US5085220A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Doppler flow sensing device and method for its use
Assignee: Spacelabs Medical Inc
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Filing: 1989-10-05
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Granted: 1992-02-04
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Expires: 2009-10-05
Abstract
Abstract A device for sensing blood flow in a human aorta and a method for its use. The device includes two arrays, each array including one or more ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and/or receiving ultrasonic pulses. By appropriate weighting and phasing of the two ultrasonic arrays, a wide beam for insonifying the entire aorta, and a narrow beam for insonifying only a portion of the interior of the aorta, are produced. In addition, signals from the arrays can be processed to produce a signal indicating the direction to move the device so that the wide beam insonifies the entire aorta and the narrow beam insonifies only an interior portion of the aorta. The direction-finding array can be made from sensors arranged in a north-south-east-west pattern or as four sectors of an annulus.
Inventors
- 👤 Bruce M. Nudell
- 👤 Robert R. Entrekin
- 👤 Robert Skidmore
- 👤 Nicholas P. Luckman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 01:56
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/06; A61B8/065; G; G01; G01F; G01F1/00; G01F1/66; G01F1/663; G01P; G01P5/00; G01P5/24; G01P5/241; G01P5/244
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for locating the flow of a fluid through a vessel in a body, comprising the steps of: (a) producing a first ultrasonic transducer having a first directivity pattern; (b) producing a second transducer, including an array of transducer elements, each transducer element having a distinct directivity pattern which is different from the directivity pattern of the first transducer; (c) generating a transmitting signal; (d) driving the first ultrasonic transducer by said transmitting signal to transmit ultrasonic energy into the body; (e) receiving the transmitted ultrasonic energy that is reflected within the body through each transducer element in the second ultrasonic transducer; (f) producing a received signal from the ultrasonic energy received by each transducer element in the second transducer; and (g) processing the received signals to produce a signal representative of a direction to move the first transducer to locate the flow of the fluid.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for locating the flow of a fluid through a vessel in a body, comprising the steps of: (a) producing a first ultrasonic transducer having a first directivity pattern; (b) producing a second transducer, including an array of transducer elements, each transducer element having a distinct directivity pattern which is different from the directivity pattern of the first transducer; (c) generating a transmitting signal; (d) driving the first ultrasonic transducer by said transmitting signal to transmit ultrasonic energy into the body; (e) receiving the transmitted ultrasonic energy that is reflected within the body through each transducer element in the second ultrasonic transducer; (f) producing a received signal from the ultrasonic energy received by each transducer element in the second transducer; and (g) processing the received signals to produce a signal representative of a direction to move the first transducer to locate the flow of the fluid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein step (g) includes the step of comparing the ultrasonic energy received by each of the transducer elements in the second array.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) includes producing at least three transducer elements in the second ultrasonic transducer and step (f) includes producing a received signal indicative of the amount of ultrasonic energy received by the corresponding transducer element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 3, wherein step (b) includes producing the transducer elements in the second ultrasonic array in opposing pairs of transducer elements whose directivity patterns are symmetric with respect to the first directivity pattern.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 4, wherein step (g) includes comparing the ultrasonic energy received by the two transducer elements in each opposing pair of transducers and producing a signal representative of the direction to move the first transducer, moving the first array in said direction causing the ultrasonic energies received by the two transducer elements in each opposing pair of transducers to be more nearly equal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of (h) producing an indication signal when the amount of ultrasonic energy received by both transducer elements in each pair of transducers in the second array cannot be made substantially equal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 3, wherein step (b) includes producing the transducer elements in the second transducer array so that their directivity patterns are symmetric with respect to the first directivity pattern.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 7, wherein step (b) includes producing the transducer elements in the second transducer array so that their directivity patterns are directed outwardly from the first directivity pattern.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 7, wherein step (b) further includes producing the transducer elements in the second transducer array in opposing pairs of transducer elements whose directivity patterns are symmetric with respect to the first directivity pattern.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 9, wherein step (g) includes comparing the ultrasonic energy received by the two transducer elements in each opposing pair of transducers and producing a signal representative of the direction to move the first transducer, moving the first array in said direction causing the ultrasonic energies received by the two transducer elements in each opposing pair of transducers to be more nearly equal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of placing the first transducer and second transducer array in fixed relationship to one another.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting signal is a pulsed signal having predetermined times of occurrence.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 12, wherein step (e) comprises receiving the reflected ultrasonic energy that returns after a predetermined delay time following the time of occurrence of the transmitting signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: (h) measuring the flow of the fluid through the vessel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: (h) measuring a velocity of the fluid through the vessel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) includes producing a first ultrasonic transducer comprising a plurality of first transducer elements and having a first directivity pattern.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
