US3675472A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for images of the interior structure of solid objects
Assignee: National Research Development Corp UK
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Filing: 1969-12-11
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Granted: 1972-07-11
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Expires: 1989-12-11
Abstract
Abstract The interior structure of objects, for example metal or tissues, is examined by insonifying the object and detecting reflected ultrasonic waves in a large receiving transducer at positions spaced at half wave-lengths of the highest insonification frequency from each other. The receiving positions are scanned and the received signals converted to digital form and processed to simulate the effect of an ultrasonic lens and the processed signals then displayed. Random spatial sampling of the positions may be effected to reduce the amount of data.
Inventors
- 👤 Lesile Kay
- 👤 Maxwell Glynn Maginness
- 👤 Graham Bramwell Cook
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:00
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N29/00; G01N29/04; G01N29/06; G01N29/0609; G01N33/00; G01N33/48; G01N33/483; G01N33/4833; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S367/00; Y10S367/905
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
176 words
A method of examining the interiors of solids or biological tissue comprising the steps of: insonifying an object to be examined with ultrasonic energy comprising at least one predetermined frequency component, measuring a multiplicity of reflected ultrasonic signals from the object at a plurality of correlated positions spaced approximately one-half wavelength apart at the highest useable insonifying frequency component substantially in a plane approximately parallel to an area under inspection, processing the measured multiplicity of signals to electrically simulate the effect of an acoustic lens with the processed signals by effectively producing selective time delays and summations of the multiplicity of signals to selectively ''''focus'''' upon a plurality of elemental areas in the interior of the object, and displaying the processed signals in the form of a visual image whereby a focussed image of the whole of said area under inspection is formed by coherently displaying the result of said effectively produced time delays and summations for the plurality of elemental areas said display of elemental areas having the same relative correlation as said correlated positions.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
176 words
A method of examining the interiors of solids or biological tissue comprising the steps of: insonifying an object to be examined with ultrasonic energy comprising at least one predetermined frequency component, measuring a multiplicity of reflected ultrasonic signals from the object at a plurality of correlated positions spaced approximately one-half wavelength apart at the highest useable insonifying frequency component substantially in a plane approximately parallel to an area under inspection, processing the measured multiplicity of signals to electrically simulate the effect of an acoustic lens with the processed signals by effectively producing selective time delays and summations of the multiplicity of signals to selectively ''''focus'''' upon a plurality of elemental areas in the interior of the object, and displaying the processed signals in the form of a visual image whereby a focussed image of the whole of said area under inspection is formed by coherently displaying the result of said effectively produced time delays and summations for the plurality of elemental areas said display of elemental areas having the same relative correlation as said correlated positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
197 words
Apparatus for examining the interiors of objects comprising: means for insonifying an object to be examined with ultrasonic energy comprising at least one predetermined frequency component, transducer means for coupling to the object to be examined, which transducer means has a diameter of many wavelengths of the highest useable insonifying frequencies, means for scanning, labeling and measuring a multiplicity of received signals in the transducer at correlated positions spaced approximately one-half wave-length apart at the highest useable insonifying frequency substantially in a plane approximately parallel to an area under inspection, means for electrically processing said multiplicity of signals to simulate the effect of an acoustic lens with the processed signals by effectively producing selective time delays and summations of the multiplicity of signals to selectively ''''focus'''' upon a plurality of elemental areas in the interior of said object, and display means for displaying a visual image from such processed signals whereby a focussed image of the whole of said area under inspection is formed by coherently displaying the result of said effectively produced time delays and summations for the plurality of elemental areas, said display of elemental areas having the same relative correlation as said correlated positions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
197 words
Apparatus for examining the interiors of objects comprising: means for insonifying an object to be examined with ultrasonic energy comprising at least one predetermined frequency component, transducer means for coupling to the object to be examined, which transducer means has a diameter of many wavelengths of the highest useable insonifying frequencies, means for scanning, labeling and measuring a multiplicity of received signals in the transducer at correlated positions spaced approximately one-half wave-length apart at the highest useable insonifying frequency substantially in a plane approximately parallel to an area under inspection, means for electrically processing said multiplicity of signals to simulate the effect of an acoustic lens with the processed signals by effectively producing selective time delays and summations of the multiplicity of signals to selectively ''''focus'''' upon a plurality of elemental areas in the interior of said object, and display means for displaying a visual image from such processed signals whereby a focussed image of the whole of said area under inspection is formed by coherently displaying the result of said effectively produced time delays and summations for the plurality of elemental areas, said display of elemental areas having the same relative correlation as said correlated positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as in claim 2 in which said means for scanning, labeling and measuring includes scanning means for scanning, at appropriate elemental positions, on the surface of the transducer in time-spaced sequence with one of the said multiplicity of signals being obtained at each of said elemental positions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as in claim 3 in which said scanning means includes means for sampling some only of the said elemental positions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as in claim 2 in which said means for measuring includes quantizing means for converting the received signals to digital form.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-11 | 1976-01-10 | 1976-07-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-11 | 1980-01-10 | 1980-07-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-11 | 1984-01-10 | 1984-07-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |