Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods relating to intraluminal imaging are disclosed. In an embodiment, an intraluminal imaging device is disclosed. One embodiment of the intraluminal imaging device comprises a flexible elongate member configured to be inserted into a body lumen of a patient, the flexible elongate member comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion. The intraluminal imaging device further comprises an ultrasound imaging assembly disposed at the distal portion of the flexible elongate member. The imaging assembly comprises a support member, a flexible substrate positioned around the support member, a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements integrated in the flexible substrate, and a plurality of control circuits disposed on the flexible substrate at a position proximal to the plurality of transducer elements. The plurality of control circuits has an outer profile that does not extend beyond an outer profile of the plurality of transducer elements.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for reducing an offset error in a position of an objective lens of an optical disk reader by using a single beam push-pull signal. The apparatus includes a radial actuator that is configured to control the position of the objective lens. A controller that receives a push-pull signal that corresponds to the offset error of the objective lens and estimates the offset based on the push-pull signal. A sine generator generates a sine wave based on the estimated offset and further generates a feedback signal based on the sine wave to drive the radial actuator to reduce the offset error in the position of the objective lens. The apparatus also includes a data detector that is utilized to change the tracking method of the optical disk reader to a differential phase detection method upon detecting data in a data spire of the optical disk.

Abstract: A system for determining a cleanliness of a lens of an optical disc drive. The system includes a controller configured to control movement of the lens of the optical disc drive between a first position and a second position relative to the optical disc. The first position is located a first distance from an outer surface of the optical disc and corresponds to a position causing the lens to focus light on a data layer of the optical disc. The second position is located a second distance, different than the first distance, from the outer surface and corresponds to a position causing the lens to focus light on the outer surface. The controller is further configured to receive a measurement of light reflected by the optical disc while the lens is in the second position and determine the cleanliness of the lens based on the measurement of the light.

Abstract: Functional imaging information is used to determine a probability of residual disease given a treatment. The functional imaging information shows different characteristic levels for different regions of the tumor. The probability is output for planning use and/or used to automatically determine dose by region. Using the probability, the dose may be distributed by region so that some regions receive a greater dose than other regions. This distribution by region of dose more likely treats the tumor with a same dose, allows a lesser dose to sufficient treat the tumor, and/or allows a greater dose with a lesser or no increase in risk to normal tissue. The dose plan may account for personalized tumors as each patient may have distinct tumors. Probability of dose application accuracy may also be used, so that a combined treatment probability allows efficient dose planning.

Abstract: Apparatus having corresponding methods comprise: a light source configured to produce light; a lens configured to focus the light on an optical disc; a photo detector configured to obtain a measurement of the light reflected by the optical disc; and a controller configured to determine a cleanliness of the lens based on the measurement of the light reflected by the optical disc responsive to the lens focusing the light on a surface of the optical disc.

Abstract: New and useful methods and systems for reading optical discs, such as multi-layer Blu-ray discs are disclosed. For example, in an embodiment a device for reading two-layered optical discs includes a laser diode capable of emitting light, a set of optics including a fixed collimator, the set of optics providing a numerical aperture (NA) of substantially less than 0.85, and a detector for detecting laser light focused on a two-layer optical disc to produce a stream of detected bits.

Abstract: New and useful methods and systems for reading optical discs, such as multi-layer Blu-ray discs are disclosed. For example, in an embodiment a device for reading two-layered optical discs includes a laser diode capable of emitting light, a set of optics including a fixed collimator, the set of optics providing a numerical aperture (NA) of substantially less than 0.85, and a detector for detecting laser light focused on a two-layer optical disc to produce a stream of detected bits.

