Having Short Coherence Length Source Patents (Class 356/497)
  • Patent number: 11226294
    Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus generates a surface layer inspection image which is an image representing displacement of an inspection target in a measurement region based on an intensity pattern of interfered laser light. The defect inspection apparatus is configured to generate an appearance inspection image which is an image of an outer surface of the measurement region based on an intensity pattern of incoherent light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventors: Takahide Hatahori, Kenji Takubo, Koki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11134836
    Abstract: An ophthalmologic information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit, a tissue specifying unit, and a specifying unit. The acquisition unit is configured to acquire a tomographic image of a subject's eye formed based on scan data acquired using an optical system for performing optical coherence tomography on the subject's eye. The tissue specifying unit is configured to acquire first shape data representing shape of a tissue of the subject's eye by performing segmentation processing on the tomographic image. The specifying unit is configured to specify a low sensitivity component having a small variation with respect to a change in a position of the optical system with respect to the subject's eye from the first shape data, and to obtain second shape data representing shape of the tissue based on the specified low sensitivity component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: TOPCON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiro Mino, Jonathan Liu
  • Patent number: 11109752
    Abstract: A dental caries diagnosis device comprising a light source which is configured to emit examination light (R) and a light receiving unit (4f) which is configured to receive the examination light (R) with which a tooth has been irradiated includes: a head-side casing (4a1) which is inserted into a mouth in a contactless manner with respect to a tooth or a gum and which projects the examination light (R) toward a tooth; and a filter (4e) which is disposed in front of the light receiving unit (4f) and which is configured to remove a noise component from the received light, wherein the light receiving unit (4f) is configured to receive the examination light (R) which has been transmitted through the tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: NIHON UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Takashi Kaneda
  • Patent number: 11109759
    Abstract: A handheld optical coherence tomography imaging and tissue sampling system and method of imaging and sampling a tissue is disclosed. The method includes inserting a catheter probe into a biopsy needle. The biopsy needle can be attached to a hand-held scanning and sampling device. The biopsy needle is maneuvered to an investigation site. A three-dimensional image of the tissue at the investigation site is captured with the catheter probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Physical Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicusor V. Iftimia, Whanwook Chang
  • Patent number: 11112234
    Abstract: The present subject matter at least provides an apparatus for inspecting a slab of material including a passivation layer. The apparatus includes a frequency-domain optical-coherence tomography (OCT) probe configured to irradiate the slab of material, and detect radiation reflected from the slab of material. The apparatus also includes a spectral-analysis module configured to analyze at least an interference pattern with respect to the OCT probe to thereby determine a thickness of the slab of the material. The apparatus also includes a thin-film gauge configure to determine a thickness of the passivation layer such that the determined thickness of the slab of material may be adjusted baes on the thickness of the passivation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: APPLEJACK 199 L.P.
    Inventor: Wojciech J Walecki
  • Patent number: 11073372
    Abstract: The present subject matter at least provides an apparatus for characterization of a slab of a material. The apparatus comprises two or more frequency-domain optical-coherence tomography (FD-OCT) probes configured for irradiating the slab of material, and detecting radiation reflected from the slab of material or transmitted there-through. Further, a centralized actuation-mechanism is connected to the OCT probes for simultaneously actuating elements in each of the OCT probes to cause a synchronized detection of the radiation from the slab of material. A spectral-analysis module is provided for analyzing at least an interference pattern with respect to each of the OCT probes to thereby determine at least one of thickness and topography of the slab of the material. Further, in some embodiments, the slab of material may include a passivation layer. The apparatus may be configured to determine a thickness of the passivation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: APPLEJACK 199 L.P.
