US6603552B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Portable system for detecting skin abnormalities based on characteristic autofluorescence
Assignee: Stryker Corp
•
Filing: 1999-12-22
•
Granted: 2003-08-05
•
Expires: 2019-12-22
Abstract
Abstract A lightweight hand-held skin abnormality detection system includes a source of excitation light that causes tissue under examination to produce fluorescence light. The fluorescence light produced along with the beam of reference light is provided to a beam splitter which divides the fluorescence light and the reference light into separate optical channels. Each optical channel produces an image of the tissue under examination. A passive optical combiner superimposes the image produced by each optical channel for viewing by a user.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard W. Cline
- 👤 Pierre Leduc
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:02
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/44; A61B5/441; A61B5/444; A61B5/0059; A61B5/0071; A61B5/0082; A61B5/0088
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
A skin abnormality detection system, comprising: a light source for producing a concentrated beam of illumination light; an optical excitation filter that receives the illumination light and creates excitation light by passing light having selected wavelengths, the excitation light generating reflected and fluorescence light when directed onto a surface of interest; an optical splitter that receives the reflected and fluorescence light from the surface of interest and splits the fluorescence light into two wavelength bands; a pair of optical channels that receive the light from the optical splitter, each optical channel including: an optical emission filter for passing light having selected wavelengths; an optical assembly for forming an image of the surface of interest; and an image intensifier tube with a long persistence phosphor screen that amplifies the light passed by the optical emission filter and produces an output image with the light passed; and a passive optical combiner that receives the output image produced in each optical channel and superimposes the output images to create a combined image that is seen by a user.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
A skin abnormality detection system, comprising: a light source for producing a concentrated beam of illumination light; an optical excitation filter that receives the illumination light and creates excitation light by passing light having selected wavelengths, the excitation light generating reflected and fluorescence light when directed onto a surface of interest; an optical splitter that receives the reflected and fluorescence light from the surface of interest and splits the fluorescence light into two wavelength bands; a pair of optical channels that receive the light from the optical splitter, each optical channel including: an optical emission filter for passing light having selected wavelengths; an optical assembly for forming an image of the surface of interest; and an image intensifier tube with a long persistence phosphor screen that amplifies the light passed by the optical emission filter and produces an output image with the light passed; and a passive optical combiner that receives the output image produced in each optical channel and superimposes the output images to create a combined image that is seen by a user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The skin abnormality detection system of claim 1 , wherein the passive optical combiner comprises a dichroic mirror that is positioned to direct the output image from each optical channel into an eye of a user.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The skin abnormality detection system of claim 1 , further comprising a camera positioned to capture the combined output image onto an image sensor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The skin abnormality detection system of claim 3 , wherein the image sensor is photographic film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The skin abnormality detection system of claim 3 , wherein the image sensor is a digital imaging sensor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The skin abnormality detection system of claim 1 , wherein the system includes a pair of optical splitters which direct the light into multiple optical channels and produces a pair of combined output images for a binocular viewing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
113 words
A skin abnormality detection system comprising: a light source for producing a beam of illumination light; an optical excitation filter that receives the illumination light and creates excitation light and reference light, the excitation light generating fluorescence light when directed onto a surface of interest; an optical splitter that receives the fluorescence light and reflected reference light and directs the fluorescence light and reflected reference light into separate optical channels, each optical channel producing an image of the surface of interest; and a passive optical combiner that combines the images of the tissue produced with the fluorescence light and the reference light into a single image that can be viewed by a user.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
113 words
A skin abnormality detection system comprising: a light source for producing a beam of illumination light; an optical excitation filter that receives the illumination light and creates excitation light and reference light, the excitation light generating fluorescence light when directed onto a surface of interest; an optical splitter that receives the fluorescence light and reflected reference light and directs the fluorescence light and reflected reference light into separate optical channels, each optical channel producing an image of the surface of interest; and a passive optical combiner that combines the images of the tissue produced with the fluorescence light and the reference light into a single image that can be viewed by a user.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The skin abnormality detection system of claim 7 , wherein the reference light comprises the excitation light.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The skin abnormality detection system of claim 7 , wherein the light source produces both excitation light and reference light, and the reference light comprises light having a different wavelength than the excitation light.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The skin abnormality detection system of claim 7 , wherein the system includes a pair of optical splitters which direct the light into multiple optical channels and produces a pair of combined output images for binocular viewing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The skin abnormality detection system of claim 7 , further comprising a camera positioned to capture the combined output image onto an image sensor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The skin abnormality detection system of claim 11 , wherein the image sensor is photographic film.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The skin abnormality detection system of claim 11 , wherein the sensor is a digital imaging sensor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
188 words
A tissue abnormality detection system, comprising: a light source for producing a concentrated beam of illumination light; an optical excitation filter that receives the illumination light and creates excitation light by passing light having selected wavelengths, the excitation light generating reflected and fluorescence light when directed onto a surface of interest; an imaging device including: at least one image forming optical assembly; an optical splitter that receives the reflected and fluorescence light from the surface of interest and splits the fluorescence light into two optical channels transmitting different wavelength bands; a pair of optical channels that receive the light from the optical splitter, each optical channel including: an optical emission filter for passing light having selected wavelengths; and an image intensifier tube that amplifies the light passed by the optical emission filter and produces an output image with the light passed; a passive optical combiner that receives the output image produced in each optical channel and superimposes the output images to create a combined image that is seen by a user; and a control module that controls the operation of the light source and the image intensifier tubes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
