US5501680A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Boundary and proximity sensor apparatus for a laser
Assignee: University of Pittsburgh
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Filing: 1992-01-15
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Granted: 1996-03-26
•
Expires: 2012-01-15
Abstract
Abstract A laser operation and control system preferably comprising a laser adapted to be grasped by a user and freely passed over a treatment area, control circuitry for activating and deactivating the laser, at least one boundary sensor operable to transmit a signal to the control circuitry to deactivate the laser upon passage thereof beyond a boundary of the treatment area and to transmit a signal to the control circuitry to activate the laser upon passage thereof within the boundary, and at least one proximity sensor for transmitting a signal to the control circuitry to deactivate the laser should the proximity sensor fail to sense a substantially solid surface within a predetermined distance therefrom and for transmitting a signal to the control circuitry to activate the laser should the proximity sensor sense such a surface.
Inventors
- 👤 John L. Kurtz
- 👤 Marc D. Liang
- 👤 Krishna Narayanan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 18:59
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/203; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00743; A61B2017/00747; A61B2017/00756; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00452; A61B2018/00636; A61B90/00; A61B90/06; A61B2090/064; A61B2090/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A laser system comprising: a laser which is operable to emit laser radiation and adapted to be grasped by a user and freely passed over a treatment area; control means operatively connected to said laser for activating and deactivating said laser; and means for sensing a boundary of said treatment area, said means for sensing a boundary being operable to transmit a signal to said control means to deactivate said laser upon passage of laser radiation emitted by said laser beyond a boundary of said treatment area and to transmit a signal to said control means to activate said laser upon passage of laser radiation emitted by said laser within said boundary.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
A laser system comprising: a laser which is operable to emit laser radiation and adapted to be grasped by a user and freely passed over a treatment area; control means operatively connected to said laser for activating and deactivating said laser; and means for sensing a boundary of said treatment area, said means for sensing a boundary being operable to transmit a signal to said control means to deactivate said laser upon passage of laser radiation emitted by said laser beyond a boundary of said treatment area and to transmit a signal to said control means to activate said laser upon passage of laser radiation emitted by said laser within said boundary.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said sensing means transmit said signal to said control means to deactivate said laser when reflected radiation from beyond said boundary exceeds a predetermined threshold.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said sensing means include at least one boundary sensor including means for emitting radiation and means for detecting radiation emitted by said emitting means and reflected from said treatment area.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 3 further comprising a first plurality of fiber optic cables disposed about and extending along said laser, said first plurality of fiber optic cables being positioned to receive radiation from said emitting means and to transmit said radiation to said treatment area.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system of claim 4 further comprising a second plurality of fiber optic cables disposed about and extending along said laser, said second plurality of fiber optic cables being positioned to receive reflected radiation from said treatment area and to transmit said reflected radiation to said detecting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 5 further comprising multiplexor means for enabling communication of said first and second pluralities of fiber optic cables with said at least one boundary sensor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said first and second pluralities of fiber optic cables in communication with each said at least one boundary sensor are disposed substantially uniformly about said laser.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 7 wherein, for each said at least one boundary sensor, said first and second pluralities of fiber optic cables in communication therewith are disposed together substantially in a ring about said laser.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 8 wherein, for each said ring, fiber optic cables of said first plurality of fiber optic cables alternate with fiber optic cables of said second plurality of fiber optic cables.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 9 wherein said sensing means include a plurality of said boundary sensors, each of said plurality of boundary sensors forming about said laser a separate concentric ring formed of said first and second pluralities of fiber optic cables.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said sensing means include three of said boundary sensors.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
The system of claim 10 further comprising proximity sensor means for transmitting a signal to said control means to deactivate said laser should said proximity sensor means fail to sense a substantially solid surface within a predetermined distance therefrom and for transmitting a signal to said control means to activate said laser should said proximity sensor means sense said surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said sensing means include a plurality of said boundary sensors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said sensing means include three of said boundary sensors.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising a template adopted for circumscribing said treatment area, said template being lighter in color than said treatment area in order to enhance reflection of radiation from beyond said boundary.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said template is formed of substantially white material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising means for manually transmitting laser activation and deactivation signals to said control means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
95 words
A laser system comprising: a laser which is operable to emit laser radiation and adapted to be grasped by a user and freely passed over a treatment area; control means operatively connected to said laser for activating and deactivating said laser; and proximity sensor means for transmitting a signal to said control means to deactivate said laser should said proximity sensor means fail to sense a substantially solid surface within a predetermined distance therefrom and for transmitting a signal to said control means to activate said laser should said proximity sensor means sense said surface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
95 words