    Inventor: Wojciech J Walecki
  • Patent number: 11073370
    Abstract: An optical system comprising an optical coherence tomography (OCT) measuring device and a beam deflection unit for laterally deflecting the position or angle of a beam path of the OCT measuring device. There is an optical component in the beam path, said optical component being embodied in such a way that a back-reflection of the optical component has a different configuration in terms of its longitudinal location along the beam path depending on the lateral position of the deflected beam path on the optical component. The optical system comprises an evaluation unit which is embodied in such a way that a value of the lateral position or angle deflection of the beam deflection unit is determinable on the basis of a longitudinal location of the back-reflection at the optical component determined by the OCT measuring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Jensen, Zheng Yang
  • Patent number: 11022424
    Abstract: An optical coherence tomography system, includes a swept-source laser, a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and a balanced detector. The interferometer includes a first fiber coupler, a second fiber coupler, a sample arm and a reference arm. The reference arm includes a reference arm front section, a reference arm rear section and a delay line. A tail end of the reference arm front section is connected to the reference arm rear section through the delay line. The first fiber coupler is configured to split the output light of the swept-source into a sample light and a reference light and distribute the returned sample light to the second fiber coupler. A difference between the optical path length of a parasitic reflected signal of the delay line reaching the second fiber coupler and the optical path length of the sample light is greater than 8 times the cavity length of the swept-source laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: SVISION IMAGING LIMITED
    Inventors: Xing Wei, Bingjie Huang, Jun Chen, Xianzhao Peng
  • Patent number: 10966803
    Abstract: A method for imaging a tooth surface, the method executed at least in part on a computer, directs an excitation signal toward the tooth from a scan head and obtains a depth-resolved response signal emanating from the tooth, wherein the response signal encodes tooth surface structure information. Liquid and tooth surfaces are segmented from the depth-resolved response signal. The tooth surface structure information is adjusted based on the segmented liquid. A 3D image of the tooth is reconstructed according to the depth-resolved response signal and the adjusted tooth surface structure information. The 3D image content is displayed, stored, or transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Inventors: Victor C. Wong, Chuanmao Fan, Yiyi Guan, Jean-Marc Inglese, Edward R. Shellard
  • Patent number: 10945597
    Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an optical coherence tomography-based ophthalmic testing center system includes an optical coherence tomography instrument comprising an eyepiece for receiving at least one eye of a user or subject; a light source that outputs light that is directed through the eyepiece into the user's or subject's eye, an interferometer configured to produce optical interference using light reflected from the user's/subject's eye, an optical detector disposed so as to detect said optical interference; and a processing unit coupled to the detector. The ophthalmic testing center system can be configured to perform a multitude of self-administered functional and/or structural ophthalmic tests and output the test data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Doheny Eye Institute
    Inventors: Alexander C. Walsh, Paul G. Updike, Srinivas R. Sadda
  • Patent number: 10939060
    Abstract: An image sensor that captures an image of light from a predetermined depth of a subject, includes: a photoelectric converter that photoelectrically converts light including interference light of light from the subject and reference light; a discrimination unit that locks in and detects a signal component having an interference frequency in an interference light component corresponding to the predetermined depth from a signal output from the photoelectric converter; and a floating diffusion unit that temporarily accumulates an electric charge resulting from the photoelectric conversion by the photoelectric converter; wherein: the discrimination unit includes: a transfer unit that transfers the signal to the floating diffusion unit; and a sampling unit that samples the electric charge accumulated in the floating diffusion unit at a sampling frequency determined based on the interference frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoki Ohkouchi
  • Patent number: 10890428
    Abstract: A method for measuring a property of a test object with an interferometer includes: a) providing calibration information relating a focus setting for the interferometer to a position of the test object relative to a reference surface of the interferometer; b) determining the position of the test object relative to the reference surface; and c) using the interferometer to collect interferometric images of the test object for use in measuring the property of the test object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventor: Leslie L. Deck
  • Patent number: 10845190
    Abstract: A measurement apparatus includes a filter changing a light amount of an irradiation light, a lens irradiating a surface of a material with the irradiation light, a stage changing a focus position of the irradiation light in a depth direction of the material, an interfering light extractor causing the irradiation light to interfere with reflected light from the material, a detector detecting an intensity of interfering light obtained by interference between the irradiation light and the reflected light, and a controller calculating a height of the surface of the material based on the detected intensity of interfering light while changing a relative focus position of the irradiation light with respect to the material at a given measurement point of the surface of the material. The controller controls the filter or light source based on the detected intensity of interfering light to change the light amount of the irradiation light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kiminori Yoshino
  • Patent number: 10845185
    Abstract: There is provided a method of measuring a film thickness of a transparent material on a substrate. A first object (transparent material) is applied onto a first substrate surface, and a second object (transparent material) is applied onto a second substrate surface. The method includes: measuring a first relative height of a front surface of the first object with respect to the first substrate surface at a position without the first object; measuring a second relative height of the front surface with respect to a back surface of the first object; and calculating a refractive index of the transparent material, based on the first relative height and the second relative height. The method includes measuring a film thickness of the second object, using a third relative height of a front surface of the second object with respect to a back surface of the second object and the calculated refractive index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroaki Ohba
  • Patent number: 10827924
    Abstract: A technique for retinal images includes configuring a dynamic illuminator to illuminate the retina with an illumination pattern. An image frame of the retina is captured while illuminated with the illumination pattern. The configuring and the capturing are iterated to sequentially reconfigure the dynamic illuminator to illuminate the retina with a plurality of different illumination patterns and to capture a plurality of image frames each illuminated with one of the different illumination patterns. The image frames are combined into a composite retinal image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Verily Life Sciences LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Kramer, Sam Kavusi, Eliezer Glik, Honglei Wu
  • Patent number: 10827920
    Abstract: An OCT apparatus includes an OCT optical system, a processor that processes a signal from the OCT optical system, and a light guiding optical system disposed on a measurement light path of the OCT optical system. The light guiding optical system forms a pivot point, at which a measurement light turns based on motion of an optical scanner deflecting the measurement light, in an anterior portion of a subject eye, and guides the measurement light passed through the pivot point to a fundus. The OCT optical system includes a compensation unit that compensates for an amount of change in a light path length of the measurement light path between a state in which an angle-of-view switching optical system is inserted and a state in which the angle-of-view switching optical system is retracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: NIDEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Koichi Ito
  • Patent number: 10832088
    Abstract: An information search system for searching detection algorithm information of spectral data necessary for determining a target event from a photographed subject includes a first relational database configured to store, in advance, a first relevance index having at least three levels between each target event of the subject and the detection algorithm information, a target event input unit configured to receive input information regarding a target event of the subject to be newly determined, and a search unit configured to search at least one piece of detection algorithm information on the basis of information regarding the target event received by the target event input unit by referencing the first relevance index stored in the first relational database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: EBA JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Noro, Yohei Takara, Fuminori Ando, Takahiro Fujimori
  • Patent number: 10816408
    Abstract: A light source capable of spectral modulation is modulated conventionally to produce a correlogram at the test surface position of an SCI interferometer. The mean wavelength of the light source is changed to obtain multiple corresponding phase-shifted correlograms that can be processed by applying conventional multiple-wavelength interferometric analysis to determine physical attributes of the test surface. One simple way to achieve this result is by splitting the light beam produced by the source into at least three simultaneous beams passed through filters with corresponding different mean-wavelength transmission bands. Because the correlograms are produced simultaneously, they can be used to practice instantaneous phase-shifting interferometry using conventional analysis algorithms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: APRE INSTRUMENTS, LLC.
