Patents by Inventor Kenneth A. Altman

Kenneth A. Altman 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: 5347987
    Abstract: A self-guiding, self-centering endoscope system provides for the advance of a head of the endoscope through the lumen of an internal organ with minimal discomfort to the patient in which use of anesthesia is substantially eliminated. The guiding system is implemented through an algorithm controlled computer processing of 136 coordinate sectors of an electronic mask applied to a video output of the endoscope camera. This output is digitized by a video processing unit and fed into a computer module in which the algorithm compares derived gray scale values of the sectors with a pre-set gray scale parameter to differentiate between levels of varying reflectivity within and upon the walls of the lumen to, thereby, ascertain the best path for the head of the endoscope. Through the use of X- and Y-axis servo-amplifiers and motors, a real time correction of the position of the endoscope head is obtained relative to the center of the lumen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Inventors: David A. Feldstein, Kenneth A. Altman