USPTO Patent US12579812B2: Tip type verification using image processing

ChangeBridge: Patent Grants - Prosthetics (A61F)

Published March 17th, 2026

Detected March 22nd, 2026

Summary

The USPTO has granted patent US12579812B2 to Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc. for a method of verifying the tip type of an ophthalmic instrument using image processing. The patent describes a system that acquires an image of the tip, identifies its visual properties, and compares them to stored definitions to ensure the correct tip type is selected for a medical procedure.

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What changed

USPTO patent US12579812B2, granted to Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc., details a method for verifying the tip type of an ophthalmic instrument using image processing. The patent, filed under application number 18526608, describes a system that captures an image of the instrument's tip during a medical procedure, analyzes its visual properties, and compares them against a stored definition of multiple tip types. This ensures that the correct tip is selected for the intended procedure, with a responsive action taken in case of a mismatch.

This patent grant is primarily relevant for intellectual property management and product development within the medical device sector, specifically for ophthalmic instruments. While it does not impose direct compliance obligations on other entities, it represents a technological advancement that may influence future product designs and competitive landscapes. Companies involved in the manufacturing or use of ophthalmic surgical equipment should be aware of this patented technology.

Source document (simplified)

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Verification of phacoemulsification tip type using image processing

Grant US12579812B2 Kind: B2 Mar 17, 2026

Assignee

Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc.

Inventors

Vadim Gliner, Eran Haas

Abstract

A method for validating selection of a tip type for a tip of a handpiece of an ophthalmic instrument, the method includes storing a definition of multiple tip types and multiple respective visual properties of the tip types. An image of the tip is acquired by a camera during a medical procedure using the ophthalmic instrument. An actual visual property of the tip is identified in the acquired image. Based on the stored definition of the multiple tip types and the multiple respective visual properties, it is determined whether the actual visual property of the tip matches a specified tip type intended for the medical procedure. A responsive action is taken in case of a mismatch between the actual visual property and the specified visual property.