Patents by Inventor Sean Michael White

Sean Michael White 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: 11800990
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measuring perfusion using transmission laser speckle imaging are provided. The apparatus comprises a coherent light source and a detector configured to measure transmitted light associated with an unfocused image at one or more locations. The coherent light source and detector are positioned in a transmission geometry. The apparatus further comprises means for securing the coherent light source and the detector to the tissue sample in a fixed transmission geometry relative to the tissue sample. The apparatus may further comprise at least one processor to receive information from the detector and process detected variations in transmitted light intensity to determine a single metric of perfusion. The method may comprise the steps transilluminating a tissue sample with coherent light, recording spatial and/or temporal variations in the transmitted light signal, determining speckle contrast value(s), and computing a metric of perfusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien AG
    Inventors: Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang, Tyler Bywaters Rice
  • Patent number: 11759116
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes processing circuitry configured to generate a laser speckle contrast signal based on a received signal indicative of detected light, wherein the detected light is scatted by tissue from a coherent light source. The processing circuitry may also determine, from the laser speckle contrast signal, a flow value and determine, from the laser speckle contrast signal, a waveform metric. Based on the flow value and the waveform metric, the processing circuitry may determine a blood flow metric for the tissue and output a representation of the blood flow metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien AG
    Inventors: Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang, Tyler Bywaters Rice
  • Patent number: 11709120
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for improved laser speckle imaging of samples, such as vascularized tissue, for the determination of the rate of movement of light scattering particles within the sample. The system includes a structure adjoining a light source and a photo-sensitive detector. The structure can be positioned adjacent the sample (e.g., coupled to the sample) and configured to orient the light source and detector relative the sample such that surface reflections, including specular reflections and diffuse reflections, are discouraged from entering the detection field of the detector. The separation distance along the structure between the light source and the detector may further enable selective depth penetration into the sample and biased sampling of multiply scattered photons. The system includes an operably coupled processor programmed to derive contrast metrics from the detector and to relate the contrast metrics to a rate of movement of the light scattering particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien AG
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang
  • Patent number: 11579004
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices for calibrating contrast measurements from laser speckle imaging systems to accurately determine unknown particle motion characteristics, such as flow rate. The calibration stores to memory calibration data, which may include a set of measurements from samples with known particle characteristics and/or estimates of noise, including the effects on contrast arising from undesired signals unrelated to the unknown particle motion characteristics. The calibration data may be accessed and used to correct an empirical measurement of contrast and/or interpolate a value of the unknown particle motion characteristic. The system may include a light source, photodetector, processor, and memory, which can be combined into a single device, such as a wearable device, for providing calibrated flow measurements. The device may be used, for example, to measure blood flow, cardiac output, and heart rate, and can be used to amplify the pulsatile signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: COVIDIEN AG
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang
  • Publication number: 20220142485
    Abstract: A point-of-care system with a diagnostic tool and a base station with a display and in communication with the diagnostic tool is described. Used in diagnosing health conditions for a tissue under analysis, the diagnostic tool includes a handle and a head portion. The head portion includes a speculum and optical spectroscopy (OS) data acquisition components positioned within the head portion. The OS data acquisition components are configure to (i) emit light toward the tissue under analysis, (ii) receive light reflected at least in part from the tissue under analysis based on the emitted light, and (iii) determine reflectance spectra associated with the received light. Either the diagnostic tool or a base station includes analytic components configured to (i) generate diagnostic metrics including characteristics of the reflectance spectra and (ii) compare these characteristics to data associated with characteristics of known reflectance spectra associated healthy and/or unhealthy tissue of patients.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Samir G. Shreim, John Weidling, Mark Keating, Elliot L. Botvinick, Sean Michael White
  • Publication number: 20210293595
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices for calibrating contrast measurements from laser speckle imaging systems to accurately determine unknown particle motion characteristics, such as flow rate. The calibration stores to memory calibration data, which may include a set of measurements from samples with known particle characteristics and/or estimates of noise, including the effects on contrast arising from undesired signals unrelated to the unknown particle motion characteristics. The calibration data may be accessed and used to correct an empirical measurement of contrast and/or interpolate a value of the unknown particle motion characteristic. The system may include a light source, photodetector, processor, and memory, which can be combined into a single device, such as a wearable device, for providing calibrated flow measurements. The device may be used, for example, to measure blood flow, cardiac output, and heart rate, and can be used to amplify the pulsatile signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang
  • Publication number: 20210196111
