Patents by Inventor Mark Alan Hopkins

Mark Alan Hopkins 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: 11701256
    Abstract: A gas mixing system for providing mixed gas for intraocular injection. In some embodiments, a first fixed-volume chamber is automatically purged and filled with gas from a first gas supply input, to a first predetermined pressure. A second fixed-volume chamber is purged and filled with gas from a second gas supply input, to a second predetermined pressure. The first and second predetermined pressures are determined based on a desired concentration of gases in the final mix, and the respective volumes of the first and second fixed-volume chambers and of a third fixed-volume chamber. Gas from the first fixed-volume chamber is then allowed to mix with gas in the third fixed-volume chamber, which was previously purged. Next, gas from the second fixed-volume chamber is allowed to mix with gas in the third fixed-volume chamber. Finally, the mixture of gases in the third fixed-volume chamber is expressed into an intraocular syringe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Alan Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20230181266
    Abstract: Systems are provided for automatically configuring devices and systems in an operating environment, e.g., an ophthalmic operating environment, to a user's desired settings. The system includes a controller configured to identify a user, e.g., a surgeon, via the utilization of a user-identifying identifier, e.g., a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device, which may communicate with a receiver operably coupled to the controller. The controller may further be configured to identify a surgical device, e.g., an ophthalmic probe, being used by the user during a surgical procedure via a device-associated identifier, e.g., a device-specific RFID device. Upon identification of the user and the surgical device, the controller may map the user and surgical device to one or more sets of predefined and user-input parameters/settings, and further configure the surgical device based on the mapped one or more sets of previously-determined parameters/settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Paul R. Hallen, Mark Alan Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20230181367
    Abstract: Certain embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and devices for coupling optical fibers with laser surgical systems. In particular, certain aspects provide a push-pull connector and adapter for releasably coupling an optical fiber with a port of a laser surgical system. The connector and adapter facilitate mechanical lateral and rotational guidance of the optical fiber during insertion into the port to ensure proper alignment (e.g., clocking) of the optical fiber’s cores with a laser beam pattern propagated by the laser surgical system. Accordingly, the connector and adaptor enable improved coupling efficiency between the laser beam pattern and one or more cores of the optical fiber, and therefore improved power uniformity between multiple laser beams transmitted through the cores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Mark Harrison Farley, Chenguang Diao, Mark Alan Hopkins, Alireza Mirsepassi, Timothy C. Ryan, Ronald T. Smith, Dennis Martin Terenzio
  • Patent number: 11116878
    Abstract: A system and method for a diaphragm-based fluidics aspiration system is disclosed. The aspiration system includes a waste reservoir configured to hold a vacuum pressure; an aspiration connection; a vacuum pinch valve including a first outlet fluidically coupled to the waste reservoir; a second outlet fluidically coupled to the aspiration connection; a fluid channel; and an actuator configured to alter a cross-sectional area of the fluid channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Gerry Brundage, Mark Alan Hopkins, Pooria Sharif Kashani, Connor Meehan
  • Patent number: 10729582
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods of and for an ophthalmic surgical system are disclosed. An ophthalmic surgical system may include a vitreous probe having a housing sized and shaped for grasping by a user. The vitreous probe may also include a cutter extending from the housing and being sized to penetrate and treat a patient eye. The cutter may include an outer cutting tube coupled to the housing. The outer cutting tube may have an outer port formed at a distal end wall of the outer cutting tube and configured to receive tissue. The cutter may include a rotatable inner cutting member disposed within the outer cutting tube. The inner cutting member may include a first cutting surface that rotates across the outer port to cut the tissue when the inner cutting member is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Philip John Biancalana, Paul R. Hallen, Mark Alan Hopkins, Michael J. Papac, Robert Joseph Sanchez, Jr., Salomon Valencia
  • Publication number: 20200108198
    Abstract: A microsurgical system with an integrated substance chamber is provided herein for delivering substance (e.g., a drug, retina patch, dye, etc.) to a surgical site through a tool component of the microsurgical instrument, such as a tissue removal component. The system may include a tissue removal handpiece having a tissue cutter disposed at a distal end. The system may further include a first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit. The first fluid conduit may couple a fluidics subsystem to the tissue removal handpiece to permit removal of cut tissue. The second fluid conduit may couple a substance chamber to the tissue removal handpiece. The system may additionally include a control system that enables or facilitates selective control of fluid through the tissue removal handpiece to introduce substance from the substance chamber to a surgical site through a port in the tissue cutter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Philip John Biancalana, Mark Alan Hopkins, Michael James Papac, Robert Joseph Sanchez, JR.
