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US3585848A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for recording acoustic images and holograms

Assignee: Zenith Electronics LLC
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Filing: 1968-09-30
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Granted: 1971-06-22
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Expires: 1988-09-30
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Abstract

Abstract The object or specimen is irradiated with acoustic waves to develop a field of acoustic vibrations in a reflective surface, and a flying spot laser scanner is provided to scan the surface with a collimated light beam. Variations in a reflection component of the light from the surface are measured to develop an output signal having frequency variations which correspond with acoustic intensity variations in the plane of the object surface. The output signal is heterodyned with a reference signal of a frequency bearing a predetermined relationship to that of the irradiating acoustic waves, and the resulting intermodulation product is converted to a visual-type display to generate an acoustic hologram of the object. A conventional nonholographic acoustic image is obtained by amplitude detecting the output signal without reference signal mixing.

Inventors

  • 👤 Adrianus Korpel

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 12:11
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03H; G03H3/00; G01; G01N; G01N29/00; G01N29/04; G01N29/06; G01N29/0609; G01N29/0654; G01N29/0663; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S359/00; Y10S359/901

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 116 words
A method of recording an acoustic hologram of an object which comprises: irradiating said object with acoustic waves of a predetermined frequency to develop a field of acoustic vibrations in a predetermined surface plane; scanning said surface plane with a collimated light beam; measuring variations in a reflection component of light from said surface plane to develop an output signal having frequency variations which correspond with acoustic intensity variatiOns in said surface plane; heterodyning said output signal with a reference signal having a frequency bearing a predetermined relationship to said predetermined acoustic-wave frequency to generate an image signal; and converting said image signal to a visual image display to generate an acoustic hologram of said object.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 116 words
A method of recording an acoustic hologram of an object which comprises: irradiating said object with acoustic waves of a predetermined frequency to develop a field of acoustic vibrations in a predetermined surface plane; scanning said surface plane with a collimated light beam; measuring variations in a reflection component of light from said surface plane to develop an output signal having frequency variations which correspond with acoustic intensity variatiOns in said surface plane; heterodyning said output signal with a reference signal having a frequency bearing a predetermined relationship to said predetermined acoustic-wave frequency to generate an image signal; and converting said image signal to a visual image display to generate an acoustic hologram of said object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 147 words
Apparatus for recording an acoustic hologram of an object comprising: an acoustic imaging system comprising a reflective surface and an electromechanical transducer for irradiating said surface with acoustic waves of a predetermined frequency and with acoustic wave fronts inclined with respect to said surface at a predetermined acute angle to develop a field of surface-wave perturbations on said surface; means including a flying spot laser scanner for scanning said surface with a collimated light beam; an optical detecting system responsive to variations in a reflection component of light from said surface for developing an output signal having frequency variations which correspond with intensity variations of said surface-wave perturbations; means for heterodyning said output signal with a reference signal of said predetermined acoustic-wave frequency to develop an image signal; and means converting said image signal to a visual image display to generate an acoustic hologram of said object.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 147 words
Apparatus for recording an acoustic hologram of an object comprising: an acoustic imaging system comprising a reflective surface and an electromechanical transducer for irradiating said surface with acoustic waves of a predetermined frequency and with acoustic wave fronts inclined with respect to said surface at a predetermined acute angle to develop a field of surface-wave perturbations on said surface; means including a flying spot laser scanner for scanning said surface with a collimated light beam; an optical detecting system responsive to variations in a reflection component of light from said surface for developing an output signal having frequency variations which correspond with intensity variations of said surface-wave perturbations; means for heterodyning said output signal with a reference signal of said predetermined acoustic-wave frequency to develop an image signal; and means converting said image signal to a visual image display to generate an acoustic hologram of said object.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 34 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, in which said collimated light beam is focused to a diffraction-limited spot size at said surface smaller than one-half wavelength of the surface-wave perturbations caused by said acoustic waves.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 45 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, in which said acoustic imaging system includes a receptacle in the path of said acoustic waves for receiving and orienting said object in a direction inclined at an acute angle with respect to the wave fronts of said acoustic waves.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 112 words
An acoustic imaging device comprising: a solid block having a predetermined reflective surface and composed of a material having a predetermined acoustic impedance; means including an electromechanical transducer for projecting sound waves through said block to said surface at an acute angle with respect thereto to produce surface wave perturbations on said surface; and means for modifying said surface wave perturbations in accordance with a characteristic of an object to be examined comprising a slot in said block intercepting the path of said acoustic waves for receiving and orienting said object at an acute angle with respect to their wave fronts said slot being filled with a liquid acoustic wave transmissive medium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 112 words
An acoustic imaging device comprising: a solid block having a predetermined reflective surface and composed of a material having a predetermined acoustic impedance; means including an electromechanical transducer for projecting sound waves through said block to said surface at an acute angle with respect thereto to produce surface wave perturbations on said surface; and means for modifying said surface wave perturbations in accordance with a characteristic of an object to be examined comprising a slot in said block intercepting the path of said acoustic waves for receiving and orienting said object at an acute angle with respect to their wave fronts said slot being filled with a liquid acoustic wave transmissive medium.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

FR1479712A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1974-06-21 1974-12-21 1975-06-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1978-06-21 1978-12-21 1979-06-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1982-06-21 1982-12-21 1983-06-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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