Patents by Inventor Norihiko Utsunomiya

Norihiko Utsunomiya 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: 10820794
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norihiko Utsunomiya, Koji Nozato
  • Publication number: 20190200875
    Abstract: Disclosed is a photoacoustic apparatus including: a photoacoustic probe having a light irradiating unit that irradiates light onto an object and an acoustic wave receiving unit that receives an acoustic wave generated from the object by the irradiation of the light; a specific information acquiring unit that acquires specific information of the object based on the acoustic wave; an order acquiring unit that acquires an order relating to the acquisition of the specific information from an ordering system; an object information acquiring unit that acquires object information relating to the object from an electronic medical record; and a control condition determining unit that determines a control condition of photoacoustic probe based on the order and the object information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Kohtaro Umezawa, Norihiko Utsunomiya, Yohei Hashizume, Fumitaro Masaki, Toshifumi Fukui
  • Patent number: 9931033
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoaki Kawakami, Koji Nozato, Norihiko Utsunomiya
  • Publication number: 20170181625
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Tomoaki KAWAKAMI, Koji Nozato, Norihiko UTSUNOMIYA
  • Publication number: 20170127931
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Norihiko UTSUNOMIYA, Koji NOZATO
  • Patent number: 9429414
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus having a simple configuration capable of correctly detecting malfunction of an OCT apparatus by detecting the states of a light source and a sensor. An image pickup apparatus includes a switching unit that switches between a first mode in which a combined light beam of a return light beam from a specimen and a reference light beam is detectable by a detecting unit and a second mode in which the reference light beam is detectable by the detecting unit. The image pickup apparatus is switchable to the first mode on the basis of an intensity of the reference light beam detected by the detecting unit in the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuhito Suehira, Kazuro Yamada, Norihiko Utsunomiya, Takashi Naba, Ryoji Kurosaka, Kei Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9033500
    Abstract: The image sensing apparatus comprises a first scan unit for scanning light from an OCT light source and light from an SLO light source in a first direction of a test object, and a second scan unit for scanning the light from the OCT light source in a second direction different from the first direction of the test object. The image sensing apparatus acquires tomographic images of the test object along the first direction when the first scan unit scans the light from the OCT light source, and acquires cross-over images of the test object corresponding to the tomographic images when the first scan unit scans the light from the SLO light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norihiko Utsunomiya, Junko Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8992016
    Abstract: Tomographic images of a plurality of planes at a disease site of a fundus are taken exactly within a short period of time, and the tomographic images are respectively displayed so that the positional relationship thereof becomes clear. A low coherent optical tomographic image sensing apparatus for imaging a fundus includes a sensing unit which takes tomographic images of a plurality of planes intersecting each other in time division, a display unit which displays the taken tomographic images at separate sites on the identical screen, and a position indication unit which displays, in each tomographic image, an intersection position of the tomographic image and another tomographic image intersecting one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Norihiko Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 8962302
    Abstract: A biological tissue processing substrate for fixing proteins in a biological tissue or degradation products of the proteins, the substrate comprising: a porous body that forms a contact surface with the biological tissue, the porous body holding in pores an enzyme for obtaining the proteins or the degradation products of the proteins from the biological tissue, wherein the proteins or the degradation products obtained by the action of the enzyme are brought into contact with a member consisting of a metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Ban, Miki Ogawa, Norihiko Utsunomiya, Hiroyuki Hashimoto, Manabu Komatsu, Yohei Murayama
  • Patent number: 8939580
    Abstract: Provided is an ophthalmologic apparatus for detecting an eye movement from movements of a plurality of characteristic points within a fundus image. It is determined whether or not the plurality of characteristic points are included in a new fundus image when a position of a fixation index is changed, based on a relationship between a displacement amount of the fixation index and positions of the characteristic points within a fundus plane. If it is determined that at least one of the plurality of characteristic points is not included in the new fundus image, new characteristic points are extracted from a limited range within a new fundus plane image. Accordingly, the characteristic points can be efficiently reacquired for eye movement detection performed when an imaging target region of an eye to be inspected is changed by the fixation index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junko Nakajima, Norihiko Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 8827453
    Abstract: To accurately detect a movement of an object based on an image distorted by the movement of an eye to be inspected, which is acquired by a scanning imaging system, provided is an ophthalmologic apparatus including: an extraction means for extracting a plurality of characteristic images from a first fundus image of the eye to be inspected; a fundus image acquisition means for acquiring a second fundus image of the eye to be inspected during a period different from a period during which the first fundus image is acquired; and a calculation means for calculating at least a rotational movement of the eye to be inspected based on the plurality of characteristic images and the second fundus image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junko Nakajima, Norihiko Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 8678588
    Abstract: Optical coherence tomographic imaging apparatus creating tomographic image of inspection object includes light splitting means for splitting light from light source into a single reference light and a single sample light, optical path length changing means for changing optical path length of the single reference light, reference light splitting means for splitting the single reference light whose optical path length is changed into a plurality of reference lights, sample light splitting means for splitting the single sample light into a plurality of sample lights, irradiation means for irradiating the inspection object by leading the plurality of sample lights thereto, interference signal forming means for combining returning lights of the plurality of the sample lights from the inspection object irradiated by the irradiation means with the plurality of reference lights passed through the reference-light path, and interference signal obtaining means for obtaining an interference signal from the interference s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Makihira, Norihiko Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 8634600
