APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING OPTICAL SIGNALS FROM IMPLANTED SENSORS

• US 20140364707A1
• Filed: 06/06/2014
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Profusa, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Profusa, Inc.
• Inventors: Kintz, Gregory J., McMillan, William A., Wisniewski, Natalie A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,219,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0017 transmitting optical signals transmission by light H04B10/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence

Abstract

Some embodiments described herein relate to an apparatus including a light source configured to transmit an excitation optical signal to an implanted sensor and a detector configured to detect an analyte-dependent optical signal emitted from an implanted sensor. The apparatus can include a lens configured to focus at least a portion of the analyte-dependent optical signal onto the detector.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a light source configured to transmit an excitation optical signal to an implanted sensor;

a detector configured to detect an analyte-dependent optical signal emitted from the implanted sensor in response to the implanted sensor being illuminated by the excitation optical signal; and

a lens configured to focus at least a portion of the analyte-dependent optical signal onto the detector.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an aperture configured to inhibit a photon having an angle of incidence greater than a predetermined angle of incidence from striking the detector.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens is a first lens from an array of lenses.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens is a first lens from an array of lenses defining a first lens axis, the apparatus further comprising:

a second lens from the array of lenses defining a second lens axis substantially parallel to and non-coaxial with the first lens axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens is first lens from a monolithically formed array of lenses.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens is a first lens from an array of lenses, the apparatus further comprising:

an array of apertures, each aperture from the array of apertures being substantially aligned with a center of a lens from the array of lenses.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a filter configured to attenuate optical signals having wavelengths associated with the light source.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a filter configured to attenuate optical signals having wavelengths associated with the light source, the filter configured to transmit the analyte-dependent optical signal with substantially no attenuation.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a dichroic filter configured to attenuate optical signals having wavelengths associated with the light source, the dichroic filter configured to blue shift analyte-dependent optical signals towards the wavelength associated with the light source as a function of an angle of incidence, the detector not being configured to detect a blue-shifted analyte-dependent optical signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a portion of the excitation optical signal is scattered by tissue surrounding the implant, the apparatus further comprising:

an aperture, (1) the lens, (2) the aperture, and (3) the dichroic filter are collectively configured to inhibit the portion of the excitation optical signal from entering the detector.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the implanted sensor is implanted at a depth, and

at least a portion of the detector is configured to be disposed a lateral distance from the implant, the lateral distance being at least twice the depth.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the light source is configured to be disposed directly above the implanted sensor,

the implanted sensor is implanted at a depth, and

at least a portion of the detector is a distance from the light source, the distance being at least twice the depth.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to transmit the excitation optical signal through a first surface area of skin to the implant, and the detector is configured to detect the analyte dependent optical signal from a second surface area of the skin, the second surface area of the skin being at least four times the first surface area of the skin.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector defines a via, the light source configured to transmit the excitation optical signal to the implanted sensor through the via.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is one of a plurality of detectors, the apparatus further comprising:

a base defining a via, the light source configured to transmit the excitation optical signal to the implanted sensor through the via, the plurality of detectors coupled to the base and substantially surrounding the via.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

an array of lenses, each lens from the array of lenses configured to transmit an analyte-dependent optical signal from an implanted sensor to a detector, the array of lenses including a substrate; and

a plurality of light-blocking elements disposed within the substrate of the array of lenses, each light-blocking element from the plurality of light-blocking elements configured to inhibit a photon having an angle of incidence greater than a predetermined angle of incidence from passing through the substrate.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each lens from the array of lenses has an edge and a center defining a lens axis such that the array of lenses includes a plurality of lens axes, and each light-blocking element from the plurality of light-blocking elements is disposed between the lens axes.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an array of apertures coupled to the array of lenses, the array of apertures and the plurality of light-blocking elements collectively configured to inhibit the photon having the angle of incidence greater than the predetermined angle of incidence from passing through the substrate.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a light source configured to transmit an excitation optical signal to the implanted sensor; and

a filter, the filter and the plurality of light-blocking elements collectively configured to substantially eliminate a portion of the excitation optical signal scattered onto the array of lenses from passing through the substrate.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a detector coupled to the array of lenses, the detector configured to measure light that exits the substrate.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the photon is a first photon having a first angle of incidence, and the predetermined angle of incidence is a first predetermined angle of incidence, the apparatus further comprising:

a layer of light control film coupled to the array of lenses, the layer of light control film configured to inhibit a second photon having a second angle of incidence greater than a second predetermined angle of incidence from entering the substrate.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the photon is a first photon having a first angle of incidence, the apparatus further comprising:

a first layer of light control film coupled to the array of lenses, the first layer of light control film configured to inhibit a second photon having a second angle of incidence and a first azimuth from entering the substrate; and

a second layer of light control film configured to inhibit a third photon having a third angle of incidence and a second azimuth reaching the first layer of light control film.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the second angle of incidence is less than the first angle of incidence, the second angle of incidence is substantially equal to the third angle of incidence, and the second azimuth is ninety degrees different from the third azimuth.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the first photon has a third azimuth forty-five degrees different from the second azimuth.

25. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a light source coupled to the array of lenses, the light source configured to transmit an excitation optical signal to the implanted sensor; and

a detector coupled to the array of lenses, the detector configured to measure light that exits the substrate, the array of lenses having an anti-reflective coating configured to inhibit the excitation optical signal from being reflected to the detector.

26. An apparatus comprising:

a detector configured to detect an analyte-dependent optical signal emitted from an implanted sensor, the analyte-dependent optical signal having an emission wavelength;

a lens configured to focus at least a portion of the analyte-dependent optical signal onto the detector; and

a filter configured to attenuate light having a wavelength shorter than the emission wavelength.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

a light source coupled to the detector, the light source configured to transmit an excitation optical signal to the implanted sensor.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

a light source coupled to the detector such that the detector is configured to be disposed between the light source and the implanted sensor, the light source configured to transmit an excitation optical signal to the implanted sensor through a via of the detector.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

a light source coupled to the detector such that the detector is configured to be disposed between the light source and the implanted sensor, the light source configured to transmit an excitation optical signal having an excitation wavelength to the implanted sensor through a via of the detector; and

a filter configured to attenuate the excitation wavelengh.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the detector is a universal detector, the apparatus further comprising:

a light source configured to produce an excitation optical signal configured to illuminate the implanted sensor, the light source being the only light source illuminating the implanted sensor; and

a processor configured to receive a signal from the detector and calculate a concentration of the analyte, the processor receiving the signal only from the detector such that the excitation optical signal and the analyte dependent optical signal traverse a single optical pathway through tissue in which the implanted sensor is disposed.

31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein a via having an optical waveguide is defined by the detector, the optical waveguide configured to transmit an excitation optical signal through the via from a first side of the detector to a second side of the detector.