Digitally reconstructing laser cutting patterns in ophthalmic surgical laser system

A method implemented in an ophthalmic surgical laser system, the ophthalmic surgical laser system including a laser source configured to generate a pulsed laser beam, a laser beam delivery system configured to deliver a laser focal spot of the laser beam to a target tissue of a patient's eye, the laser beam delivery system including a plurality of optical elements each configured to interact with the laser beam and a plurality of motors each configured to move at least one of the plurality of optical elements, each of the plurality of motors including an associated encoder configured to measure a position or movement of the motor and to output data representing the measured position or movement, and a controller electrically coupled to the laser beam delivery system including the plurality motors, the method comprising, by the controller:

• controlling the laser source and the laser beam delivery system including the plurality of motors based on predefined scan patterns to scan the laser focal spot in the target tissue;
• while controlling the plurality of motors, receiving output data from the plurality of encoders associated with the plurality of motors, and based on the received data, obtaining actual motor position data of each of the plurality of motors as a function of time;
• based on the actual motor position data, and using a pre-stored relationship between actual motor positions and positions of the laser focal spot delivered in the target tissue, calculating a plurality of reconstructed positions of the laser focal spot in the target tissue, wherein the reconstructed positions collectively form a reconstructed geometric representation of an incision in the target tissue;
• and
• storing or displaying the reconstructed geometric representation of the incision.