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a method of extracting a crossing/branching portion of a blood vessel from a fundus image of the eye at a high probability. The crossing/branching portion of the blood vessel is extracted from the fundus image under such conditions that three or more blood vessels run on an outer circumferential portion of an extraction candidate region and that a coordinate average of a plurality of blood vessels in the outer circumferential portion exists in a center portion of the extraction candidate region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junko Nakajima, Norihiko Utsunomiya
  • Publication number: 20130250238
    Abstract: Tomographic images of a plurality of planes at a disease site of a fundus are taken exactly within a short period of time, and the tomographic images are respectively displayed so that the positional relationship thereof becomes clear. A low coherent optical tomographic image sensing apparatus for imaging a fundus includes a sensing unit which takes tomographic images of a plurality of planes intersecting each other in time division, a display unit which displays the taken tomographic images at separate sites on the identical screen, and a position indication unit which displays, in each tomographic image, an intersection position of the tomographic image and another tomographic image intersecting one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Norihiko Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 8469514
    Abstract: Tomographic images of a plurality of planes at a disease site of a fundus are taken exactly within a short period of time, and the tomographic images are respectively displayed so that the positional relationship thereof becomes clear. A low coherent optical tomographic image sensing apparatus for imaging a fundus includes a sensing unit which takes tomographic images of a plurality of planes intersecting each other in time division, a display unit which displays the taken tomographic images at separate sites on the identical screen, and a position indication unit which displays, in each tomographic image, an intersection position of the tomographic image and another tomographic image intersecting one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Norihiko Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 8425036
    Abstract: There is provided an optical tomographic imaging apparatus for imaging a tomographic image capable of setting characteristics of an optical system to accommodate to different positions on an object. The apparatus using an OCT system, includes: a scanning device for scanning measuring beams, an irradiating device for irradiating a different irradiation area on the object with the measuring beams scanned by the scanning device, an adjusting device for adjusting an irradiation position on the object of the measuring beams irradiated by the irradiating device, and a detecting device for detecting each combined beam produced from light interference between each of the return beams and the reference beams, characterized in that: the detecting device includes spectroscopy devices and a sensor, and a spectral width of the combined beam acquired with the sensor through the spectroscopy devices is set at a different spectral width by the spectroscopy devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirofumi Yoshida, Norihiko Utsunomiya
  • Publication number: 20130093997
    Abstract: The image sensing apparatus comprises a first scan unit for scanning light from an OCT light source and light from an SLO light source in a first direction of a test object, and a second scan unit for scanning the light from the OCT light source in a second direction different from the first direction of the test object. The image sensing apparatus acquires tomographic images of the test object along the first direction when the first scan unit scans the light from the OCT light source, and acquires cross-over images of the test object corresponding to the tomographic images when the first scan unit scans the light from the SLO light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norihiko Utsunomiya, Junko Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8358421
    Abstract: In an optical tomographic imaging apparatus in which a tomographic image is acquired using an interference light between a return beam of a first measuring beam and a first reference beam traveling on a beam path having first beam path length changing unit thereon, an optical interferometer detects movement of the inspection object by using an interference light between a return beam of a second measuring beam from a movement detection position and a second reference beam traveling on a beam path having second beam path length changing unit thereon; and positional misplacement correcting unit changes the beam path length of the first reference beam based on the moving amount detected by the optical interferometer, wherein the beam path lengths of the two reference beams can be changed by a mechanism, thus further reducing deformation of an acquired image in an eye ball depth direction caused by a back and forth motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Norihiko Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 8333712
    Abstract: A body fluid sampling device comprises an elastic membrane arranged at a part of a hermetically sealed housing having a communication path with a check valve and a needling means arranged beneath the membrane. As the membrane is pressed by a fingertip, the needling means needles through the membrane and further the skin of the fingertip to exude blood. As the fingertip is then separated from the membrane, the exuded blood is efficiently introduced into the housing due to the negative pressure produced in the internal region by the elastic movement of the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Imamura, Norihiko Utsunomiya, Naoto Mihashi
  • Publication number: 20120294500
    Abstract: Provided is an ophthalmologic imaging apparatus suppressing the effect of a motion artifact caused by a movement of an eye to be inspected, comprising: a scanning unit for scanning, with first and second measuring beams, at least a part of an overlap area of scan areas thereof in an inspected eye, at different times, respectively; an image acquiring unit for acquiring first and second images of the inspected eye based on first and second return beams resulting from the first and second measuring beams being applied via the scanning unit and reflected by the inspected eye; an identification unit for identifying an image including a motion artifact from each of the first and second images; and an image forming unit for forming an image of the inspected eye based on the first and second images other than the images identified by the identification unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norihiko Utsunomiya, Mitsuro Sugita