Patents by Inventor Eric Aspnes

Eric Aspnes 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: 20240094618
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to optical systems for surgical procedures, and more particularly, to optical relay systems for visualization systems used during ophthalmic microsurgical procedures. The optical systems described herein provide improved ergonomics for surgeons, as such systems facilitate a low-height microscope camera that enables a surgeon to see over the camera to a display screen or other monitor placed in an ergonomically advantageous position for ophthalmic procedures. Such optical systems also provide improved performance, as the total magnification of the optical head may be split between multiple lens barrels, thereby creating high resolution images that enables surgeons to see ophthalmic anatomies more clearly. Even further, such optical systems proffer improved manufacturability, with reduced weight and manufacturing cost, as the lens barrels may have fixed focal lengths for utilization with digital magnification mechanisms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Douglas Allen, Eric Aspnes
  • Publication number: 20230179755
    Abstract: This disclosure provides techniques and apparatuses for displaying stereoscopic video data of a target surgical site. An example ophthalmic imaging apparatus includes first and second stereoscopic lens sets configured to receive light from the target surgical site. In some embodiments, first stereoscopic lens set includes at least a first fixed focal length lens configured to magnify the received light according to a first fixed magnification level. In some embodiments, the second stereoscopic lens set includes at least a second fixed focal length lens configured to magnify the received light according to a second fixed magnification level different from the first fixed magnification level. The ophthalmic imaging apparatus also includes first and second pluralities of image sensors configured to receive the light and generate first and second image data. The first and second image data may be converted into first and second stereoscopic video data for display on a display monitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Gillian Myers, Eric Aspnes
  • Publication number: 20230141727
    Abstract: This disclosure provides techniques and apparatuses for displaying stereoscopic video data associated with different viewing angles of a target surgical site. An example ophthalmic imaging apparatus includes a first camera head mounted in a first orbital position above a target surgical site associated with an eye of a patient, wherein the first camera head includes at least one stereoscopic lens set providing a first viewing angle of the target surgical site. Additionally, the ophthalmic imaging apparatus includes at least a second camera head mounted in a second orbital position above the target surgical site, wherein the second camera head includes at least one additional stereoscopic lens set providing a second viewing angle of the target surgical site different from the first viewing angle of the target surgical site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Gillian Myers, Eric Aspnes
  • Patent number: 7113231
    Abstract: 1266-03028 A color display system includes a color light separator that separates incident white illumination light into red, green and blue wavelength bands to be directed to distinct color component sub-pixels (sometimes called dots) that are arranged in a dot-matrix, color triad arrangement (e.g., stripe or delta) to form individual picture elements (pixels) on a pixelated electronic image device (e.g., LCD of DMD). The entire picture is optically shifted from one set of color component sub-pixels to another in a 3-field sequence. As a result, the sets of red, green and blue color component sub-pixels appear to an observer as a single full-color image, thereby providing a dot sequential color display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Arlie R. Conner, Bruce L. Cannon, Eric Aspnes
  • Publication number: 20060098128
    Abstract: A color display system includes a color light separator that separates incident white illumination light into red, green and blue wavelength bands to be directed to distinct color component sub-pixels (sometimes called dots) that are arranged in a dot-matrix, color triad arrangement (e.g., stripe or delta) to form individual picture elements (pixels) on a pixelated electronic image device (e.g., LCD of DMD). The entire picture is optically shifted from one set of color component sub-pixels to another in a 3-field sequence. As a result, the sets of red, green and blue color component sub-pixels appear to an observer as a single full-color image, thereby providing a dot sequential color display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Inventors: Arlie Conner, Bruce Cannon, Eric Aspnes
  • Publication number: 20020008812
    Abstract: 1266-03028 A color display system includes a color light separator that separates incident white illumination light into red, green and blue wavelength bands to be directed to distinct color component sub-pixels (sometimes called dots) that are arranged in a dot-matrix, color triad arrangement (e.g., stripe or delta) to form individual picture elements (pixels) on a pixelated electronic image device (e.g., LCD of DMD). The entire picture is optically shifted from one set of color component sub-pixels to another in a 3-field sequence. As a result, the sets of red, green and blue color component sub-pixels appear to an observer as a single full-color image, thereby providing a dot sequential color display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventors: Arlie R. Conner, Bruce L. Cannon, Eric Aspnes