    Abstract: Systems and methods for use in detecting health condition of a physiological cavity or passageway are disclosed herein. In one example, the system may include one or more illuminators configured to illuminate a target area with light at discrete wavelengths. The system may additionally include detectors that are configured to receive a reflectance spectrum based on light emitted at discrete wavelengths from tissue and tissue constituents associated with the target area under analysis. Communicatively coupled to the one or more detectors, the processing unit is configured to analyse data associated with the reflectance spectra to produce one or more output values that identify the health condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: Samir G. Shreim, Elliot L. Botvinick, Hamid R. Djalilian, Sean Michael White, John Weidling
  • Publication number: 20210177283
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes processing circuitry configured to generate a laser speckle contrast signal based on a received signal indicative of detected light, wherein the detected light is scatted by tissue from a coherent light source. The processing circuitry may also determine, from the laser speckle contrast signal, a flow value and determine, from the laser speckle contrast signal, a waveform metric. Based on the flow value and the waveform metric, the processing circuitry may determine a blood flow metric for the tissue and output a representation of the blood flow metric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang, Tyler Bywaters Rice
  • Patent number: 10955275
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices for calibrating contrast measurements from laser speckle imaging systems to accurately determine unknown particle motion characteristics, such as flow rate. The calibration stores to memory calibration data, which may include a set of measurements from samples with known particle characteristics and/or estimates of noise, including the effects on contrast arising from undesired signals unrelated to the unknown particle motion characteristics. The calibration data may be accessed and used to correct an empirical measurement of contrast and/or interpolate a value of the unknown particle motion characteristic. The system may include a light source, photodetector, processor, and memory, which can be combined into a single device, such as a wearable device, for providing calibrated flow measurements. The device may be used, for example, to measure blood flow, cardiac output, and heart rate, and can be used to amplify the pulsatile signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang
  • Publication number: 20210022623
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for determining physiological information in a subject. The system includes; a light source positionable along a first location outside of the subject; a photo-sensitive detector positionable along a second location outside of the subject and configured to detect scattered light and generate a signal; a processor having a program and a memory, wherein the processor is operably coupled to the detector and configured to receive and store the signals generated over a period of time; wherein the processor is programmed to derive contrast metrics from the stored signals, calculate a waveform from the contrast metrics, decompose the waveform into basis functions and respective amplitudes, and compare the basis function amplitudes to determine the physiological information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Michael Ghijsen, Bruce J. Tromberg, Bruce Yee Yang, Sean Michael White
  • Patent number: 10813597
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for determining physiological information in a subject. The system includes: a light source positionable along a first location outside of the subject; a photo-sensitive detector positionable along a second location outside of the subject and configured to detect scattered light and generate a signal; a processor having a program and a memory, wherein the processor is operably coupled to the detector and configured to receive and store the signals generated over a period of time; wherein the processor is programmed to derive contrast metrics from the stored signals, calculate a waveform from the contrast metrics, decompose the waveform into basis functions and respective amplitudes, and compare the basis function amplitudes to determine the physiological information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignees: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Michael Ghijsen, Bruce J. Tromberg, Bruce Yee Yang, Sean Michael White
  • Publication number: 20200158548
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices for calibrating contrast measurements from laser speckle imaging systems to accurately determine unknown particle motion characteristics, such as flow rate. The calibration stores to memory calibration data, which may include a set of measurements from samples with known particle characteristics and/or estimates of noise, including the effects on contrast arising from undesired signals unrelated to the unknown particle motion characteristics. The calibration data may be accessed and used to correct an empirical measurement of contrast and/or interpolate a value of the unknown particle motion characteristic. The system may include a light source, photodetector, processor, and memory, which can be combined into a single device, such as a wearable device, for providing calibrated flow measurements. The device may be used, for example, to measure blood flow, cardiac output, and heart rate, and can be used to amplify the pulsatile signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang
  • Publication number: 20190086316
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for improved laser speckle imaging of samples, such as vascularized tissue, for the determination of the rate of movement of light scattering particles within the sample. The system includes a structure adjoining a light source and a photo-sensitive detector. The structure can be positioned adjacent the sample (e.g., coupled to the sample) and configured to orient the light source and detector relative the sample such that surface reflections, including specular reflections and diffuse reflections, are discouraged from entering the detection field of the detector. The separation distance along the structure between the light source and the detector may further enable selective depth penetration into the sample and biased sampling of multiply scattered photons. The system includes an operably coupled processor programmed to derive contrast metrics from the detector and to relate the contrast metrics to a rate of movement of the light scattering particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang
  • Publication number: 20180296168
