ENHANCED VISUALIZATION ILLUMINATION SYSTEM

• US 20100157620A1
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Doheny Eye Institute
• Original Assignee: Doheny Eye Institute
• Inventors: Humayun, Mark, McCormick, Matthew, Bhadri, Prashant, Kerns, Ralph, Lescoulie, James, Barnes, Aaron, Fang, Sophia
• Application Number:
  US12/641,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20100157620A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/554
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/13 Ophthalmic microscopes

Abstract

A first light source producing a first light beam with a first intensity and a second light source producing a second light beam with a second intensity. A light filter device receives the first light beam and transmits a filtered portion of the first light beam. A first angling device reflects the filtered portion of the first light beam in a first angled direction and a second angling device reflects the second light beam in a second angled direction. A mirror receives and in turn reflects the filtered portion of the first light beam reflected by the first angling device and the second light beam reflected by the second angling device to form a converged light beam with a third intensity.

Claims

1. An enhanced illumination system comprising:

a light source configured to produce a light beam;

an angling device configured to receive light produced by the light source and configured to be adjusted to a first position for reflecting at least a portion of the light beam in a first angled direction, and further configured to be adjusted to a second position for allowing the light beam to bypass the angling device;

a mirror configured to reflect at least a portion of the light beam in response to the angling device being adjusted to the first position;

a first output port for outputting the at least a portion of the light beam reflected by the mirror; and

a second output port for outputting the light beam bypassing the angling device in response to the angling device being adjusted to the second position.

2. The enhanced illumination system of claim 1 further comprising a light filter configured to receive the first light beam and generate a filtered light beam for transmitting to the first angling device.

3. The enhanced illumination system of claim 1, further comprising a coupling system configured to couple the portion of the light beam to an optical fiber coupled to the first output port.

4. The enhanced illumination system of claim 1, further comprising a shutter configured to receive the light beam from the light source and adjust an intensity of the light beam.

5. The enhanced illumination system of claim 1, wherein the mirror is a substantially curved mirror.

6. The enhanced illumination system of claim 1, wherein the angling device comprises a mirror.

7. The enhanced illumination system of claim 1, wherein the angling device comprises a beam splitter.

8. A method for generating enhanced illumination, the method comprising:

producing by a first light source a first light beam with a first intensity;

producing by a second light source a second light beam with a second intensity;

receiving the first light beam by a light filter device and transmitting a filtered portion of the first light beam;

reflecting by a first angling device the filtered portion of the first light beam in a first angled direction;

reflecting by a second angling device at least a portion of the second light beam in a second angled direction;

receiving and reflecting by a mirror at least the filtered portion of the first light beam reflected by the first angling device and at least the portion of the second light beam reflected by the second angling device for forming a converged light beam with a third intensity; and

outputting the converged light beam at an output port.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising configuring a first lens system to couple the first light beam to a first optical fiber, configuring a second lens system to couple the second light beam to a second optical fiber, and configuring a third lens system to couple the converged light beam to a third optical fiber.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising configuring a first shutter to adjust the first intensity of the first light source and configuring a second shutter to adjust the second intensity of the second light source.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the mirror is a substantially curved mirror.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the angling device comprises a mirror.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the angling device comprises a beam splitter.