초록 ▼

A method, apparatus and system for a transverse tracker is described that can greatly improve the accuracy, speed, range, reliability, versatility, safety, and efficacy of interventions such as laser microsurgery. The present invention provides means for stabilizing the motion of targets in a plane

A method, apparatus and system for a transverse tracker is described that can greatly improve the accuracy, speed, range, reliability, versatility, safety, and efficacy of interventions such as laser microsurgery. The present invention provides means for stabilizing the motion of targets in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction, thus allowing an imaging system, diagnostics illumination, and/or laser beam to maintain a lock on the target area, regardless of its movement. Unique attributes provided in the tracking system include means for (1) sensing contrast in recognizable large scale boundaries such as the change between the cornea/sclera interface (limbus), thereby to determine the absolute location and orientation of these boundaries, all without having to resort to digital sampling techniques and (2) dual mode operation of an electronic control system compatible with all analog technologies, thereby substantially increasing the speed of operations over other, comparable digital method. The tracking system of the invention is at least comprised of illumination sources, imaging optics, a sensor, a movable optical element, a two-dimensional logic board, and a dedicated microprocessor, including appropriate signal processing firmware and software. Additional optics can provide interface with depth tracking, target viewing and/or laser surgery subsystems. The invention affords considerable flexibility in selecting illuminators, detectors and servo devices, which, allows broad application of this system to diverse medical surgical, diagnostic, and industrial settings.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A system for tracking an eye of a living patient during laser eye surgery, the eye having an axis through an iris and a sclera around the iris with a limbus therebetween, the system comprising:an illumination source oriented toward the eye to provide illumination light;a laser deli

[ We claim:] [1.] A system for tracking an eye of a living patient during laser eye surgery, the eye having an axis through an iris and a sclera around the iris with a limbus therebetween, the system comprising:an illumination source oriented toward the eye to provide illumination light;a laser delivery optical train oriented toward the eye and adapted for receiving the illumination light reflected and scattered from the eye, the optical train focussing the scattered light along an optical path to an image;a first photodetector disposed in the optical path from the optical train to sense a first integrated image illumination from a first region of the image, the first image region comprising the scattered light from across a first portion of the limbus, a first portion of the iris and a first portion of the sclera;a second photodetector disposed in the optical path from the optical train to sense a second integrated image illumination from a second region of the image, the second image region comprising the scattered light from across a second portion of the limbus, a second portion of the iris, and a second portion of the sclera;a processor coupled to the first and second photodetectors, to measure a lateral movement of the eye by comparing the first illumination to the second illumination; anda drive mechanism coupled to the processor to shift the optical train in response to the lateral movement of the eye so as to maintain alignment between the optical train and the eye.