    Inventors: Chase Salsbury, Artur Olszak
  • Patent number: 10809460
    Abstract: A depolarizer for a broadband optical source to split the source beam by power, not by polarization state, and route the components into respective light paths. A polarization rotator arranged in one of the light paths rotates the polarization state of that beam component to make it orthogonal to that of the other. The components are then recombined by a combiner and output. A variable optical attenuator is arranged in one of the light paths, which during operation is adjusted by a controller to maintain power equalization between the light paths and hence depolarization performance. The controller receives power measurements from the light paths and from after the combiner via respective sensors. With this feedforward design reminiscent of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer the light from a light source which generates highly polarized light can be depolarized in theory with zero insertion loss and in practice with losses of about 1 dB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: EXALOS AG
    Inventors: Marcus DĂĽlk, Philipp Vorreau
  • Patent number: 10746878
    Abstract: A method of measuring a distance by using a 3-dimensional (3D) depth sensor is provided. The method may include: measuring m number of frames using light modulated at a first frequency to determine a first tentative distance from a viewpoint to an object at the first frequency, m being a positive integer; measuring n number of frames using light modulated at a second frequency to determine a second tentative distance from the viewpoint to the object at the second frequency, n being a positive integer, a sum of m and n being four; and determining a resulting distance to the object based on the first distance and the second distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Heesun Yoon, Jangwoo You, Yonghwa Park
  • Patent number: 10739197
    Abstract: A spatial Fourier transform spectrometer is disclosed. The Fourier transform spectrometer includes a Fabry-Perot interferometer with first and second optical surfaces. The gap between the first and second optical surfaces spatially varies in a direction that is orthogonal to the optical axis of the Fourier transform spectrometer. The Fabry-Perot interferometer creates an interference pattern from input light. An image of the interference pattern is captured by a detector, which is communicatively coupled to a processor. The processor is configured to process the interference pattern image to determine information about the spectral content of the input light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: University of Hawaii
    Inventor: Paul Lucey
  • Patent number: 10724845
    Abstract: The optical module for optical height measurement includes a laser light source, an irradiation optical system, a detection optical system, and a detector. The laser light source is configured to irradiate the layer-structured specimen with a light beam. The irradiation optical system includes an objective lens. The objective lens is located to be approximately perpendicular to the layer-structured specimen. The detection optical system is configured to guide a reflected light reflected by the layer-structured specimen and a light passing through the objective lens and an aperture-restrictor-for-return to the detector. The aperture-restrictor-for-return is located immediately after the objective lens. The aperture-restrictor-for-return is configured to restrict the reflected light and cause only a light in a high NA region to pass through. The detector is configured to convert an entered light into a light detection signal. The detector includes a multi-divided detector array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI-LG DATA STORAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Tomita, Hideo Suenaga, Takahiro Kurokawa, Yoshitaka Morimoto
  • Patent number: 10705327
    Abstract: A light emitting method includes passing a laser beam through at least one offset assembly and a focusing assembly in sequence, and actuating, by a control-manipulating mechanism, the offset assembly to cause the laser beam to be offset, so that the laser beam can quickly produce a controllable opening of any shape in a drilling process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Pin-Hao Hu, Shao-Chuan Lu, Hsuan-Chang Lee, Po-Huan Chou, Min-Kai Lee
  • Patent number: 10699446
    Abstract: A measuring system (100) for data acquisition in soft-field tomography analysis of an object (62) includes transmitting units (63-i), receiving units (65-j), measuring units (67-j), an excitation unit having an alive point (“hot spot”; 81) and a ground point (“cold spot”; 82), a measuring data acquisition unit (85), and a control unit (90). In the operational state, the control unit (90) controls the excitation unit and the measuring data acquisition unit (85); the excitation unit connects to a transmitting unit (63-i), one at a time, to drive the transmitting units (63-i). Transmitting units (63-i) and the receiving units (65-j) couple, one by one, with the object (62) to excite and detect response upon the excitation field, wherein the receiving units (65-j) connect together in pairs to form measuring circuits to characterize the detected response quantitatively by measurement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Pécsi Tudományegyetem
    Inventors: Károly Borbás, Tibor Kiss, Mihály Klincsik, Zoltán Kvasznicza, Kálmán Máthé, Csaba Vér, Zoltán Vizvári, Péter Odry
  • Patent number: 10682052
    Abstract: The invention relates to an interferometric method, in which the light scattered by an object is imaged onto an electronic camera, wherein a sample light component is assigned to scattering sites on a sectional face in the interior of the object. This sample light component can be separated from the contributions of the other sample light components by processing of the camera image and leads to a sectional image. A particular advantage of the invention lies in the fact that multiple parallel sectional faces can be exposed sequentially at predetermined intervals from each other in the interior of the object. Such a sequence of sectional images can be used to calculate a solid model of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignees: Medizinisches Laserzentrum Luebeck GmbH, Thorlabs GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Koch, Gesa Franke, Hendrik Spahr, Helge Sudkamp, Gereon HĂĽttmann, Dierck Hillmann, Reginald Birngruber
