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US 9,001,326 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for observing subsurfaces of a target material
AssigneeWelch Allyn, Inc.
InventorErvin Goldfain
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a method for generating from a light source a light signal operating in a region of the light spectrum, modifying the light signal with a first polarization device having a first polarization state to generate a polarized light signal directed to a target, modifying a substantially specular reflection and a substantially diffused reflection of the polarized light signal generated from the target with a second polarization device having a second polarization state to generate mixed polarized light signals having a mixed polarization state, and adjusting the mixed polarization state to modify an observable range of subsurfaces of the target. Other embodiments are disclosed.
Claims30
A device, comprising:
- a light source that facilitates emitting a light signal operating in a region of a light spectrum;
- a first polarizer comprising a first portion, wherein the first portion is incident with the light signal, and wherein the first portion has a first polarization state that facilitates polarizing the light signal to generate a polarized light signal directed to a target tissue;
- a second polarizer comprising a second portion, wherein the second portion is incident with a substantially specular reflection of the polarized light signal emitted from a top surface of the target tissue and incident with a substantially diffused reflection of the polarized light signal emitted from subsurfaces of the target tissue, wherein the second portion has a second polarization state, and wherein a combination of the first polarization state and the second polarization state creates a mixed polarization state for generating mixed polarized light signals from the substantially specular reflection and the substantially diffused reflection of the polarized light signal;
- a mechanical control that facilitates adjusting the mixed polarization state to generate adjusted mixed polarized light signals that modify an observable range of the subsurfaces of the target tissue;
- an imager that facilitates presenting the modified observable range of the subsurfaces of the target tissue according to the adjusted mixed polarized light signals;
- and
- a controller that facilitates:
- receiving user-generated input identifying a type of target to be analyzed;
- retrieving configuration information for adjusting the mixed polarization state according to the type of target;
- controlling the mechanical control to adjust the mixed polarization state according to the configuration information by performing a first sweep of wavelengths of light from the light source and a second sweep of mixed polarization states;
- generating an image from the adjusted mixed polarized light signals;
- detecting an abnormal feature in the image, and presenting the image with an indicator indicating a location of the abnormal feature in the image.
9 more elements
A method, comprising:
- generating from a light source a light signal operating in a region of a light spectrum;
- modifying the light signal with a first polarizer having a first polarization state to generate a polarized light signal directed to a target;
- modifying a substantially specular reflection and a substantially diffused reflection of the polarized light signal generated from the target with a second polarizer having a second polarization state to generate mixed polarized light signals having a mixed polarization state;
- receiving user-generated input identifying a type of target to be analyzed;
- retrieving configuration information according to the type of target;
- adjusting the mixed polarization state according to the configuration information by performing a first sweep of wavelengths of light from the light source and a second sweep of mixed polarization states, wherein the adjusting generates adjusted mixed polarized light signals that modify an observable range of subsurfaces of the target;
- generating an image from the adjusted mixed polarized light signals;
- detecting an abnormal feature in the image;
- and
- presenting the image with an indicator indicating a location of the abnormal feature in the image.
7 more elements
A method, comprising:
- assembling in a device a first polarizer and a light source that facilitates polarizing a light signal emittable by the light source according to a first polarization state of the first polarizer to generate a polarized light signal;
- assembling in the device a second polarizer that facilitates modifying a substantially specular reflection and a substantially diffused reflection of the polarized light signal generated by a target according to a second polarization state of the second polarizer;
- assembling in the device a mechanical control that facilitates adjusting at least one of the first polarization state, the second polarization state, or both to generate adjusted mixed polarized light signals having a mixed polarization state that modify an observable range of subsurfaces of the target;
- and
- assembling in the device a controller that facilitates:
- receiving input identifying a type of target to be analyzed;
- retrieving configuration information for adjusting the mixed polarization state according to the type of target;
- controlling the mechanical control to adjust the mixed polarization state according to the configuration information by performing a first sweep of wavelengths of light from the light source and a second sweep of mixed polarization states;
- generating an image of the observable range of subsurfaces of the target from the adjusted mixed polarized light signals, detecting an abnormal feature in the image;
- and
- presenting the image with an indicator indicating a location of the abnormal feature in the image.
8 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
- enabling a light source to emit a light signal at a desired range of wavelengths of light, wherein the light signal is polarized by a first polarizer having a first polarization state to generate a polarized light signal directed to a target, and wherein a substantially specular reflection and a substantially diffused reflection of the polarized light signal generated from the target is modified with a second polarizer having a second polarization state to generate mixed polarized light signals having a mixed polarization state;
- receiving input identifying a type of target to be analyzed;
- retrieving configuration information according to the type of target;
- controlling a mechanical control according to the configuration information by performing a first sweep of wavelengths of light from the light source and a second sweep of mixed polarization states to adjust at least one of the first polarization state, the second polarization state, or both to generate adjusted mixed polarized light signals that modify an observable range of subsurfaces of the target;
- generating an image from the adjusted mixed polarized light signals;
- detecting an abnormal feature in the image;
- and
- presenting the image with an indicator indicating a location of the abnormal feature in the image.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.