199 words
A method for locating the flow of a fluid through a vessel in a body, comprising the steps of: (a) producing a first ultrasonic transducer having a first directivity pattern; (b) producing a second transducer, including an array of transducer elements in fixed relation relative to the first ultrasonic transducer, each transducer element having a distinct directivity pattern which is different from the directivity pattern of the first transducer, the transducer elements in the second transducer array being arranged so that their directivity patterns are symmetric with respect to the first directivity pattern; (c) generating a pulsed signal having predetermined times of occurrence; (d) driving the first ultrasonic transducer by said transmitting signal to transmit ultrasonic energy into the body; (e) receiving the transmitted ultrasonic energy that is reflected within the body through each transducer element in the second ultrasonic transducer after a predetermined delay time following the time of occurrence of the transmitting signal; (f) producing a received signal from the ultrasonic energy received by each transducer element in the second transducer; and (g) processing the received signals to produce a signal representative of a direction to move the first transducer to locate the flow of the fluid.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
199 words
A method for locating the flow of a fluid through a vessel in a body, comprising the steps of: (a) producing a first ultrasonic transducer having a first directivity pattern; (b) producing a second transducer, including an array of transducer elements in fixed relation relative to the first ultrasonic transducer, each transducer element having a distinct directivity pattern which is different from the directivity pattern of the first transducer, the transducer elements in the second transducer array being arranged so that their directivity patterns are symmetric with respect to the first directivity pattern; (c) generating a pulsed signal having predetermined times of occurrence; (d) driving the first ultrasonic transducer by said transmitting signal to transmit ultrasonic energy into the body; (e) receiving the transmitted ultrasonic energy that is reflected within the body through each transducer element in the second ultrasonic transducer after a predetermined delay time following the time of occurrence of the transmitting signal; (f) producing a received signal from the ultrasonic energy received by each transducer element in the second transducer; and (g) processing the received signals to produce a signal representative of a direction to move the first transducer to locate the flow of the fluid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 17, wherein step (b) includes the step of producing at least three transducer elements in the second ultrasonic transducer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 17, wherein step (b) includes producing the transducer elements in the second ultrasonic array in opposing pairs of transducer elements whose directivity patterns are symmetric with respect to the first directivity pattern.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 17, wherein step (g) includes comparing the ultrasonic energy received by the two transducer elements in each opposing pair of transducers and producing a signal representative of the direction to move the first transducer, moving the first array in said direction causing the ultrasonic energies received by the two transducer elements in each opposing pair of transducers to be more nearly equal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 17, wherein step (b) includes producing the transducer elements in the second transducer array so that their directivity patterns are symmetric with respect to the first directivity pattern.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 17, wherein step (b) includes producing the transducer elements in the second transducer array so that their directivity patterns are directed outwardly from the first directivity pattern.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 17, wherein step (a) includes producing a first ultrasonic transducer comprising a plurality of first transducer elements and having a first directivity pattern.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of: (h) measuring the flow of the fluid through the vessel.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of: (h) measuring a velocity of the fluid through the vessel.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
219 words
A method for locating the flow of a fluid through a vessel in a body, comprising the steps of: (a) producing a first ultrasonic transducer comprising a plurality of first transducer elements and having a first directivity pattern; (b) producing a second transducer, including an array of at least four transducer elements in opposing pairs of transducer elements in fixed relation relative to the first ultrasonic transducer, each transducer element in the second transducer having a distinct directivity pattern which is different from the directivity pattern of the first transducer, the transducer elements in the second transducer array being arranged so that their directivity patterns are directed outwardly from the first directivity pattern; (c) generating a pulsed signal having predetermined times of occurrence; (d) driving the first ultrasonic transducer by said transmitting signal to transmit ultrasonic energy into the body; (e) receiving the transmitted ultrasonic energy that is reflected within the body through each transducer element in the second ultrasonic transducer after a predetermined delay time following the time of occurrence of the transmitting signal; (f) producing a received signal from the ultrasonic energy received by each transducer element in the second transducer; and (g) processing the received signals to produce a signal representative of a direction to move the first transducer to locate the flow of the fluid.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
