Patents by Inventor Kazuhiko Yumikake

Kazuhiko Yumikake 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: 8403482
    Abstract: [Task] To provide a fundus oculi observation device capable of effectively performing dispersion compensation. [Means for Resolution] A fundus oculi observation device 1 functions as an optical image measurement device that splits a broadband light into a signal light LS and a reference light LR, superimposes the signal light LS propagated through a fundus oculi Ef and the reference light LR propagated through a reference mirror 174 to generate an interference light LC and forms an image of the fundus oculi Ef. The device 1 corrects the influence of dispersion of the reference light LR based on ocular information 212a, generates the interference light LC after the correction, detects this interference light LC, and forms an OCT image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Nouchi, Kazuhiko Yumikake, Hitoshi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8192024
    Abstract: A fundus oculi observation device 1 divides a low-coherence light L0 into a signal light LS and a reference light LR, superimposes the signal light LS propagated through a a fundus oculi Ef and the reference light LR propagated through a reference mirror 174 to generate and detect an interference light LC, and forms an OCT image of the fundus oculi Ef based on the result of the detection. The fundus oculi observation device 1 scans with the signal light LS while changing a scan interval when performing a series of scans with the signal light LS. Thus, it is possible to acquire a highly accurate image at small scan intervals from an attention site, and it is possible to reduce a scanning time by scanning at large intervals in other sites. Accordingly, it is possible to rapidly acquire a highly accurate image of an attention site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Yumikake, Yutaka Nishio, Hiroaki Okada, Tsutomu Kikawa
  • Patent number: 8177362
    Abstract: A device is an OCT device that splits a low-coherence light into a signal light and a reference light, detects an interference light obtained by superimposing the signal light propagated through an eye and the reference light propagated through a reference mirror, and forms an image of an fundus oculi. The device has a scan unit that scans the eye with the signal light. When a cross-section position is designated in an fundus oculi image, the device repetitively scans with the signal light along each cross-section position to repeatedly forms tomographic images at each cross-section position, thereby displaying a tomographic motion image at each cross-section position on a display. An operator can observe the tomographic motion image to designate the range and timing for measurement of a tomographic still image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Yutaka Nishio, Hiroaki Okada, Tsutomu Kikawa, Kazuhiko Yumikake
  • Patent number: 8098278
    Abstract: A fundus oculi observation device 1 splits a low-coherence light L0 into a signal light LS and a reference light LR, generates an interference light LC from the signal light LS propagated through an eye E and the reference light LR propagated through a reference mirror 174 to detect the interference light LC and, based on the result of the detection, forms a tomographic image of a fundus oculi Ef. The device 1 includes a scan unit 141 configured to scan with the signal light LS, and an LCD and optical system that present a fixation target. The device 1 acquires an image of the fundus oculi Ef in a state that scan a fixation target is presented while scanning with the signal light LS, and based on the image, determines whether fixation is proper or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Yumikake, Hiroaki Okada, Tsutomu Kikawa
  • Patent number: 7784942
    Abstract: A fundus oculi observation device comprises: a first image forming part for optically obtaining data and then forming a fluorescence image of a fundus oculi of an eye administered with a fluorescent agent in advance based on the obtained data; a second image forming part for optically obtaining data and then forming a tomographic image of the fundus oculi based on the obtained data; a display; and a controller for causing said display to display said fluorescence image formed by said first image forming part side-by-side with said tomographic image formed by said second image forming part, as well as to display cross-sectional position information that represents a cross-sectional position of said tomographic image in said fluorescence image by overlapping it with said fluorescent image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Naoyuki Maeda, Kazuhiko Yumikake, Takashi Shioiri
  • Patent number: 7784941
    Abstract: A fundus observation device which can simultaneously capture both surface images and tomographic images of the fundus oculi is provided. The fundus observation device 1 has a fundus camera unit 1A, an OCT unit 150, and an arithmetic and control unit 200. The fundus camera unit 1A has an illuminating optical system 100 and an imaging optical system 120. The arithmetic and control unit 200 forms the surface image of fundus oculi Ef based on signals from fundus camera unit 1A. The OCT unit 150 divides low coherence light LO into the signal light LS and the reference light LR, and detects the interference light LC that can be obtained from the signal light LS passing through fundus oculi Ef and the reference light LR passing through reference mirror 174. The arithmetic and control unit 200 forms tomographic images of fundus oculi Ef based on these detecting results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Yasufumi Fukuma, Hiroyuki Otsuka, Kazuhiko Yumikake
  • Publication number: 20100182567
    Abstract: [Task] To provide a fundus oculi observation device capable of effectively performing dispersion compensation. [Means for Resolution] A fundus oculi observation device 1 functions as an optical image measurement device that splits a broadband light into a signal light LS and a reference light LR, superimposes the signal light LS propagated through a fundus oculi Ef and the reference light LR propagated through a reference mirror 174 to generate an interference light LC and forms an image of the fundus oculi Ef. The device 1 corrects the influence of dispersion of the reference light LR based on ocular information 212a, generates the interference light LC after the correction, detects this interference light LC, and forms an OCT image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Nouchi, Kazuhiko Yumikake, Hitoshi Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20100157311
