Ophthalmic Laser Beam Guidance Path for Breakaway Jump Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ophthalmic laser systems experience breakaway jumps during transitions from standstill to continuous motion, leading to deviations in the laser beam path and reducing treatment accuracy, particularly in complex surgeries like SMILE procedures, where multiple stops are necessary, and conventional solutions either terminate treatments or prolong them by reducing speed.

Innovation Solution

A method and control unit define an adjustment section where the laser beam is moved from standstill to continuous motion without irradiation, followed by an irradiation section with controlled deviations minimized within the adjustment section, ensuring the actual beam path aligns with the target beam path within predetermined limits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the adjustment mechanism is supplied with a control signal for positioning at a target position, then the laser beam can be repositioned, but the adjustment mechanism remains stationary for a short time and accumulates a larger positional error before attempting to reach the target position abruptly, causing breakaway jumps and reducing treatment accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebeam path accuracyVSAvoidstandstill duration
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit defines an adjustment section before the irradiation section where the adjustment mechanism is pre-accelerated to a target speed before the laser beam activation. This preliminary action ensures that when the laser beam is activated, the adjustment mechanism is already in motion at the desired speed, eliminating the breakaway jump and positional error accumulation that would occur if the mechanism started from standstill.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the timing of the adjustment mechanism's motion relative to the laser beam activation. By controlling the adjustment mechanism to reach the target speed before the laser beam is activated, and maintaining this dynamic state throughout the irradiation section, the system eliminates the static standstill period that causes breakaway jumps, thereby improving beam path accuracy without extending treatment time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the adjustment mechanism is moved from standstill to continuous motion, then the laser beam can be repositioned for the next cutting sequence, but a breakaway jump occurs causing deviation from the intended beam path and reducing the accuracy of the irradiation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebeam repositioning capabilityVSAvoidbeam path precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit defines an adjustment section before the irradiation section where the adjustment mechanism is pre-accelerated to a target speed before the laser beam activation. This preliminary action ensures that when the laser beam is activated, the adjustment mechanism is already in motion at the desired speed, eliminating the breakaway jump and positional error accumulation that would occur if the mechanism started from standstill.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustment section acts as an intermediary zone between the standstill state and the irradiation section. Within this intermediary section, the adjustment mechanism transitions smoothly from standstill to continuous motion at the target speed, serving as a buffer that prevents the breakaway jump from directly affecting the beam path precision during the actual irradiation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple stops are made during complex surgeries like SMILE procedures, then the adjustment mechanism can reposition for different incisions, but multiple breakaways occur repeatedly during a single treatment, accumulating errors and potentially terminating the treatment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomplex incision pattern capabilityVSAvoidtreatment continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit defines an adjustment section before the irradiation section where the adjustment mechanism is pre-accelerated to a target speed before the laser beam activation. This preliminary action ensures that when the laser beam is activated, the adjustment mechanism is already in motion at the desired speed, eliminating the breakaway jump and positional error accumulation that would occur if the mechanism started from standstill.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustment section acts as an intermediary zone between the standstill state and the irradiation section. Within this intermediary section, the adjustment mechanism transitions smoothly from standstill to continuous motion at the target speed, serving as a buffer that prevents the breakaway jump from directly affecting the beam path precision during the actual irradiation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4460277B1Method for the provision of a target beam guidance path and ophthalmic laser system
Publication Date: 2025.12.10 CARL ZEISS MEDITEC AG
  • EP4460277B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4460277B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP4460277B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for providing a target beam guidance path (200) for deflecting a laser beam (14) of an opthalmological laser system (10) by means of an adjusting device (16). The method comprises establishing an adjustment section (2002) of the target beam guidance path (202) in which the adjusting device (16) is transferred from a stationary position at a stationary point into continuous motion for the purpose of beam guidance of the laser beam (14), and in which there is no irradiation by the laser beam (14) of an object to be treated. The method also comprises establishing an irradiation section (2004) of the target beam guidance path (200), which is adjacent to the adjustment section (2002), in which the laser beam (14) performs a continuous movement by means of the adjusting device (16), and in which there is an irradiation by the laser beam (14) of an object to be treated. There is also the establishing of a length and/or duration of the adjustment section (2002) and/or of a spacing of the start of the irradiation section (2002) from the stationary point of the adjustment section (2002), in such a way that a deviation of an actual beam guidance path (202) from the established target beam guidance path (200) accompanying the transfer of the adjusting device (16) from stationary into the continuous motion is less than a predetermined threshold value in the entire irradiation section (2004). The invention also relates to a control unit (22), an opthalmological laser system (10), a computer program product and a computer-readable storage medium.