Peter J Miller

US Patent:

6403947, Jun 11, 2002

Filed:

Mar 16, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/526938

Inventors:

Clifford C. Hoyt - Needham MA
Richard M. Levenson - Brookline MA
Peter J. Miller - Newburyport MA

Assignee:

Cambridge Research Instrumentation Inc. - Boston MA

International Classification:

G01J 350

US Classification:

250226, 356417

Abstract:

An imaging system is disclosed which provides means for obtaining images with essentially diffraction-limited spatial resolution, and can distinguish between several species of probes within a sample. It may be used with fluorescent, luminescent, up-converting reporter, quantum dot, and other types of probes. Two or more exposures are taken through a filter which expresses different filter states, one of which is preferably a relatively neutral state with high transmission for all wavelengths of interest, and the others of which provide predetermined variation in transmission that are preferably sloping or periodic in wavelength. The probe species is identified by the ratio of response at the various filter settings.

US Patent:

6750964, Jun 15, 2004

Filed:

Jun 25, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/183335

Inventors:

Richard Levenson - Brookline MA
Peter J. Miller - Newburyport MA

Assignee:

Cambridge Research and Instrumentation, Inc. - Woburn MA

International Classification:

G01J 328

US Classification:

356326

Abstract:

A imaging method is described that includes: obtaining a spectral weighting function indicative of an attribute of the reference sample; illuminating a target sample with light whose spectral flux distribution corresponds to the spectral weighting function to produce a corresponding target image, wherein the target image is indicative of a response of the target sample to the corresponding illumination at multiple spatial locations of the target sample; and identifying one or more target features in the target sample based on the target image.

US Patent:

6781736, Aug 24, 2004

Filed:

Nov 2, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/053470

Inventors:

Clifford C. Hoyt - Needham MA
Peter J. Miller - Newburyport MA

Assignee:

Cambridge Research and Instrumentation, Inc. - Woburn MA

International Classification:

G02F 103

US Classification:

359256, 359246, 359245, 359238, 385 16, 385 18, 385 33

Abstract:

A variable optical attenuator including: a birefringent element positioned to separate an input optical signal into two spatially separated, orthogonally polarized beams; a LC modulator positioned to receive the orthogonally polarized beams and selectively alter their polarizations; a reflective element positioned to reflect the beams back through the LC modulator and the birefringent element, wherein the birefringent element recombines orthogonally polarized components of the reflected beams to produce an output optical signal; and a controller coupled to the LC modulator to selectively cause the LC modulator to alter the polarizations of the orthogonally polarized beams, wherein during operation the controller is responsive to a request to variably attenuate the intensity of the output optical signal relative to the intensity of the input optical signal to one of multiple non-zero attenuation settings.

US Patent:

6825930, Nov 30, 2004

Filed:

Jun 4, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/163233

Inventors:

Paul J. Cronin - Charlestown MA
Daniel Orband - Lynn MA
Stephen D. Fantone - Lynnfield MA
Peter J. Miller - Newburyport MA

Assignee:

Cambridge Research and Instrumentation, Inc. - Woburn MA

International Classification:

F21V 900

US Classification:

356328, 250205, 362231

Abstract:

The invention features a multi-spectral microscopy system for illuminating a sample with light of a selectable spectral content and generating an image of the sample in response to the illumination. The multi-spectral microscopy system includes a multispectral illuminator that provides output radiation having the selectable spectral content. A preferred set of optical arrangements for the multispectral illuminator generates the output radiation so that the spectral content of the output radiation is substantially uniform across its transverse profile. Furthermore, the multispectral illuminator can include monitoring optics and a corresponding detector array that independently monitors the output in each spectral band of the radiation produced by the multispectral illuminator. The monitoring provides calibration, feedback, and/or source aging information to insure robust and reliable performance for the multispectral illuminator. The multi-spectral microscopy system also includes a microscope which illuminates the sample with light derived from the output of the multispectral illuminator, and beam modification optics, which modify the output from the lamp prior to the microscope to increase the light efficiency of the microscope and fully exploit field of view and resolution of the microscope.

