(19)

(11)

EP 1 204 850 A1

(12)

(43) Date of publication: 15.05.2002 Bulletin 2002/20 (21) Application number: 00952377.0 (22) Date of filing: 02.08.2000

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: G01M 11/00, A61B 18/20, A61B 18/22 (86) International application number: PCT/US0020/997 (87) International publication number: WO 0111/331 (15.02.2001 Gazette 2001/07)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE Designated Extension States: AL LT LV MK RO SI (30) Priority: 06.08.1999 US 147562 P 23.06.2000 US 602442 (71) Applicant: Coherent, Inc. Santa Clara, CA 95054 (US)	(72) Inventors: MANOUKIAN, Nubar, S. Cupertino, CA 95014 (US) REED, Edward, A. Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (US) (74) Representative: Graf, Werner  PatentanwaltPostfach 1179 8201 Schaffhausen 8201 Schaffhausen (CH)