Patents by Inventor Koji Nozato
Koji Nozato 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).
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Patent number: 10939817Abstract: Provided is an imaging method for correcting aberration generated when imaging an object to be inspected. The imaging method includes: irradiating an imaging area with a first light beam which is scanned by a scan unit and taking an image of the object to be inspected based on return light of the first light beam; detecting a moving amount of the object to be inspected; comparing the detected moving amount with a predetermined threshold value; and adjusting the imaging area to be irradiated with the first light beam. The adjusting includes determining in accordance with a result of the comparison to change the imaging area by at least one of: using the scan unit, and using an aberration correcting unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2017Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Nozato, Tomoyuki Makihira, Kazuhide Miyata
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Patent number: 10820794Abstract: An ophthalmic image processing method, a non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with instructions for a computer to perform a method for processing images from an ophthalmic apparatus and an ophthalmic apparatus that irradiates an eye of a subject and gathers return light from a fundus of the eye. The ophthalmic apparatus may also comprise a wavefront sensor. The wavefront sensor may output to the memory, wavefront information that is representative of a wavefront of the return light from the fundus. The ophthalmic apparatus may also comprise a pupil monitor. The pupil monitor may output to the memory, a macro ocular portrait of the eye. The processor may produce an overlay image in which the wavefront information is overlaid on top of the macro ocular portrait.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2015Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Norihiko Utsunomiya, Koji Nozato
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Patent number: 10492681Abstract: An optical imaging system, method, and medium for imaging a subject. Measure an aberration state of light from the subject is measured. Determine a condition of the subject based on the aberration state of the light, and if the subject is in a first condition or a second condition. An aberration correction device that adjusts a state of the light. In a first case if the subject is in the first condition than the light is adjusted based on the aberration state of the light used to determine that the subject is in the first condition. In a second case if the subject is in the second condition than the light is adjusted based on based on a most recent aberration state of the light that was used to determine that the subject was in the first condition prior to detecting that the subject is in the second condition.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2014Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Nozato
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Patent number: 10357155Abstract: A method, controller, and medium to control an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope. Receiving from the ophthalmoscope a plurality of wavefront elements. Each element may be associated with an area of a beam of light received from a fundus. Each element includes shape data. The shape data represents a shape of a wavefront in a area of the beam. Each element includes status data. The status data is a confidence indicator of ability of the shape data to represent the shape of the wavefront with a particular level of accuracy. Calculating control data based on the shape data in the wavefront data and local gain. The local gain includes local gain elements. Each local gain elements is adjusted based on status data. Using the control data to adjust a shape of an illumination wavefront of an illumination beam used to illuminate the fundus.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2017Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Nozato
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Patent number: 10213106Abstract: A method, a, controller, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions; each of which control an apparatus to produce multiple images of an area of an eye in parallel. Selecting one of the images for estimating a change in position of the area to be used for tracking the area of the eye being imaged.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2017Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Nozato
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Patent number: 10105050Abstract: An adaptive optics apparatus includes an aberration measuring unit that measures an aberration caused by a subject's eye, the aberration being measured on the basis of returning light that returns from the subject's eye; an aberration correcting unit that performs aberration correction in accordance with the aberration measured by the aberration measuring unit; an irradiation unit that irradiates the subject's eye with light corrected by the aberration correcting unit; and an adjusting unit that maintains a correction characteristic of the aberration correcting unit when the subject's eye moves out of a predetermined area.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2015Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Nozato