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for determining physiological information in a subject. The system includes: a light source positionable along a first location outside of the subject; a photo-sensitive detector positionable along a second location outside of the subject and configured to detect scattered light and generate a signal; a processor having a program and a memory, wherein the processor is operably coupled to the detector and configured to receive and store the signals generated over a period of time; wherein the processor is programmed to derive contrast metrics from the stored signals, calculate a waveform from the contrast metrics, decompose the waveform into basis functions and respective amplitudes, and compare the basis function amplitudes to determine the physiological information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Tyler Bywaters Rice, Michael Ghijsen, Bruce J. Tromberg, Bruce Yee Yang, Sean Michael White
  • Publication number: 20180199829
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measuring perfusion using transmission laser speckle imaging are provided. The apparatus comprises a coherent light source and a detector configured to measure transmitted light associated with an unfocused image at one or more locations. The coherent light source and detector are positioned in a transmission geometry. The apparatus further comprises means for securing the coherent light source and the detector to the tissue sample in a fixed transmission geometry relative to the tissue sample. The apparatus may further comprise at least one processor to receive information from the detector and process detected variations in transmitted light intensity to determine a single metric of perfusion. The method may comprise the steps transilluminating a tissue sample with coherent light, recording spatial and/or temporal variations in the transmitted light signal, determining speckle contrast value(s), and computing a metric of perfusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang, Tyler Bywaters Rice
  • Patent number: 9848787
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measuring perfusion using transmission laser speckle imaging are provided. The apparatus comprises a coherent light source and a detector configured to measure transmitted light associated with an unfocused image at one or more locations. The coherent light source and detector are positioned in a transmission geometry. The apparatus further comprises means for securing the coherent light source and the detector to the tissue sample in a fixed transmission geometry relative to the tissue sample. The apparatus may further comprise at least one processor to receive information from the detector and process detected variations in transmitted light intensity to determine a single metric of perfusion. The method may comprise the steps transilluminating a tissue sample with coherent light, recording spatial and/or temporal variations in the transmitted light signal, determining speckle contrast value(s), and computing a metric of perfusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Laser Associated Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Michael White, Bruce Yee Yang, Tyler Bywaters Rice
  • Patent number: 9417690
    Abstract: Provided herein is a technique by which a user may interact with an apparatus configured to provide for display of an image, such as with augmented reality glasses. An example embodiment may provide a method including receiving an indication of a first motion event initiated on a first side of a device from a motion sensor, determining a first motion event pattern based on one or more directional components of the first motion event, distinguishing the first motion event from a motion event initiated on a second side of the device, correlating a first operation with the first motion event pattern, and causing the first operation to be performed. The first operation may include causing the opacity of an image presented on a substantially transparent display to be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Syed Reza Ali, Sean Michael White
  • Publication number: 20140232645
    Abstract: Provided herein is a technique by which a user may interact with an apparatus configured to provide for display of an image, such as with augmented reality glasses. An example embodiment may provide a method including receiving an indication of a first motion event initiated on a first side of a device from a motion sensor, determining a first motion event pattern based on one or more directional components of the first motion event, distinguishing the first motion event from a motion event initiated on a second side of the device, correlating a first operation with the first motion event pattern, and causing the first operation to be performed. The first operation may include causing the opacity of an image presented on a substantially transparent display to be increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Syed Reza Ali, Sean Michael White
  • Patent number: 8749573
    Abstract: Provided herein is a technique by which a user may interact with an apparatus configured to provide for display of an image, such as with augmented reality glasses. An example embodiment may provide a method including receiving an indication of a first motion event initiated on a first side of a device from a motion sensor, determining a first motion event pattern based on one or more directional components of the first motion event, distinguishing the first motion event from a motion event initiated on a second side of the device, correlating a first operation with the first motion event pattern, and causing the first operation to be performed. The first operation may include causing the opacity of an image presented on a substantially transparent display to be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Syed Reza Ali, Sean Michael White
  • Patent number: 8509137
    Abstract: An intentional presence system in accordance with the present invention includes a transmitting device at a first physical location that is responsive to a command intentionally initiated by a first individual at the first physical location to develop a presence signal intended for a second individual at a second physical location. The intentional presence system further includes a receiving device located at the second physical location which is receptive to the presence signal and which is operative to generate an indication to the second individual of the first individual's presence with respect to the transmitting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Interval Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Debby Hindus, Elaine Brechin, Jesse L. Dorogusker, Anna E. Hagstrom, Scott D. Mainwaring, Oliver T. Bayley, Sigrid Moeslinger, Colin Burns, Donald C. Jackson, Steve Guilhamet, Brian J. Fogg, Sean Michael White