Acoustic Image Conversion Patents (Class 367/7)
  • Publication number: 20140301159
    Abstract: A method for determining whether an ultrasound probe is on a scan state or on a non-scan state includes the following steps. An object is scanned to generate an image by the ultrasound probe, and the image is divided into a strong echo area and a weak echo area. The ultrasound probe is determined to be on the scan state as a signal intensity in the weak echo area of the image is greater than a threshold. Otherwise, the ultrasound probe is determined to be on the non-scan state as the signal intensity in the weak echo area of the image is less than the threshold, and the ultrasound probe enters a freeze mode so as to store a frozen image at a time before entering the freeze mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicants: QISDA CORPORATION, QISDA (SUZHOU) CO., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tang-Chen Chang
  • Publication number: 20140293737
    Abstract: An acousto-optic image capture device includes: an acoustic wave source to irradiating an object with an acoustic wave; an acoustic lens system which transforms a scattered wave from the object into a plane acoustic wave; an acousto-optic medium portion which is arranged so that the scattered wave transmitted through the acoustic lens system is incident there; a light source to emit a light beam in which monochromatic rays of light with different traveling directions are superposed and which is incident on the acousto-optic medium portion; an imaging lens system which condenses diffracted rays of light of the plane wave monochromatic rays of light produced by the acousto-optic medium portion; and an image receiving member which detects the rays of light condensed by the imaging lens system to output an electrical signal. The acoustic lens system includes at least two reflecting mirrors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Ushio SANGAWA, Takuya IWAMOTO, Yuriko KANEKO, Takahiro KAMAI, Masahiko HASHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20140293740
    Abstract: Disclosed systems and methods provide enhanced seismic images through the use of partial image stacking weights that are based on the resemblance between the local partial image and a reference image. At least some method embodiments include obtaining partial images of a survey region and stacking the partial images to produce a reference image. The partial images are then recombined to form an enhanced image, wherein the recombining includes: measuring at each point the reference image's similitude with each of the partial images; and determining at each point an enhanced image value from a weighted combination of corresponding values in the partial images, the weighted combination using weights derived from the reference images' similitude at that point to each partial image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: LANDMARK GRAPHICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stefan M. Compton, Christof Stork
  • Publication number: 20140293738
    Abstract: A gain control circuit includes: a voltage generation circuit that generates first voltage that is linearly changed over time; a voltage square circuit that outputs second voltage that is obtained by squaring the first voltage generated by the voltage generation circuit; a resistance circuit that has a resistance characteristic by which a resistance value is squared-changed over time depending on the second voltage output from the voltage square circuit; and a gain adjustment circuit in which gain is squared-changed over time depending on the resistance value of the resistance circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Masato YOSHIOKA
  • Publication number: 20140293736
    Abstract: A low complexity motion compensating beamforming system utilizes a probe array to fire for beamforming by synthetic apertures. The beamforming range of each firing is a region of interest (ROI), and the common area of adjacent ROI's forms the common ROI. The central image beam of the common ROI is used to generate image beam vectors, in order to analyze the cross-correlation for the corresponding low resolution images (LRI's). The analysis result is used to compute an offset for sequentially compensating and combining the LRI's to form a high resolution image (HRI). The mechanism helps improve the quality of ultrasonic beamforming and the frame rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kuan Yu HO, An Yeu WU, Pai Chi LI, Cheng Zhou ZHAN, Yu Hao CHEN
  • Patent number: 8848481
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of reconstructing a sound field. The method comprises receiving measured values of a first acoustic quantity measured at a set of measurement locations; computing a second acoustic quantity for a target location from a superposition of plane waves. The method comprises storing a set of representations of interpolations of respective functions, each function being a function of two or less input parameters; and computing comprises computing each of a set of correlation functions, each correlation function being indicative of a correlation of the plane waves at a first one of said measurement locations with the plane waves at a second location, as a linear combination of values obtained from the set of representations of interpolations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Bruel & Kjaer Sound & Vibration Measurement A/S
    Inventor: Jørgen Hald
  • Publication number: 20140288428
