Imaging using near-infrared laser diodes with distributed bragg reflectors

• US 10,441,176 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2019
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omni Medsci, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omni Medsci, Inc.
• Inventors: Islam, Mohammed N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahman, Md M
• Application Number:
  US16/241,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20190150748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 356300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0238 Optical sensor arrangements for performing transmission measurements on body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/146 for optical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/02 specially adapted for a particular organ or body part
• 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 5/0086 using infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0088 for oral or dental tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4547 Evaluating teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/104 Monochromatic plural sources
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/1208 Prism and grating
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/2826 Multispectral imaging, e.g. filter imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0218 : using optical fibers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/108 : for measurement in the infrared range
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/14 : using refracting elements, e.g. prisms G01J3/18, G01J3/26 take precedence prisms per se G02B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/1838 : Holographic gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/28 : Investigating the spectrum using colour filters G01J3/51
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/2823 : Imaging spectrometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/42 : Absorption spectrometry; Double beam spectrometry; Flicker spectrometry; Reflection spectrometry beam switching arrangements G01J3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/453 : by correlation of the amplitudes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/38 : by using light G01M3/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/3595 : using FTIR
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/399 : Diode laser
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/35 : using infrared light G01N21/39 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3563 : for analysing solids; Preparation of samples therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/359 : using near infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/39 : using tunable lasers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/85 : Investigating moving fluids or granular solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/88 : Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9508 : Capsules; Tablets
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0221 : Portable; cableless; compact; hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/061 : Sources
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/06113 : Coherent sources; lasers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/062 : LED's
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/08 : Optical fibres; light guides
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/12 : Circuits of general importance; Signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/129 : Using chemometrical methods
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/02 : Food
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/025 : Fruits or vegetables
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/15 : Medicinal preparations ; Physical properties thereof, e.g. dissolubility drug screening with animal cells G01N33/5008
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/442 : Resins, plastics
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/49 : Blood chemical methods for determining blood cell populations G01N33/5094; chemical analysis of blood groups or blood types G01N33/80
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0092 : Nonlinear frequency conversion, e.g. second harmonic generation [SHG] or sum- or difference-frequency generation outside the laser cavity nonlinear frequency conversion per se G02F1/35
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/06758 : Tandem amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/302 : in an optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 : Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A smart phone or tablet includes a first part having at least one laser diode configured to be pulsed, and a second part having at least one other laser diode, the laser diodes configured to generate near-infrared light, wherein at least some of the laser diodes comprise a distributed Bragg reflector, with some laser diode light directed to tissue including skin. An array of laser diodes generates near-infrared light and includes one or more distributed Bragg reflectors. An assembly in front of the array to forms light spots on the tissue. A first receiver includes detectors that receive light reflected from the tissue. An infrared camera generates data from light reflected from the tissue. The smart phone or tablet generates a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image or mapping using the infrared camera data, and includes a wireless receiver, a wireless transmitter, a display, a voice input module, and a speaker.

Claims

1. A smart phone or tablet, comprising:

a first part comprising a first at least one of a plurality of laser diodes, the first at least one of the plurality of laser diodes configured to be pulsed;

a second part comprising a second at least one of the plurality of laser diodes;

the plurality of laser diodes configured to generate light having one or more optical wavelengths, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical wavelengths is a near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of laser diodes comprises one or more Bragg reflectors;

at least a portion of light from the plurality of laser diodes directed to tissue comprising skin;

an array of laser diodes configured to generate light having one or more optical wavelengths, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical wavelengths is a near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, and wherein at least a portion of the array of laser diodes comprises one or more Bragg reflectors,

the array of laser diodes configured to form the light into a plurality of spots and to direct at least some of the spots to the tissue;

a first receiver comprising one or more detectors;

the first receiver configured to receive at least a portion of light reflected from the tissue from the first at least one of the plurality of laser diodes, wherein the first receiver is configured to perform a time-of-flight measurement by measuring a time difference between the generated light from the first at least one of the plurality of laser diodes and light reflected from the tissue from the first at least one of the plurality of laser diodes;

an infrared camera configured to receive at least a portion of the light from the second at least one of the plurality of laser diodes reflected from the tissue, wherein the infrared camera generates data based at least in part on the received light;

wherein the smart phone or tablet is configured to receive and process at least a portion of the time-of-flight measurement, and to generate a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image using at least part of the data from the infrared camera, and wherein the two-dimensional or three-dimensional image is used in part to identify one or more features corresponding to the skin; and

the smart phone or tablet further comprising a wireless receiver, a wireless transmitter, a display, a voice input module, and a speaker.

2. The smart phone or tablet of claim 1, wherein the infrared camera is further configured to:

generate a first signal in response to light received while the plurality of laser diodes and the array of laser diodes are off; and

generate a second signal in response to light received while at least one of the plurality of laser diodes or at least one laser diode of the array of laser diodes is on, the received light including at least some light from the at least one of the plurality of laser diodes reflected from the tissue or at least some light from the array of laser diodes reflected from the tissue;

wherein the smart phone or tablet is further configured to use a difference between the first signal and the second signal to, at least in part, generate the two-dimensional or three-dimensional image.

3. The smart phone or tablet of claim 1, wherein the first receiver further comprises one or more filters in front of the one or more detectors to select a fraction of the one or more optical wavelengths.

4. The smart phone or tablet of claim 1, wherein the second at least one of the plurality of laser diodes is also configured to be pulsed, and wherein the infrared camera is configured to be synchronized to the second at least one of the plurality of laser diodes.

5. The smart phone or tablet of claim 1, wherein the infrared camera further comprises a plurality of lenses at an input to the infrared camera.

6. The smart phone or tablet of claim 5, wherein the light from the array of laser diodes is incident on a beam splitter to separate the light into a plurality of spatially separated light elements.

