Patents by Inventor John Shimmick

John Shimmick 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: 20070225692
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods, systems, and apparatus for calibrating a laser ablation system, such as an excimer laser system for selectively ablating a cornea of a patient's eye. The invention also facilitates alignment of eye tracking cameras that measure a position of the eye during laser eye surgery. A calibration and alignment fixture for a scanning laser beam delivery system having eye tracking cameras may include a structure positionable in a treatment plane. The structure having a feature directing laser energy incident thereon to a calibration energy sensor, at least one reference-edge to determine a characteristic of the laser beam (shape, dimensions, etc.), and an artificial pupil to determine alignment of the eye tracking cameras with the laser system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Applicant: VISX, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Seema Somani, Kingman Yee, John Shimmick
  • Publication number: 20060206102
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present invention measure at least one reflecting surface of an object disposed along an optical path. In some embodiments a measured optical interference signal for each of at least three wavelengths of reflected light may be used to determine a modulation of frequency components of a Fourier series. Frequency components of a Fourier series may be transformed to spatial components that describe intensities and positions of light reflected along an optical path. Systems and methods of the present invention permit rapid measuring and may monitor corneal thickness during surgery. The invention may do so by integrating an ablation device and a measurement apparatus into a single system. An integrated scanning and monitoring system may include an ablative light source producing an ablative beam and a measurement light source producing a measurement beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Applicant: VISX, INCORPORATED
    Inventor: John Shimmick
  • Publication number: 20060103839
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods, systems, and apparatus for calibrating a laser ablation system, such as an excimer laser system for selectively ablating a cornea of a patient's eye. The invention also facilitates alignment of eye tracking cameras that measure a position of the eye during laser eye surgery. A calibration and alignment fixture for a scanning laser beam delivery system having eye tracking cameras may include a structure positionable in a treatment plane. The structure having a feature directing laser energy incident thereon to a calibration energy sensor, at least one reference-edge to determine a characteristic of the laser beam (shape, dimensions, etc.), and an artificial pupil to determine alignment of the eye tracking cameras with the laser system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Publication date: May 18, 2006
    Applicant: VISX, INC.
    Inventors: Seema Somani, Kingman Yee, John Shimmick
  • Patent number: 5339121
    Abstract: A rectilinear keratoscope for determining the curvature of the anterior corneal surface of an eye. The keratoscope includes a translucent sheet having a curved pattern in the shape of a grid of intersecting individual curved lines. The pattern forms a substantially rectilinear grid image when reflected from a curved surface having a known radius of curvature. Deviations from a spherical surface can be qualitatively and quantitatively determined from examining the nature of the reflected image pattern and by measuring the spatial frequency of grid lines lying between a reference point and an image point corresponding to a point on the surface of the cornea whose refractive power is to be measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Visx, Incorported
    Inventors: John Shimmick, Charles R. Munnerlyn