    Abstract: To implement a single-chip ultrasonic imaging solution, on-chip signal processing may be employed in the receive signal path to reduce data bandwidth and a high-speed serial data module may be used to move data for all received channels off-chip as digital data stream. The digitization of received signals on-chip allows advanced digital signal processing to be performed on-chip, and thus permits the full integration of an entire ultrasonic imaging system on a single semiconductor substrate. Various novel waveform generation techniques, transducer configuration and biasing methodologies, etc., are likewise disclosed. HIFU methods may additionally or alternatively be employed as a component of the “ultrasound-on-a-chip” solution disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Keith G. Fife, Tyler S. Ralston, Gregory L. Charvat, Nevada J. Sanchez
  • Publication number: 20140269165
    Abstract: An acoustic logging tool emits a wideband acoustic pulse toward an inside surface of a borehole casing and an acoustic response is received. The acoustic response is analyzed at one or more higher order harmonics of the thickness mode resonance of the casing to determine the acoustic impedance of the material behind the casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Benoit Froelich, Andrew J. Hayman, Kenneth K Liang
  • Publication number: 20140269162
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are herein provided for causing presentation of sonar or radar image data over environment information. A method may include determining a position and a line of sight of a device. The method may further include determining at least one of sonar image data or radar image data associated with the position and the line of sight. The method may further include causing presentation of an image associated with the at least one of sonar image data or radar image data on a display of the device over environment information indicative of an environment currently viewable by a user through the device. Corresponding apparatuses and computer program products are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Navico Holding AS
    Inventor: Barry Antao
  • Publication number: 20140266860
    Abstract: A method for distinguishing a target, wherein the target includes one or more objects of interest possibly located among a plurality of objects. The method comprises the following stages: obtaining and processing sonar or radar raw data; tracking the objects of the plurality using the processed raw data; grouping the tracked objects by associating them into one or more groups, while hierarchically arranging the tracked objects in the groups and controllably applying prior knowledge at least about characteristic features and/or constraints of the target's class; classifying the groups to classes and determining whether any of the groups matches to the target's class.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Gaddi BLUMROSEN, Ben FISHMAN, Yosef YOVEL
  • Publication number: 20140269164
    Abstract: A sector-scanning sonar imaging system with at least one sonar imaging element housed within a transducer housing coupled to a self-reciprocating mechanism, and a drive mechanism housed within a waterproof housing. The oscillating motion of the transducer housing produces a highly-detailed, photo like sector scan sonar image of the bottom and other objects surrounding the boat on which it is mounted. The drive mechanism housing may be rigidly attached to either a boat hull or to a trolling motor. The sonar imaging element housing may be removably attached to the drive mechanism, and shielded by an acoustically transparent shroud to protect the elements from damage. The sector-scanning sonar imaging system connects to a control head with display either directly, or through some other communications protocol, such as a wireless protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.
    Inventors: David A. Betts, Sean M. DeHart
  • Publication number: 20140269163
    Abstract: A CHIRP-enabled sonar system includes a transducer having one or more transducer elements for receiving electrical transmission signals and converting the electrical transmission signals into acoustic pulses, and for receiving echo returns and converting acoustic energy of the echo returns into electrical return signals representative of the echo returns. The system further includes a multi-function display unit connected to the transducer so as to receive the electrical return signals representative of the echo returns. The multi-function display unit has a housing that accommodates a display unit having at least one visual display screen, and also accommodates a processor configured to transmit the electrical transmission signals in the form of CHIRP signals. The processor is further configured to perform CHIRP processing on the electrical return signals to produce sonar data. The display unit is arranged to receive the sonar data and display the sonar data as images on the visual display screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Navico, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8834369
    Abstract: A method of ultrasound receive beamforming includes receiving a first plurality of sensing signals from target tissue, forming a first plurality of digital sensing signals, and data processing the digital sensing signals along a first plurality of data paths to form a first plurality of delayed and apodized digital sensing signals. Data path combining generates data combinations of the delayed and apodized digital sensing signals to include two or more of the delayed and apodized digital sensing signals that originate from different ones of the transducer elements. The data combinations are interpolation filtered using a plurality of interpolation filters to form a second plurality of delayed and apodized digital sensing signals, which are then summed to form an ultrasound receive beamformed signal. The interpolation filters can be interpolation filters in a single shared filter bank, with each interpolation filter providing a different fractional delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: David P Magee
  • Publication number: 20140254307
    Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system includes: a harmonic filter coupled to an ultrasound transmitter to reduce transmitted harmonic components; a fundamental filter coupled with an ultrasound receiver to reduce received fundamental components; and a fusion processor configured to generate multiple frames of fusion images for two subsequent frames of ultrasound transmissions to improve frame rate. The ultrasound receiver may optionally perform signal alignment and matching to improve image quality. To improve image quality, the ultrasound system may optionally use multiple amplitude-modulated transmit pulses with different delays, or multiple transmit pulses with different amplitudes to extract harmonic signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventors: Danhua Zhao, Yong Zhang, Ruoli Mo
  • Publication number: 20140256055
    Abstract: A method for detecting hydrocarbons is described. The method includes performing a remote sensing survey of a survey location to identify a target location. Then, an underwater vehicle (UV) is deployed into a body of water and directed to the target location. The UV collects measurement data within the body of water at the target location, which is then analyzed to determine whether hydrocarbons are present at the target location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventors: Robert J. Pottorf, Leonard J. Srnka, William Bond, Sebastien L. Dreyfus, Michael Lawson, William P. Meurer, Daniel P. Cherney, Steven R. May, William G. Powell, Christoper J. Vandewater, Mehmet D. Ertas, Sumathy Raman, Aaron B. Regberg, A. Lucie N'Guessan, Amelia C. Robinson, Kurt W. Rudolph
  • Publication number: 20140254869
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and a device for detecting displacement in elastography. The method comprises: acquiring a target point, acquiring a cross-correlation phase calculation location of the target point in a second frame image; calculating a cross-correlation phase according to the cross-correlation phase calculation location; calculating a longitudinal displacement result according to the cross-correlation phase; and calculating a gradient of the displacement result to obtain a strain result. Through the elastography method and device, I/Q-channel echo baseband signals, obtained by downsampling, of two frames before and after compression are acquired, displace information between the two frames is rapidly detected by guiding phase estimation, and axial gradient calculation is performed to obtain strain information, which can not only obtain a strain image of high quality but also reduce the calculation amount, thereby satisfying the clinical real-time requirement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuangshuang Li, Rui Fan
  • Publication number: 20140241111
    Abstract: A logging system for producing borehole images of acoustic properties of formations penetrated by the borehole. Images of formation compressional wave and shear wave velocities are generated in real time. The system can be a LWD system with a source section that comprises a unipole, dipole, quadrupole or other acoustic source. The receiver section comprises multiple receiver stations disposed at different axial spacings from the acoustic source. The system requires that the source and receiver sections rotate synchronously as the logging tool is conveyed along the borehole. Receiver responses are measured in a plurality of azimuthal angle segments and processed as a function of rotation angle of the tool. Acoustic parameters of interest are obtained from the azimuthal receiver responses at annotated depths along the borehole and used to produce borehole images of the parameters of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventor: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20140241112
    Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer device includes an ultrasonic element array and a common electrode wiring. The ultrasonic element array has three ultrasonic element rows with each of the three ultrasonic element rows including a plurality of ultrasonic elements arranged along a first direction and electrically connected to each other. The three ultrasonic element rows are arranged along a second direction intersecting with the first direction. The common electrode wiring is configured and arranged to supply a common voltage to at least one of the three ultrasonic element rows. The common electrode wiring extends in the first direction and is arranged between two of the three ultrasonic element rows positioned on outer sides among the three ultrasonic element rows with respect to the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuyuki KANO
  • Publication number: 20140241114
    Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer device includes an ultrasonic transducer element array, a first signal terminal, and a second signal terminal. The ultrasonic transducer element array has a 1st element group to a kth element group (where k is a natural number such that k?2). The first signal terminal is connected with a control section configured and arranged to perform at least one of receiving and transmitting of signals. The second signal terminal is connected with the first signal terminal via the ultrasonic transducer element array. Each of the 1st element group to the kth element group includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements electrically connected in series. The 1st element group to the kth element group are electrically connected in parallel between the first signal terminal and the second signal terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi MATSUDA, Tsukasa FUNASAKA
  • Publication number: 20140241113
    Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer device includes an ultrasonic transducer element array, a first signal terminal and a second signal terminal. The ultrasonic transducer element array has a 1st element group to a kth element group (where k is a natural number such that k?2). The first signal terminal is connected with a control section configured to perform at least one of receiving and transmitting of signals. The second signal terminal is connected with the first signal terminal via the ultrasonic transducer element array. Each of the 1st element group to the kth element group includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements electrically connected in parallel. The 1st element group to the kth element group are electrically connected in series between the first signal terminal and the second signal terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi MATSUDA
  • Publication number: 20140226437
    Abstract: A method for estimating moment tensor components of a source can use a waveform based method that performs a stack function on projected data from each sensor. The method can produce a cumulative result for each moment tensor component, for each propagation phase at each image point and origin time. A system for use in imaging a subterranean region of interest can include instructions which operate on recorded actual seismic data output from seismic receivers having known positions, and at least one processor, whereby the instructions cause the processor to project a selected data sample from the seismic data onto a moment tensor component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Inventors: Christopher Chambers, Stephen Wilson
  • Publication number: 20140219050
    Abstract: A method of processing an image, including estimating a point spread function (PSF) of an acquired image, and performing image restoration on the acquired image using the estimated PSF based on a generalized Gaussian model using inverse filter frequency domain so as to perform image restoration at high speed and to prevent a halo effect. The method provides high speed processing while preventing a halo effect. The apparatus includes an ultrasonic imaging apparatus including: an ultrasonic probe to irradiate an object with ultrasonic waves and to receive ultrasonic echo waves reflected from the object; a beamformer configured to perform beam forming based on the ultrasonic echo waves received by the ultrasonic probe; an image restorer configured to restore the image beam formed by the beamformer based on a generalized Gaussian model; and an postprocessor configured to suppress noise and aliasing which are produced in the process of restoring the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung Chan PARK, Joo Young KANG, Kyu Hong KIM, Jung Ho KIM, Su Hyun PARK
  • Publication number: 20140211587
    Abstract: An ultrasonic device includes an ultrasonic element array substrate having a plurality of ultrasonic elements that each include a piezoelectric body; a fixing frame having a recess to which the ultrasonic element array substrate is fixed, and a perforated portion formed with a through hole by opening a part of the bottom face of the recess, wherein an element-formed surface of the ultrasonic element array substrate is faced to the perforated portion; an acoustic lens secured to the fixing frame so as to cover the perforated portion; and an acoustic matching layer formed of a resin being arranged between the ultrasonic element array substrate and the acoustic lens, so as to secure them to each other. The acoustic lens and the fixing frame are in contact with each other, and the thickness of the acoustic matching layer is maintained at a fixed value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kanechika KIYOSE
  • Publication number: 20140204699
    Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system includes a probe with a transducer array with at least one transducer element that transmits ultrasound signal and receives echo signals produced in response thereto. The system further includes a console with a controller that controls the at least one element to transmit the ultrasound signals and receive the echo signals, and an echo processor that processes the received echoes and generates images indicative thereof. The system further includes a user interface with at least one control for interacting with the console. The user interface includes at least one recessed physical feature that facilitates identifying, through sense of touch, an operation activated by the at least one control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: B-K MEDICAL APS
    Inventors: Kaj Dunkan, Peter Ulrik Kann, Torben Svanberg Nielsen, Steen Madsen, Alex Kõneke, Jacob Enemark
  • Publication number: 20140204700
    Abstract: An example method for automatically characterizing an echo contained in an ultrasonic signal generated with an ultrasonic transducer can include receiving data corresponding to the ultrasonic signal, calculating an energy ratio of the ultrasonic signal and localizing the echo using the energy ratio. The method can include windowing a portion of the ultrasonic signal around the localized echo and calculating a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and a Hilbert envelop of the windowed portion. The method can include estimating M echo parameters from the FFT and the Hilbert envelope of the windowed portion, where each of the M parameter vectors includes a plurality of echo parameters, calculating M parametric echo models based on each of the M echo parameter vectors and iteratively minimizing a difference between the windowed portion of the ultrasonic signal and a sum of the M parametric echo models.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Inventors: Henri-Pierre Valero, Adam Pedrycz, Takeo Fujihara
  • Publication number: 20140204701
    Abstract: Computing device, system and method for calculating a far-field signature of a vibratory seismic source. The method includes determining an absolute acceleration of a piston of the vibratory seismic source while the vibratory seismic source generates a seismic wave; calculating, based on the absolute acceleration of the piston, a far-field waveform of the vibratory seismic source at a given point (O) away from the vibratory seismic source; and cross-correlating the far-field waveform with a driving pilot signal of the vibratory seismic source to determine the far-field signature of the vibratory seismic source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: CGG SERVICES SA