  • Patent number: 10653310
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus including: a first scanning unit and a second scanning unit, subjecting a measuring beam, which is obtained by splitting a light source beam, to a back-and-forth scan in a predetermined area on a fundus in a first direction and a second direction, respectively; a scanning control unit controlling the first scanning unit and the second scanning unit so as to simultaneously execute scans; a depth information acquisition unit obtaining information on the fundus in a depth direction based on interference beam between return beam from the fundus and a reference beam; an image generation unit generating a tomographic image in the predetermined area through use of output from the depth information acquisition unit and a control signal supplied by the scanning control unit; and a display unit displaying the generated image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Fukuhara, Wataru Sakagawa, Takashi Yuasa
  • Patent number: 10646111
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for a spectrally encoded endoscope comprising a focusing lens encompassed by an light guiding component and spacer, wherein the focusing lens is substantially ball or semi-circular in shape, and the refractive index of the focusing lens is greater than the refractive index of the spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Canon U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Zhuo Wang
  • Patent number: 10638062
    Abstract: An apparatus includes: an interferometer configured to produce white light fringes with measuring light reflected or scattered by an object; an image sensor configured to generate an image signal for each pixel; and a controller. The interferometer splits the measuring light into two luminous fluxes and reflects them on reflecting mirrors having different curvatures. A white light fringe signal is obtained by varying the optical path difference between the two luminous fluxes. The controller is configured to perform frequency conversion on the white light fringe signal, with respect to the optical path difference, to determine a cross spectral density representing spectral information of each point on the object. The controller is configured to perform back-propagation computation based on Fresnel diffraction integral on the cross spectral density to determine a wavefront of light from each point on the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kyu Yoshimori
  • Patent number: 10627485
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are optical integration technologies, designs, systems and methods directed toward Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and other interferometric optical sensor, ranging, and imaging systems wherein such systems, methods and structures employ tunable optical sources, coherent detection and other structures on a single or multichip monolithic integration. In contrast to contemporary, prior-art OCT systems and structures that employ simple, miniature optical bench technology using small optical components positioned on a substrate, systems and methods according to the present disclosure employ one or more photonic integrated circuits (PICs), use swept-source techniques, and employ a widely tunable optical source(s). In another embodiment the system uses an optical photonic phased array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Inventor: Eric Swanson
  • Patent number: 10602923
    Abstract: There is a need for robust and portable system, and apparatus for ophthalmology. We propose use of foldable ophthalmic system. Our system will have a chin-rest (or face-rest or forehead rest) that can be folded so that the ocular device could be transported in a brief-case type casing. Our system can be used for many modalities including optical coherence tomography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Netra Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Manish Dinkarrao Kulkarni, Manmohan Singh Sidhu
  • Patent number: 10573007
    Abstract: Edges of layers are detected from an input image to create a boundary line candidate image that represents the detected edges. A luminance value of the input image is differentiated to create a luminance value-differentiated image that represents luminance gradient of the layers. An evaluation score image is created which is obtained by weighting calculation at an optimum ratio between a boundary line position probability image and the luminance value-differentiated image. The boundary line position probability image is obtained from the boundary line candidate image and an existence probability image that represents existence of a boundary line to be extracted. A route having the highest total evaluation score is extracted as the boundary line. According to such an image processing apparatus and image processing method, boundary lines of layers can be extracted with a high degree of accuracy from a captured image of a target object composed of a plurality of layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignees: KOWA COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Nakagawa, Takao Shinohara, Yasushi Maeno, Akira Hamada
  • Patent number: 10542880
    Abstract: A three-dimensional contour scanning device including an image sensing element, a light source and a single polarity element is provided. The light source is used for emitting a projection light to a to-be-scanned object through a projection optical path. The projection light reflected from the to-be-scanned object becomes an imaging light further reflected to the image sensing element through an image-formed optical path. The single polarity element is disposed on the projection optical path and the image-formed optical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: QISDA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ching-Huey Wang, Ming-Kuen Lin, Ying-Fang Lin
  • Patent number: 10529096
    Abstract: A system and method for characterizing tissue organization using polarization sensitive optical coherence (PSOCT) tomography is provided. A PSOCT device is controlled, by a computing device, to obtain PSOCT A-line scans across a sample. For each of the PSOCT A-line scans, the computing device determines a frequency characteristic of any banding present in a respective PSOCT A-line retardance scan. The computing device controls display device to render a map of the frequency characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: SYNAPTIVE MEDICAL (BARBADOS) INC.
    Inventors: Siu Wai Jacky Mak, Ho Yiu Kyle Cheng, Kai Michael Hynna
  • Patent number: 10495442
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an OCT imaging system to reduce or eliminate frequency-domain aliasing artifacts. The frequency is shifted using a carrier frequency to define a sampling range substantially centered on the carrier frequency. An image of the sample is generated from a displayed imaging range that consists of a subset of the frequencies within the sampling range. Furthermore, the system may be configured to determine the carrier frequency such that a Nyquist frequency corresponding to the shifted frequency is extended beyond either an upper or a lower bound of an OCT quality envelope corresponding to the first portion of light. Additionally, the carrier frequency may be determined such that a lower bound of the OCT quality envelope is greater or less than a zero-frequency DC limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: NinePoint Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Eman Namati, Muhammad Al-Qaisi, Matthew A. Sinclair, Benedikt Graf, David Vader
  • Patent number: 10470663
    Abstract: A Jones matrix OCT offers improved image stability, image quality, and depth range of image, wherein light from a wavelength-scanning light source is split into two optical paths, and a reference arm is provided along one optical path, while a probe arm that irradiates and reflects light onto the measuring target to generate object light is provided along the other optical path. The probe arm has a polarization delay unit that linearly polarizes the light and then splits it into S-wave component and P-wave component, where the S-wave component and P-wave component are superimposed through optical paths of different optical path lengths, respectively, after which optical detectors are used to detect different spectral interference beams in the depth direction of the measuring target corresponding to the vertically polarized component and horizontally polarized component, which respectively correspond to the S-wave component and P-wave component, to obtain four spectral interference signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Yasuno, Myeong Jin Ju, Masahide Itoh
  • Patent number: 10437050
    Abstract: A phase-modulation-element adjustment system including: a positional-relationship adjustment unit that is used for a laser-scanning confocal observation apparatus including a plurality of image-forming lenses for forming a final image and at least one intermediate image and a wavefront-disturbing element and a wavefront-restoring element being placed at positions between which any of the intermediate images formed by the image-forming lenses is disposed and having opposite phase characteristics to each other and that is capable of adjusting a relative positional relationship between the wavefront-disturbing element and the wavefront-restoring element; a wavefront-aberration measurement unit for measuring a wavefront aberration of light that has come from an object and that has passed through the wavefront-disturbing element and the wavefront-restoring element; and a processor for controlling the positional-relationship adjustment unit so that the wavefront aberration measured by the wavefront-aberration measu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tadashi Hirata
  • Patent number: 10433730
    Abstract: An optical coherence tomographic image generation apparatus includes: a probe including a two-dimensional scanning mechanism therein reflecting a beam incident from one of sides of the probe while a position of the beam is shifted by time-division drive; an optical unit that detects an optical coherent light created by interference between the reference beam and scattered light returned by reflection from the measuring object irradiated through the probe with the measurement beam to generate an optical coherent tomographic image from the detection signal of the coherent light acquired in a time base in one of first or second operation modes. In the first operation mode, scanning is performed parallel on an optical irradiation plane at the measuring object in a first direction. In the second operation mode, scanning is performed parallel on the optical irradiation plane at the measuring object in a second direction orthogonal with the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: The Yoshida Dental Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideo Kakuma
  • Patent number: 10422696
    Abstract: An optical module includes an actuator that includes a movable part to be moved along a predetermined direction; a first interference optical system that includes a first movable mirror, a first stationary mirror, and a first beam splitter; and a second interference optical system that includes a second movable mirror, a second stationary mirror, and a second beam splitter. The first interference optical system is adapted so that first light reciprocates m times (m is a natural number) between the first beam splitter and the first movable mirror along the predetermined direction. The second interference optical system is adapted so that second light reciprocates n times (n is a natural number greater than m) between the second beam splitter and the second movable mirror along the predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Warashina, Tomofumi Suzuki, Kohei Kasamori, Ryosuke Okumura, Kyosuke Kotani
  • Patent number: 10408600
