US9566000B2
Active / In Force
US
⏱️ 7.3 years remaining
Method for detecting amyloid beta plaques and drusen
Assignee: Neurovision Imaging Inc
•
Filing: 2014-03-13
•
Granted: 2017-02-14
•
Expires: 2034-03-13
Abstract
Abstract A method for detecting amyloid beta plaques and drusen is disclosed. The method for detecting amyloid beta plaques and drusen may include applying a combination of optical retro mode illumination techniques to acquire a plurality of amyloid beta plaques and drusen images that are too small to be seen with other imaging modalities. The amyloid beta plaques and drusen images may also be detected with a non-transitory computer storage media having instructions stored thereon which, when executed, execute the method for detecting amyloid beta plaques and drusen. The method may track changes in plaque, size, area and density of the amyloid beta plaques and drusen over a predetermined period of time.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven Verdooner
- 👤 David Biggs
- 👤 Austin Blanco
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 11:18
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B3/00; A61B3/10; A61B3/102; G; G06; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/0002; G06T7/0012
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
A method for detecting one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen in a patient user's retina, comprising: means for imaging a plurality of frames of multiple views of a central portion and a peripheral portion of the patient user's retina; means for aligning and combining the frames utilizing one or more super-resolution techniques; means for monitoring the aligned and combined frames; and means for quantifying changes in the monitored, aligned and combined frames.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
74 words
A method for detecting one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen in a patient user's retina, comprising: means for imaging a plurality of frames of multiple views of a central portion and a peripheral portion of the patient user's retina; means for aligning and combining the frames utilizing one or more super-resolution techniques; means for monitoring the aligned and combined frames; and means for quantifying changes in the monitored, aligned and combined frames.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the means for imaging utilizes an optical coherence tomography imaging technique.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the means for aligning and combining utilizes a combination of one or more optical retro mode illumination techniques and one or more super-resolution image processing techniques.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 3 , wherein the combination of one or more optical retro mode illumination techniques and one or more super-resolution image processing techniques utilizes a confocal laser scanning ophthalmoscope.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the means for monitoring and the means for quantifying is performed by a non-transitory storage media, a processor and a memory system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method detects Alzheimer's disease and dry macular degeneration.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
120 words
A method for detecting one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen, comprising the steps of: utilizing an annular aperture with a central stop that deviates laterally from a confocal light path; blocking directly reflected light from a fundus with only laterally scattered light passing through the annular aperture, thereby imaging the one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen; identifying the imaged one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen in a retinal structure and pathology; applying a combination of optical retro mode illumination techniques to the imaged one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen; and detecting the imaged one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen that are too small to be seen with other imaging modalities.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
120 words
A method for detecting one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen, comprising the steps of: utilizing an annular aperture with a central stop that deviates laterally from a confocal light path; blocking directly reflected light from a fundus with only laterally scattered light passing through the annular aperture, thereby imaging the one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen; identifying the imaged one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen in a retinal structure and pathology; applying a combination of optical retro mode illumination techniques to the imaged one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen; and detecting the imaged one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen that are too small to be seen with other imaging modalities.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method according to claim 7 , wherein the pathology is Alzheimer's disease.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 7 , wherein the pathology is dry macular degeneration.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 7 , wherein the optical retro mode illumination techniques includes a confocal laser scanning ophthalmoscope and one or more super-resolution image processing techniques.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 10 , wherein the one or more super-resolution image processing techniques are multi-image super-resolution image processing techniques.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 7 , wherein the method tracks changes in the pathology over a predetermined period time.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 12 , wherein changes include tracking changes in plaque, size, area and density over the predetermined period of time.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
123 words
A non-transitory computer storage media having instructions stored thereon which, when executed, execute a method comprising the steps of: utilizing an annual aperture with a central stop that deviates laterally from a confocal light path; blocking directly reflected light from a fundus with only laterally scattered light passing through the annular aperture, thereby imaging the one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen; identifying the imaged one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen in a retinal structure and pathology; applying a combination of optical retro mode illumination techniques to the imaged one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen; and detecting the imaged one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen that are too small to be seen with other imaging modalities.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
123 words
A non-transitory computer storage media having instructions stored thereon which, when executed, execute a method comprising the steps of: utilizing an annual aperture with a central stop that deviates laterally from a confocal light path; blocking directly reflected light from a fundus with only laterally scattered light passing through the annular aperture, thereby imaging the one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen; identifying the imaged one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen in a retinal structure and pathology; applying a combination of optical retro mode illumination techniques to the imaged one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen; and detecting the imaged one or more amyloid beta plaques and drusen that are too small to be seen with other imaging modalities.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The non-transitory computer storage media according to claim 14 , wherein the pathology is Alzheimer's disease.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The non-transitory computer storage media according to claim 14 , wherein the pathology is dry macular degeneration.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The non-transitory computer storage media according to claim 14 , wherein the optical retro mode illumination techniques include a confocal laser scanning ophthalmoscope and one or more super-resolution image processing techniques.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The non-transitory computer storage media according to claim 17 , wherein the one or more super-resolution image processing techniques are multi-image super-resolution image processing techniques.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The non-transitory computer storage media according to claim 14 , wherein the method tracks changes in the pathology over a predetermined period time.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The non-transitory computer storage media according to claim 19 , wherein changes include tracking changes in plaque, size, area and density over the predetermined period of time.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US20090244485A1
Cited
US20110208064A1
Cited
US20120229766A1
Cited
US20130130288A1
Cited
US20120251452A1
Cited
US20150116662A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2020-02-14 | 2020-08-15 | 2021-02-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2024-02-14 | 2024-08-15 | 2025-02-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2028-02-14 | 2028-08-15 | 2029-02-14 | $7700.00 | Pending Window |