recording a first color image of the illuminated object by a color image sensor suitable for recording colors of a first gamut, producing a second color image of the object, the second color image including pixels that each have assigned a color from a second gamut, depicting the second color image by a display apparatus suitable for rendering colors of the second gamut, wherein the producing the second color image includes determining the colors at the pixels of the second color image by applying a color transfer function to the colors of the corresponding pixels of the first color image, the color transfer function mapping input colors onto output colors, and the color transfer function mapping those input colors that belong to the first gamut but not to the second gamut onto output colors that belong to the second gamut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Christoph Nieten, Enrico Geissler, Marco Wilzbach, Susanne Kohlhammer
  • Patent number: 10832612
    Abstract: In a projector for projecting a multi-colored image, a control unit actuates each color channel with reference to fed-in image data such that one of the color subframes of the multi-colored image to be projected is generated. A projection optical system images the generated color subframes onto a projection surface such that the color subframes can be perceived as the multi-colored image to be projected. Each color channel is formed for the generation of a color subframe of a predetermined base color. The color location of the predetermined base color varies with the lightness to be generated. The control unit controls each color channel such that, for at least one picture point in the multi-colored image, the color location shift of the predetermined target color location caused by the color channel or the color channels is compensated for while retaining the target lightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Nieten, Bryce Anton Moffat, Enrico Geissler, Alexander Gratzke, Axel Krause
  • Patent number: 10791306
    Abstract: The control unit of a projector drives modulators for the range of brightness of the image data with a first resolution of NN levels, wherein NN is an integer greater than one. The control unit applies a predefined brightness change to the brightness value in accordance with the image data for the image point such that a changed brightness value having a second resolution, which is greater than the first resolution, is calculated, and converts the changed brightness value into the increased brightness value such that it has the first resolution and is greater than a notional comparison value having the first resolution that arises if the predefined brightness change is applied to the brightness value in accordance with the image data, with the result that the control unit drives one of the modulators for a pixel to be boosted with the increased brightness value having the first resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Nieten, Enrico Geissler, Bryce Anton Moffat, Carsten Wehe
  • Publication number: 20200240917
    Abstract: A microscopy method includes illuminating an object with illumination light, recording a first color image of the illuminated object by a color image sensor suitable for recording colors of a first gamut, producing a second color image of the object, the second color image including pixels that each have assigned a color from a second gamut, depicting the second color image by a display apparatus suitable for rendering colors of the second gamut, wherein the producing the second color image includes determining the colors at the pixels of the second color image by applying a color transfer function to the colors of the corresponding pixels of the first color image, the color transfer function mapping input colors onto output colors, and the color transfer function mapping those input colors that belong to the first gamut but not to the second gamut onto output colors that belong to the second gamut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Christoph Nieten, Enrico Geissler, Marco Wilzbach, Susanne Kohlhammer
  • Publication number: 20200240918
    Abstract: A microscopy system for simultaneously observing fluorescent and non-fluorescent regions of an object, and a method for operating the microscopy system are provided. The microscopy system includes a microscopy optical unit configured to image an object plane through an observation beam path onto an image plane, an observation filter arrangeable in the observation beam path, two light sources, one being provided for exciting a fluorescent dye in the object and another being provided for visualizing non-fluorescent regions of the object, and a controller to control the light sources individually. With a suitable configuration of the observation filter, all light sources can be operated with a minimum operating current, which ensures the stability of the light. The color rendering of the non-fluorescent regions can be set by the individual settability of the light sources which can be set such that fluorescent and non-fluorescent regions appear to be approximately equally bright.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Marco Wilzbach, Christoph Nieten, Stefan Meinkuss
  • Publication number: 20200228768
    Abstract: The control unit of a projector drives modulators for the range of brightness of the image data with a first resolution of NN levels, wherein NN is an integer greater than one. The control unit applies a predefined brightness change to the brightness value in accordance with the image data for the image point such that a changed brightness value having a second resolution, which is greater than the first resolution, is calculated, and converts the changed brightness value into the increased brightness value such that it has the first resolution and is greater than a notional comparison value having the first resolution that arises if the predefined brightness change is applied to the brightness value in accordance with the image data, with the result that the control unit drives one of the modulators for a pixel to be boosted with the increased brightness value having the first resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Christoph NIETEN, Enrico GEISSLER, Bryce Anton MOFFAT, Carsten WEHE
  • Patent number: 10568503
    Abstract: An optical coherence tomograph includes a wavelength tunable illuminating device, an illumination and measurement beam path with a dividing element and a scanner and a front optical unit and a reference beam path, a detection beam path and a flat panel detector. A beam splitter conducts the separated measurement radiation to the detection beam path and an optical element acts only on the illumination radiation. The optical element sets the numerical aperture of the illumination of the illumination field in the eye. An optical element acts only on the measurement radiation and sets the numerical aperture with which measurement radiation is collected in the eye. An aperture is arranged in front of the flat panel detector in an intermediate image plane and defines the size of an object field. The flat panel detector has a spatial resolution of 4 to 100 pixels in a direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Daniel Bublitz, Christoph Nieten, Lars Omlor, Kai Wicker
  • Publication number: 20190353596
    Abstract: A filter set for simultaneously observing fluorescent and non-fluorescent object regions, and an observation system and a method in which the filter set is used are disclosed. The illumination and observation light filters of the filter set each have two separate passbands with high transmission, which are spectrally defined such that illumination light outside the emission spectrum of fluorescence can pass through the illumination and observation light filters and fluorescent light is not swamped by the illumination light. The transmission of the passbands is defined such that non-fluorescent object regions can be observed substantially with color fidelity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Marco Wilzbach, Christoph Nieten
  • Publication number: 20190258042
    Abstract: A microscope and method for high resolution scanning microscopy of a sample, having an illumination device, an imaging device for the purpose of scanning at least one point or linear spot across the sample and of imaging the point or linear spot into a diffraction-limited, static single image below a reproduction scale in a detection plane. A detector device is used for detecting the single image in the detection plane for various scan positions, with a location accuracy which, taking into account the reproduction scale in at least one dimension/measurement, is at least twice as high as a full width at half maximum of the diffraction-limited single image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MICROSCOPY GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Kleppe, Yauheni Novikau, Christoph Nieten, Ralf Netz
  • Patent number: 10317657
    Abstract: A microscope and method for high resolution scanning microscopy of a sample, having an illumination device, an imaging device for the purpose of scanning at least one point or linear spot across the sample and of imaging the point or linear spot into a diffraction-limited, static single image below a reproduction scale in a detection plane. A detector device is used for detecting the single image in the detection plane for various scan positions, with a location accuracy which, taking into account the reproduction scale in at least one dimension/measurement, is at least twice as high as a full width at half maximum of the diffraction-limited single image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Kleppe, Yauheni Novikau, Christoph Nieten, Ralf Netz
  • Patent number: 10281701
    Abstract: Microscope and method for high resolution scanning microscopy of a sample, wherein the sample is illuminated; at least one point spot or line spot, which is guided in a scanning manner over the sample, is imaged into a still image; wherein the spot is imaged in a diffraction limited manner into the still image with magnification, and the still image lies still in a plane of detection; the still image is detected for different scan positions with a spatial resolution, which, taking into consideration the magnification, is at least twice as high as a full width at half maximum of the diffraction-limited still image, so that a diffraction pattern of the still image is detected; the diffraction pattern of the still image is evaluated for each scan position, and an image of the sample is generated that has a resolution that is increased beyond the diffraction limit, wherein a detector array is provided that has pixels and is larger than the still image; and radiation of the still image from the plane of detecti
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Kleppe, Yauheni Novikau, Ralf Netz, Michael Golles, Gunther Lorenz, Christoph Nieten
  • Patent number: 10244940
    Abstract: An optical coherence tomograph that provides wavelength tunable source radiation and an illumination and measurement beam path, a dividing element that divides source radiation into illumination radiation and reference radiation, and collects measurement radiation. The illumination and measurement beam path has scanner. A detection beam path receives measurement radiation and reference radiation and conducts them onto at least one flat panel detector in a superposed manner. A beam splitter separates the measurement radiation from the illumination radiation. The beam splitter conducts the separated measurement radiation to the detection beam path and sets the numerical aperture of the illumination of the illumination field in the eye. An optical element sets the numerical aperture with which the measurement radiation is collected in the eye and a multi-perforated aperture defines the size of an object field and a number of object spots, from which the measurement radiation reaches the flat panel detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Daniel Bublitz, Christoph Nieten
  • Publication number: 20190012950
    Abstract: In a projector for projecting a multi-colored image, a control unit actuates each color channel with reference to fed-in image data such that one of the color subframes of the multi-colored image to be projected is generated. A projection optical system images the generated color subframes onto a projection surface such that the color subframes can be perceived as the multi-colored image to be projected. Each color channel is formed for the generation of a color subframe of a predetermined base color. The color location of the predetermined base color varies with the lightness to be generated. The control unit controls each color channel such that, for at least one picture point in the multi-colored image, the color location shift of the predetermined target color location caused by the color channel or the color channels is compensated for while retaining the target lightness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Christoph NIETEN, Bryce Anton MOFFAT, Enrico GEISSLER, Alexander GRATZKE, Axel KRAUSE
  • Patent number: 10145738
    Abstract: An optical detection filter has a transmission spectrum for detecting fluorescence light of a plurality of different fluorescent dyes. In the range between 350 nm and 1000 nm, the transmission spectrum has a first stopband (DS1) from D?1 to D?2, a first passband (DD1) from D?2 to D?3, a second stopband (DS2) from D?3 to D?4, a second passband (DD2) from D?4 to D?5, a third stopband (DS3) from D?5 to D?6, and a third passband (DD3) from D?6 to D?7. The stopbands (DS1, DS2, DS3) each have a mean transmittance of at most 0.01, typically at most 0.001 or at most 0.0001, and the passbands (DD1, DD2) each have a mean transmittance of at least 0.5, typically at least 0.8 or at least 0.9; wherein 350 nm?D?1<D?2<D?3<D?4<D?5<D?6<D?7<1000 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Christoph Nieten, Enrico Geißler, Kai Wicker, Alois Regensburger, Helge Jess, Roland Guckler, Christoph Hauger
  • Patent number: 10048484
    Abstract: An imaging system with an imaging lens system for imaging an object into an image plane is disclosed. The imaging lens system contains an optical component for a higher depth of field, of which the refractive power is alterable and the optical effect remains rotation-symmetrical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignees: Carl Zeiss AG, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Marco Pretorius, Markus Seesselberg, Artur Hoegele, Christoph Nieten, Enrico Geissler