    Abstract: An OCT system includes a light source configured to generate an optical beam, a Fizeau-type interferometer configured to receive the optical beam and produce an interference pattern, a detector configured to receive the interference pattern and produce an image signal, and a processing circuit including a processor and a memory, the memory being structured to store instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to receive the image signal from the detector and generate an OCT image based on the image signal. The Fizeau-type interferometer includes a scanning element configured to receive the optical beam and direct the optical beam in a plurality of directions towards a sample and a reflective element configured to divide the directed optical beam into a reference beam and a sample beam that reflects off of a surface of a sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: SANTEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Changho Chong
  • Patent number: 10398306
    Abstract: According to embodiments of the present invention, an optical imaging device is provided. The optical imaging device includes an optics arrangement configured to generate an extended-source illumination pattern including a plurality of separate spectral bands, and to illuminate a respective section of a sample to be imaged with a respective spectral band of the plurality of separate spectral bands, wherein the optics arrangement is further configured to form an interference signal from a sample light comprising respective return lights from respective sections of the sample illuminated by respective spectral bands of the extended-source illumination pattern, and a reference light, and a detector configured to receive the interference signal for generating an image corresponding to the sections of the sample. According to further embodiments of the present invention, a method for imaging a sample and a method for generating an image are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Linbo Liu
  • Patent number: 10388320
    Abstract: Provided herein are apparatus and methods for inspecting articles for features using interference in light reflected from the articles. The interference may be used to detect, distinguish, and/or map features of articles, which features may include, but are not limited to, surface defects. In at least one embodiment, an apparatus and method includes conveying parallel light along a primary axis through a telecentric lens and a light-splitting device, respectively; illuminating a majority of a surface of an article with the parallel light; conveying reflected light from the surface of the article along the primary axis back through the light-splitting device and the telecentric lens, respectively; and recording interference resulting from a combination of light comprising at least the reflected light from the surface of the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Joachim Ahner, David Tung
  • Patent number: 10379042
    Abstract: Provided is a Fourier transform-type spectroscopic device capable of improving an acquisition speed of a molecular vibration spectrum. The Fourier transform-type spectroscopic device (1) of the present invention rotates a scanning mirror (26b) by rotation of a rotating shaft (26a) to change a light path length of scanning light and delay or advance the scanning light with respect to reference light in accordance with a rotation angle of the scanning mirror (26b) from an initial position, and is thus capable of moving the scanning mirror (26b) at a high speed as compared with a case where a movable mirror is mechanically moved as in a conventional Fourier transform-type spectroscopic device, thereby improving an acquisition speed of a molecular vibration spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: The University of Tokyo
    Inventors: Takuro Ideguchi, Kazuki Hashimoto, Megumi Takahashi, Yusuke Sakaki, Keisuke Goda
  • Patent number: 10360673
    Abstract: Provided herein is technology relating to analysis of images and particularly, but not exclusively, to methods and systems for determining the area and/or volume of a region of interest using optical coherence tomography data. Some embodiments provide for determining the area and/or volume of a lesion in retinal tissue using three-dimensional optical coherence tomography data and a two-dimensional optical coherence tomography fundus image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: EyeKor, LLC
    Inventor: Yijun Huang
  • Patent number: 10321815
    Abstract: An image pickup module includes: an optical waveguide plate that includes a first waveguide, a second waveguide, and a third waveguide optically coupled to the first waveguide and the second waveguide through a branch portion; an image pickup device; a first optical device and a second optical device both mounted on the optical waveguide plate; an optical fiber; a ferrule into which the optical fiber is inserted; and a plurality of conductive wires. The ferrule includes a notch on a front surface, and distal end portions of the conductive wires are held between the optical waveguide plate and a surface of the notch of the ferrule. The other components are disposed within a plane of projection of the image pickup device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideharu Miyahara, Youhei Sakai, Yusuke Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10317189