US Patent:

6930773, Aug 16, 2005

Filed:

Aug 23, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/226592

Inventors:

Paul J. Cronin - Charlestown MA, US
Peter J. Miller - Newburyport MA, US

Assignee:

Cambridge Research and Instrumentation, Inc. - Woburn MA

International Classification:

G01J003/00

US Classification:

356300, 356320, 25033912

Abstract:

A method is described that includes measuring, at each of a set of W wavelength bins, a spectral response of at least one region of a sample stained with multiple stains, and determining the concentration of at least one of the stains in the region of the sample based in part on the spectral responses, the wavelength bins being chosen so that a matrix of elements that represent the responses of the stains at the wavelength bin has an inverse for which a mathematical stability is maximum relative to the inverses of other matrices of elements that represent the responses of the stains for other possible sets of wavelength bins.

US Patent:

7046417, May 16, 2006

Filed:

Jul 6, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/885206

Inventors:

Clifford C. Hoyt - Needham MA, US
Peter J. Miller - Newburyport MA, US

Assignee:

Cambridge Research and Instrumentation, Inc. - Woburn MA

International Classification:

G02F 1/03
G02F 1/01
G02B 6/26

US Classification:

359256, 359238, 359245, 359246, 385 16, 385 18, 385 20, 385 24

Abstract:

A variable optical attenuator including: a birefringent element positioned to separate an input optical signal into two spatially separated, orthogonally polarized beams; a LC modulator positioned to receive the orthogonally polarized beams and selectively alter their polarizations; a reflective element positioned to reflect the beams back through the LC modulator and the birefringent element, wherein the birefringent element recombines orthogonally polarized components of the reflected beams to produce an output optical signal; and a controller coupled to the LC modulator to selectively cause the LC modulator to alter the polarizations of the orthogonally polarized beams, wherein during operation the controller is responsive to a request to variably attenuate the intensity of the output optical signal relative to the intensity of the input optical signal to one of multiple non-zero attenuation settings.

US Patent:

7534991, May 19, 2009

Filed:

Jul 10, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/827077

Inventors:

Peter Miller - Cambridge MA, US
Leo Mirkin - Brookline MA, US

Assignee:

Cambridge Research & Instrumentation, Inc. - Woburn MA

International Classification:

G02F 1/133
G02F 1/1347

US Classification:

250226, 250216, 250550, 359246, 349 18, 349 75

Abstract:

An athermalized birefringent filter for shifts in center wavelength and in bandwidth incorporates fixed retarder elements such as quartz or film retarders, along with electrically-variable retarder elements such as liquid crystal variable retarder cells. A control mechanism determines the amount of thermal drift in the fixed retarder element and produces an equal change in the variable retarder element. The sign of the change depends on whether the variable retarder element adds its retardance with that of the fixed retarder element, or opposes it. This change compensates for the thermal drift of the fixed retarder element. Further, the variable retarder element is constructed to provide the necessary range of retardance adjustment for spectral tuning and thermal compensation over a target thermal range. The control mechanism ensures that, for any specified wavelength, the birefringent filter operates in the same order over the full target thermal range. Multispectral imaging systems are provided based on these filters which provide athermalized response.

US Patent:

7655898, Feb 2, 2010

Filed:

Sep 5, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/899293

Inventors:

Peter Miller - Cambridge MA, US

Assignee:

Cambridge Research & Instrumentation, Inc. - Woburn MA

International Classification:

G02F 1/01

US Classification:

250225, 349 18, 356365, 359322

Abstract:

An optical filter assembly having selectable bandwidth is presented. The optical filter assembly includes a first optical filter, a first optical retarder with optical retardance R, a second optical retarder with optical retardance R, a polarization switch positioned between the first and second retarders which causes their retardances to substantially add in a first switch setting and to substantially subtract in a second switch setting, and an exit polarizer. A multispectral imaging system using tunable optical filters having selectable bandwidth is presented. A method of filtering light is also presented. The method includes providing a first optical filter, providing a dynamic bandwidth stage including a polarization switch, selecting a first setting of the polarization switch, and producing a first filter action for light passing through the first filter and the dynamic bandwidth stage.