    Abstract: Such an optical image measurement device is provided that is capable of acquiring a clear image even when the intensity of an interference light is low. A fundus oculi observation device 1 is configured to superimpose a signal light LS propagated through a fundus oculi Ef and a reference light LR propagated through a reference mirror 174 to generate an interference light LC, detect the interference light LC, and form an image of the fundus oculi Ef. The device 1 determines whether the intensity of a detection signal of the interference light LC is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold and, when determines that the intensity is less than the predetermined threshold, controls to increase the intensity of the detection signal of the interference light LC. The device 1 forms an image of the fundus oculi Ef based on the detection signal with the increased intensity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Takefumi Hayashi, Kazuhiko Yumikake, Hisashi Tsukada
  • Publication number: 20100128960
    Abstract: An object is to allow grasp of a depth position of a corneal image. A cornea observation device 100 functions as a full-field OCT device and forms a horizontal tomographic image of a cell of a cornea Ec. A cellular-region extracting part 243 extracts a cellular image region from this tomographic image. A cellular-information generator 244 generates cellular information representing a cellular morphology (size and shape) based on this image region. A memory 247 pre-stores relation information 247a relating a depth position of the cornea to the cellular morphology. A depth-position specifying part 245 selects a depth position corresponding to the cellular morphology of the cornea Ec shown in the cellular information from the relation information 247a and sets as the depth position of the tomographic image. A controller 21 makes a display 22 display this depth position. Consequently, an operator can grasp the depth position of the tomographic image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Yumikake
  • Publication number: 20100118132
    Abstract: A fundus oculi observation device 1 splits a low-coherence light L0 into a signal light LS and a reference light LR, generates an interference light LC from the signal light LS propagated through an eye E and the reference light LR propagated through a reference mirror 174 to detect the interference light LC and, based on the result of the detection, forms a tomographic image of a fundus oculi Ef. The device 1 includes a scan unit 141 configured to scan with the signal light LS, and an LCD and optical system that present a fixation target. The device 1 acquires an image of the fundus oculi Ef in a state that scan a fixation target is presented while scanning with the signal light LS, and based on the image, determines whether fixation is proper or not.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Yumikake, Hiroaki Okada, Tsutomu Kikawa
  • Publication number: 20100110375
    Abstract: A device 1 is an OCT device that splits a low-coherence light L0 into a signal light LS and a reference light LR, detects an interference light LC obtained by superimposing the signal light LS propagated through an eye E and the reference light LR propagated through a reference mirror 174, and forms an image of an fundus oculi Ef. The device 1 has a scan unit 141 that scans the eye E with the signal light LS. When a cross-section position is designated in an fundus oculi image Ef?, the device 1 repetitively scans with the signal light LS along each cross-section position to repeatedly forms tomographic images at each cross-section position, thereby displaying a tomographic motion image at each cross-section position on a display 240A. An operator can observe the tomographic motion image to designate the range and timing for measurement of a tomographic still image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Yutaka Nishio, Hiroaki Okada, Tsutomu Kikawa, Kazuhiko Yumikake
  • Publication number: 20100039616
    Abstract: A fundus oculi observation device 1 divides a low-coherence light L0 into a signal light LS and a reference light LR, superimposes the signal light LS propagated through a a fundus oculi Ef and the reference light LR propagated through a reference mirror 174 to generate and detect an interference light LC, and forms an OCT image of the fundus oculi Ef based on the result of the detection. The fundus oculi observation device 1 scans with the signal light LS while changing a scan interval when performing a series of scans with the signal light LS. Thus, it is possible to acquire a highly accurate image at small scan intervals from an attention site, and it is possible to reduce a scanning time by scanning at large intervals in other sites. Accordingly, it is possible to rapidly acquire a highly accurate image of an attention site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Yumikake, Yutaka Nishio, Hiroaki Okada, Tsutomu Kikawa
  • Patent number: 7604351
    Abstract: An optical image measurement device comprises: an interference-light generator configured to generate an interference light by splitting a low-coherence light into a signal light and a reference light and superimposing the signal light having passed through an eye and the reference light having passed through a reference object; a detector configured to detect the generated interference light; a calculator configured to obtain intensity distribution of the interference light in the eye, based on a result of the detection by the detector; a determining part configured to determine a projection position of the signal light to the eye, based on the obtained intensity distribution; and an image forming part configured to form an image of the eye, based on a result of detection of a new interference light based on a new signal light projected toward the determined projection position and a new reference light having passed through the reference object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Yasufumi Fukuma, Hisashi Tsukada, Tsutomu Kikawa, Kazuhiko Yumikake
  • Patent number: 7566132
    Abstract: LCD 140 is provided for displaying an internal fixation target for fixating an eye E. Projection optical system (a part of an imaging optical system 120) is provided for projecting the displayed internal fixation target onto the a fundus oculi Ef. Image forming part 220 is provided for forming 2-dimensional images (images of fundus oculi) Ef of the surface of fundus oculi Ef. Display part 240A is provided for displaying images of fundus oculi Ef. Operation part 240B is provided for specifying the position of the displayed images of fundus oculi Ef. Main controller 211 is provided for changing the projection position of the internal fixation target on the fundus oculi by changing the display position of the fixation target by the LCD 140 based on the specified position. The image forming part 220 forms tomographic images of the fundus oculi Ef with the internal fixation target projected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Yasufumi Fukuma, Hiroyuki Otsuka, Kazuhiko Yumikake, Hiroaki Okada, Yutaka Nishio