188 words
A tissue abnormality detection system, comprising: a light source for producing a concentrated beam of illumination light; an optical excitation filter that receives the illumination light and creates excitation light by passing light having selected wavelengths, the excitation light generating reflected and fluorescence light when directed onto a surface of interest; an imaging device including: at least one image forming optical assembly; an optical splitter that receives the reflected and fluorescence light from the surface of interest and splits the fluorescence light into two optical channels transmitting different wavelength bands; a pair of optical channels that receive the light from the optical splitter, each optical channel including: an optical emission filter for passing light having selected wavelengths; and an image intensifier tube that amplifies the light passed by the optical emission filter and produces an output image with the light passed; a passive optical combiner that receives the output image produced in each optical channel and superimposes the output images to create a combined image that is seen by a user; and a control module that controls the operation of the light source and the image intensifier tubes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 14 , wherein the optical combiner comprises a dichroic mirror that is positioned to direct the output image from each optical channel in an eye of a user.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 14 , wherein the image intensifier tube have long persistence phosphor screens.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 14 , further comprising a camera positioned to capture the combined output image onto an image sensor.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 17 , wherein the image sensor is photographic film.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 17 , wherein the image sensor is a digital imaging sensor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 14 , wherein the system includes a pair of optical splitters which direct the light into multiple optical channels and produces a pair of combined output images for a binocular viewing.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 14 , wherein the light source and image intensifier tubes are operated in a pulsed mode, synchronized and controlled by the control module.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 14 , wherein the control module maintains a constant gain ratio between the image intensifiers.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
201 words
A tissue abnormality detection system comprising: a light source for producing a beam of illumination light; an optical excitation filter that receives the illumination light and creates excitation light and reference light, the excitation light and reference light being directed onto a surface of interest; an imaging device including: at least one image forming optical assembly; an optical splitter that receives the fluorescence light and reflected reference light and directs the fluorescence light and reflected reference light into a fluorescence optical channel and a reflectance optical channel, the fluorescence optical channel including: an optical emission filter for passing light having selected wavelengths; an image intensifier tube that amplifies the light passed by the optical emission filter and produces an output image with the light passed; the reflectance optical channel including: an image intensifier tube that amplifies the light received in the reflectance optical channel and produces an output image with the light passed; a passive optical combiner that combines the images of the tissue produced with the fluorescence light and the reference light into a single image that can be viewed by a user; and a control module that controls the operation of the light source and the image intensifier tubes.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
201 words
A tissue abnormality detection system comprising: a light source for producing a beam of illumination light; an optical excitation filter that receives the illumination light and creates excitation light and reference light, the excitation light and reference light being directed onto a surface of interest; an imaging device including: at least one image forming optical assembly; an optical splitter that receives the fluorescence light and reflected reference light and directs the fluorescence light and reflected reference light into a fluorescence optical channel and a reflectance optical channel, the fluorescence optical channel including: an optical emission filter for passing light having selected wavelengths; an image intensifier tube that amplifies the light passed by the optical emission filter and produces an output image with the light passed; the reflectance optical channel including: an image intensifier tube that amplifies the light received in the reflectance optical channel and produces an output image with the light passed; a passive optical combiner that combines the images of the tissue produced with the fluorescence light and the reference light into a single image that can be viewed by a user; and a control module that controls the operation of the light source and the image intensifier tubes.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 23 , wherein the reference light comprises the excitation light.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
48 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 23 , wherein the light source produces both excitation light and reference light, and the reference light comprises light having a different wavelength than the excitation light and a different wavelength than that of the fluorescence emission which changes with disease.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 23 , wherein the optical combiner comprises a dichroic mirror that is positioned to direct the output image from each optical channel into an eye of a user.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
38 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 23 , wherein the system includes a pair of optical splitters which direct the light into multiple optical channels and produces a pair of combined output images for a binocular viewing.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 23 , wherein the image intensifier tubes have long persistence phosphor screens.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 23 , further comprising a camera positioned to capture the combined-output image onto an image sensor.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 29 , wherein the image sensor is photographic film.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 29 , wherein the image sensor is a digital imaging sensor.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
30 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 23 , wherein the light source and image intensifier tubes are operated in a pulsed mode, synchronized and controlled by the control module.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
The tissue abnormality detection system of claim 23 , wherein the control module maintains a constant gain ratio between the image intensifiers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4200801A
Cited
US4556057A
Cited
US4532918A
Cited
US4786813A
Cited
US5134662A
Cited
US4930516A
Cited
US4930516B1
Cited
US4821117A
Cited
US5255087A
Cited
US5419323A
Cited
US5165079A
Cited
US5421337A
Cited
US5420628A
Cited
EP0512965A1
Cited
US5507287A
Cited
US5225883A
Cited
US5377686A
Cited
US5214503A
Cited
US5430476A
Cited
US5424841A
Cited
US5365057A
Cited
US5371355A
Cited
JPH07155286A
Cited
JPH07155285A
Cited
JPH07155290A
Cited
JPH07204156A
Cited
JPH07155292A
Cited
JPH07155291A
Cited
JPH07250804A
Cited
JPH07250812A
Cited
US5827190A
Cited
WO1995026673A2
Cited
US5590660A
Cited
JPH08224208A
Cited
JPH08224240A
Cited
JPH08224209A
Cited
DE19608027A1
Cited
US5647368A
Cited
EP0792618A1
Cited
JPH10104070A
Cited
JPH10151104A
Cited
WO1998024360A1
Cited
US6021344A
Cited
JPH10201700A
Cited
US6008889A
Cited
US6069689A
Cited
JPH11155812A
Cited
US6148227A
Cited
WO2000042910A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-08-04 | 2007-02-03 | 2007-08-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-08-04 | 2011-02-03 | 2011-08-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-08-04 | 2015-02-03 | 2015-08-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |