Patents by Inventor Jamu Alford

Jamu Alford 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: 10420469
    Abstract: A non-invasive system and method. Sample light is delivered into an anatomical structure, such that a portion of the sample light passes through a target voxel comprising brain matter in the head and is scattered by the head as signal light. The signal light is detected, changes in the level of water concentration or relative water concentration of the target voxel are detected based on the detected signal light, and a level of neural activity is determined within the target voxel based on the determined changes level of the water concentration or relative water concentration of the target voxel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: HI LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Sobek, Changhuei Yang, Adam Marblestone, Jamu Alford
  • Publication number: 20190274548
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices and methods for modifying a conventional imager to have functional features similar to that of a lock-in camera. Optical mask devices are configured to be coupled to conventional imager sensors and the configuration of the mask devices can be adjusted to acquire image data in rapid succession. One variation of an optical mask device comprises a substrate comprising a pattern of light-blocking and light-transmitting regions and an attachment structure for coupling the optical mask device to the imager. The substrate is configured to adjust the position of the light-blocking regions and light-transmitting regions relative to the light-sensing region of the imager based on a set of one or more predetermined substrate configurations. In some variations, the mask device and/or the imager sensor may be mechanically moved relative to each other based on the set of one or more predetermined substrate configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Jamu Alford, Adam Marblestone
  • Publication number: 20190269331
    Abstract: Sample light is delivered into the anatomical structure having a target voxel, whereby a portion of the sample light passing through the target voxel is scattered by the anatomical structure as signal light, and another portion of the sample light not passing through the target voxel is scattered by the anatomical structure as background light that is combined with the signal light to create a sample light pattern. Reference light is combined with the sample light pattern to generate an interference light pattern, such that the signal light and the reference light are combined in a heterodyne manner. Ultrasound is delivered into the target voxel, such that the signal light is frequency shifted by the ultrasound. The ultrasound and the sample light are pulsed in synchrony at the target voxel, such that at least one pulse of the sample light has a combined duration less than a pulse width of the ultrasound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Applicant: HI LLC
    Inventors: Jamu Alford, Adam Marblestone, Changhuei Yang
  • Patent number: 10368752
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices and methods for modifying a conventional imager to have functional features similar to that of a lock-in camera. Optical mask devices are configured to be coupled to conventional imager sensors and the configuration of the mask devices can be adjusted to acquire image data in rapid succession. One variation of an optical mask device comprises a substrate comprising a pattern of light-blocking and light-transmitting regions and an attachment structure for coupling the optical mask device to the imager. The substrate is configured to adjust the position of the light-blocking regions and light-transmitting regions relative to the light-sensing region of the imager based on a set of one or more predetermined substrate configurations. In some variations, the mask device and/or the imager sensor may be mechanically moved relative to each other based on the set of one or more predetermined substrate configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: HI LLC
    Inventors: Jamu Alford, Adam Marblestone
  • Patent number: 10335036
    Abstract: A system and method of performing ultrasound modulated optical tomography. Ultrasound is delivered into a target voxel in an anatomical structure, and sample light is delivered into the anatomical structure, whereby a portion of the sample light passing through the target voxel is scattered by the biological tissue as signal light, and a portion of the sample light not passing through the target voxel is scattered by the anatomical structure as background light. The ultrasound and sample light are pulsed in synchrony, such that only the signal light is frequency shifted by the ultrasound. Reference light is combined with the signal light and background light to generate an interference light pattern, which is sequentially modulated to generate a plurality of different interference light patterns. Spatial components of each of the different interference light patterns are simultaneously detected and stored in bins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: HI LLC
    Inventors: Changhuei Yang, Adam Marblestone, Jamu Alford
  • Publication number: 20190183343
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for noninvasive functional brain imaging using low-coherence interferometry (e.g., for the purpose of creating a brain computer interface with higher spatiotemporal resolution). One variation of a system and method comprises optical interference components and techniques using a lock-in camera. The system comprises a light source and a processor configured to rapidly phase-shift the reference light beam across a pre-selected set of phase shifts or offsets, to store a set of interference patterns associated with each of these pre-selected phase shifts, and to process these stored interference patterns to compute an estimate of the number of photons traveling between a light source and the lock-in camera detector for which the path length falls within a user-defined path length range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: HI LLC
    Inventors: Changhuei YANG, Adam MARBLESTONE, Jamu ALFORD
  • Patent number: 10299682
    Abstract: A system and method of performing ultrasound modulated optical tomography. Ultrasound is delivered into a target voxel in an anatomical structure, and sample light is delivered into the anatomical structure, whereby a portion of the sample light passing through the target voxel is scattered by the biological tissue as signal light, and a portion of the sample light not passing through the target voxel is scattered by the anatomical structure as background light. The ultrasound and sample light are pulsed in synchrony, such that only the signal light is frequency shifted by the ultrasound. Multiple pulses of the sample light are delivered into the anatomical structure for each pulse of the ultrasound delivered into the target voxel. Reference light is combined with the signal light and background light to generate an interference light pattern, which is sequentially modulated to generate different interference light patterns, which are detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: HI LLC
    Inventors: Changhuei Yang, Adam Marblestone, Jamu Alford, Daniel Sobek
  • Publication number: 20190150743
    Abstract: A system and method of performing ultrasound modulated optical tomography. Ultrasound is delivered into a target voxel in an anatomical structure, and sample light is delivered into the anatomical structure, whereby a portion of the sample light passing through the target voxel is scattered by the biological tissue as signal light, and a portion of the sample light not passing through the target voxel is scattered by the anatomical structure as background light. The ultrasound and sample light are pulsed in synchrony, such that only the signal light is frequency shifted by the ultrasound. Reference light is combined with the signal light and background light to generate an interference light pattern, which is sequentially modulated to generate a plurality of different interference light patterns. Spatial components of each of the different interference light patterns are simultaneously detected and stored in bins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: HI LLC
    Inventors: Changhuei Yang, Adam Marblestone, Jamu Alford
  • Publication number: 20190150745
    Abstract: A non-invasive system and method. Sample light is delivered into an anatomical structure, such that a portion of the sample light passes through a target voxel comprising brain matter in the head and is scattered by the head as signal light. The signal light is detected, changes in the level of water concentration or relative water concentration of the target voxel are detected based on the detected signal light, and a level of neural activity is determined within the target voxel based on the determined changes level of the water concentration or relative water concentration of the target voxel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: HI LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Sobek, Changhuei Yang, Adam Marblestone, Jamu Alford
  • Publication number: 20190150751
    Abstract: An optical detection method and system are provided. Sample light is delivered into an anatomical structure having a target voxel, whereby a portion of the sample light passing through the target voxel is scattered by the anatomical structure as signal light, and another portion of the sample light not passing through the target voxel is scattered by the anatomical structure as background light that is combined with the signal light to create a sample light pattern. The sample light pattern and the reference light having an M number of different phases are concurrently combined to respectively generate an M number of interference light patterns. The M number of interference light patterns are detected. M pluralities of values representative of spatial components of the respective M number of interference light patterns are generated, and a physiologically-dependent optical parameter of the target voxel is determined based on the M pluralities of values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: HI LLC
    Inventors: Changhuei Yang, Adam Marblestone, Jamu Alford, Daniel Sobek
  • Publication number: 20190150744
    Abstract: A system and method of performing ultrasound modulated optical tomography. Ultrasound is delivered into a target voxel in an anatomical structure, and sample light is delivered into the anatomical structure, whereby a portion of the sample light passing through the target voxel is scattered by the biological tissue as signal light, and a portion of the sample light not passing through the target voxel is scattered by the anatomical structure as background light. The ultrasound and sample light are pulsed in synchrony, such that only the signal light is frequency shifted by the ultrasound. Multiple pulses of the sample light are delivered into the anatomical structure for each pulse of the ultrasound delivered into the target voxel. Reference light is combined with the signal light and background light to generate an interference light pattern, which is sequentially modulated to generate different interference light patterns, which are detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: HI LLC
