System and method for detection of motion

• US 20030153831A1
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: P.M.G. Medica Ltd.
• Original Assignee: P.M.G. Medica Ltd.
• Inventors: Zumeris, Yanina, Zumeris, