US3777740A — Method and apparatus for non-invasively visualizi…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 125 words

Apparatus for non-invasively visualizing blood vessels within a body comprising: transducer means to direct ultrasound toward a sample volume within said body and detect ultrasound reflected therefrom, said transducer means including an ultrasonic constant frequency pulsed Doppler blood veloCity detector means, support means for said transducer to sense the position and orientation thereof; means to combine the position and orientation of said transducer with the distance of said transducer from said sample volume to locate the beam of a display unit on a display screen; and, means to measure said reflected ultrasound and cause the beam of said display unit to write a spot on said display screen when the frequency and amplitude thereof is above a pre-set level, said means including frequency discriminating means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 125 words

Apparatus for non-invasively visualizing blood vessels within a body comprising: transducer means to direct ultrasound toward a sample volume within said body and detect ultrasound reflected therefrom, said transducer means including an ultrasonic constant frequency pulsed Doppler blood veloCity detector means, support means for said transducer to sense the position and orientation thereof; means to combine the position and orientation of said transducer with the distance of said transducer from said sample volume to locate the beam of a display unit on a display screen; and, means to measure said reflected ultrasound and cause the beam of said display unit to write a spot on said display screen when the frequency and amplitude thereof is above a pre-set level, said means including frequency discriminating means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transducer means includes ultrasonic pulsed Doppler blood velocity detector means employing ultrasound in the 2.5 to 10 MHz range.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support means for said transducer includes an elongate arm extending from an origin and mounting said transducer distal said origin for rotational and translational movement with respect thereto.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 59 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support means for said transducer includes an elongate arm extending from an origin and mounting said transducer distal said origin, said origin including a universal type mounting such that said transducer may be moved rotationally and translationally on a spherical surface having a radius equal to the length of said elongate arm.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 45 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the length of said elongate arm is adjustable such that said transducer may be moved rotationally and translationally in the region between a pair of spherical surfaces having radii equal to the shortest and longest lengths of said arm.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means sensing the position and orientation of said transducer include potentiometer means mounted on said support means to individually sense lateral, vertical and rotational movement of said transducer.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display unit comprises an oscillographic storage display unit.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 161 words

Apparatus for non-invasively visualizing blood vessels within a body comprising: ultrasonic pulsed Doppler blood velocity detector means including a transducer directing low power ultrasound toward a sample region within said body and detecting ultrasound reflected therefrom; an elongate arm supporting said transducer at one end and mounted to extend from an origin at its other end such that said transducer may be moved rotationally and translationally on a substantially planar surface; means associated with said origin for sensing the position and orientation of said transducer with respect thereto; means combining the position and orientation of said transducer with the distance of said transducer from said sample volume to locate the beam of an oscillographic display unit on its display screen; and means measuring said reflected ultrasound and causing the beam of said oscillographic display unit to write a spot on said display screen when the frequency and amplitude of said reflected ultrasound is above a pre-set level, including frequency discriminating means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 161 words

Apparatus for non-invasively visualizing blood vessels within a body comprising: ultrasonic pulsed Doppler blood velocity detector means including a transducer directing low power ultrasound toward a sample region within said body and detecting ultrasound reflected therefrom; an elongate arm supporting said transducer at one end and mounted to extend from an origin at its other end such that said transducer may be moved rotationally and translationally on a substantially planar surface; means associated with said origin for sensing the position and orientation of said transducer with respect thereto; means combining the position and orientation of said transducer with the distance of said transducer from said sample volume to locate the beam of an oscillographic display unit on its display screen; and means measuring said reflected ultrasound and causing the beam of said oscillographic display unit to write a spot on said display screen when the frequency and amplitude of said reflected ultrasound is above a pre-set level, including frequency discriminating means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 47 words

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the length of said elongate supporting arm is adjustable such that said transducer may be moved rotationally and translationally to sample a subcutaneous region having substantially planar side surfaces and a thickness equal to the change in length of said arm.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 151 words

Apparatus for non-invasively visualizing blood vessels comprising: means intermittently directing low power constant frequency ultrasound toward a blood vessel and detecting ultrasound reflected by moving blood in a vessel at a selected distance from said ultrasound directing means; means sensing the position and orientation of said ultrasound directing means; display unit means including a display screen and a beam adapted to write a spot on said screen; means employing the position and orientation of said ultrasound directing means and the distance of said ultrasound directing means from said moving blood in said vessel to locate said beam on said display screen; and means measuring the ultrasound reflected by the moving blood in said vessel and directing said beam to write a spot on said display screen when said means detects ultrasound of a pre-set amplitude and frequency, said means including a frequency discriminating means to eliminate all but blood flow signals.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 151 words