7. A smart phone or tablet, comprising:

a first part comprising a first at least one of a plurality of laser diodes, the first at least one of the plurality of laser diodes configured to be pulsed;

a second part comprising a second at least one of the plurality of laser diodes;

the plurality of laser diodes configured to generate light having one or more optical wavelengths, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical wavelengths is a near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of laser diodes comprises one or more Bragg reflectors;

at least a portion of light from the plurality of laser diodes directed to tissue comprising skin;

an array of laser diodes configured to generate light having one or more optical wavelengths, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical wavelengths is a near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, and wherein at least a portion of the array of laser diodes comprises one or more Bragg reflectors

the light generated by the array of laser diodes being formed into a plurality of spots on the tissue;

a first receiver comprising one or more detectors;

the first receiver configured to receive at least a portion of light reflected from the tissue from the first at least one of the plurality of laser diodes;

an infrared camera configured to receive at least a portion of the light from the second at least one of the plurality of laser diodes reflected from the tissue, wherein the infrared camera generates data based at least in part on the received light;

wherein the smart phone or tablet is configured to generate a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image using at least part of the data from the infrared camera; and

the smart phone or tablet further comprising a wireless receiver, a wireless transmitter, a display, a voice input module, and a speaker.

8. The smart phone or tablet of claim 7, wherein the first receiver is configured to perform a time-of-flight measurement by measuring a time difference between the generated light from the first at least one of the plurality of laser diodes and light reflected from the tissue from the first at least one of the plurality of laser diodes, and wherein the smart phone or tablet is configured to receive and process at least a portion of the time-of-flight measurement.

9. The smart phone or tablet of claim 8, wherein the second at least one of the plurality of laser diodes is also configured to be pulsed, and wherein the infrared camera is configured to be synchronized to the second at least one of the plurality of laser diodes.

10. The smart phone or tablet of claim 9, wherein the first receiver further comprises one or more filters in front of the one or more detectors to select a fraction of the one or more optical wavelengths.

11. The smart phone or tablet of claim 10, wherein the infrared camera is further configured to:

generate a first signal in response to light received while the plurality of laser diodes and the array of laser diodes are off; and

generate a second signal in response to light received while at least one of the plurality of laser diodes or at least one laser diode of the array of laser diodes is on, the received light including at least some light from the at least one of the plurality of laser diodes reflected from the tissue or at least some light from the array of laser diodes reflected from the tissue;

wherein the smart phone or tablet is further configured to use a difference between the first signal and the second signal to, at least in part, generate the two-dimensional or three-dimensional image.

12. The smart phone or tablet of claim 11, wherein the infrared camera further comprises a plurality of lenses at an input to the infrared camera.

13. The smart phone or tablet of claim 12, wherein the light from the array of laser diodes is incident on a beam splitter to separate the light into a plurality of spatially separated light elements.

14. The smart phone or tablet of claim 13, wherein the two-dimensional or three-dimensional image is used in part to identify one or more features corresponding to the skin.

15. A smart phone or tablet, comprising:

a first at least one of a plurality of laser diodes, the first at least one of the plurality of laser diodes configured to be pulsed;

a second at least one of the plurality of laser diodes, the second at least one of the plurality of laser diodes also configured to be pulsed;

the plurality of laser diodes configured to generate light having one or more optical wavelengths, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical wavelengths is a near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of laser diodes comprises one or more distributed Bragg reflectors;

at least a portion of light from the plurality of laser diodes directed to tissue comprising skin;

an array of laser diodes configured to generate light having one or more optical wavelengths, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical wavelengths is a near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, and wherein at least a portion of the array of laser diodes comprises one or more distributed Bragg reflectors;

at least a portion of the light generated by the array of laser diodes formed into a plurality of spots directed to the tissue;

a first receiver comprising one or more detectors;

the first receiver configured to receive at least a portion of light reflected from the tissue from the first at least one of the plurality of laser diodes, wherein the first receiver is configured to perform a time-of-flight measurement by measuring a time difference between the generated light from the first at least one of the plurality of laser diodes and light reflected from the tissue from the first at least one of the plurality of laser diodes, and wherein the first receiver further comprises one or more filters in front of the one or more detectors to select a fraction of the one or more optical wavelengths;

an infrared camera configured to receive at least a portion of the light from the second at least one of the plurality of laser diodes reflected from the tissue, wherein the infrared camera generates data based at least in part on the received light;

wherein the smart phone or tablet is configured to receive and process at least a portion of the time-of-flight measurement, and to generate a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image using at least part of the data from the infrared camera.

16. The smart phone or tablet of claim 15, wherein the infrared camera is configured to be synchronized to the second at least one of the plurality of laser diodes.

17. The smart phone or tablet of claim 16, wherein the infrared camera further comprises a plurality of lenses at an input to the camera, and wherein the light from the array of laser diodes is incident on a beam splitter to separate the light into a plurality of spatially separated lights.

18. The smart phone or tablet of claim 17, wherein the infrared camera is further configured to:

generate a first signal in response to light received while the plurality of laser diodes and the array of laser diodes are off; and

generate a second signal in response to light received while at least one of the plurality of laser diodes or at least one laser diode of the array of laser diodes is on, the received light including at least some light from the at least one of the plurality of laser diodes reflected from the tissue or at least some light from the array of laser diodes reflected from the tissue;

wherein the smart phone or tablet is further configured to use a difference between the first signal and the second signal to, at least in part, generate the two-dimensional or three-dimensional image.

19. The smart phone or tablet of claim 18, wherein the two-dimensional or three-dimensional image is used in part to identify one or more features corresponding to the skin.

20. The smart phone or tablet of claim 19, wherein the one or more features corresponding to the skin include veins, arteries or capillaries.