US 12,013,572 B2
Apparatus and methods for high-speed and long depth range imaging using optical coherence tomography
Benjamin Vakoc, Arlington, MA (US); and Meena Siddiqui, Boston, MA (US)
Assigned to The General Hospital Corporation, Boston, MA (US)
Filed by The General Hospital Corporation, Boston, MA (US)
Filed on Mar. 30, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/708,143.
Application 17/708,143 is a continuation of application No. 17/106,690, filed on Nov. 30, 2020, granted, now 11,320,256.
Application 17/106,690 is a continuation of application No. 16/077,294, granted, now 10,852,121, issued on Dec. 1, 2020, previously published as PCT/US2017/017664, filed on Feb. 13, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/310,365, filed on Mar. 18, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/294,822, filed on Feb. 12, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0221267 A1, Jul. 14, 2022
Int. Cl. H03M 1/12 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); G01B 9/02091 (2022.01); G01K 11/32 (2021.01); G02B 6/293 (2006.01); H01S 3/067 (2006.01); H03M 1/20 (2006.01); H01S 3/08 (2023.01); H01S 3/106 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/2932 (2013.01) [A61B 5/0066 (2013.01); G01B 9/02091 (2013.01); G01K 11/32 (2013.01); H01S 3/0675 (2013.01); H03M 1/20 (2013.01); A61B 5/6826 (2013.01); H01S 3/06791 (2013.01); H01S 3/08086 (2013.01); H01S 3/106 (2013.01); H01S 3/1062 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for collecting interferometric information, comprising:
an analog to digital converter (ADC) having an input,
the input being configured to receive an interferometric fringe signal from a sample, and
the ADC being configured to digitize the interferometric fringe signal to produce a first digital value having a first number of bits of resolution; and
an averaging engine comprising a storage register configured to store a second digital value having a second number of bits of resolution greater than the first number of bits of resolution,
the averaging engine being configured to:
receive the first digital signal from the ADC, and
calculate a third digital signal having the second number of bits of resolution,
the third digital signal being based on the first digital signal and the second digital signal.