The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 12, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 27, 1999
Matthew H. Smith, Madison, AL (US);
Lloyd W. Hillman, Huntsville, AL (US);
Kurt R. Denninghoff, Birmingham, AL (US);
Russell A. Chipman, San Jose, CA (US);
University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL (US);
Abstract
An improved optical scanning spectroscopic method and apparatus is provided that alternately scans the posterior portion of an eye with laser signals emitted by different ones of a plurality of lasers such that a data frame can be constructed that includes interlaced portions formed from signals returning from the posterior portion of the eye in response to illumination by laser signals emitted by different ones of the plurality of lasers. As such, the same data frame includes data attributable to the reflection of laser signals from each of the plurality of lasers even though the subject's eye is not subjected to simultaneous illumination by each of the lasers, thereby protecting the subject's eye. According to one further aspect of the invention, the optical scanning spectroscopic method and apparatus can illuminate the posterior portion of the subject's eye in response to a trigger at a predetermined point in the cardiac cycle of the subject such that the resulting data frame relates to at least a predetermined portion of the cardiac cycle of the subject, thereby permitting a detailed analysis of one or more phases of the cardiac cycle of the subject.