Patents by Inventor Francis S. Foster

Francis S. Foster has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Sparse array structures
    Patent number: 5537367
    Abstract: Novel sparse array structures are described which greatly reduce the total number of independent transmit and receive elements in the array without significantly degrading imaging performance. Periodic sparse transmit and receive arrays, one with a first spacing between elements or groups of elements and the other with a different spacing between elements or groups of elements, are combined through interpolation to create a sparse array having imaging capability comparable to that of an equivalent dense array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Inventors: Geoffrey R. Lockwood, Francis S. Foster
  • Cylindrical transducer ultrasonic scanner
    Patent number: 4339952
    Abstract: An ultrasonic image of improved resolution is obtained by utilizing separate transducers for transmission and reception of ultrasonic pulses utilized for imaging, one transducer being a cylindrical or simulated cylindrical transducer having a line focus and the other transducer being aimed along the focus of the first transducer. An area to be imaged may be scanned by rotating and/or traversing the transducers as a unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1982
    Assignee: Ontario Cancer Institute
    Inventor: Francis S. Foster
  • Conical transducer ultrasonic scanning
    Patent number: 4325258
    Abstract: An ultrasonic image of improved resolution is obtained by utilizing separate transducers respectively for transmission and reception of ultrasonic pulses employed for imaging a subject, one transducer being a conical or simulated conical transducer having a line focus along the cone axis and the other transducer being aimed along the line focus of the first transducer. An area to be imaged may be scanned by moving the transducers as a unit about the subject portion to be examined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1982
    Assignee: Ontario Cancer Institute
    Inventor: Francis S. Foster