    Abstract: Optical coherence tomography light sources can be non-linear and attempts to linearize them can lead to asynchrony between the light source and A-line scans and missampling in the scans causing signal noise. Accordingly, a system and methods are provided herein to detect missampling by obtaining a plurality of interferograms; providing at least two wavenumber reference signals at different wavenumbers, wherein the wavenumber reference signals comprise attenuated or enhanced portions of each of the plurality of interferograms; aligning each of the plurality of interferograms according to one of the at least two wavenumber reference signals; and for each of the plurality of interferograms, identifying an interferogram as missampled if another of the at least two reference signals does not align with a corresponding reference signal in a statistically significant number of the plurality of interferograms. An optical element, for example, an optical notch, may be used to generate the reference signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TOPCON
    Inventors: Zhijia Yuan, Zhenguo Wang, Charles A. Reisman, Kinpui Chan
  • Patent number: 10302419
    Abstract: System and method for profiling of a surface with lateral scanning interferometer the optical axis of which is perpendicular to the surface. In-plane scanning of the surface is carried out with increments that correspond to integer number of pixels of an employed optical detector. Determination of height profile of a region-of-interest that is incomparably larger than a FOV of the interferometer objective is performed in time reduced by at least an order of magnitude as compared to time required for the same determination by a vertical scanning interferometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eric Peter Goodwin
  • Patent number: 10234265
    Abstract: A device for measuring a distance to an object comprises a beam splitter for splitting broadband coherent light emitted by a light source in measuring light which is guided through an object arm to the object to be measured and in reference light which is guided to a reference arm. The object arm includes a focusing optics with a focus movable along an optical axis of the object arm. The focusing optics comprises a movable optical element and is configured such that a movement of the movable optical element along the optical axis causes a higher movement of the focus of the focusing optics along the optical axis. The movable optical element of the focusing optics is coupled to the reference arm such that the optical path length of the reference arm can be tracked synchronously with and dependent on the movement of the focus of the focusing optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Precitec Optronik GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Schönleber, Stephan André
  • Patent number: 10192303
    Abstract: Mixed-mode includes receiving inspection results including one or more images of a selected region of the wafer, the one or more images include one or more wafer die including a set of repeating blocks, the set of repeating blocks a set of repeating cells. In addition, mixed-mode inspection includes adjusting a pixel size of the one or more images to map each cell, block and die to an integer number of pixels. Further, mixed-mode inspection includes comparing a first wafer die to a second wafer die to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second wafer die, comparing a first block to a second block to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second blocks and comparing a first cell to a second cell to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: KLA Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Z. Lin, Allen Park, Ellis Chang, Richard Wallingford, Songnian Rong, Chetana Bhaskar
  • Patent number: 10175178
    Abstract: A method for inspecting an ophthalmic lens, such as a contact lens, using Optical Coherence Tomography. The method includes illuminating a sample volume including the lens with a sample light beam which is provided from a light source having a power of at least 2 mW at a wavelength of 1040 nm to 1080 nm and which does not exceed 5 W. In carrying out the method an ophthalmic lens is inspected which has been manufactured such that it comprises scattering centers embedded in and/or on an anterior surface and in and/or on a posterior surface thereof, respectively, and/or distributed throughout a bulk material being delimited by the anterior surface and the posterior surface of the ophthalmic lens. An interference pattern resulting from a superposition of back-scattered light from the sample volume including the ophthalmic lens and a reference light beam provided from the light source may then be analyzed and evaluated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Novartis AG
    Inventor: Thomas Tonn
  • Patent number: 10149599
    Abstract: A processing apparatus includes: a light source unit configured to emit partially coherent light having a coherence length that is equal to or more than inverse of a scattering coefficient of a light scattering body and shorter than half of inverse of a reduced scattering coefficient of the light scattering body; an illumination unit configured to irradiate an illumination area on a surface of the light scattering body, with the partially coherent light emitted from the light source unit; a detection unit configured to detect, in a detection area including the illumination area, a signal of scattered and returned light from the light scattering body; and an interference component extracting unit configured to extract an interference component by excluding a noninterference component from the signal of the scattered and returned light detected by the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryosuke Ito