System and method for voice control of medical devices

• US 7,259,906 B1
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omni Continuum LLC
• Original Assignee: Cheetah Omni LLC
• Inventors: Islam, Mohammed N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner; Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/757,341
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 372/3, 354/327, 354/334
• US Class Current: 359/334
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0004 for electronic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/05 Surgical care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02042 Determining blood loss or bleeding, e.g. during a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/749 Voice-controlled interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/302 : in an optical fibre

Abstract

A light source includes a wavelength shifter that is capable of shifting a shorter optical signal wavelength to a longer optical signal wavelength based at least in part on a Raman effect in a waveguide. The wavelength shifter includes a pump laser that operable to produce the shorter optical signal wavelength. The wavelength shifter also includes an intermediate stage that is coupled to the pump laser and capable of producing an intermediate optical signal wavelength. The intermediate optical signal wavelength is longer than the shorter optical signal wavelength. The wavelength shifter further includes a final stage capable of generating the longer optical signal wavelength. The final stage includes at least in part a ZBLAN waveguide and wherein the longer optical signal wavelength is greater than 1.7 microns and is greater than the intermediate pump signal wavelength.

Claims

1. A mid-infrared light source, comprising:

a wavelength shifter capable of shifting a shorter optical signal wavelength to a longer optical signal wavelength based at least in part on a Raman effect in a first waveguide, the longer optical signal wavelength comprising a mid-infrared wavelength, at least a portion of the wavelength shifter comprising a ZBLAN waveguide, and wherein the wavelength shifter is pumped by an intermediate wavelength shifter comprising a second waveguide that is substantially different than the ZBLAN waveguide.

2. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the longer optical signal wavelength is approximately 1.7 microns or more.

3. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the longer optical signal wavelength is in the range of two (2) microns to ten (10) microns.

4. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the longer optical signal wavelength is in the range of five (5) microns to seven (7) microns.

5. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the ZBLAN waveguide comprises at least a portion of a gain region of the light source.

6. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the wavelength shifter further comprises:

a first reflector coupled to a first end of the ZBLAN waveguide; and

a second reflector coupled to a second end of the ZBLAN waveguide.

7. The mid-infrared light source of claim 6, wherein coupling the first and second reflectors operates to form an optical cavity in the light source.

8. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the wavelength shifter further comprises:

a reflector coupled to a first end of the ZBLAN waveguide; and

one or more optical gratings coupled to a second end of the ZBLAN waveguide.

9. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the wavelength shifter further comprises:

one or more first optical gratings coupled to a first end of the ZBLAN waveguide; and

one or more second optical gratings coupled to a second end of the ZBLAN waveguide.

10. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the wavelength shifter further comprises:

one or more reflectors coupled to a first end of the ZBLAN waveguide; and

a pulse source coupled to a second end of the ZBLAN waveguide.

11. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the shorter optical signal wavelength comprises a pulse width in the range of two (2) nanoseconds to one hundred (100) milliseconds.

12. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the shorter optical signal wavelength comprises a pulse repetition rate in the range of two (2) hertz to one hundred (100) megahertz.

13. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, further comprising a pump laser capable of generating the shorter optical signal wavelength.

14. The mid-infrared light source of claim 13, wherein the pump laser is selected from the group consisting of a continuous wave laser and a pulsed laser.

15. The mid-infrared light source of claim 13, wherein the pump laser is selected from the group consisting of a Nd:

YAG laser, a Nd;

YLF laser, laser diodes, a semiconductor laser, and a cladding pumped fiber.

16. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the intermediate wavelength shifter comprises at least in part a fused silica fiber and wherein an intermediate output wavelength of the intermediate wavelength shifter is less than 2.5 microns.

17. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the wavelength shifter is coupled to one or more external waveguides and wherein a coupling loss between the wavelength shifter and the one or more external waveguides comprises no more than five (5) decibels.

18. The mid-infrared light source of claim 17, wherein the external waveguide comprises one or more optical fibers.

19. The mid-infrared light source of claim 17, wherein the longer optical signal wavelength is communicated to a portion of a body associated with a patient by the one or more external waveguides coupled to the wavelength shifter.

20. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the ZBLAN waveguide is selected from the group consisting of an optical fiber, a hollow tube waveguide, an air core waveguide, and a planar waveguide.

21. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the ZBLAN waveguide is a single mode optical fiber.

22. A long wavelength light source, comprising:

a wavelength shifter capable of shifting a shorter optical signal wavelength to a longer optical signal wavelength based at least in part on a Raman effect in a waveguide, wherein the wavelength shifter comprises;

a pump laser producing the shorter optical signal wavelength;

an intermediate stage coupled to the pump laser and producing an intermediate optical signal wavelength, wherein the intermediate optical signal wavelength is longer than the shorter optical signal wavelength; and

a final stage operable to generate the longer optical signal wavelength, wherein the final stage comprises at least in part a ZBLAN waveguide and wherein the longer optical signal wavelength is greater than 1.7 microns and is greater than the intermediate optical signal wavelength.

23. The long wavelength light source of claim 22, wherein the pump laser is selected from the group consisting of a Nd:

YAG laser, a Nd;

YLF laser, laser diodes, a semiconductor laser, and a cladding pumped fiber.

24. The long wavelength light source of claim 22, wherein the intermediate stage comprises at least in part fused silica fiber.

25. The long wavelength light source of claim 22, wherein the ZBLAN waveguide is selected from the group consisting of an optical fiber, a hollow tube waveguide, an air core waveguide, and a planar waveguide.

26. The long wavelength light source of claim 22, wherein the longer optical signal wavelength is greater than 2.8 microns.

27. The long wavelength light source of claim 22, wherein the pump laser is a pulsed laser with a pulse width in the range of two (2) nanoseconds to one hundred (100) milliseconds.

28. A mid-infrared light source, comprising:

a wavelength shifter capable of shifting a shorter optical signal wavelength to a longer optical signal wavelength based at least in part on a Raman effect in a waveguide, the longer optical signal wavelength comprising a mid-infrared wavelength, at least a portion of the wavelength shifter comprising a ZBLAN waveguide, wherein the wavelength shifter further comprises;

a first reflector coupled to a first end of the ZBLAN waveguide; and

a second reflector coupled to a second end of the ZBLAN waveguide.