Contour form control

Abstract

This invention describes methods and apparatus for implementing a Convergence Process to Converge a Lens Design wherein a previous DMD Show may be modified for a subsequent Iteration. In preferred embodiments, an Iterative Loop may be initiated during a Convergence Process wherein one or more of various: techniques, modalities, and thickness correction methods may be implemented.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for modifying a DMD Show to create a Contour Form Ophthalmic Lens that Converges a Lens Design, the apparatus comprising:
 a computer processor in digital communication with a Contour Forming device;   a digital media storage device in communication with the computer processor and storing executable software code which is executable upon demand and operative with the processor and the Contour Lens Forming device to:   store digital data descriptive of an inventory of data wherein said data comprise one or both of Lens Design data and DMD Show data;   receive a digital data input descriptive of said data;   create said DMD Show wherein a DMD Show instruction is based upon said Lens Design;   determine if said Lens conforms to an Acceptance Criteria of said Lens Design; and   create a subsequent DMD Show instruction wherein said subsequent DMD Show instruction comprises one or more of a Convergence masking technique.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said Convergence masking technique comprises one or more of said DMD Show covering one or more of a selected masking region. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said selected masking region comprises one or more of a radius, a sector, a segment, and an area. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein one or more of said Convergence masking technique comprises one or more of a Blend Zone. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said Blend Zone comprises one or more specified zones connecting said selected masked region to one or more of a non-masked region. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for modifying a DMD Show to create a Contour Form Ophthalmic Lens that Converges a Lens Design, the apparatus comprising:
 a computer processor in digital communication with a Contour Forming device;   a digital media storage device in communication with the computer processor and storing executable software code which is executable upon demand and operative with the processor and the Contour Lens Forming device to:   store digital data descriptive of an inventory of data wherein said data comprise one or both of Lens Design data and DMD Show data;   receive a digital data input descriptive of said data;   create said DMD Show wherein a DMD Show instruction is based upon said Lens Design;   determine if said Lens conforms to an Acceptance Criteria of said Lens Design; and   create a subsequent DMD Show instruction wherein said subsequent DMD Show instruction comprises one or more of a Convergence modality.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said Convergence modality comprises a one-sided modality. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said one-sided modality comprises adjusting one or more parameters of one or more instructions of said previous DMD Show by either of decreasing a value of said instruction, and increasing said value of said instruction. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said one-sided modality comprises a thickening ratchet instruction. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said thickening ratchet instruction comprises an increased said value of said instruction in one or more portions of said previous DMD Show. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said one-sided modality comprises a thinning ratchet instruction. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said thinning ratchet instruction comprises a decreased said value of said instruction in one or more of said portion of said previous DMD Show. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said one-sided modality comprises a piston-shifting technique. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said piston-shifting technique comprises performing a uniform shift of an equal amount, of one or more of a selected portion of said previous DMD Show instruction. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said one-sided modality comprises an apex-locking technique. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said apex-locking technique comprises a locked I CT  wherein said I CT  is set to a specified value, that remains constant during said subsequent Iteration. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said Convergence modality comprises a two-sided modality. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein said two-sided modality comprises adjusting one or more said parameters of one or more said instructions of said previous DMD Show by both of decreasing said value of said instruction, and increasing said value of said instruction. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein said two-sided modality comprises a piston-shifting technique. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said piston-shifting technique comprises performing a uniform shift of an equal amount, of one or more of said selected portion of said previous DMD Show instruction. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein said two-sided modality comprises an apex-locking technique. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein said apex-locking technique comprises a locked I CT  wherein said I CT  is set to a specified value, that remains constant during said subsequent Iteration. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus for modifying a DMD Show to create a Contour Form Ophthalmic Lens that Converges a Lens Design, the apparatus comprising:
 a computer processor in digital communication with a Contour Lens Forming device;   a digital media storage device in communication with the computer processor and storing executable software code which is executable upon demand and operative with the processor and the Contour Lens Forming device to:   store digital data descriptive of an inventory of data wherein said data comprise one or both of Lens Design data and DMD Show data;   receive a digital data input descriptive of said data;   create said DMD Show wherein a DMD Show instruction is based upon said Lens Design;   determine if said Lens conforms to an Acceptance Criteria of said Lens Design; and   create a subsequent DMD Show instruction wherein said subsequent DMD Show instruction comprises one or more of a thickness correction method.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein said thickness correction method comprises one or more of a percentage method, an arithmetic method, and a secant method. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein said thickness correction method comprises a Filtering process of one or more of a data point. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein said Filtering process comprises one or more of defining, detecting, removing, and correcting errors in given data. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein said thickness correction method comprises a Surface Fitting process of one or more of said data point. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein said Surface Fitting process comprises constructing one or both of a surface and a mathematical function that has a best fit to a series of said data points by implementing one of either interpolation and smoothing. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein said thickness correction method comprises a uniform spatial gain method. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29  wherein said uniform spatial gain method provides for one or more of a same said thickness correction method to be applied across said Training Region wherein a gain magnitude factor is equal at each pixel location. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein said thickness correction method comprises a non-uniform spatial gain method. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said non-uniform spatial gain method comprises one or more of same said thickness correction method applied across said Training Region wherein said gain magnitude factor may be different at each pixel location. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said non-uniform spatial gain method comprises a function-based non-uniform spatial gain method. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33  wherein said function-based non-uniform spatial gain method comprises relating said gain magnitude factor to a radial location of said pixel. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said non-uniform spatial gain method comprises a direct mapping non-uniform spatial gain method. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein said direct mapping non-uniform spatial gain method comprises leveraging corresponding data from a Training Region derived from one or more of said previous DMD Shows, said measured Lens, and said Lens Design wherein desired said gain magnitude factor may be calculated at each pixel location.