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Patent number: 10052018Abstract: A method, a controller, and a non-transitory medium for controlling an optical-image pickup apparatus. Receiving quality data representative of quality of wavefront data. Comparing the quality data to a threshold. Performing normal adaptive optics feedback if the wavefront data is of sufficient quality. Performing an initial adjustment if the wavefront data is not of sufficient quality. The initial adjustment comprising sending control information to modify the optical path in which light is radiated onto a subject. After the initial adjustment, receiving new quality data that is based on new wavefront data after the optical path has been modified. Performing the normal adaptive optics feedback if the quality information indicates that the wavefront data is of sufficient quality. Re-performing the initial adjustment if the new quality information indicates that the wavefront data is not of sufficient quality.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2016Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Nozato
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Patent number: 9931033Abstract: A system, method, medium, controller, or ophthalmoscope for imaging a fundus of a subject. Estimating a first illumination center position for an illumination beam relative to a center position of a pupil of the subject. The first illumination center position may be offset from the center position of the pupil. Sending instructions to an ophthalmoscope to shift a center position of the illumination beam to the first illumination center position.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2016Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomoaki Kawakami, Koji Nozato, Norihiko Utsunomiya
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Patent number: 9913580Abstract: Apparatus, method, and non-transitory medium for optical stabilization and digital image registration in scanning light ophthalmoscopy. Scanning an object with measurement light. Acquire an image of the object to be examined based on return light from the object. Acquire information which indicates movement of the object to be examined based on a plurality of acquired images. Control the scanning based on the information which indicates the movement of the object to be examined. Performing registration of the plurality of images.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2014Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, University of RochesterInventors: Kenichi Saito, Qiang Yang, Jie Zhang, Koji Nozato
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Publication number: 20180042476Abstract: A method, controller, and medium to control an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope. Receiving from the ophthalmoscope a plurality of wavefront elements. Each element may be associated with an area of a beam of light received from a fundus. Each element includes shape data. The shape data represents a shape of a wavefront in a area of the beam. Each element includes status data. The status data is a confidence indicator of ability of the shape data to represent the shape of the wavefront with a particular level of accuracy. Calculating control data based on the shape data in the wavefront data and local gain. The local gain includes local gain elements. Each local gain elements is adjusted based on status data. Using the control data to adjust a shape of an illumination wavefront of an illumination beam used to illuminate the fundus.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2017Publication date: February 15, 2018Inventor: Koji NOZATO
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Publication number: 20180020915Abstract: A method, a, controller, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions; each of which control an apparatus to produce multiple images of an area of an eye in parallel. Selecting one of the images for estimating a change in position of the area to be used for tracking the area of the eye being imaged.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2017Publication date: January 25, 2018Inventor: Koji NOZATO
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Patent number: 9875541Abstract: A method, controller, and non-transitory medium for obtaining images of a moving subject. Estimating changes in position of the subject based on the images. Calculating a quality metric of the estimation of the change. Comparing the quality metric to a threshold. In a first case in which the quality metric is less than the threshold, adjusting position of the scanning area based on the estimated change in position. In a second case in which the quality metric is not less than the threshold, obtaining a new second image.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2016Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, University of RochesterInventors: Koji Nozato, Kenichi Saito, Qiang Yang
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Patent number: 9867538Abstract: An ophthalmic apparatus includes an AOSLO apparatus, a WFSLO apparatus, and a tracking processor that controls a tracking mirror based on position information calculated from AOSLO and WFSLO images. In another embodiment, the tracking processor controls the tracking mirror based on position information calculated from WFSLO images only. Depending on the amount of movement a target image with respect to a reference image, and the accuracy of detection thereof, the tracking mirror of either the AOSLO apparatus or the WFSLO apparatus can be selectively controlled according to a difference in position of the target image with respect to the reference image.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2016Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Nozato, Kenichi Saito, Kaishi Ohashi, Akira Sato, Futoshi Hirose, Hiroshi Imamura
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Publication number: 20170332902Abstract: Provided is an imaging method for correcting aberration generated when imaging an object to be inspected. The imaging method includes: irradiating an imaging area with a first light beam which is scanned by a scan unit and taking an image of the object to be inspected based on return light of the first light beam; detecting a moving amount of the object to be inspected; comparing the detected moving amount with a predetermined threshold value; and adjusting the imaging area to be irradiated with the first light beam. The adjusting includes determining in accordance with a result of the comparison to change the imaging area by at least one of: using the scan unit, and using an aberration correcting unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2017Publication date: November 23, 2017Inventors: Koji Nozato, Tomoyuki Makihira, Kazuhide Miyata