Abstract: Knowledge-based interpretable predictive modeling is provided. Expert knowledge is used to seed training of a model by a machine. The expert knowledge may be incorporated as diagram information, which relates known causal relationships between predictive variables. A predictive model is trained. In one embodiment, the model operates even with a missing value for one or more variables by using the relationship between variables. For application, the model outputs a prediction, such as the likelihood of survival for two years of a lung cancer patient. A graphical representation of the model is also output. The graphical representation shows the variables and relationships between variables used to determine the prediction. The graphical representation is interpretable by a physician or other to assist in understanding.

Abstract: Knowledge-based interpretable predictive modeling is provided. Expert knowledge is used to seed training of a model by a machine. The expert knowledge may be incorporated as diagram information, which relates known causal relationships between predictive variables. A predictive model is trained. In one embodiment, the model operates even with a missing value for one or more variables by using the relationship between variables. For application, the model outputs a prediction, such as the likelihood of survival for two years of a lung cancer patient. A graphical representation of the model is also output. The graphical representation shows the variables and relationships between variables used to determine the prediction. The graphical representation is interpretable by a physician or other to assist in understanding.

Abstract: Functional imaging information is used to determine a probability of residual disease given a treatment. The functional imaging information shows different characteristic levels for different regions of the tumor. The probability is output for planning use and/or used to automatically determine dose by region. Using the probability, the dose may be distributed by region so that some regions receive a greater dose than other regions. This distribution by region of dose more likely treats the tumor with a same dose, allows a lesser dose to sufficient treat the tumor, and/or allows a greater dose with a lesser or no increase in risk to normal tissue. The dose plan may account for personalized tumors as each patient may have distinct tumors. Probability of dose application accuracy may also be used, so that a combined treatment probability allows efficient dose planning.

Abstract: The invention relates to disc drive mechanism (100) which comprises an actuator (113) controlling a radial movement of a lens (109). An actuator controller (115) generates an actuator control signal which is fed to the actuator (113). An activation time processor (125) determines an amplitude variation characteristic of the actuator control signal. Specifically, the activation time processor (125) determines how the amplitude varies as a function of the rotation angle. The activation time processor (125) determines an activation time for a position change actuator signal component which causes the actuator (113) to move the lens (109) to jump to a different track. The position change actuator signal component is added to the actuator control signal in the actuator controller (115) thereby generating a combined actuator control signal which both tracks the disc and effectuates a jump. The activation time is selected such that the dynamic range of the actuator control signal is reduced.

