Patents by Inventor Susan A. Alie
Susan A. Alie 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).
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Publication number: 20240122073Abstract: An ultrasound-on-a-chip device has an ultrasonic transducer substrate with plurality of transducer cells, and an electrical substrate. For each transducer cell, one or more conductive bond connections are disposed between the ultrasonic transducer substrate and the electrical substrate. Examples of electrical substrates include CMOS chips, integrated circuits including analog circuits, interposers and printed circuit boards.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2023Publication date: April 11, 2024Applicant: BFLY Operations, IncInventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Paul Francis Cristman, Keith G. Fife
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Publication number: 20240044846Abstract: An ultrasound device includes: ultrasonic transducer cavities; a membrane comprising a silicon layer that seals the ultrasonic transducer cavities; electrode regions configured to control vibration of the membrane; and a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) substrate including integrated circuitry that is electrically coupled to the electrode regions. The ultrasonic transducer cavities are disposed between the membrane and the integrated circuitry along a vertical direction of the ultrasound device.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2023Publication date: February 8, 2024Applicant: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Keith G. Fife, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston
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Patent number: 11857368Abstract: A processing device is coupled to a single ultrasound device having a single array of capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers (CMUTs). The processing device generates a graphical user interface (GUI) having user selectable GUI menu options corresponding to respective ultrasound operating modes for the single ultrasound device having the single ultrasound transducer array. The user-selectable GUI menu options include GUI menu options labeled as representing an ultrasound operating mode for musculoskeletal imaging, breast imaging, carotid imaging, vascular imaging, and abdominal imaging, respectively. The processing device further receives, via the GUI, user input indicating selection of one of the ultrasound operating modes, and in response to receiving the user input, provides an indication to the single ultrasound device having the single array of CMUTs to operate in the selected ultrasound operating mode.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2023Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston, Christopher Thomas McNulty, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Paul Francis Cristman, Matthew de Jonge, Keith G. Fife
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Patent number: 11828729Abstract: Micromachined ultrasonic transducers integrated with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) substrates are described, as well as methods of fabricating such devices. Fabrication may involve two separate wafer bonding steps. Wafer bonding may be used to fabricate sealed cavities in a substrate. Wafer bonding may also be used to bond the substrate to another substrate, such as a CMOS wafer. At least the second wafer bonding may be performed at a low temperature.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2020Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Keith G. Fife, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston
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Patent number: 11712221Abstract: A system comprising a multi-modal ultrasound probe configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes associated with a respective plurality of configuration profiles; and a computing device coupled to the handheld multi-modal ultrasound probe and configured to, in response to receiving input indicating an operating mode selected by a user, cause the multi-modal ultrasound probe to operate in the selected operating mode.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2017Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston, Christopher Thomas McNulty, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Paul Francis Cristman, Matthew de Jonge, Keith G. Fife
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Publication number: 20230172582Abstract: A processing device is coupled to a single ultrasound device having a single array of capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers (CMUTs). The processing device generates a graphical user interface (GUI) having user selectable GUI menu options corresponding to respective ultrasound operating modes for the single ultrasound device having the single ultrasound transducer array. The user-selectable GUI menu options include GUI menu options labeled as representing an ultrasound operating mode for musculoskeletal imaging, breast imaging, carotid imaging, vascular imaging, and abdominal imaging, respectively. The processing device further receives, via the GUI, user input indicating selection of one of the ultrasound operating modes, and in response to receiving the user input, provides an indication to the single ultrasound device having the single array of CMUTs to operate in the selected ultrasound operating mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2023Publication date: June 8, 2023Applicant: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston, Christopher Thomas McNulty, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Paul Francis Cristman, Matthew de Jonge, Keith G. Fife
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Patent number: 11672179Abstract: An ultrasound-on-a-chip device has an ultrasonic transducer substrate with plurality of transducer cells, and an electrical substrate. For each transducer cell, one or more conductive bond connections are disposed between the ultrasonic transducer substrate and the electrical substrate. Examples of electrical substrates include CMOS chips, integrated circuits including analog circuits, interposers and printed circuit boards.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2019Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Paul Francis Cristman, Keith G. Fife