A laser system comprising: a laser which is operable to emit laser radiation and adapted to be grasped by a user and freely passed over a treatment area; control means operatively connected to said laser for activating and deactivating said laser; and proximity sensor means for transmitting a signal to said control means to deactivate said laser should said proximity sensor means fail to sense a substantially solid surface within a predetermined distance therefrom and for transmitting a signal to said control means to activate said laser should said proximity sensor means sense said surface.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 18 wherein said proximity sensor means includes means for emitting radiation and means for detecting radiation emitted by said emitting means and reflected by said surface.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 19 further comprising a first plurality of fiber optic cables disposed about and extending along said laser, said first plurality of fiber optic cables being positioned to receive reflected radiation from said surface and to transmit said reflected radiation to said detecting means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 20 further comprising a second plurality of fiber optic cables disposed about and extending along said laser, said second plurality of fiber optic cables being positioned to receive reflected radiation from said surface and to transmit said reflected radiation to said detecting means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 21 further comprising multiplexor means for enabling communication of said first and second pluralities of fiber optic cables with said proximity sensor means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 22 wherein said first and second pluralities of fiber optic cables are disposed substantially uniformly about said laser.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 23 wherein said first and second pluralities of fiber optic cables are disposed substantially in a ring about said laser.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 24 wherein fiber optic cables of said first plurality of fiber optic cables alternate with fiber optic cables of said second plurality of fiber optic cables in said ring.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
167 words
A laser system comprising: a laser which is operable to emit laser radiation and adapted to be grasped by a user and freely passed over a treatment area; control means operatively connected to said laser for activating and deactivating said laser; boundary sensor means for sensing a boundary of said treatment area, said means for sensing a boundary being operable to transmit a signal to said control means to deactivate said laser upon passage of laser radiation emitted by said laser beyond a boundary of said treatment area and to transmit a signal to said control means to activate said laser upon passage of laser radiation emitted by said laser within said boundary; and proximity sensor means for transmitting a signal to said control means to deactivate said laser should said proximity sensor means fail to sense a substantially solid surface within a predetermined distance therefrom and for transmitting a signal to said control means to activate said laser should said proximity sensor means sense said surface.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
167 words
A laser system comprising: a laser which is operable to emit laser radiation and adapted to be grasped by a user and freely passed over a treatment area; control means operatively connected to said laser for activating and deactivating said laser; boundary sensor means for sensing a boundary of said treatment area, said means for sensing a boundary being operable to transmit a signal to said control means to deactivate said laser upon passage of laser radiation emitted by said laser beyond a boundary of said treatment area and to transmit a signal to said control means to activate said laser upon passage of laser radiation emitted by said laser within said boundary; and proximity sensor means for transmitting a signal to said control means to deactivate said laser should said proximity sensor means fail to sense a substantially solid surface within a predetermined distance therefrom and for transmitting a signal to said control means to activate said laser should said proximity sensor means sense said surface.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 26 wherein said boundary sensor means and said proximity sensor means each include means for emitting radiation and means for detecting radiation emitted by said emitting means and reflected by at least one of said treatment area and said surface.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
65 words
The system of claim 27 further comprising, for each of said boundary sensor means and proximity sensor means, a first plurality of fiber optic cables disposed about and extending along said laser, said first plurality of fiber optic cables being positioned to receive radiation from said emitting means and to transmit said radiation to said at least one of said treatment area and said surface.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
66 words
The system of claim 28 further comprising, for each of said boundary sensor means and proximity sensor means, a second plurality of fiber optic cables disposed about and extending along said laser, said second plurality of fiber optic cables being positioned to receive reflected radiation from at least one of said treatment area and said surface and to transmit said reflected radiation to said detecting means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 29 further comprising multiplexor means for enabling communication of said first and second pluralities of fiber optic cables with said means for sensing a boundary and said proximity sensor means.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 30 wherein, for each of said boundary sensor means and proximity sensor means, said first and second pluralities of fiber optic cables in communication therewith are disposed together substantially uniformly about said laser.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 31 wherein, for each of said boundary sensor means and proximity sensor means, said first and second pluralities of fiber optic cables in communication therewith are disposed together substantially in a ring about said laser.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 32 wherein, for each said ring, fiber optic cables of said first plurality of fiber optic cables alternate with fiber optic cables of said second plurality of fiber optic cables.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 26 further comprise a template adapted for circumscribing said treatment area, said template being lighter in color than said treatment area in order to enhance reflection of radiation from beyond said boundary.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 34 wherein said template is formed of substantially white material.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 26 further comprising means for manually transmitting laser activation and deactivation signals to said control means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-03-26 | 1999-09-25 | 2000-03-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-03-26 | 2003-09-25 | 2004-03-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-03-26 | 2007-09-25 | 2008-03-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |