Patents by Inventor David A Agard

David A Agard 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: 20220155287
    Abstract: Provided herein are pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treatment or prevention of synucleinopathies with small-molecule inhibitors of pathogenic ?-synuclein activity having the Formula (I). Also, provide are methods for identifying novel compounds for modulating ?-synuclein activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Lisa MCCONLOGUE, David A. AGARD
  • Publication number: 20210310910
    Abstract: Herein are innovations that enable facile cryo-EM analysis of diverse samples. Methods of functionalizing sample grids for cryo-EM are described, including methods of creating high quality graphene oxide films on cryo-EM substrates. The cryo-EM sample substrates are functionalized with affinity molecules that efficiently concentrate sample molecules and other specimen types on the grid, away from the air-water interface. Affinity groups include amines and proteins such as tagging system proteins and peptides that can be used to capture diverse sample types with high affinity. Optionally, spacers such as PEG chains are used to place sample particles away from the substrate surface, reducing substrate-induced artifacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Feng Wang, David Agard, Yifan Cheng, Eugene Palovcak
  • Patent number: 10983328
    Abstract: Polarized light which is emitted from an optical fiber becomes circular polarized light by passing through a first quarter wave plate. The circular polarized light which has entered a second quarter wave plate is converted into nearly linear polarized light which has S polarization. P polarization components are removed from the nearly linear polarized light by a polarizer, but the polarizer is not always necessary. The optical axis of the polarizer is set to be a direction which allows transmitting of S polarized light. The light that has passed through the polarizer is separated into diffracted lights by a diffraction grating, and is used as the structured illumination light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignees: NIKON CORPORATION, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Yumiko Ouchi, Hisao Osawa, Mats G. L. Gustafsson, David A. Agard
  • Publication number: 20200064617
    Abstract: Polarized light which is emitted from an optical fiber becomes circular polarized light by passing through a first quarter wave plate. The circular polarized light which has entered a second quarter wave plate is converted into nearly linear polarized light which has S polarization. P polarization components are removed from the nearly linear polarized light by a polarizer, but the polarizer is not always necessary. The optical axis of the polarizer is set to be a direction which allows transmitting of S polarized light. The light that has passed through the polarizer is separated into diffracted lights by a diffraction grating, and is used as the structured illumination light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicants: NIKON CORPORATION, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Yumiko OUCHI, Hisao OSAWA, Mats G. L. GUSTAFSSON, David A. AGARD
  • Patent number: 10502945
    Abstract: Polarized light which is emitted from an optical fiber becomes circular polarized light by passing through a first quarter wave plate. The circular polarized light which has entered a second quarter wave plate is converted into nearly linear polarized light which has S polarization. P polarization components are removed from the nearly linear polarized light by a polarizer, but the polarizer is not always necessary. The optical axis of the polarizer is set to be a direction which allows transmitting of S polarized light. The light that has passed through the polarizer is separated into diffracted lights by a diffraction grating, and is used as the structured illumination light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignees: NIKON CORPORATION, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Yumiko Ouchi, Hisao Osawa, Mats G. L. Gustafsson, David A. Agard
  • Publication number: 20160062102
    Abstract: Polarized light which is emitted from an optical fiber becomes circular polarized light by passing through a first quarter wave plate. The circular polarized light which has entered a second quarter wave plate is converted into nearly linear polarized light which has S polarization. P polarization components are removed from the nearly linear polarized light by a polarizer, but the polarizer is not always necessary. The optical axis of the polarizer is set to be a direction which allows transmitting of S polarized light. The light that has passed through the polarizer is separated into diffracted lights by a diffraction grating, and is used as the structured illumination light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Yumiko OUCHI, Hisao OSAWA, Mats G. L. GUSTAFSSON, David A. AGARD
  • Patent number: 9146391
    Abstract: Polarized light which is emitted from an optical fiber becomes circular polarized light bypassing through a first quarter wave plate. The circular polarized light which has entered a second quarter wave plate is converted into nearly linear polarized light which has S polarization. P polarization components are removed from the nearly linear polarized light by a polarizer, but the polarizer is not always necessary. The optical axis of the polarizer is set to be a direction which allows transmitting of S polarized light. The light that has passed through the polarizer is separated into diffracted lights by a diffraction grating, and is used as the structured illumination light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignees: NIKON CORPORATION, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Yumiko Ouchi, Hisao Osawa, Mats G. L. Gustafsson, David A. Agard
  • Patent number: 8894227
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting optical aberrations in an optical device using a deformable mirror. An actuator is provided which applies a deforming force to the deformable mirror. By selecting particular thickness profiles of the deformable mirror and force configurations of the actuator, the optical device can be configured to correct for different optical aberrations. The actuator may be configured to apply the deforming force peripherally, centrally, non-centrally or homogenously across the surface of the deformable mirror. The deformable mirror may be a flat disk mirror, a convex mirror, or a concave mirror, and may include a membrane having a variable flexibility. The optical device may be a wide-field microscope, an optical read/write device, laser tweezers, or any other optical device in which correction of optical aberrations is desirable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, Yeda Research & Development Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter Knor, David A. Agard, Zvi Kam, John W. Sedat
  • Publication number: 20120026311
    Abstract: Polarized light which is emitted from an optical fiber becomes circular polarized light bypassing through a first quarter wave plate. The circular polarized light which has entered a second quarter wave plate is converted into nearly linear polarized light which has S polarization. P polarization components are removed from the nearly linear polarized light by a polarizer, but the polarizer is not always necessary. The optical axis of the polarizer is set to be a direction which allows transmitting of S polarized light. The light that has passed through the polarizer is separated into diffracted lights by a diffraction grating, and is used as the structured illumination light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicants: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yumiko OUCHI, Hisao OSAWA, Mats G. L. GUSTAFSSON, David A. AGARD
