Abstract: A calibration device is described for use in calibrating an ultrasonic pulse echo apparatus for detecting a moving object in a fluid, where the ultrasonic pulse echo apparatus includes an ultrasonic transducer and calibration circuitry. A connector has a first end for connecting with a first fluid conduit and a second end for connecting with a second fluid conduit. A cavity between the first and second ends permits the fluid containing the moving object from the first conduit to flow through the connector cavity to the second fluid conduit. A first calibration sphere is positioned relative to the connector for reflecting an ultrasonic pulse signal transmitted by the ultrasonic transducer. The reflected ultrasonic pulse signal is useable by the calibration circuitry to calibrate the ultrasonic pulse echo apparatus.

Abstract: A calibration device is described for use in calibrating an ultrasonic pulse echo apparatus for detecting a moving object in a fluid, where the ultrasonic pulse echo apparatus includes an ultrasonic transducer and calibration circuitry. A connector has a first end for connecting with a first fluid conduit and a second end for connecting with a second fluid conduit. A cavity between the first and second ends permits the fluid containing the moving object from the first conduit to flow through the connector cavity to the second fluid conduit. A first calibration sphere is positioned relative to the connector for reflecting an ultrasonic pulse signal transmitted by the ultrasonic transducer. The reflected ultrasonic pulse signal is useable by the calibration circuitry to calibrate the ultrasonic pulse echo apparatus.

Abstract: A sparse array that uses a small fraction of a fully populated array but yields a radiation pattern that is suitable for high quality medical imaging. The sparse array consists of two or more separate zones for transmitting and receiving as opposed to the overlapping arrays of the prior art. More specifically, a preferred embodiment sets forth an inner array of transmit elements with a narrow effective aperture and a separate non-overlapping outer array of receive elements with a wide effective aperture. The combination of asymmetric apertures is particularly useful for parallel processing applications. This abstract is provided as a tool for those searching for patents, and not as a limitation on the scope of the claims.

Abstract: A sparse array that uses a small fraction of a fully populated array but yields a radiation pattern that is suitable for high quality medical imaging. The sparse array consists of two or more separate zones for transmitting and receiving as opposed to the overlapping arrays of the prior art. More specifically, a preferred embodiment sets forth an inner array of transmit elements with a narrow effective aperture and a separate non-overlapping outer array of receive elements with a wide effective aperture. The combination of asymmetric apertures is particularly useful for parallel processing applications. This abstract is provided as a tool for those searching for patents, and not as a limitation on the scope of the claims.

Abstract: A volumetric ultrasound system is used to determine the velocity of tissue using 3D echo data. In particular, the velocity of tissue in a 3D volume is determined by steering ultrasound beams to the tissue in the 3D volume and forming 3D echo data from receive ultrasound beams formed from reflections of the steered ultrasound beams from the tissue in the 3D volume. The velocity of the tissue associated with the 3D echo data can be determined using velocity determination techniques. The velocity of the tissue can be displayed in real-time. For example, in one embodiment, a sub-volume of the 3D volume can be scanned and the determined velocity of the tissue displayed in about 50 milliseconds (ms).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for ultrasonically detecting an embolus in blood flow includes an ultrasound transducer for transmitting ultrasound pulses into the blood flow being interrogated and receiving reflections from acoustic impedance changes in the body. The reflected signals are converted to an electronic signal representation which is subsequently processed to detect and classify emboli in the blood flow. A short duration, broad bandwidth ultrasound signal is used to preserve the polarity of the reflected signal. The polarity is then used to classify the emboli based on a positive or negative reflection coefficient. Emboli having a negative reflection coefficient are classified as either gaseous or fat particles, and emboli having a positive reflection coefficient are classified as solid particles. The emboli can be further classified based on the amplitude of the reflected signal, or designated features of the time waveform or FFT of the reflected signal.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe assembly in which the disposition of the scan plane of an ultrasonic transducer unit, introduced into a human body, can be selected to image a body part in different ways. The scan plane is selected by operation of a remote control unit by which the ultrasonic array is moved. The ultrasonic array is connected to a base unit by means of a flexible coupling and is steered by the action of cables which are controlled by the remote control unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining fluid motion of a fluid through a conduit whereby the signal pulse repetition frequency of a pulsed Doppler is increased significantly over known systems and the receiving means for the reflected signals is kept activated for essentially the entire time that the transmitting means is inactive so that a Doppler shift of less than one-half the signal repetition frequency is produced and frequency aliasing is avoided. The same transducer can be utilized to transmit and receive signals and detect high Doppler shifts, thus functioning similarly to continuous wave Doppler systems using separate transmit and receive transducers.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to electronic communication systems, and more particularly to improved means for maintaining close time synchronism between remote stations in carrier dispersal radio communication systems of the spread spectrum type and other correlation communication systems.

Abstract: A scan converter storage surface is divided into image spaces corresponding to different points in the heart cycle. Ultrasound echoes from heart structures are plotted in the image spaces by means of special x, y sweeps which are offset to the image spaces by timing circuitry. Separate delay and spacing counters allow the first image to be stored at one interval after detection of the ECG R-wave and successive images to be stored at a another uniform interval. An ECG trace is stored in the first image space with cursors indicating the selected image timing. The scan converter is read out to a TV display. During image build-up, the read and write modes alternate. If desired, the TV sweeps to the scan converter may be attenuated and offset to display a single stored image. Images displayed in sequence provide animation. A self test circuit substitutes a fake ECG and writes bars in the scan converter image spaces using TV sweeps for the scan sweeps.