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Publication number: 20230089630Abstract: A universal ultrasound device having an ultrasound probe includes a semiconductor die; a plurality of ultrasonic transducers integrated on the semiconductor die, the plurality of ultrasonic transducers configured to operate a first mode associated with a first frequency range and a second mode associated with a second frequency range, wherein the first frequency range is at least partially non-overlapping with the second frequency range; and control circuitry configured to: control the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to generate and/or detect ultrasound signals having frequencies in the first frequency range, in response to receiving an indication to operate the ultrasound probe in the first mode; and control the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to generate and/or detect ultrasound signals having frequencies in the second frequency range, in response to receiving an indication to operate the ultrasound probe in the second mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2022Publication date: March 23, 2023Applicant: BFLY Operations, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston, Christopher Thomas McNulty, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Paul Francis Cristman, Matthew de Jonge, Keith G. Fife
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Patent number: 11559827Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes a membrane, a bottom electrode, and a plurality of cavities disposed between the membrane and the bottom electrode, each of the plurality of cavities corresponding to an individual transducer cell. Portions of the bottom electrode corresponding to each individual transducer cell are electrically isolated from one another. Each portion of the bottom electrode corresponds to each individual transducer that cell further includes a first bottom electrode portion and a second bottom electrode portion, the first and second bottom electrode portions electrically isolated from one another.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2021Date of Patent: January 24, 2023Assignee: BFLY Operations, Inc.Inventors: Susan A. Alie, Keith G. Fife, Joseph Lutsky, David Grosjean
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Patent number: 11540805Abstract: A system comprising a multi-modal ultrasound probe configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes associated with a respective plurality of configuration profiles; and a computing device coupled to the handheld multi-modal ultrasound probe and configured to, in response to receiving input indicating an operating mode selected by a user, cause the multi-modal ultrasound probe to operate in the selected operating mode.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2022Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston, Christopher Thomas McNulty, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Paul Francis Cristman, Matthew de Jonge, Keith G. Fife
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Publication number: 20220415296Abstract: An ultrasound apparatus includes an ultrasound transducer array configured to transmit and receive ultrasound signals and an acoustic lens that includes signal-attenuating particles in a polymer matrix configured to provide signal attenuation and impedance matching for the ultrasound signals. The acoustic lens is disposed over a first surface of the ultrasound transducer array. The signal-attenuating particles include PEBAX.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2022Publication date: December 29, 2022Applicant: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Susan A. Alie, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Christopher Thomas McNulty, Paul Francis Cristman
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Publication number: 20220354459Abstract: A system comprising a multi-modal ultrasound probe configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes associated with a respective plurality of configuration profiles; and a computing device coupled to the handheld multi-modal ultrasound probe and configured to, in response to receiving input indicating an operating mode selected by a user, cause the multi-modal ultrasound probe to operate in the selected operating mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2022Publication date: November 10, 2022Applicant: BFLY Operations, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston, Christopher Thomas McNulty, James Scott Zahorian, Paul Francis Cristman, Matthew de Jonge, Keith G. Fife
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Patent number: 11475870Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a portable ultrasound device. Specifically, the disclosed embodiments relate to an acoustic lens positioned at an ultrasound probe. The acoustic lens may be configured for impedance matching and signal attenuation. In one embodiment, ultrasound signal attenuation is provided by forming an acoustic lens as a solid admixture of signal attenuating particles in a polymer matrix.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2019Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Susan A. Alie, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Christopher Thomas McNulty, Paul Francis Cristman
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Publication number: 20220313219Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to an ultrasound device including a first die that includes an ultrasonic transducer, a first application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that is bonded to the first die and includes a pulser, and a second ASIC in communication with the second ASIC that includes integrated digital receive circuitry. In some embodiments, the first ASIC may be bonded to the second ASIC and the second ASIC may include analog processing circuitry and an analog-to-digital converter. In such embodiments, the second ASIC may include a through-silicon via (TSV) facilitating communication between the first ASIC and the second ASIC. In some embodiments, SERDES circuitry facilitates communication between the first ASIC and the second ASIC and the first ASIC includes analog processing circuitry and an analog-to-digital converter. In some embodiments, the technology node of the first ASIC is different from the technology node of the second ASIC.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Applicant: BFLY Operations, Inc.Inventors: Kailiang Chen, Nevada J. Sanchez, Susan A. Alie, Tyler S. Ralston, Jonathan M. Rothberg, Keith G. Fife, Joseph Lutsky