Apparatus for non-invasively visualizing blood vessels comprising: means intermittently directing low power constant frequency ultrasound toward a blood vessel and detecting ultrasound reflected by moving blood in a vessel at a selected distance from said ultrasound directing means; means sensing the position and orientation of said ultrasound directing means; display unit means including a display screen and a beam adapted to write a spot on said screen; means employing the position and orientation of said ultrasound directing means and the distance of said ultrasound directing means from said moving blood in said vessel to locate said beam on said display screen; and means measuring the ultrasound reflected by the moving blood in said vessel and directing said beam to write a spot on said display screen when said means detects ultrasound of a pre-set amplitude and frequency, said means including a frequency discriminating means to eliminate all but blood flow signals.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 41 words

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said ultrasound directing means includes a transducer directing low power ultrasound toward said blood vessel and detecting and transmitting ultrasound reflected by moving blood in said vessel to an ultrasonic pulsed Doppler blood velocity detector.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the means sensing the position and orientation of said ultrasonic directing means includes a plurality of potentiometers adapted to individually sense lateral, vertical and rotational movement of said transducer.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 122 words

Apparatus for non-invasively visualizing blood vessels within a body comprising: means directing low power ultrasound toward a subcutaneous section of tissue and detecting reflected ultrasound; means sensing the position of said ultrasound directing means with respect to said section of tissue to be scanned; display unit means including a display screen and a beam adapted to write a spot on said screen; means employing the position of said transducer to locate the beam of said display unit on said display screen; and, means measuring the reflected ultrasound and directing said beam to write a spot on said display screen when said means directing low power ultrasound detects reflected ultrasound having an amplitude and frequency above a pre-set level, including frequency discriminating means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 122 words

Apparatus for non-invasively visualizing blood vessels within a body comprising: means directing low power ultrasound toward a subcutaneous section of tissue and detecting reflected ultrasound; means sensing the position of said ultrasound directing means with respect to said section of tissue to be scanned; display unit means including a display screen and a beam adapted to write a spot on said screen; means employing the position of said transducer to locate the beam of said display unit on said display screen; and, means measuring the reflected ultrasound and directing said beam to write a spot on said display screen when said means directing low power ultrasound detects reflected ultrasound having an amplitude and frequency above a pre-set level, including frequency discriminating means.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said means directing low power ultrasound toward said subcutaneous section of tissue includes the transducer of a continuous wave Doppler blood velocity detector.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 56 words

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said means sensing the position of said ultrasound directing means includes first potentiometer means sensing the position of said ultrasound directing means with respect to a first direction and second potentiometer means sensing the position of said ultrasound directing means with respect to a second direction transverse said first direction.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 144 words

A method of non-invasively visualizing subcutaneous blood vessels comprising the steps of: directing low power ultrasound toward a subcutaneous section of tissue; detecting ultrasound reflected from said subcutaneous section of tissue; sensing the position and orientation of said ultrasound directing means with respect to said subcutaneous section of tissue and transforming said sensed information into voltages; combining said voltages with a range voltage proportional to the distance of said ultrasound directing means from said subcutaneous section of tissue; applying said combined voltages to the beam of an oscillographic display unit to position said beam; and measuring the ultrasound reflected from said subcutaneous section of tissue; eliminating all but blood flow signals and causing the beam of said display unit to write a spot on the screen of said oscillographic display unit when the frequency and amplitude of said ultrasound is above a pre-set level.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 144 words

A method of non-invasively visualizing subcutaneous blood vessels comprising the steps of: directing low power ultrasound toward a subcutaneous section of tissue; detecting ultrasound reflected from said subcutaneous section of tissue; sensing the position and orientation of said ultrasound directing means with respect to said subcutaneous section of tissue and transforming said sensed information into voltages; combining said voltages with a range voltage proportional to the distance of said ultrasound directing means from said subcutaneous section of tissue; applying said combined voltages to the beam of an oscillographic display unit to position said beam; and measuring the ultrasound reflected from said subcutaneous section of tissue; eliminating all but blood flow signals and causing the beam of said display unit to write a spot on the screen of said oscillographic display unit when the frequency and amplitude of said ultrasound is above a pre-set level.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-12-10	1977-06-11	1977-12-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-12-10	1981-06-11	1981-12-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-12-10	1985-06-11	1985-12-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for non-invasively visualizing blood vessels

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