Patents by Inventor George Caudle
George Caudle 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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Patent number: 7108691Abstract: The present invention is directed to a flexible scanning beam imaging system. In specific embodiments, the scanning beam imaging system comprises a mask, and an objective lens having an objective lens focal point disposed between the mask and the objective lens. A field lens device is disposed before the mask to direct a light beam through the mask and focus the light beam at a field lens focal point. The field lens focal point is located between the field lens and the objective lens. One or more scanning mirrors are disposed at or near the objective lens focal point. As a result, the beam will be directed to different locations across the objective lens by the scanning mirror(s), and will travel from the objective lens substantially collimated and parallel toward a surface illuminated by the beam. This substantially collimated and parallel beam provides a large depth of field of the ablation pattern.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2003Date of Patent: September 19, 2006Assignee: VISX, Inc.Inventors: George Caudle, Vladimir Lemberg
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Patent number: 6984227Abstract: The invention improves the laser sculpting of a region of a material to a predetermined shape by improving the smoothness and accuracy of surfaces formed by the sculpting technique. The technique includes projecting plurality of partially overlapping beams toward the region. The invention includes blurring an edge of an ablation to smooth an internal portion of the ablation that is separate from the edge. The blurred edge may be formed by the partially overlapping beams. Using a computer controlled laser delivery system, the position and shape of the overlapping beams may be precisely controlled to sculpt the material to a desired shape according to a laser treatment table.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2002Date of Patent: January 10, 2006Assignee: Visx, IncorporatedInventors: Audrey Munnerlyn, George Caudle
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Patent number: 6816316Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems of temporally smoothing the distortion of a light beam caused by imperfections of an optical element or optical system through which the light beam passes. The optical element is moved relative to the light beam to change a position of the imperfections in the path of the light beam to distribute the distortion of the light beam caused by the imperfection without substantially changing the path of the light beam. In some embodiments, the optical element is axially symmetric with respect to its optical axis, and the distortion of the light beam is distributed by rotating the optical element around its optical axis. In some embodiments, the optical element has geometric uniformity relative to a plane or along a line in a plane, and the distortion of the light beam is distributed by moving the optical element along the plane, or along the line of symmetry in the plane.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2003Date of Patent: November 9, 2004Assignee: VISX, IncorporatedInventors: George Caudle, Herrmann Glockler, Wayne Brewer
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Patent number: 6768576Abstract: Improved devices, systems, and methods use a Non-Liner Optic (NLO) to effect a conversion of an input laser energy to an output energy. The output energy will have a wavelength which is different than the input energy, and the conversion will vary in response to both an angle of the energy relative to the NLO and a temperature of the NLO. Passive control over the angle of the NLO based on thermal expansion of a member thermally coupled to the NLO can compensate for the temperature-induced change in the conversion so as to maintain a desired output frequency, conversion efficiency, phase matching, and/or the like.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2002Date of Patent: July 27, 2004Assignee: Visx, IncorporatedInventor: George Caudle
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Publication number: 20040073200Abstract: The present invention is directed to a flexible scanning beam imaging system. In specific embodiments, the scanning beam imaging system comprises a mask, and an objective lens having an objective lens focal point disposed between the mask and the objective lens. A field lens device is disposed before the mask to direct a light beam through the mask and focus the light beam at a field lens focal point. The field lens focal point is located between the field lens and the objective lens. One or more scanning mirrors are disposed at or near the objective lens focal point. As a result, the beam will be directed to different locations across the objective lens by the scanning mirror(s), and will travel from the objective lens substantially collimated and parallel toward a surface illuminated by the beam. This substantially collimated and parallel beam provides a large depth of field of the ablation pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2003Publication date: April 15, 2004Applicant: VISX,IncorporatedInventors: George Caudle, Vladimir Lemberg
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Publication number: 20040042080Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems of temporally smoothing the distortion of a light beam caused by imperfections of an optical element or optical system through which the light beam passes. The optical element is moved relative to the light beam to change a position of the imperfections in the path of the light beam to distribute the distortion of the light beam caused by the imperfection without substantially changing the path of the light beam. In some embodiments, the optical element is axially symmetric with respect to its optical axis, and the distortion of the light beam is distributed by rotating the optical element around its optical axis. In some embodiments, the optical element has geometric uniformity relative to a plane or along a line in a plane, and the distortion of the light beam is distributed by moving the optical element along the plane, or along the line of symmetry in the plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2003Publication date: March 4, 2004Applicant: VISX, IncorporatedInventors: George Caudle, Herrmann Glockler, Wayne Brewer
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Patent number: 6638271Abstract: The invention improves the laser sculpting of a region of a material to a predetermined shape by improving the smoothness and accuracy of surfaces formed by the sculpting technique. The technique includes projecting plurality of partially overlapping beams toward the region. The invention includes blurring an edge of an ablation to smooth an internal portion of the ablation that is separate from the edge. The blurred edge may be formed by the partially overlapping beams. Using a computer controlled laser delivery system, the position and shape of the overlapping beams may be precisely controlled to sculpt the material to a desired shape according to a laser treatment table.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2001Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: Visx, Inc.Inventors: Audrey Munnerlyn, George Caudle