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Patent number: 11446001Abstract: A universal ultrasound device having an ultrasound probe includes a semiconductor die; a plurality of ultrasonic transducers integrated on the semiconductor die, the plurality of ultrasonic transducers configured to operate a first mode associated with a first frequency range and a second mode associated with a second frequency range, wherein the first frequency range is at least partially non-overlapping with the second frequency range; and control circuitry configured to: control the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to generate and/or detect ultrasound signals having frequencies in the first frequency range, in response to receiving an indication to operate the ultrasound probe in the first mode; and control the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to generate and/or detect ultrasound signals having frequencies in the second frequency range, in response to receiving an indication to operate the ultrasound probe in the second mode.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2017Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: BFLY Operations, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston, Christopher Thomas McNulty, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Paul Francis Cristman, Matthew de Jonge, Keith G. Fife
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Patent number: 11375980Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to an ultrasound device including a first die that includes an ultrasonic transducer, a first application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that is bonded to the first die and includes a pulser, and a second ASIC in communication with the second ASIC that includes integrated digital receive circuitry. In some embodiments, the first ASIC may be bonded to the second ASIC and the second ASIC may include analog processing circuitry and an analog-to-digital converter. In such embodiments, the second ASIC may include a through-silicon via (TSV) facilitating communication between the first ASIC and the second ASIC. In some embodiments, SERDES circuitry facilitates communication between the first ASIC and the second ASIC and the first ASIC includes analog processing circuitry and an analog-to-digital converter. In some embodiments, the technology node of the first ASIC is different from the technology node of the second ASIC.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2019Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: BFLY Operations, Inc.Inventors: Kailiang Chen, Nevada J. Sanchez, Susan A. Alie, Tyler S. Ralston, Jonathan M. Rothberg, Keith G. Fife, Joseph Lutsky
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Patent number: 11311274Abstract: A system comprising a multi-modal ultrasound probe configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes associated with a respective plurality of configuration profiles; and a computing device coupled to the handheld multi-modal ultrasound probe and configured to, in response to receiving input indicating an operating mode selected by a user, cause the multi-modal ultrasound probe to operate in the selected operating mode.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2017Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: BFLY Operations, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston, Christopher Thomas McNulty, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Paul Francis Cristman, Matthew de Jonge, Keith G. Fife, David Elgena
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Patent number: 11272903Abstract: A system comprising a multi-modal ultrasound probe configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes associated with a respective plurality of configuration profiles; and a computing device coupled to the handheld multi-modal ultrasound probe and configured to, in response to receiving input indicating an operating mode selected by a user, cause the multi-modal ultrasound probe to operate in the selected operating mode.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2017Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: BFLY Operations, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston, Christopher Thomas McNulty, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Paul Francis Cristman, Matthew de Jonge, Keith G. Fife, David Elgena
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Publication number: 20210291228Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes a membrane, a bottom electrode, and a plurality of cavities disposed between the membrane and the bottom electrode, each of the plurality of cavities corresponding to an individual transducer cell. Portions of the bottom electrode corresponding to each individual transducer cell are electrically isolated from one another. Each portion of the bottom electrode corresponds to each individual transducer that cell further includes a first bottom electrode portion and a second bottom electrode portion, the first and second bottom electrode portions electrically isolated from one another.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2021Publication date: September 23, 2021Applicant: Butterfly Network, Inc.Inventors: Susan A. Alie, Keith G. Fife, Joseph Lutsky, David Grosjean
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Patent number: 10967400Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes a membrane, a bottom electrode, and a plurality of cavities disposed between the membrane and the bottom electrode, each of the plurality of cavities corresponding to an individual transducer cell. Portions of the bottom electrode corresponding to each individual transducer cell are electrically isolated from one another. Each portion of the bottom electrode corresponds to each individual transducer that cell further includes a first bottom electrode portion and a second bottom electrode portion, the first and second bottom electrode portions electrically isolated from one another.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2019Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.Inventors: Susan A. Alie, Keith G. Fife, Joseph Lutsky, David Grosjean