Closed-loop focal positioning system and method

A closed-loop focal positioning system, said system comprising:

• a laser source for generating a laser beam,
• a movable focusing assembly for focusing said laser beam to a focal depth position,
• a feedback positioning device for determining a position of said focusing assembly;
• and
• a computer processor interconnected to said feedback positioning device, said processor adapted for instructing movement of said movable focusing assembly and for receiving the position of said focusing assembly from said feedback positioning device;
• wherein said feedback positioning device is adapted to read the linear movement of the focusing assembly and said processor is adapted for determining based on the linear movement of said focusing assembly whether said focal depth position is within a predetermined range.

A closed-loop focal positioning system, said system comprising:

• a laser source for generating a laser beam;
• a galvo-motorized focusing assembly for focusing said laser beam;
• a linear encoder for determining the position of said focusing assembly;
• and
• a computer processor interconnected to said linear encoder, said processor adapted for instructing movement of said movable focusing assembly and for receiving position of focusing assembly from said linear encoder;
• wherein the laser source is an infrared, ultrashort pulse laser.

A method of positioning a focusing assembly for focusing a laser, said method comprising:

• moving a focusing assembly to a desired position based on a first value;
• determining a second value for the actual linear movement of said focusing assembly;
• and comparing said first value to second value;
• and correlating the movement of the focusing assembly to a focal depth.

A method of positioning a focusing assembly for focusing a laser, said method comprising:

• identifying a desired laser focal depth value for photodisruption or ablation of an eye structure;
• generating a current to a motorized focusing assembly for positioning said focusing assembly to said desired laser focal depth value;
• determining an actual linear movement value of said focusing assembly;
• calculating a difference between said desired laser focal depth value and said actual linear movement value;
• and
• providing an audible and/or visual warning if that said difference falls outside of an acceptable range.

A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

• instructing a focusing assembly to a desired position based on a first value;
• determining a second value for the actual linear movement of said focusing assembly;
• comparing said first value to second value;
• and
• correlating the movement of the focusing assembly to a focal depth.

A closed-loop focal positioning system, said system comprising:

• a laser source for generating a laser beam;
• a galvo-motorized focusing assembly for focusing said laser beam to a focal depth position;
• a linear encoder for determining the position of said focusing assembly;
• and
• a computer processor interconnected to said linear encoder, said processor adapted for instructing movement of said movable focusing assembly and for receiving position of focusing assembly from said linear encoder;
• wherein said linear encoder is adapted to read the linear movement of the focusing assembly and said processor is adapted for determining based on the linear movement of said focusing assembly whether said focal depth position is within a predetermined range.