Optiscan has a strong suite of intellectual property (IP) that is constantly
being expanded through further research and development.
The company has many patents protecting its intellectual property in the
two core areas of optical fibre based confocal microscope systems and miniaturised
confocal microscope scanners. Optiscan's optical fibre confocal microscope
patents will expire in July and August 2009, while the patents over the miniaturised
scanning systems provide for significant extended protection through to 2019.
An examination process must be completed for a patent to be granted in each
of the countries where it has been filed. This patent 'prosecution' process
can take up to several years.
Listed below are the Optiscan patents, which have been granted in one or more
of the countries where it has been filed.
In addition to the patents listed below Optiscan has a further 16 families of
patent applications that have been filed in several countries and are awaiting
the commencement of examination.
Optiscan’s Patent Portfolio
Title: Scanning Confocal Microscope
Inventors: Martin Harris and Timothy Dabbs
Patent Expiry Date: 13 July 2009
Countries in which patent granted: Australia, United States,
Switzerland, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and Japan.
Title: Confocal Microscope
Inventors: Timothy Dabbs and Martin Harris
Patent Expiry Date: 3 November 2009
Countries in which patent granted: United States.
Title: Confocal Microscope
Inventor: Martin Harris
Patent Expiry Date: 21 June 2011
Countries in which patent granted: United States.
Title: Confocal Microscope
Inventors: Martin Harris, Peter Delaney and Roger King
Patent Expiry Date: 19 October 2013
Countries in which patent granted: Australia and United
States
Title: Confocal Microscope
Inventor: Martin Harris
Patent Expiry Date: 8 February 2014
Countries in which patent granted: Australia
Title: Optical Fibre Confocal Imager with Variable Near
Confocal Control
Inventors: Martin Harris and Peter Delaney
Patent Expiry Date : 24 March 2016
Countries in which patent granted: Australia and United
States
Title: Scanning Microscope with Miniature Head
Inventor: Martin Harris
Patent Expiry Date: 16 July 2018
Countries in which patent granted: United Kingdom and United States.
Title: Two Photon Endoscope or Microscope Method and Apparatus
Inventors: Martin Harris and Gavan Rosman
Patent Expiry Date: 17 June 2019
Countries in which patent granted: United Kingdom
Title: Endoscope or Microscope Method and Apparatus
Inventors: Martin Harris and Gavan Rosman
Patent Expiry Date: 17 June 2019
Countries in which patent granted: United Kingdom
Title: Compact Confocal Endoscope and Endomicroscope
Inventor: Martin Harris
Patent Expiry Date: 25 August 2019
Countries in which patent granted: United Kingdom
Title: Electronically Operated Tuning Fork
Inventors: Martin Harris, Gavan Rosman and James Rudge
Patent Expiry Date: 8 June 2020
Countries in which patent granted: Australia, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, United Kingdom and United States.
Title: Z Sharpening for Fibre Confocal Microscopes
Inventors: Martin Harris
Patent Expiry Date: 4 April 2020
Countries in which patent granted: United Kingdom and United States.
Title: Light Scanning Device
Inventors: Martin Harris
Patent Expiry Date: 10 June 2020
Countries in which patent granted: United States.
Title: Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope with Fibre Bundle Return
Inventors: Martin Harris
Patent Expiry Date: 24 April 2023
Countries in which patent granted: United States.
Title: Scanning Method and Apparatus
Inventors: Martin Harris, Gavan Rosman, Chris Byrne and Brad Jones
Patent Expiry Date: 30 October 2023
Countries in which patent granted: United Kingdom and United States.
Title: Method and Apparatus for Providing Depth Control or Z Actuation
Inventors: Byrne, Jones, Lemmens, Ni
Patent Expiry Date: 13 April 2024
Countries in which patent granted: United States.
Title: Optical Connector
Inventors: Pattie
Patent Expiry Date: 23 March 2026
Countries in which patent granted: United States.
Title: Tuning Fork Type Scanning with Counterweight
Inventors: Byrne, Rosman and Pattie
Patent Expiry Date: 23 September 2025
Countries in which patent granted: United States.
