Patents by Inventor John F. Heanue
John F. Heanue 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: 11262288Abstract: In some aspects, a flow cytometer system is provided that includes beam shaping optics positioned to manipulate a light beam and produce a resulting light beam that irradiates the core stream at the interrogation zone of the flow cell. The beam shaping optics include an acylindrical lens positioned to receive and focus light in a direction of a first axis orthogonal to a direction of light travel, and a cylindrical lens positioned to receive the light output from the acylindrical lens and to focus the light output from the acylindrical lens in a direction of a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the direction of light travel. The resulting light beam output has a flat-top shaped intensity profile along the first axis, and a Gaussian-shaped intensity profile along the second axis. Related methods of shaping a light beam at an interrogation zone of a flow cell are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2020Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Inventors: John F. Heanue, Stuart L. Friedman
-
Publication number: 20210131943Abstract: In some aspects, a flow cytometer system is provided that includes beam shaping optics positioned to manipulate a light beam and produce a resulting light beam that irradiates the core stream at the interrogation zone of the flow cell. The beam shaping optics include an acylindrical lens positioned to receive and focus light in a direction of a first axis orthogonal to a direction of light travel, and a cylindrical lens positioned to receive the light output from the acylindrical lens and to focus the light output from the acylindrical lens in a direction of a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the direction of light travel. The resulting light beam output has a flat-top shaped intensity profile along the first axis, and a Gaussian-shaped intensity profile along the second axis. Related methods of shaping a light beam at an interrogation zone of a flow cell are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2020Publication date: May 6, 2021Inventors: John F. Heanue, Stuart L. Friedman
-
Patent number: 10830686Abstract: In some aspects, a flow cytometer system is provided that includes beam shaping optics positioned to manipulate a light beam and produce a resulting light beam that irradiates the core stream at the interrogation zone of the flow cell. The beam shaping optics include an acylindrical lens positioned to receive and focus light in a direction of a first axis orthogonal to a direction of light travel, and a cylindrical lens positioned to receive the light output from the acylindrical lens and to focus the light output from the acylindrical lens in a direction of a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the direction of light travel. The resulting light beam output has a flat-top shaped intensity profile along the first axis, and a Gaussian-shaped intensity profile along the second axis. Related methods of shaping a light beam at an interrogation zone of a flow cell are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2019Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: Abbott LaboratoriesInventors: John F. Heanue, Stuart L. Friedman
-
Publication number: 20190310180Abstract: In some aspects, a flow cytometer system is provided that includes beam shaping optics positioned to manipulate a light beam and produce a resulting light beam that irradiates the core stream at the interrogation zone of the flow cell. The beam shaping optics include an acylindrical lens positioned to receive and focus light in a direction of a first axis orthogonal to a direction of light travel, and a cylindrical lens positioned to receive the light output from the acylindrical lens and to focus the light output from the acylindrical lens in a direction of a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the direction of light travel. The resulting light beam output has a flat-top shaped intensity profile along the first axis, and a Gaussian-shaped intensity profile along the second axis. Related methods of shaping a light beam at an interrogation zone of a flow cell are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2019Publication date: October 10, 2019Inventors: John F. Heanue, Stuart L. Friedman
-
Patent number: 10274413Abstract: In some aspects, a flow cytometer system is provided that includes beam shaping optics positioned to manipulate a light beam and produce a resulting light beam that irradiates the core stream at the interrogation zone of the flow cell. The beam shaping optics include an acylindrical lens positioned to receive and focus light in a direction of a first axis orthogonal to a direction of light travel, and a cylindrical lens positioned to receive the light output from the acylindrical lens and to focus the light output from the acylindrical lens in a direction of a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the direction of light travel. The resulting light beam output has a flat-top shaped intensity profile along the first axis, and a Gaussian-shaped intensity profile along the second axis. Related methods of shaping a light beam at an interrogation zone of a flow cell are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2016Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: Abbott LaboratoriesInventors: John F. Heanue, Stuart L. Friedman
-
Publication number: 20170115202Abstract: In some aspects, a flow cytometer system is provided that includes beam shaping optics positioned to manipulate a light beam and produce a resulting light beam that irradiates the core stream at the interrogation zone of the flow cell. The beam shaping optics include an acylindrical lens positioned to receive and focus light in a direction of a first axis orthogonal to a direction of light travel, and a cylindrical lens positioned to receive the light output from the acylindrical lens and to focus the light output from the acylindrical lens in a direction of a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the direction of light travel. The resulting light beam output has a flat-top shaped intensity profile along the first axis, and a Gaussian-shaped intensity profile along the second axis. Related methods of shaping a light beam at an interrogation zone of a flow cell are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2016Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: John F. Heanue, Stuart L. Friedman
-
Patent number: 9523857Abstract: In some aspects, a flow cytometer system is provided that includes beam shaping optics positioned to manipulate a light beam and produce a resulting light beam that irradiates the core stream at the interrogation zone of the flow cell. The beam shaping optics include an acylindrical lens positioned to receive and focus light in a direction of a first axis orthogonal to a direction of light travel, and a cylindrical lens positioned to receive the light output from the acylindrical lens and to focus the light output from the acylindrical lens in a direction of a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the direction of light travel. The resulting light beam output has a flat-top shaped intensity profile along the first axis, and a Gaussian-shaped intensity profile along the second axis. Related methods of shaping a light beam at an interrogation zone of a flow cell are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignee: Abbott LaboratoriesInventors: John F. Heanue, Stuart L. Friedman
-
Patent number: 9494801Abstract: In some aspects, a flow cytometer system is provided that includes beam shaping optics positioned to manipulate a light beam and produce a resulting light beam that irradiates the core stream at the interrogation zone of the flow cell. The beam shaping optics include an acylindrical lens positioned to receive and focus light in a direction of a first axis orthogonal to a direction of light travel, and a cylindrical lens positioned to receive the light output from the acylindrical lens and to focus the light output from the acylindrical lens in a direction of a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the direction of light travel. The resulting light beam output has a flat-top shaped intensity profile along the first axis, and a Gaussian-shaped intensity profile along the second axis. Related methods of shaping a light beam at an interrogation zone of a flow cell are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: Abbott LaboratoriesInventors: John F. Heanue, Stuart L. Friedman
-
Publication number: 20140264097Abstract: In some aspects, a flow cytometer system is provided that includes beam shaping optics positioned to manipulate a light beam and produce a resulting light beam that irradiates the core stream at the interrogation zone of the flow cell. The beam shaping optics include an acylindrical lens positioned to receive and focus light in a direction of a first axis orthogonal to a direction of light travel, and a cylindrical lens positioned to receive the light output from the acylindrical lens and to focus the light output from the acylindrical lens in a direction of a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the direction of light travel. The resulting light beam output has a flat-top shaped intensity profile along the first axis, and a Gaussian-shaped intensity profile along the second axis. Related methods of shaping a light beam at an interrogation zone of a flow cell are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2014Publication date: September 18, 2014Inventors: John F. Heanue, Stuart L. Friedman
-
Patent number: 8755866Abstract: A system and method for optical lymph node mapping. The system is useful for guiding sentinel lymph node biopsy surgeries. A contrast agent that includes a fluorescent dye is injected near the site of a malignancy. The contrast agent drains into the lymphatic system, collecting in a sentinel node or nodes. The system utilizes one or more low-power continuous-wave lasers or light-emitting diodes modulated with a digital code sequence to probe the tissue suspected of containing the sentinel node. When the light is incident near the sentinel node, it will excite fluorescence from the dye. A portion of the scattered fluorescent light is captured with one or more photo-detectors. A correlation of the photo-detector signal and the digital code sequence is calculated to produce an estimate of the distribution of flight times for photons traveling from a given source to a given detector.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2006Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: John F. Heanue, Joseph A. Heanue, Brian P. Wilfley, Augustus P. Lowell
-
Publication number: 20120323109Abstract: A system and method for measuring photons utilizing a low-power light source modulated with a code sequence to interrogate a sample of interest. Preferably a portion of the scattered light from the sample is detected by a photo-detector. A correlation of the photo-detector signal and the code sequence produces an estimate of the distribution of flight times for photons traveling from the source to the detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2012Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: NELLCOR PURITAN BENNETT LLCInventors: John F. Heanue, Joseph A. Heanue, Brian P. Wilfley, Augustus P. Lowell
-
Patent number: 8269964Abstract: A system and method for measuring photons utilizing a low-power light source modulated with a code sequence to interrogate a sample of interest. Preferably a portion of the scattered light from the sample is detected by a photo-detector. A correlation of the photo-detector signal and the code sequence produces an estimate of the distribution of flight times for photons traveling from the source to the detector.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2006Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLCInventors: John F. Heanue, Joseph A. Heanue, Brian P. Wilfley, Augustus P. Lowell
-
Patent number: 7697192Abstract: A thin-film interference filter structure has a generally wavelength-dependent resonant response to incident optical energy in a predetermined range of wavelengths. The thin-film interference filter structure includes a thermally tunable layer having a thermally tunable optical characteristic such that a range of wavelength-dependent resonant optical responses of the thermally tunable layer are induced by a corresponding range of thermal conditions of the thermally tunable layer. The thin-film interference filter structure is configured to (1) receive a spatially varying pattern of thermal energy at the thermally tunable layer to impart a corresponding spatially varying pattern to the thermally tunable characteristic of the thermally tunable layer, and (2) receive the incident optical energy into the thermally tunable layer and output optical energy having spatial modulation corresponding to the spatially varying pattern of the thermally tunable characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2009Date of Patent: April 13, 2010Assignee: Redshift Systems CorporationInventors: Matthias Wagner, Shuyun Wu, Charles M. Marshall, Eugene Y. Ma, John F. Heanue