    Inventors: Changhuei Yang, Adam Marblestone, Jamu Alford, Daniel Sobek
  • Patent number: 10219700
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for noninvasive functional brain imaging using low-coherence interferometry (e.g., for the purpose of creating a brain computer interface with higher spatiotemporal resolution). One variation of a system and method comprises optical interference components and techniques using a lock-in camera. The system comprises a light source and a processor configured to rapidly phase-shift the reference light beam across a pre-selected set of phase shifts or offsets, to store a set of interference patterns associated with each of these pre-selected phase shifts, and to process these stored interference patterns to compute an estimate of the number of photons traveling between a light source and the lock-in camera detector for which the path length falls within a user-defined path length range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: HI LLC
    Inventors: Changhuei Yang, Adam Marblestone, Jamu Alford
  • Publication number: 20180348321
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging method comprises performing imaging where more than one polarizing magnetic field strength is used during scanning and processing at least one image resulting from the scanning to yield an enhanced contrast image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Jamu ALFORD, Blaine CHRONIK, Brian Rutt
  • Patent number: 10054650
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging method comprises performing imaging where more than one polarizing magnetic field strength is used during scanning and processing at least one image resulting from the scanning to yield an enhanced contrast image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO
    Inventors: Jamu Alford, Blaine Chronik, Brian Rutt
  • Patent number: 10016137
    Abstract: An optical detection method and system are provided. Sample light is delivered into an anatomical structure having a target voxel, whereby a portion of the sample light passing through the target voxel is scattered by the anatomical structure as signal light, and another portion of the sample light not passing through the target voxel is scattered by the anatomical structure as background light that is combined with the signal light to create a sample light pattern. The sample light pattern and the reference light having an M number of different phases are concurrently combined to respectively generate an M number of interference light patterns. The M number of interference light patterns are detected. M pluralities of values representative of spatial components of the respective M number of interference light patterns are generated, and a physiologically-dependent optical parameter of the target voxel is determined based on the M pluralities of values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: HI LLC
    Inventors: Changhuei Yang, Adam Marblestone, Jamu Alford, Daniel Sobek, Christian Wentz
  • Publication number: 20160274208
    Abstract: A method for contrast agent enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a target sample, comprising generating a magnetic field shift in a polarizing magnetic field during a relaxation portion of an MRI pulse sequence and thereafter acquiring an MR image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Jamu Alford, Blaine Chronik, Timothy Scholl
  • Patent number: 9423480
    Abstract: A method for contrast agent enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a target sample, comprising generating a magnetic field shift in a polarizing magnetic field during a relaxation portion of an MRI pulse sequence and thereafter acquiring an MR image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: The University of Western Ontario
    Inventors: Jamu Alford, Blaine Chronik, Timothy Scholl
  • Publication number: 20150293193
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging method comprises performing imaging where more than one polarizing magnetic field strength is used during scanning and processing at least one image resulting from the scanning to yield an enhanced contrast image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Jamu Alford, Blaine Chronik, Brian Rutt
  • Patent number: 8922209
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging method comprises performing imaging where more than one polarizing magnetic field strength is used during scanning and processing at least one image resulting from the scanning to yield an enhanced contrast image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: The University of Western Ontario
    Inventors: Jamu Alford, Blaine Chronik, Brian Rutt
  • Publication number: 20140058292
    Abstract: A system for use in managing a neuromodulation therapy includes an ultrasound transducer array controlled by a control unit to deliver ultrasound waveforms for causing modulation of neural tissue in a patient. The system acquires data indicating a response to the modulation, analyzes the acquired data to determine correlation data between a response to the modulation and an ultrasound control parameter, and reports the correlation data to enable identification of at least one therapy parameter to be used to deliver a neuromodulation therapy to the patient by a therapy delivery system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Jamu Alford, Steven M. Goetz, Lothar Krinke, Mark S. Lent, Erik R. Scott, Xuan K. Wei, John D. Welter