US4407293A — Ultrasound imaging apparatus for providing simult…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 152 words

An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising: a hand-holdable housing; a fluid chamber formed within said housing, one portion of said chamber being defined by a flexible membrane; a first transducer mounted for oscillatory movement in a first plane within said fluid chamber to provide a B-scan display, said first transducer mounted such that its field of view passes through said membrane; a second transducer for providing Doppler data mounted within said fluid chamber such that its beam moves within said first plane; positioning means coupled to said second transducer for positioning said beam of said second transducer in said first plane; and circuit means for interlacing ultrasound pulses from said first and second transducers to provide an updated B-scan display and Doppler data, said circuit means including means for interrupting transmissions by one of said transducers to enable transmission and reception by said other transducer; whereby continuous B-scan and Doppler data are provided.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 152 words

An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising: a hand-holdable housing; a fluid chamber formed within said housing, one portion of said chamber being defined by a flexible membrane; a first transducer mounted for oscillatory movement in a first plane within said fluid chamber to provide a B-scan display, said first transducer mounted such that its field of view passes through said membrane; a second transducer for providing Doppler data mounted within said fluid chamber such that its beam moves within said first plane; positioning means coupled to said second transducer for positioning said beam of said second transducer in said first plane; and circuit means for interlacing ultrasound pulses from said first and second transducers to provide an updated B-scan display and Doppler data, said circuit means including means for interrupting transmissions by one of said transducers to enable transmission and reception by said other transducer; whereby continuous B-scan and Doppler data are provided.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus defined by claim 1 wherein said positioning means is a manual means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus defined by claim 2 wherein said positioning means includes a wheel disposed on said housing for changing the angular position of said second transducer in said first plane.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus defined by claim 3 wherein said positioning means includes a wire interconnecting said wheel with said second transducer so as to provide mechanical coupling between said wheel and said second transducer.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus defined by claim 4 wherein said positioning means includes a guide tube frame for receiving said wire, said frame enabling said wire to be tensioned prior to the time that said wheel, frame and wire are mounted within said housing.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus defined by claim 1 wherein said fluid chamber is filled with a fluid having an acoustic velocity approximately equal to the acoustic velocity of human tissue.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 22 words

The apparatus defined by claim 6 wherein said membrane has an acoustical impedance approximately equal to the acoustical impedance of human tissue.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 16 words

The apparatus defined by claim 7 wherein said membrane is silicone rubber embedded with iron oxide.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 135 words

An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising; a hand-holdable housing, said housing including a fluid chamber; a flexible boot defining a portion of said fluid chamber; a first transducer mounted within said fluid chamber for oscillatory motion; a second transducer for providing Doppler data mounted within said fluid chamber for pivotal movement; said first and second transducers being mounted for their respective oscillatory and pivotal movement such that their fields of view are coplanar; manual adjustment means for adjusting the angular position of said second transducer; and, circuit means for permitting interlaced operation of said first and second transducer, said circuit means including means for interrupting transmissions by said second transducer to enable transmission and reception by said first transducer, and thereby give priority to said B-scan display; whereby accurate B-scan and Doppler data are simultaneously provided.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 135 words

An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising; a hand-holdable housing, said housing including a fluid chamber; a flexible boot defining a portion of said fluid chamber; a first transducer mounted within said fluid chamber for oscillatory motion; a second transducer for providing Doppler data mounted within said fluid chamber for pivotal movement; said first and second transducers being mounted for their respective oscillatory and pivotal movement such that their fields of view are coplanar; manual adjustment means for adjusting the angular position of said second transducer; and, circuit means for permitting interlaced operation of said first and second transducer, said circuit means including means for interrupting transmissions by said second transducer to enable transmission and reception by said first transducer, and thereby give priority to said B-scan display; whereby accurate B-scan and Doppler data are simultaneously provided.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus defined by claim 9 including a motor for driving said first transducer in said oscillatory motion.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus defined by claim 10 including an encoding disc mounted for rotation with said motor for providing position information on said first transducer.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus defined by claim 11 including sinusoidally distributed codes on said encoding disc which are sensed for triggering said first transducer, such that beams from said first transducer are uniformly, spacially separated.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus defined by claim 9 wherein said manual adjustment means includes a wheel disposed on said housing for changing the angular position of said second transducer in said first plane.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus defined by claim 13 wherein said manual adjustment means includes a wire interconnecting said wheel with said second transducer so as to provide mechanical coupling between said wheel and said second transducer.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus defined by claim 14 wherein said manual adjustment means includes a guide tube frame for receiving said wire, said frame enabling said wire to be tensioned prior to the time that said wheel, frame and wire are mounted within said housing.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 110 words