219 words
A method for locating the flow of a fluid through a vessel in a body, comprising the steps of: (a) producing a first ultrasonic transducer comprising a plurality of first transducer elements and having a first directivity pattern; (b) producing a second transducer, including an array of at least four transducer elements in opposing pairs of transducer elements in fixed relation relative to the first ultrasonic transducer, each transducer element in the second transducer having a distinct directivity pattern which is different from the directivity pattern of the first transducer, the transducer elements in the second transducer array being arranged so that their directivity patterns are directed outwardly from the first directivity pattern; (c) generating a pulsed signal having predetermined times of occurrence; (d) driving the first ultrasonic transducer by said transmitting signal to transmit ultrasonic energy into the body; (e) receiving the transmitted ultrasonic energy that is reflected within the body through each transducer element in the second ultrasonic transducer after a predetermined delay time following the time of occurrence of the transmitting signal; (f) producing a received signal from the ultrasonic energy received by each transducer element in the second transducer; and (g) processing the received signals to produce a signal representative of a direction to move the first transducer to locate the flow of the fluid.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 26, wherein step (g) includes comparing the ultrasonic energy received by the two transducer elements in each opposing pair of transducers and producing a signal representative of the direction to move the first transducer, moving the first array in said direction causing the ultrasonic energies received by the two transducer elements in each opposing pair of transducers to be more nearly equal.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of: (h) measuring the flow of the fluid through the vessel.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of: (h) measuring a velocity of the fluid through the vessel.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
220 words
A method for locating the flow of a fluid through a vessel in a body, comprising the steps of: (a) producing a first ultrasonic transducer comprising a plurality of first transducer elements and having a first directivity pattern; (b) producing a second transducer, including an array of at least four transducer elements in opposing pairs of transducer elements in fixed relation relative to the first ultrasonic transducer, each transducer element having a distinct directivity pattern which is different from the directivity pattern of the first transducer, the transducer elements in the second transducer array being arranged so that their directivity patterns are directed outwardly from and symmetric with respect to the first directivity pattern; (c) generating a pulsed signal having predetermined times of occurrence; (d) driving the first ultrasonic transducer by said transmitting signal to transmit ultrasonic energy into the body; (e) receiving the transmitted ultrasonic energy that is reflected within the body through each transducer element in the second ultrasonic transducer after a predetermined delay time following the time of occurrence of the transmitting signal; (f) producing a received signal from the ultrasonic energy received by each transducer element in the second transducer; and (g) processing the received signals to produce a signal representative of a direction to move the first transducer to locate the flow of the fluid.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
220 words
A method for locating the flow of a fluid through a vessel in a body, comprising the steps of: (a) producing a first ultrasonic transducer comprising a plurality of first transducer elements and having a first directivity pattern; (b) producing a second transducer, including an array of at least four transducer elements in opposing pairs of transducer elements in fixed relation relative to the first ultrasonic transducer, each transducer element having a distinct directivity pattern which is different from the directivity pattern of the first transducer, the transducer elements in the second transducer array being arranged so that their directivity patterns are directed outwardly from and symmetric with respect to the first directivity pattern; (c) generating a pulsed signal having predetermined times of occurrence; (d) driving the first ultrasonic transducer by said transmitting signal to transmit ultrasonic energy into the body; (e) receiving the transmitted ultrasonic energy that is reflected within the body through each transducer element in the second ultrasonic transducer after a predetermined delay time following the time of occurrence of the transmitting signal; (f) producing a received signal from the ultrasonic energy received by each transducer element in the second transducer; and (g) processing the received signals to produce a signal representative of a direction to move the first transducer to locate the flow of the fluid.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 30, wherein step (g) includes comparing the ultrasonic energy received by the two transducer elements in each opposing pair of transducers and producing a signal representative of the direction to move the first transducer, moving the first array in said direction causing the ultrasonic energies received by the two transducer elements in each opposing pair of transducers to be more nearly equal.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of (h) producing an indication signal when the amount of ultrasonic energy received by both transducer elements in each pair of transducers in the second array cannot be made substantially equal.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of: (h) measuring the flow of the fluid through the vessel.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of: (h) measuring a velocity of the fluid through the vessel.
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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) | 1995-02-03 | 1995-08-05 | 1996-02-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-02-03 | 1999-08-05 | 2000-02-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-02-03 | 2003-08-05 | 2004-02-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |