# US 12,029,481 B2 · Parallel optical coherence tomography apparatuses, systems, and related methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,029,481 B2 - Document ID: US12029481B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/854,515 - Filed: 2020-04-21 - Published: 2020-12-10 - Granted: 2024-07-09 - Earliest claimed: 2013-04-30 - Assignees: Digital Diagnostics Inc. - Applicants: Digital Diagnostics Inc. - Inventors: Michael D. Abramoff; Edward DeHoog - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12029481B2 ## CPC - A61B 3/102: {for optical coherence tomography [OCT]} - A61B 3/0008: {provided with illuminating means (A61B3/117, A61B3/14 take precedence)} - A61B 3/0025: {characterised by electronic signal processing, e.g. eye models} - A61B 3/1005: {for measuring distances inside the eye, e.g. thickness of the cornea (A61B3/11 takes precedence)} - A61B 3/1225: {using coherent radiation} - A61B 3/14: Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography - G01B 9/02027: {Two or more interferometric channels or interferometers} - G01B 9/02028: {Two or more reference or object arms in one interferometer} - G01B 9/02044: {Imaging in the frequency domain, e.g. by using a spectrometer} - G01B 9/02091: Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence - G01J 3/45: Interferometric spectrometry - G01B 2290/65: Spatial scanning object beam - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) ## Abstract Provided is a snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer comprising a light source providing a plurality of beamlets; a beam splitter, splitting the plurality of beamlets into a reference arm and a sample arm; a first optical system that projects the sample arm onto multiple locations of a sample; a second optical system for collection of a plurality of reflected sample beamlets; a third optical system projecting the reference arm to a reflecting surface and receiving a plurality of reflected reference beamlets; a parallel interferometer that provides a plurality of interferograms from each of the plurality of sample beamlets with each of the plurality of reference beamlets; an optical image mapper configured to spatially separate the plurality of interferograms; a spectrometer configured to disperse each of the interferograms into its respective spectral components and project each interferogram in parallel; and a photodetector providing photon quantification. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer comprising: (a) a light source configured to provide a plurality of beamlets; (b) a first optical system comprising a sample objective lens configured to project certain of the plurality of beamlets onto a sample and collect beamlets reflected from the sample; (c) a second optical system comprising a reference objective lens configured to project certain of the plurality of beamlets onto a reflecting surface and collect beamlets reflected from the reflecting surface; and (d) an optical image mapper configured to spatially separate the plurality of beamlets, wherein the tomographer generates a plurality of interferograms by recombining the beamlets reflected from the sample and the beamlets reflected from the reflecting surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer of claim 1, further comprising a photodetector configured to receive spectral components of each of the plurality of interferograms and provide in parallel photon quantification. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer of claim 2, further wherein the tomographer performs inverse transforms on the photon quantifications and quantifies intensities at each depth, and wherein the tomographer interprets the intensities and provides an aggregate response of the sample. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer of claim 3, wherein the aggregate response quantifies nerve fiber thinning and an amount of retinal thickening. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer of claim 1, wherein the light source is selected from an array of broadband low-coherence light sources, a single broadband low-coherence light source, a superluminous diode, and a supercontinuum laser. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer of claim 1, wherein plurality of beamlets enter the optical image mapper and are converted to a linear array. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer of claim 6, wherein the optical image mapper comprises a plurality of optical fibers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer of claim 6, further comprising a prism, wherein the plurality of beamlets from the optical image mapper are projected to the prism. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer of claim 1, further comprising a first faceted prism array and a second faceted prism array, wherein the plurality of beamlets enter the first faceted prism array as a rectilinear array and convert the rectilinear array into a linear array and the second faceted prism array makes the plurality of beamlets coplanar. ### Claim 10 A system for imaging an eye comprising: (a) a light source; (b) a beam splitter configured to split a plurality of beamlets form the light source into a reference arm and a sample arm, wherein the reference arm is projected onto a reflecting surface and the sample arm is projected onto the eye; (c) an interferometer configured to provide a plurality of interferograms from recombined beamlets from the reference are and the sample arm after reflection off the reflecting surface and the eye; and (d) a photodetector configured to receive spectral components of each the interferograms and provide photon quantifications; and (e) a computer processor configured with computer-executable instructions that cause the computer processor to quantify nerve fiber thinning and/or retinal thickening based on the photon quantifications. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising an optical image mapper. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising a spectrometer configured to disperse the plurality of interferograms. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of beamlets are converted into a linear array. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the computer processor is configured to perform inverse transforms on the photon quantifications and quantify intensities at each depth and interpret the intensities and provide an aggregate response. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the aggregate response quantifies the nerve fiber thinning and the retinal thickening. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising a visual display for displaying the aggregate response to a user. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising an input device for accepting user commands. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the light source is selected from an array of broadband low-coherence light sources, a single broadband low-coherence light source, a superluminous diode, and a supercontinuum laser. ### Claim 19 A method for imaging an eye comprising: providing a plurality of beamlets from a light source; transmitting the plurality of beamlets to a beam splitter, wherein the beam splitter splits the plurality of beamlets into a reference arm and a sample arm; reflecting the reference arm on a reflecting surface; reflecting the sample arm on the eye; recombining beamlets reflected from the reflecting surface and the eye; generating a plurality of interferograms; and receiving and separating the plurality of interferograms by an optical image mapper.