    Inventor: Benoit TEYSSANDIER
  • Publication number: 20140198606
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to systems and methods for optoacoustic imaging of an object comprising, in some embodiments, an image acquisition unit for acquiring a first sequence of tomographic optoacoustic images, the image acquisition unit comprising an illumination device and a detection device configured for repeatedly collecting acoustic waves emerging from the object and for generating the first sequence of tomographic optoacoustic images. In some embodiments, a processing unit is provided for generating a second sequence of one or more tomographic optoacoustic images from the first sequence of tomographic optoacoustic images based on an analysis of one or more tomographic optoacoustic images of the first sequence of tomographic optoacoustic images and/or at least one property of the object while acquiring the first sequence of tomographic optoacoustic images and/or at least one property of the acquisition unit while acquiring the first sequence of tomographic optoacoustic images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Helmsholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH)
    Inventors: Stefan Morscher, Vasilis Ntziachristos, Nikolaos Deliolanis
  • Publication number: 20140198605
    Abstract: A method for maximizing a repeatability between a base seismic survey and a monitor seismic survey of a same surveyed subsurface during a 4-dimensional (4D) project. The method includes receiving first seismic data associated with the base seismic survey; receiving second seismic data associated with the monitor seismic survey, wherein the monitor seismic survey is performed later in time than the base seismic survey; estimating subsurface reflection-points and incidence angles; determining 4D-binning based on the estimated subsurface reflection-points and incidence angles; and maximizing the repeatability between the first seismic data and the second seismic data by using the 4D-binning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: CGG SERVICES SA
    Inventors: Sergio GRION, Ross HAACKE
  • Publication number: 20140192615
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus is provided, which includes: a signal initialization unit that acquires an initial value of a pressure signal that is obtained after receive, by a receiving unit, of an elasticity wave from an object; an impulse response initialization unit that acquires an initial value of an impulse response of the receiving unit; and an output unit that outputs a modified pressure signal, wherein the output unit has: a signal modifying unit that modifies the pressure signal in use of the impulse response; a signal constraining unit that modifies the pressure signal based on a plurality of constraint conditions; an impulse response modifying unit that modifies the impulse response; and an impulse response constraining unit that modifies the impulse response based on constraint conditions which are time-bandwidth characteristics, and wherein the output unit generates the modified pressure signal by iteratively executing the processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji Mitsuhashi
  • Publication number: 20140192616
    Abstract: Provided is an electronic device including a modulation unit (22) that modulates a sound signal to a modulation wave for a parametric speaker; an oscillator (12) to which the modulation wave is input; an equalizer (26) that corrects a frequency characteristic of a sound wave that is demodulated by the modulation wave; and a control unit (20) that selects a carrier frequency of the modulation wave and changes setting of the equalizer (26) on the basis of the selected carrier frequency. Thus, it is possible to provide the electronic device capable of correcting the frequency characteristic of the sound wave that is demodulated, for each carrier frequency of the modulation wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: NEC CASIO MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichiro Kishinami, Yasuharu Onishi, Motoyoshi Komoda, Yukio Murata, Jun Kuroda, Shigeo Satou
  • Patent number: 8773946
    Abstract: A system and method are presented for producing a model of the interior of a building. The model is capable of receiving and dynamically incorporating input from various sources including, for example, existing static map data, data such as annotations and updates provided by persons on the scene but outside the building, and real-time data from sensors located on mobile persons or assets that are dynamically moving inside the building. In some cases, the moving persons or assets inside the building may carry a unit that emits sound or electromagnetic pulses, which reflect off the immediate surroundings in a particular room or portion of the building, and sense the reflected pulses. The reflections from relatively close features may arrive at the sensor more quickly than those from relatively distant features, so that temporal analysis of the reflected pulse may provide information about features in the building as a function of their distance away from the unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Aravind Padmanabhan, Steve Huseth
  • Publication number: 20140187945
    Abstract: An ultrasound probe (10) comprises a pair of one dimensional transducer modules (1, 2) arranged in-line but set apart from each other in a shallow “V” shape. This allows a wide gap for needle manipulation while maintaining the ability to compute a good acoustic image of the target area (4) on an ultrasound scan engine. The ultrasound image is a product of data from both the arrays. The probe (10) is shaped to allow ergonomic manipulation possibilities for the anaesthetist. The probe can be held in a ‘pencil-type’ grip anywhere on the main body, or by pushing directly on the back of arrays. The shape of the probe, means it sits in position better on a patient than a conventional probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE
    Inventors: Cochran Sandy, Roderick Habeshaw, Graeme McLeod, George Corner, Jonathan Marsh
  • Publication number: 20140177384
    Abstract: A scene is reconstructed by transmitting pulses into a scene from an array of transmitters so that only one pulse is transmitted by one transmitter at any one time. The one pulse is reflection by the scene and received as a set of signals. Each signal is sampled and decomposed to produce frequency coefficients stacked in a set of linear systems modeling a reflectivity of the scene. Then, a reconstruction method is applied to the set of linear systems. The reconstruction method solves each linear system separately to obtain corresponding solutions, which are shared and combined to reconstruct the scene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC RESEARCH LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventor: Petros T. Boufounos
  • Publication number: 20140177386
    Abstract: A seismic survey system for surveying a subsurface. The system includes a volumetric land source buried underground for generating P-waves; a non-volumetric land source buried underground for generating P- and S-waves; plural receivers distributed about the volumetric and non-volumetric land sources and configured to record seismic signals corresponding to the P- and S-waves; and a controller connected to the volumetric land source and the non-volumetric land source and configured to shot them in a given pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: CGG SERVICES SA
    Inventors: Eric FORGUES, Francois-Xavier GRESILLON, Julien COTTON
  • Publication number: 20140177385
    Abstract: A method for processing seismic data related to a structure under a body of water to generate an image of the structure includes receiving seismic data acquired using detectors disposed on a depth-varying profile streamer. The method further includes generating, from the seismic data, first traces that correspond to traces as recorded by the detectors and migrated to water surface, and second traces that correspond to traces as would be recorded by virtual detectors mirroring the detectors relative to the water surface and migrated to water surface. The method also includes generating third traces as a sum of corresponding ones among the first traces and second traces, and fourth traces as a difference of the corresponding ones of the first and second traces. The method then includes deghosting at least one of the first and second traces using positive and negative polarity portions of the third and fourth traces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: CGG SERVICES SA
    Inventor: Ronan SABLON
  • Publication number: 20140160881
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for exploring a subsurface region that contains a target sector of interest. The method comprises providing information about the harmonic response for the target sector of interest and a seismic source. The method comprises controlling the seismic source to provide seismic waves in a narrowband selected on the basis of the information about the harmonic response for the target sector of interest. The method comprises activating the seismic source so as to introduce seismic waves into the subsurface sector and sensing reflections of the seismic waves at a seismic receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Seispec, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jeff L. Love, Charles Ian Puryear
  • Publication number: 20140160882
    Abstract: A system and method of characterizing properties of a medium from a non-linear interaction are include generating, by first and second acoustic sources disposed on a surface of the medium on a first line, first and second acoustic waves. The first and second acoustic sources are controllable such that trajectories of the first and second acoustic waves intersect in a mixing zone within the medium. The method further includes receiving, by a receiver positioned in a plane containing the first and second acoustic sources, a third acoustic wave generated by a non-linear mixing process from the first and second acoustic waves in the mixing zone; and creating a first two-dimensional image of non-linear properties or a first ratio of compressional velocity and shear velocity, or both, of the medium in a first plane generally perpendicular to the surface and containing the first line, based on the received third acoustic wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicants: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL SECURITY LLC, Chevron U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventors: Cung Khac VU, Kurt Toshimi NIHEI, Paul A. JOHNSON, Robert A. GUYER, James A. TEN CATE, Pierre-Yves LE BAS, Carene S. LARMAT
  • Publication number: 20140160883
    Abstract: A method includes receiving from multiple transducers respective signals including reflections of a transmitted signal from a target. An image of the target is produced irrespective of sparsity of the received signals, by computing transducer-specific frequency-domain coefficients for each of the received signals, deriving, from the transducer-specific frequency-domain coefficients, beamforming frequency-domain coefficients of a beamformed signal in which the reflections received from a selected direction relative to the transducers are emphasized, and reconstructing the image of the target at the selected direction based on the beamforming frequency-domain coefficients.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Technion Research & Development Foundation Ltd.