  • Publication number: 20190254870
    Abstract: A gas mixing system for providing mixed gas for intraocular injection. In some embodiments, a first fixed-volume chamber is automatically purged and filled with gas from a first gas supply input, to a first predetermined pressure. A second fixed-volume chamber is purged and filled with gas from a second gas supply input, to a second predetermined pressure. The first and second predetermined pressures are determined based on a desired concentration of gases in the final mix, and the respective volumes of the first and second fixed-volume chambers and of a third fixed-volume chamber. Gas from the first fixed-volume chamber is then allowed to mix with gas in the third fixed-volume chamber, which was previously purged. Next, gas from the second fixed-volume chamber is allowed to mix with gas in the third fixed-volume chamber. Finally, the mixture of gases in the third fixed-volume chamber is expressed into an intraocular syringe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventor: Mark Alan Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20190143008
    Abstract: A system and method for a diaphragm-based fluidics aspiration system is disclosed. The aspiration system includes a waste reservoir configured to hold a vacuum pressure; an aspiration connection; a vacuum pinch valve including a first outlet fluidically coupled to the waste reservoir; a second outlet fluidically coupled to the aspiration connection; a fluid channel; and an actuator configured to alter a cross-sectional area of the fluid channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Gerry Brundage, Mark Alan Hopkins, Pooria Sharif Kashani, Connor Meehan
  • Patent number: 10088083
    Abstract: A multi-lumen surgical utility connector is configured to receive two or more utilities from a surgical utility supplying device. The multi-lumen surgical utility connector may be connected to a utility port of the surgical utility supplying device which supplies two or more utilities. The multi-lumen surgical utility connector may include a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag which identifies the type or model of multi-lumen surgical utility connector. The surgical utility supplying device may determine the type and parameters of utilities to be supplied through the multi-lumen surgical utility connector based on information read from the RFID tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Novartis AG
    Inventors: James Foster, Mark Alan Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20170333252
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods of and for an ophthalmic surgical system are disclosed. An ophthalmic surgical system may include a vitreous probe having a housing sized and shaped for grasping by a user. The vitreous probe may also include a cutter extending from the housing and being sized to penetrate and treat a patient eye. The cutter may include an outer cutting tube coupled to the housing. The outer cutting tube may have an outer port formed at a distal end wall of the outer cutting tube and configured to receive tissue. The cutter may include a rotatable inner cutting member disposed within the outer cutting tube. The inner cutting member may include a first cutting surface that rotates across the outer port to cut the tissue when the inner cutting member is rotated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Philip John Biancalana, Paul R. Hallen, Mark Alan Hopkins, Michael J. Papac, Robert Joseph Sanchez, JR., Salomon Valencia
  • Publication number: 20170172796
    Abstract: A microsurgical system with an integrated substance chamber is provided herein for delivering substance (e.g., a drug, retina patch, dye, etc.) to a surgical site through a tool component of the microsurgical instrument, such as a tissue removal component. The system may include a tissue removal handpiece having a tissue cutter disposed at a distal end. The system may further include a first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit. The first fluid conduit may couple a fluidics subsystem to the tissue removal handpiece to permit removal of cut tissue. The second fluid conduit may couple a substance chamber to the tissue removal handpiece. The system may additionally include a control system that enables or facilitates selective control of fluid through the tissue removal handpiece to introduce substance from the substance chamber to a surgical site through a port in the tissue cutter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Philip John Biancalana, Mark Alan Hopkins, Michael James Papac, Robert Joseph Sanchez, JR.