-
Publication number: 20090195859Abstract: A thin-film interference filter structure has a generally wavelength-dependent resonant response to incident optical energy in a predetermined range of wavelengths. The thin-film interference filter structure includes a thermally tunable layer having a thermally tunable optical characteristic such that a range of wavelength-dependent resonant optical responses of the thermally tunable layer are induced by a corresponding range of thermal conditions of the thermally tunable layer. The thin-film interference filter structure is configured to (1) receive a spatially varying pattern of thermal energy at the thermally tunable layer to impart a corresponding spatially varying pattern to the thermally tunable characteristic of the thermally tunable layer, and (2) receive the incident optical energy into the thermally tunable layer and output optical energy having spatial modulation corresponding to the spatially varying pattern of the thermally tunable characteristic.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2009Publication date: August 6, 2009Applicant: REDSHIFT SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventors: Matthias Wagner, Shuyun Wu, Charles M. Marshall, Eugene Y. Ma, John F. Heanue
-
Patent number: 7560703Abstract: A signal conduction channel having a first element that receives electrons at a first end from a vacuum environment, produces photons as the electrons are received, and propagates the photons along a length of the first element to a distal second end, and a second element that receives the photons from the second end of the first element, converts the photons to electrons, and multiplies the electrons, where no additional element is disposed between the second end of the first element and the second element, except optionally at least one of a photon-conductive epoxy, a lens, and an optical coupling plate that touches both the second end of the first element and the second element.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2007Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: David A. Soltz, Ye Yang, Mark C. Lin, Laurence S. Horndon, Edward G. Solomon, Joseph A. Heanue, John F. Heanue, M. Nasser Ghodsi
-
Patent number: 7522328Abstract: An apparatus includes a thin-film interference filter structure having a generally wavelength-dependent resonant response to incident optical energy in a predetermined range of wavelengths. The thin-film interference filter structure includes a thermally tunable layer having a thermally tunable optical characteristic such that a range of wavelength-dependent resonant optical responses of the thermally tunable layer are induced by a corresponding range of thermal conditions of the thermally tunable layer. The thin-film interference filter structure is configured to (1) receive a spatially varying pattern of thermal energy at the thermally tunable layer to impart a corresponding spatially varying pattern to the thermally tunable characteristic of the thermally tunable layer, and (2) receive the incident optical energy into the thermally tunable layer and output optical energy having spatial modulation corresponding to the spatially varying pattern of the thermally tunable characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2007Date of Patent: April 21, 2009Assignee: Redshift Systems CorporationInventors: Matthias Wagner, Shuyun Wu, Charles M. Marshall, Eugene Y. Ma, John F. Heanue
-
Patent number: 7443891Abstract: A Fabry-Perot laser and a micro-actuator are utilized to provide continuous tuning over a range of wavelengths.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2005Date of Patent: October 28, 2008Assignee: Coherent, Inc.Inventors: John F. Heanue, John H. Jerman, Jeffrey P. Wilde
-
Publication number: 20080259972Abstract: A Fabry-Perot laser and a micro-actuator are utilized to provide continuous tuning over a range of wavelengths.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2005Publication date: October 23, 2008Applicant: IOLON, INC.Inventors: John F. Heanue, John H. Jerman, Jeffrey P. Wilde
-
Publication number: 20080088906Abstract: An apparatus includes a thin-film interference filter structure having a generally wavelength-dependent resonant response to incident optical energy in a predetermined range of wavelengths. The thin-film interference filter structure includes a thermally tunable layer having a thermally tunable optical characteristic such that a range of wavelength-dependent resonant optical responses of the thermally tunable layer are induced by a corresponding range of thermal conditions of the thermally tunable layer. The thin-film interference filter structure is configured to (1) receive a spatially varying pattern of thermal energy at the thermally tunable layer to impart a corresponding spatially varying pattern to the thermally tunable characteristic of the thermally tunable layer, and (2) receive the incident optical energy into the thermally tunable layer and output optical energy having spatial modulation corresponding to the spatially varying pattern of the thermally tunable characteristic.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2007Publication date: April 17, 2008Applicant: Redshift Systems CorporationInventors: Matthias Wagner, Shuyun Wu, Charles M. Marshall, Eugene Y. Ma, John F. Heanue
-
Patent number: 6961506Abstract: One aspect is a method for controllably attenuating the beam of light (108) coupled between incoming and outgoing optical fibers (106) by misaligning minor surfaces (116a, 116b) included of an optical switching module (100). Misalignment of the mirror surfaces (116a and 116b) causes only a portion of the beam of light (108) propagating along the incoming optical fiber (106), which is less than when the light beam deflectors' mirror surfaces (116) are precisely aligned, to propagate along the outgoing optical fiber (108). Thus, the optical switching module (100) controllably attenuates the beam of light (108) coupled between the incoming and the outgoing optical fibers (106). Another aspect is a variable-optical-attenuator (“VOA”) (212) that includes an optically reflective membrane (222) upon which the beam of light (108) impinges. Application of an electrostatic field between an adjacent electrode (228) and the membrane (222) deforms the membrane (222) thereby attenuating an impinging beam of light (108).Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2001Date of Patent: November 1, 2005Inventors: Armand P. Neukermans, Rajiv Ramaswami, John F. Heanue, Brian P. Tremaine, Marc Schuman