Computerized ultrasonic scanner with technique-select

Claim 1

In an ultrasonic diagnostic system of the type including ultrasonic pulse generating means for applying a series of pulses to the surface of a body for propagation therethrough, detecting means for detecting pulse reflections and responsive to the emergence of reflected pulses from the body for producing a respective incoming signal indicative of a discontinuity in the propagation path, and video display means for producing a visual representation of the media defining the propagation path, the improvement comprising: operator-actuable means for producing a control signal related to a selected one of a plurality of signal processing techniques which condition the incoming signal for video displaying; memory means for storing information related to the signal processing techniques; memory access means responsive to the unique control signal for obtaining the stored information related to the selected technique; circuit means for quantizing the amplitude of the incoming signal in accordance with the information accessed by the access means and for producing a first signal indicative thereof; means receiving the first signal and responsive to the access means in accordance with the accessed information for selectively producing as a processed video signal either the first signal or a signal representing the subtracting of time-delayed portion of the first signal level from the instantaneaous level of the data signal to produce.