    Inventors: Yonina Eldar, Tatiana Chernyakova, Ron Amit
  • Publication number: 20140153358
    Abstract: A medical imaging system capable of providing assistance to a user for acquiring medical images. The medical imaging system includes an image acquisition unit configured to acquire a live medical image of an object in a scanning plane. An image assistance unit is configured to present at least one of one or more reference images in the scanning plane of the live medical image. The image assistance unit also presents at least one demonstration image clip for obtaining the at least one reference image using the image acquisition unit. A display unit is communicably coupled to the image acquisition unit and the imaging assistance unit. The display unit is configured to display the at least one reference image and the at least one demonstration image clip along with the live medical image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kalyanaraman Balakrishnan, Ajay Parkhe, Madhumita Gupta
  • Patent number: 8743654
    Abstract: Systems and methods for embedding three-dimensional targets in realistic sonar images are provided. An actual or synthetic sonar image is first created and a reflectivity map is produced therefrom. A direct path bottom reverberation is calculated to which texture is added by multiplying the signal from a given point on the bottom at coordinates (x,y) by the reflectivity map R(x,y) at that point and in which targets are embedded. Echoes from targets and other noise sources are superimposed on the direct path bottom reverberation to generate raw unbeamformed stave data. The stave data is beamformed to produce the desired complex image with the desired targets naturally embedded therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Gary S. Sammelmann
  • Publication number: 20140146637
    Abstract: Ultrasound data is acquired by a synthetic aperture technique which uses multiple ultrasound transmissions from point sources. RF data is stored and processed. Doppler velocities for pixels in an insonified region are obtained by processing the stored data. One or more pan boxes may be provided. Doppler velocities may be determined by obtaining I and Q images for a plurality of frames and performing autocorrelation across the frames for some or all pixels in the frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: InnerVision Medical Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Bhaskar Ramamurthy, Sean Murphy
  • Publication number: 20140140167
    Abstract: Improved imaging is provided for structures under test that have propagation direction dependent ultrasound propagation speed or position dependent ultrasound propagation speed due to fibrous, coarse grain or single crystalline material. A set reflection points is selected in the structure under test and ultrasound propagation time delays between the reflection point or points on one hand and the plurality of positions on the other hand that fit an observed time delay of the detected reflections are computed. This may be done by means of an iterative method. In the iterative method a synthetically focused ultrasound beam is realized by summing measurements after compensation for propagation time delay from different transmitting transducers to the reflection points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO
    Inventors: Alan Joseph Hunter, Arno Willem Frederik Volker
  • Publication number: 20140133269
    Abstract: An elongate probe (204) including a probe head (214) with a transducer array (216), a shaft (210) and an articulating member (212). The articulating member is located between the probe head and the shaft. The articulating member is configured to articulate between a position in which the probe head extends along a longitudinal axis of the probe and at least one articulated position in which the probe head extends at a non-zero angle from the longitudinal axis of the probe. The probe further includes a stiffener (224) configured to controllably move from a retracted position to an extended position at which the stiffener inhibits articulation of the articulating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventor: Bo Hansen
  • Publication number: 20140126324
    Abstract: An acousto-optic image capture device includes: an acoustic beam source, an acoustic lens system; an acousto-optic medium portion arranged on the path of the scattered wave transmitted through the acoustic lens system; a light source that emits a light beam including monochromatic rays of light toward the acousto-optic medium portion obliquely; an imaging lens system that condenses diffracted rays of light produced by the acousto-optic medium; and an image receiving section that detects the rays of light condensed by the imaging lens system. The acoustic lens system includes at least a telecentric acoustic system and a sound-collecting acoustic system arranged on the image space. The distance between acoustic systems is equal to the sum of the respective focal lengths of the telecentric acoustic system and the sound-collecting acoustic system. The light beam is transmitted at the focal point of the sound-collecting acoustic system through the acousto-optic medium portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Ushio SANGAWA, Takuya IWAMOTO, Yuriko KANEKO, Takahiro KAMAI, Masahiko HASHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20140126323
    Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system for generating an ultrasonic image of a motion status of an object according to at least an ultrasonic motion signal generated by detecting the motion of the object is provided. The ultrasonic imaging system includes a demodulation module, an analog sub-array beamformer, a filter, an analog-to-digital converter and an image processing module. The demodulation module receives and demodulates the ultrasonic motion signal so as to generate and send at least a demodulated signal. The analog sub-array beamformer receives the demodulated signal, generates and sends an analog sub-array beam signal according to the demodulated signal. The filter receives and filtering the analog sub-array beam signal. The analog-to-digital converter converts the analog sub-array beam signal filtered by the filter into a digital sub-array beam signal. The image processing module receives the digital sub-array beam signal so as to generate an ultrasonic image of the motion of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: PAI-CHI LI, YEN-FENG LI
  • Patent number: 8717843
    Abstract: Apparatus for ultrasound image acquisition is integrated into the casing of an ultrasound probe that includes an array of electro-acoustic transducers, which transmit and receive ultrasound pulses. The array communicate with a processing unit, to which reception signals are fed, and are connected to a unit generating signals for exciting the transmission of ultrasound waves. In one aspect of the invention, at least the processing unit is fitted into the probe casing and is configured to convert the reception signals into an image, and to generate video signals for generating an image on a display unit. The transmission between the probe and a remote unit displaying and possibly storing the images as video signals may be operated wirelessly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Esaota S.p.A.
    Inventor: Marino Cerofolini
  • Publication number: 20140119157
    Abstract: This disclosure presents computational systems and methods for obtaining high-resolution, three-dimensional seismic images of a region of a subterranean formation using separated up-going and down-going wavefields that include primary and multiple reflections obtained by processing dual-sensor towed streamer seismic data. The inclusion of multiple reflections reduces acquisition footprints in migration of the seismic data. The computational systems and methods produce high-resolution images in a region of a subterranean formation that lies below a body of water. The methods and systems employ a digitally encoded wavefields constructed from a discrete sampling of a two-dimensional slice of a three-dimensional wavefield and stored in one or more tangible, physical data-storage devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: PGS Geophyscial AS
    Inventors: Norman Daniel Whitmore, JR., Shaoping Lu
  • Publication number: 20140112094
    Abstract: A disclosed direct velocity seismic sensor includes a housing, a proof mass suspended in the housing by a resilient component, and a motion dampener that damps oscillation of the proof mass to a degree that displacement of the proof mass relative to the housing is substantially linearly proportional to a rate of change of seismic displacements of the housing over a frequency range of interest. A described method for constructing a seismic sensor includes using a calculated resonant frequency to determine a damping factor that causes the displacement of the proof mass to be substantially proportional to the rate of change of seismic displacement of the housing. One illustrative disclosed system includes an optical velocity sensor and a detector where a light beam produced by the velocity sensor and a reference beam interfere at the detector, and the detector produces a signal indicative of a velocity experienced by the velocity sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventor: Robert A.P. FERNIHOUGH
  • Publication number: 20140104979
    Abstract: A ground-penetrating tunnel-detecting active sonar launches two different monotonic acoustic beams down into the ground from the surface. If the two separate monotonic acoustic waves arrive at a stress field, they will mix and produce a frequency difference heterodyne due to the inherent pressure nonlinearities in the solid medias. Any sonar returns are bandpass filtered so only an acoustic frequency difference heterodyne can pass through. The existence of a tunnel is revealed by the return of acoustic frequency difference heterodynes all coming from a more-or-less horizontal line of phase-delayed sources and directions. These phase differences can be derived from the vector values provided by the acoustic vector sensor. Three or more acoustic vector sensors on the surface can be used effectively to provide triangulations down to the tunnel to better estimate the tunnel track.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: STOLAR RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gerald L. Stolarczyk, Larry G. Stolarczyk, Richard B. Main
  • Publication number: 20140104978
    Abstract: Measurements made by a transducer assembly for downhole imaging are affected by reverberations between the transducer and the window on the outside of the assembly. The reverberations result in a stationary noise on the image. Hardware solutions to improve signal-to-noise ratio includes using a composite transducer, adjusting the distance between the transducer and the window. SNR can also be improved by processing techniques that include stacking, fitting a sinusoid to the reverberation, by envelope peak detection, and by applying a notch filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: ROGER R. STEINSIEK, JASON M. HARRIS, JINSONG ZHAO, DOUGLAS J. PATTERSON, JAMES B. DOMNANISH