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Patent number: 9808153Abstract: A method, controller, and medium to control an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope. Receiving from the ophthalmoscope a plurality of wavefront elements. Each element may be associated with an area of a beam of light received from a fundus. Each element includes shape data. The shape data represents a shape of a wavefront in a area of the beam. Each element includes status data. The status data is a confidence indicator of ability of the shape data to represent the shape of the wavefront with a particular level of accuracy. Calculating control data based on the shape data in the wavefront data and local gain. The local gain includes local gain elements. Each local gain elements is adjusted based on status data. Using the control data to adjust a shape of an illumination wavefront of an illumination beam used to illuminate the fundus.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2016Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Nozato
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Patent number: 9795294Abstract: A method, a, controller, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions; each of which control an apparatus to produce multiple images of an area of an eye in parallel. Selecting one of the images for estimating a change in position of the area to be used for tracking the area of the eye being imaged.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2016Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Nozato
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Publication number: 20170296050Abstract: A method, controller, and medium to control an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope. Receiving from the ophthalmoscope a plurality of wavefront elements. Each element may be associated with an area of a beam of light received from a fundus. Each element includes shape data. The shape data represents a shape of a wavefront in a area of the beam. Each element includes status data. The status data is a confidence indicator of ability of the shape data to represent the shape of the wavefront with a particular level of accuracy. Calculating control data based on the shape data in the wavefront data and local gain. The local gain includes local gain elements. Each local gain elements is adjusted based on status data. Using the control data to adjust a shape of an illumination wavefront of an illumination beam used to illuminate the fundus.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2016Publication date: October 19, 2017Inventor: Koji NOZATO
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Patent number: 9788719Abstract: In order to suppress a load on a subject when a fundus is irradiated with multiple beams, a fundus imaging apparatus for forming an image of a first area in the object, includes: a determination unit for determining a second area other than the first area in the object to be inspected; a detection unit for detecting moving of the object to be inspected on the basis of return light from the second area, which is irradiated with second light; a correction unit for correcting the first area on the basis of the detected moving; and a forming unit for forming an image of the object to be inspected on the basis of the return light from the corrected first area, which is irradiated with the first light.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2013Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomoyuki Makihira, Kazuhide Miyata, Koji Nozato
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Publication number: 20170290507Abstract: A method, a controller, and a non-transitory medium for controlling an optical-image pickup apparatus. Receiving quality data representative of quality of wavefront data. Comparing the quality data to a threshold. Performing normal adaptive optics feedback if the wavefront data is of sufficient quality. Performing an initial adjustment if the wavefront data is not of sufficient quality. The initial adjustment comprising sending control information to modify the optical path in which light is radiated onto a subject. After the initial adjustment, receiving new quality data that is based on new wavefront data after the optical path has been modified. Performing the normal adaptive optics feedback if the quality information indicates that the wavefront data is of sufficient quality. Re-performing the initial adjustment if the new quality information indicates that the wavefront data is not of sufficient quality.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2016Publication date: October 12, 2017Inventor: Koji NOZATO
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Publication number: 20170265742Abstract: An ophthalmic apparatus includes an AOSLO apparatus, a WFSLO apparatus, and a tracking processor that controls a tracking mirror based on position information calculated from AOSLO and WFSLO images. In another embodiment, the tracking processor controls the tracking mirror based on position information calculated from WFSLO images only. Depending on the amount of movement a target image with respect to a reference image, and the accuracy of detection thereof, the tracking mirror of either the AOSLO apparatus or the WFSLO apparatus can be selectively controlled according to a difference in position of the target image with respect to the reference image.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2016Publication date: September 21, 2017Inventors: Koji NOZATO, Kenichi SAITO, Kaishi OHASHI, Akira SATO, Futoshi HIROSE, Hiroshi IMAMURA