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Patent number: 6592574Abstract: Improved systems, devices, and methods measure and/or change the shape of a tissue surface, particularly for use in laser eye surgery. Fluorescence of the tissue may occur at and immediately underlying the tissue surface. The excitation energy can be readily absorbed by the tissue within a small tissue depth, and may be provided from the same source used for photodecomposition of the tissue. Changes in the fluorescence spectrum of a tissue correlate with changes in the tissue's hydration.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2000Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: VISX, IncorporatedInventors: John Karl Shimmick, Charles R. Munnerlyn, George Caudle, Terrance N. Clapham
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Publication number: 20030125718Abstract: The invention improves the laser sculpting of a region of a material to a predetermined shape by improving the smoothness and accuracy of surfaces formed by the sculpting technique. The technique includes projecting plurality of partially overlapping beams toward the region. The invention includes blurring an edge of an ablation to smooth an internal portion of the ablation that is separate from the edge. The blurred edge may be formed by the partially overlapping beams. Using a computer controlled laser delivery system, the position and shape of the overlapping beams may be precisely controlled to sculpt the material to a desired shape according to a laser treatment table.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2002Publication date: July 3, 2003Applicant: VISX, IncorporatedInventors: Audrey Munnerlyn, George Caudle
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Patent number: 6497701Abstract: A technique for laser sculpting a predetermined shape on an exposed corneal surface by ablating a sequence of consistently curved craters with individual pulses of a laser beam. An initial laser beam energy pattern is shaped by a laser beam shaping element to make a consistently curved laser beam energy pattern. The consistently curved laser beam ablates a consistently curved crater in the surface with a single pulse of the laser beam. A computer controls the position of the laser beam and scans the laser beam over the surface to sculpt the predetermined shape in an ablation zone on the exposed surface. A sequence of partially overlapping craters is distributed over the ablation zone. In some embodiments diffractive optics are used as a beam shaping element. In additional embodiments, the consistently curved crater is a uniformly curved spherical crater.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 1999Date of Patent: December 24, 2002Assignee: VISX, IncorporatedInventors: John Karl Shimmick, George Caudle, Kingman Yee, Stephen J. Koons
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Publication number: 20020151878Abstract: A technique for laser sculpting a predetermined shape on an exposed corneal surface by ablating a sequence of consistently curved craters with individual pulses of a laser beam. An initial laser beam energy pattern is shaped by a laser beam shaping element to make a consistently curved laser beam energy pattern. The consistently curved laser beam ablates a consistently curved crater in the surface with a single pulse of the laser beam. A computer controls the position of the laser beam and scans the laser beam over the surface to sculpt the predetermined shape in an ablation zone on the exposed surface. A sequence of partially overlapping craters is distributed over the ablation zone. In some embodiments diffractive optics are used as a beam shaping element. In additional embodiments, the consistently curved crater is a uniformly curved spherical crater.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 1999Publication date: October 17, 2002Inventors: JOHN KARL SHIMMICK, GEORGE CAUDLE, KINGMAN YEE, STEPHEN J. KOONS
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Publication number: 20020111611Abstract: Improved devices, systems, and methods use a Non-Liner Optic (NLO) to effect a conversion of an input laser energy to an output energy. The output energy will have a wavelength which is different than the input energy, and the conversion will vary in response to both an angle of the energy relative to the NLO and a temperature of the NLO. Passive control over the angle of the NLO based on thermal expansion of a member thermally coupled to the NLO can compensate for the temperature-induced change in the conversion so as to maintain a desired output frequency, conversion efficiency, phase matching, and/or the like.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2002Publication date: August 15, 2002Applicant: VISX, Incorporated, A Delaware CorporationInventor: George Caudle
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Publication number: 20020004658Abstract: The invention improves the laser sculpting of a region of a material to a predetermined shape by improving the smoothness and accuracy of surfaces formed by the sculpting technique. The technique includes projecting plurality of partially overlapping beams toward the region. The invention includes blurring an edge of an ablation to smooth an internal portion of the ablation that is separate from the edge. The blurred edge may be formed by the partially overlapping beams. Using a computer controlled laser delivery system, the position and shape of the overlapping beams may be precisely controlled to sculpt the material to a desired shape according to a laser treatment table.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2001Publication date: January 10, 2002Inventors: Audrey Munnerlyn, George Caudle
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Patent number: 6331177Abstract: The invention improves the laser sculpting of a region of a material to a predetermined shape by improving the smoothness and accuracy of surfaces formed by the sculpting technique. The technique includes projecting plurality of partially overlapping beams toward the region. The invention includes blurring an edge of an ablation to smooth an internal portion of the ablation that is separate from the edge. The blurred edge may be formed by the partially overlapping beams. Using a computer controlled laser delivery system, the position and shape of the overlapping beams may be precisely controlled to sculpt the material to a desired shape according to a laser treatment table.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 1999Date of Patent: December 18, 2001Assignee: VISX, IncorporatedInventors: Audrey Munnerlyn, George Caudle
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Patent number: 6195164Abstract: Improved systems, methods, and apparatus for calibrating a laser ablation system by measuring the optical power and shape of a test surface that has been ablated by energy delivered from a laser. The quality of the ablated test surface can be monitored to minimize undesirable laser system performance, such as might result from flawed internal optics, misalignment, poor laser fluence and the like. Calibration accuracy is generally enhanced by analyzing distortions of a geometrical pattern superimposed with the ablation test surface. The interaction of the pattern and the lens can be analyzed using a microscope, video camera connector, and other existing components of the laser ablation system, and can also provide quantitative test surface characteristics which may be used to accurately adjust the laser system.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 1998Date of Patent: February 27, 2001Assignee: Visx, IncorporatedInventors: Angelina Thompson, Terrance N. Clapham, George Caudle