  • Patent number: 7492466
    Abstract: Provided is an optical image measuring apparatus forming a three-dimensional image based on tomographic images of an object, acquired at various depths even when the object moves during measurement. Including a half mirror (6) for dividing a light beam signal light (S) and reference light (R), a frequency shifter (8), a reference mirror (9) and a piezoelectric element (9A) used to change an optical path length of the reference light (R), CCDs (21, 22) for receiving interference light beams (L) resulting from interference light produced by superimposing the signal light (S) and the reference light (R) on each other by the half mirror (6) and outputting detection signals, an image forming portion for forming tomographic images based on the detection signals, a measurement depth calculating means (53), and an image processing portion (57). Forming a three-dimensional image or the like based on the arranged tomographic images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Kinpui Chan, Masahiro Akiba, Yasufumi Fukuma, Hiroyuki Otsuka, Hisashi Tsukada, Kazuhiko Yumikake
  • Publication number: 20080239240
    Abstract: An optical image measurement device has: an interference-light generator configured to generate an interference light by splitting a low-coherence light into a signal light and a reference light and superimposing the signal light having passed through an eye and the reference light having passed through a reference object; a detector configured to detect the generated interference light; and a scanner configured to scan a projection position of the signal light on the eye, and the optical image measurement device is configured to form an image of the eye based on a result of detection by the detector. The optical image measurement device comprises a projector configured to project fixation information for fixing the eye onto a fundus oculi of the eye when the scanner scans with the signal light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: Kabushi Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Hisashi Tsukada, Hiroaki Okada, Yutaka Nishio, Kazuhiko Yumikake
  • Publication number: 20080239238
    Abstract: An optical image measurement device comprises: an interference-light generator configured to generate an interference light by splitting a low-coherence light into a signal light and a reference light and superimposing the signal light having passed through an eye and the reference light having passed through a reference object; a detector configured to detect the generated interference light; a calculator configured to obtain intensity distribution of the interference light in the eye, based on a result of the detection by the detector; a determining part configured to determine a projection position of the signal light to the eye, based on the obtained intensity distribution; and an image forming part configured to form an image of the eye, based on a result of detection of a new interference light based on a new signal light projected toward the determined projection position and a new reference light having passed through the reference object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: Kabushi Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Yasufumi FUKUMA, Hisashi Tuskada, Tsutomu Kikawa, Kazuhiko Yumikake
  • Patent number: 7370966
    Abstract: The ophthalmologic apparatus 1 splits low coherence light LO into a signal light LS and a reference light LR, the interference light LC being generated by having the signal light LS overlap with the reference light LR, and detects this interference light LC. In addition, the apparatus comprises an optical alignment system 190A for performing the alignment of an optical system forming the signal light path to the eye E. An intraocular distance calculator 214 determines the distance between the position where the signal light LS has been introduced onto the eye E and the position where the signal light LS has been reflected by the fundus oculi E based on length of the optical path of the signal light, the length of the optical path of the reference signal light, the working distance after alignment, and the detection signal output by the CCD 184 (or signal intensity data).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Yasufumi Fukuma, Hiroyuki Otsuka, Kazuhiko Yumikake
  • Patent number: 7372578
    Abstract: Provided is an optical image measuring apparatus capable of effectively receiving interference light, particularly an alternating current component thereof using a smaller number of photo sensors. The optical image measuring apparatus includes a polarizing plate for converting a light beam from a broad-band light source to linearly polarized light, a half mirror for dividing the light beam into signal light and reference light, a piezoelectric element for vibrating a reference mirror, a wavelength plate for converting the reference light to circularly polarized light, a polarization beam splitter for extracting two different polarized light components from interference light produced from the signal light and the reference light which are superimposed on each other by the half mirror, CCDs for detecting the two different polarized light components, and a signal processing portion for producing an image of an object to be measured based on the detected polarized light components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Masahiro Akiba, Kinpui Chan, Yasufumi Fukuma, Hiroyuki Otsuka, Hisashi Tsukada, Kazuhiko Yumikake
  • Publication number: 20080084538
    Abstract: A fundus oculi observation device comprises: a first image forming part for optically obtaining data and then forming a fluorescence image of a fundus oculi of an eye administered with a fluorescent agent in advance based on the obtained data; a second image forming part for optically obtaining data and then forming a tomographic image of the fundus oculi based on the obtained data; a display; and a controller for causing said display to display said fluorescence image formed by said first image forming part side-by-side with said tomographic image formed by said second image forming part, as well as to display cross -sectional position information that represents a cross-sectional position of said tomographic image in said fluorescence image by overlapping it with said fluorescent image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Inventors: Naoyuki Maeda, Kazuhiko Yumikake, Takashi Shioiri