An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising: a first and second transducer mounted for coplanar movement within a fluid chamber; said first transducer for providing a B-scan display and said second transducer for providing Doppler data; first circuit means for asynchronously triggering said first and second transducers, coupled to said transducer; second circuit means for interrupting transmissions from said second transducer when said first transducer is triggered, coupled to said first circuit means; third circuit means for providing a signal representing a continued Doppler signal during said interruption of transmission from said second transducer, coupled to said second transducer and said second circuit means; whereby continuous B-scan and Doppler data are provided.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 110 words

An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising: a first and second transducer mounted for coplanar movement within a fluid chamber; said first transducer for providing a B-scan display and said second transducer for providing Doppler data; first circuit means for asynchronously triggering said first and second transducers, coupled to said transducer; second circuit means for interrupting transmissions from said second transducer when said first transducer is triggered, coupled to said first circuit means; third circuit means for providing a signal representing a continued Doppler signal during said interruption of transmission from said second transducer, coupled to said second transducer and said second circuit means; whereby continuous B-scan and Doppler data are provided.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus defined by claim 16 wherein said third circuit means stores samples of signals representing said Doppler waveform and predicts said Doppler waveform based on said samples.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus defined by claim 17 wherein said third circuit implements a linear predictor.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 132 words

An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising: a hand-holdable housing, said housing including a fluid chamber; a flexible boot defining a portion of said fluid chamber; a first transducer mounted within said fluid chamber for oscillatory motion; a second transducer for providing Doppler data mounted within said fluid chamber for pivotal movement; said first and second transducers being mounted for their respective oscillatory and pivotal movement such that their fields of view are coplanar; manual adjustment means for adjusting the angular position of said second transducer, said manual adjustment means including a guide tube frame for receiving a wire, said wire interconnecting said second transducer with a rotatable wheel on said housing, said frame enabling said wire to be tensioned prior to the assembly of said apparatus; whereby an ultrasound imaging apparatus is realized.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 132 words

An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising: a hand-holdable housing, said housing including a fluid chamber; a flexible boot defining a portion of said fluid chamber; a first transducer mounted within said fluid chamber for oscillatory motion; a second transducer for providing Doppler data mounted within said fluid chamber for pivotal movement; said first and second transducers being mounted for their respective oscillatory and pivotal movement such that their fields of view are coplanar; manual adjustment means for adjusting the angular position of said second transducer, said manual adjustment means including a guide tube frame for receiving a wire, said wire interconnecting said second transducer with a rotatable wheel on said housing, said frame enabling said wire to be tensioned prior to the assembly of said apparatus; whereby an ultrasound imaging apparatus is realized.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 47 words

The apparatus as defined by claim 19 further including circuit means for permitting interlaced operation of said first and second transducer; including means for interrupting transmission by said second transducer to enable transmission and reception by said first transducer, and thereby give priority to said B-scan display.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus defined by claim 19 including a predictor circuit for providing a predicted Doppler signal during said interruption of said second transducer.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1986-10-03	1987-04-04	1987-10-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1990-10-03	1991-04-04	1991-10-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1994-10-03	1995-04-04	1995-10-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Ultrasound imaging apparatus for providing simultaneous B-scan and Doppler data

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