  • Publication number: 20110134552
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting optical aberrations in an optical device using a deformable mirror. An actuator is provided which applies a deforming force to the deformable mirror. By selecting particular thickness profiles of the deformable mirror and force configurations of the actuator, the optical device can be configured to correct for different optical aberrations. The actuator may be configured to apply the deforming force peripherally, centrally, non-centrally or homogenously across the surface of the deformable mirror. The deformable mirror may be a flat disk mirror, a convex mirror, or a concave mirror, and may include a membrane having a variable flexibility. The optical device may be a wide-field microscope, an optical read/write device, laser tweezers, or any other optical device in which correction of optical aberrations is desirable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Peter Kner, David A. Agard, Zvi Kam, John W. Sedat
  • Patent number: 7764433
    Abstract: A system and method for correcting optical aberrations in optical devices, such as wide-field microscopes, optical tweezers and optical media devices, such as DVD drives. The system uses adaptive optics to correct optical aberrations, such as spherical and space-variant aberrations. Spherical aberrations can be corrected using one adaptive optical elements and space-variant aberrations can be corrected using numerous adaptive optical elements in tandem. The adaptive optical elements may be of several types, such as a liquid lenses, deformable membrane mirrors or various liquid crystal phase and amplitude modulators. Adaptive optics can also be used to simultaneously shift the focus of the optical device and correct optical aberrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, Yeda Research and Development Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zvi Kam, David A. Agard, Peter Kner, John W. Sedat
  • Publication number: 20070268592
    Abstract: A system and method for correcting optical aberrations in optical devices, such as wide-field microscopes, optical tweezers and optical media devices, such as DVD drives. The system uses adaptive optics to correct optical aberrations, such as spherical and space-variant aberrations. Spherical aberrations can be corrected using one adaptive optical elements and space-variant aberrations can be corrected using numerous adaptive optical elements in tandem. The adaptive optical elements may be of several types, such as a liquid lenses, deformable membrane mirrors or various liquid crystal phase and amplitude modulators. Adaptive optics can also be used to simultaneously shift the focus of the optical device and correct optical aberrations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Inventors: Zvi Kam, David A. Agard, Peter Kner, John W. Sedat
  • Patent number: 7224824
    Abstract: Apparatus for computational adaptive imaging comprises the following: an image information acquirer, which provides information relating to the refractive characteristics in a three-dimensional imaged volume; a ray tracer, which uses the information relating to the refractive characteristics to trace a multiplicity of rays from a multiplicity of locations in the three-dimensional imaged volume through the three-dimensional imaged volume, thereby providing a location dependent point spread function, and a deconvolver, which uses the location dependent point spread function, to provide an output image corrected for distortions due to variations in the refractive characteristics in the three-dimensional imaged volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignees: Yeda Research and Development Co., Ltd., The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Zvi Kam, John W Sedat, David A Agard, Bridget M Hanser
  • Patent number: 6658142
    Abstract: Apparatus for computational adaptive imaging comprises the following: an image information acquirer, which provides information relating to the refractive characteristics in a three-dimensional imaged volume; a ray tracer, which uses the information relating to the refractive characteristics to trace a multiplicity of rays from a multiplicity of locations in the three-dimensional imaged volume through the three-dimensional imaged volume, thereby providing a location dependent point spread function; and a deconvolver, which uses the location dependent point spread function, to provide an output image corrected for distortions due to variations in the refractive characteristics in the three-dimensional imaged volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignees: Yeda Research and Development Co., Ltd., The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Zvi Kam, John W. Sedat, David A. Agard, Bridget M. Hanser
  • Patent number: 5671085
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for three dimensional optical microscopy is disclosed which employs dual opposing objective lenses about a sample and extended incoherent illumination to provide enhanced depth or Z direction resolution. In a first embodiment, observed light from both objective lenses are brought into coincidence on an image detector and caused to interfere thereon by optical path length adjustment. In a second embodiment, illuminating light from an extended incoherent light source is detected to the sample though both objective lenses and caused to interfere with a section of the sample by adjusting optical path lengths. Observed light from one objective lens is then recorded. In a third embodiment, which combines the first two embodiments, illuminating light from an extended incoherent light source is detected to the sample through both objective lenses and caused to interfere with a section of the sample by adjusting optical path lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Mats G.L. Gustafsson, John W. Sedat, David A. Agard
  • Patent number: RE38307
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for three dimensional optical microscopy is disclosed which employs dual opposing objective lenses about a sample and extended incoherent illumination to provide enhanced depth or Z-direction resolution. In a first embodiment, observed light from both objective lenses are brought into coincidence on an image detector and caused to interfere thereon by optical path length adjustment. In a second embodiment, illuminating light from an extended incoherent light source is detected to the sample through both objective lenses and caused to interfere with a section of the sample by adjusting optical path lengths. Observed light from one objective lens is then recorded. In a third embodiment, which combines the first two embodiments, illuminating light from an extended incoherent light source is directed to the sample through both objective lenses and caused to interfere within a section of the sample by adjusting optical path lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Mats G. L. Gustafsson, John W. Sedat, David A. Agard