  • Publication number: 20170083666
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for generating presurgical planning material, annotating the presurgical planning material, and using that generated presurgical planning materials during a surgical procedure are disclosed. The presurgical planning material may be annotated at a location outside of a sterile surgical environment. The annotated presurgical planning material may be displayed on a display device within a sterile surgical environment during a surgical procedure to assist a user, such as a surgeon or other medical professional, in performing the surgical procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: PHILIP BIANCALANA, PAUL R. HALLEN, MARK ALAN HOPKINS, ARGELIO MICHAEL OLIVERA, MICHAEL JAMES PAPAC, ROBERT JOSEPH SANCHEZ, JR.
  • Publication number: 20160045365
    Abstract: A multi-lumen surgical utility connector is configured to receive two or more utilities from a surgical utility supplying device. The multi-lumen surgical utility connector may be connected to a utility port of the surgical utility supplying device which supplies two or more utilities. The multi-lumen surgical utility connector may include a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag which identifies the type or model of multi-lumen surgical utility connector. The surgical utility supplying device may determine the type and parameters of utilities to be supplied through the multi-lumen surgical utility connector based on information read from the RFID tag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: James Foster, Mark Alan Hopkins
  • Patent number: 8728108
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a pneumatic system valve for a surgical console may be controlled by a controller configured to adjust a valve duty cycle (VDC) of the valve to reduce a difference between the valve's differential pressure and a desired differential pressure. In some embodiments, average differential pressures may be detected and relayed from a pressure sensor, coupled to one or more ports of the valve, to the controller. The controller may compare the measured average differential pressure against the desired average differential pressure (e.g., received from the user). The controller may then determine a modified VDC to reduce a difference between the desired average differential pressure and the measured average differential pressure. In some embodiments, the desired average differential pressure may be determined based on input received from a user of the surgical console.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shawn X. Gao, Mark Alan Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20110144675
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a pneumatic system valve for a surgical console may be controlled by a controller configured to adjust a valve duty cycle (VDC) of the valve to reduce a difference between the valve's differential pressure and a desired differential pressure. In some embodiments, average differential pressures may be detected and relayed from a pressure sensor, coupled to one or more ports of the valve, to the controller. The controller may compare the measured average differential pressure against the desired average differential pressure (e.g., received from the user). The controller may then determine a modified VDC to reduce a difference between the desired average differential pressure and the measured average differential pressure. In some embodiments, the desired average differential pressure may be determined based on input received from a user of the surgical console.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Shawn X. Gao, Mark Alan Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20080147023
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method controlling the flow of aspiration fluid in an aspiration chamber of a surgical cassette. One embodiment of the present invention provides an aspiration chamber having an aspiration port positioned at or close to the bottom of the chamber. When the aspiration fluid enters the aspiration chamber from below the fluid surface (e.g., from a port located at the bottom or on a sidewall close to the bottom), it does not create disturbance at the liquid/air interface and thus does not disturb the continuous level sensing. Also, since the aspiration port is placed at or very close to the bottom of the aspiration chamber, the liquid inside the chamber can be fully used for sustained reflux and push priming.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Mark Alan Hopkins, Shawn X. Gao
  • Publication number: 20080015515
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide top and bottom clamping of a surgical cassette. One embodiment of the present invention includes a surgical cassette adapted for use in a surgical system having a first side (e.g., an inner side) and second side (e.g., an outer side). The surgical cassette, according to one embodiment, comprises a body portion configured to interface on its first side with a surgical console during use, a first clamping portion projecting from the top of the body portion configured to contact a first clamp rail on the cassette's second side during use and a second clamping portion projecting from the bottom of the body portion configured to contact a second clamp rail on the cassette's second side during use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventors: Mark Alan Hopkins, David Lloyd Williams, Nicolei R. King