Abstract: An optimizing of a gain in a servo control loop (21) of an optical drive is performed for the control of an actuator for focusing and tracking a laser beam (10) for reading or writing data from/to optical discs (1), wherein the actuator is controlled by a servo controller (20) in the control loop (21), by means of an algorithm performing the steps: predetermining a reference oscillation level for the servo control loop (21), iteratively checking if a power output from the control loop (21) used as an dissipation level value is less than the reference oscillation level, increasing the gain in the servo control loop in each iteration step until said dissipation level value is equal to or greater than the reference oscillation level and then decreasing the gain in the control loop by a margin value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a feedback loop (30) used with a servo controller (14) to control an actuator (13, 17) of an optical disc drive. The gain (18) in the feedback loop (30) determines the bandwidth of the actuator (13, 17) in accordance with predetermined parameters for predetermined intervals. High rotational disk speeds, especially during writing, necessitate that the actuator servo controller feedback loop have a high loop gain and can become critical. Higher gains will cause oscillations in the loop. Loop gain spread from sources such as detector sensitivity differences on recorded and non recorded areas, is controlled by setting the control gain at an initial value lower than the maximal value in order to avoid oscillations. The control gain is then adjusted to a maximum value by means of an AGC mechanism. This AGC mechanism is activated for short periods of times to adjust the gain.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that compensates for power variations occurring in a beam (11) of reflected light from a laser (10) within optical disc recording devices. Signal multiplication techniques are applied to signals indicative of light reflected from the optical disc. The signal multiplication conditions signal indicative of the reflected light by selecting a gain factor from one of a plurality of possible constants. The constant selected by the gain factor is dependent on the determined state of the device. Factors used in determining the gain factor include of the position of the light spot from the laser is currently passing over written track or passing over unwritten tracks, and whether the laser is currently in a read mode or a write mode. These constants as determined create a gain factor corrected signal that is independent of the state of the optical pick-up.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for using photoplethysmography to obtain physiological parameter information related to respiration rate, heart rate, heart rate variability, blood volume variability and/or the autonomic nervous system. In one implementation, the process involves obtaining (2502) a pleth, filtering (2504) the pleth to remove unwanted components, identifying (2506) a signal component of interest, monitoring (2508) blood pressure changes, monitoring (2510) heart rate, and performing (2512) an analysis of the blood pressure signal to the heart rate signal to identify a relationship associated with the component of interest. Based on this relationship, the component of interest may be identified (2514) as relating to the respiration or Mayer Wave. If it is related to the respiration wave (2516), a respiratory parameter such as breathing rate may be determined (2520).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for using photoplethysmography to obtain physiological parameter information related to respiration or the autonomic nervous system. In one implementation, the process involves obtaining (602) a pleth, filtering (604) the pleth to remove unwanted components, identifying (606) a signal component of interest based on the filtered signal, monitoring (608) blood pressure changes, monitoring (610) heart rate, and performing (612) an analysis of the blood pressure signal to the heart rate signal to identify a phase relationship associated with the component of interest. Based on this phase relationship, the component of interest may be identified (614) as relating to the respiration or Mayer Wave. If it is related to the respiration wave (616), a respiratory parameter such as breathing rate may be determined (620). Otherwise, a Mayer Wave analysis (618) may be performed to obtain parameter information related to the autonomic nervous system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for using photoplethysmography to obtain physiological parameter information related to respiration rate, heart rate, heart rate variability, blood volume variability and/or the autonomic nervous system. In one implementation, the process involves obtaining (2502) a pleth, filtering (2504) the pleth to remove unwanted components, identifying (2506) a signal component of interest, monitoring (2508) blood pressure changes, monitoring (2510) heart rate, and performing (2512) an analysis of the blood pressure signal to the heart rate signal to identify a relationship associated with the component of interest. Based on this relationship, the component of interest may be identified (2514) as relating to the respiration or Mayer Wave. If it is related to the respiration wave (2516), a respiratory parameter such as breathing rate may be determined (2520).

Abstract: A photoplethysmographic instrument is used to obtain physiological parameter information related to low frequency heart rate and blood volume variability. In one implementation, a plethysmographic signal is filtered relative to a Mayer Wave frequency to provide an output related to low frequency blood volume variability. In another implementation, the photoplethysmographic signal is first processed to obtain a heart rate signal and the heart rate signal is in turn processed to obtain information regarding low frequency heart rate variability. In either case, a Mayer Wave effect having potential diagnostic significance can be monitored using a photoplethysmographic instrument such as a pulse oximeter.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for monitoring a secondary physiological process through variations caused by the secondary process in an optical signal used to calculate values related to blood oxygen levels. In particular, the optical signal may be divided into distinct portions such that a portion more directly affected by a particular secondary physiological process may be isolated and the secondary physiological process monitored. The apparatus and method is particularly useful for photoplethysmographically monitoring a patient's respiration frequency through changes in relative concentrations of blood oxygen related values that are proportionally related to the amounts of venous and arterial blood in a portion of tissue.

Abstract: A pleth signal is analyzed to identify a heart rate variability parameter associated with respiration rate. In one embodiment, an associated process involves obtaining a photoplethysmograpic signal, processing the pleth signal to obtain heart rate samples, monitoring the heart rate sample to identify a heart rate variability associated with respiration, and determining a respiration rate based on the heart rate variability. The photoplethysmographic signal may be based on one or more channel signals of a conventional pulse oximeter. The invention thus allows for noninvasive monitoring of respiration rate and expands the functionality of pulse oximeters.