Patent US6279399B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6279399B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multi-dimensional transducer array apparatus
Assignee: Vingmed Sound AS
•
Filing: 1998-08-03
•
Granted: 2001-08-28
•
Expires: 2018-08-03
Abstract
Abstract An ultrasound imaging device comprising a set of bins, wherein each bin includes a set of transducer elements. Additionally, a set of mode switches or multiplexers are associated with the set of bins, wherein the set of mode switches or multiplexers configure the set of transducer elements in each bin to form either a one-dimensional array providing a two-dimensional scan mode or a two-dimensional array providing a three-dimensional scan mode.
Inventors
- 👤 Sverre Holm
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:59
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/18; G10K11/26; G10K11/34; G10K11/341; A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/44; A61B8/4483; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/8909; G01S15/8915; G01S15/8925; G01S15/8927; G01S15/8993; A61B8/4494
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A device associated with a radiant pulse-echo energy imaging system, the device comprising: a set of bins, wherein each bin includes a set of transducer elements; a set of mode switches associated with the set of bins; wherein the set of mode switches configure the set of transducer elements in each bin to form either a one-dimensional array providing a two-dimensional scan mode or a two-dimensional array providing a three-dimensional scan mode; and wherein the set of transducer elements in each bin are arranged into a sparse array pattern for three-dimensional scanning.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
92 words
A device associated with a radiant pulse-echo energy imaging system, the device comprising: a set of bins, wherein each bin includes a set of transducer elements; a set of mode switches associated with the set of bins; wherein the set of mode switches configure the set of transducer elements in each bin to form either a one-dimensional array providing a two-dimensional scan mode or a two-dimensional array providing a three-dimensional scan mode; and wherein the set of transducer elements in each bin are arranged into a sparse array pattern for three-dimensional scanning.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein the set of transducer elements reside in an associated transducer assembly, and wherein the set of mode switches are integrated into the associated transducer assembly.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein each mode switch in the set of mode switches is configured to arrange the set of transducer elements in each bin to form either a one-dimensional transducer array or a two-dimensional transducer array.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein the set of transducer elements in each bin are arranged into a fully connected array pattern for two-dimensional scanning.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 1 , wherein the set of transducer elements in each bin use a same sparse array pattern during transmission and reception.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 5 , wherein the set of transducer elements in each bin uses a first sparse array pattern during transmission cycle and a second sparse array pattern during a reception cycle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the sparse array pattern is a periodic sparse array pattern.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
102 words
A radiant pulse-echo energy imaging device comprising: pulse-echo imaging means comprising a plurality of pulse-echo elements; switching means associated with a defined set of pulse-echo elements; wherein the plurality of pulse-echo elements in each defined set of pulse-echo elements are capable of either being selectively coupled with each other to form either a one-dimensional pulse-echo imaging means configured to operate in a two-dimensional scan mode or of being operated as a two-dimensional pulse-echo imaging means configured to operate in a three dimensional scan mode; and wherein the defined set of pulse-echo elements are arranged into a sparse array pattern for three-dimensional scanning.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
102 words
A radiant pulse-echo energy imaging device comprising: pulse-echo imaging means comprising a plurality of pulse-echo elements; switching means associated with a defined set of pulse-echo elements; wherein the plurality of pulse-echo elements in each defined set of pulse-echo elements are capable of either being selectively coupled with each other to form either a one-dimensional pulse-echo imaging means configured to operate in a two-dimensional scan mode or of being operated as a two-dimensional pulse-echo imaging means configured to operate in a three dimensional scan mode; and wherein the defined set of pulse-echo elements are arranged into a sparse array pattern for three-dimensional scanning.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of pulse-echo elements reside in an associated transducer assembly, and wherein the switching means are integrated into the associated transducer assembly.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The device of claim 8 , wherein the switching means is configured to arrange the plurality of pulse-echo elements in each defined set of pulse-echo elements to form either a one-dimensional transducer array or a two-dimensional transducer array.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of claim 8 , wherein the defined set of pulse-echo elements are arranged into a fully connected array pattern for two-dimensional scanning.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 8 , wherein the defined set of pulse-echo elements use a same sparse array pattern during transmission and reception.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 12 , wherein the defined set of pulse-echo elements uses a first sparse array pattern during transmission cycle and a second sparse array pattern during a reception cycle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 8 wherein the sparse array pattern is a periodic sparse array pattern.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
104 words
A radiant pulse-echo energy imaging device comprising: a transducer array comprised of a plurality of transducer elements arranged into a two-dimensional transducer array; a first plurality of transducer elements within the two-dimensional array, wherein the first plurality of transducer elements are configured to be selectively coupled to each other to form a fully connected array pattern; a second plurality of transducer elements within the two-dimensional array, wherein the second plurality of transducer elements are configured to form a sparse array pattern; and a mode switch configured to switch operation of the two-dimensional array between the fully connected array pattern and the sparse array pattern.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
104 words
A radiant pulse-echo energy imaging device comprising: a transducer array comprised of a plurality of transducer elements arranged into a two-dimensional transducer array; a first plurality of transducer elements within the two-dimensional array, wherein the first plurality of transducer elements are configured to be selectively coupled to each other to form a fully connected array pattern; a second plurality of transducer elements within the two-dimensional array, wherein the second plurality of transducer elements are configured to form a sparse array pattern; and a mode switch configured to switch operation of the two-dimensional array between the fully connected array pattern and the sparse array pattern.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 15 , wherein the fully connected array pattern enables the transducer array to operate in a two-dimensional scan mode.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 15 , wherein the fully connected array pattern of transducer elements comprises a large one dimensional transducer element.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 15 , wherein the sparse array pattern enables the transducer array to operate in a three-dimensional scan mode.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 15 , wherein transmission and reception transducer elements contained in the second plurality of transducer elements use the same sparse array pattern.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device of claim 15 , wherein transmission and reception transducer elements contained in the second plurality of transducer elements uses a first sparse array pattern during a transmission cycle and a second sparse array pattern during a reception cycle.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device of claim 15 wherein the second plurality of transducer elements are configured to form a periodic sparse array pattern.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4550606A
Cited
US4694434A
Cited
US5060651A
Cited
US5186175A
Cited
US5269309A
Cited
US5842473A
Cited
US5490512A
Cited
US5677491A
Cited
US5537367A
Cited
US5546807A
Cited
US5787049A
Cited
US5938612A
Cited
US5934288A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-08-27 | 2005-02-26 | 2005-08-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-08-27 | 2009-02-26 | 2009-08-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-08-27 | 2013-02-26 | 2013-08-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |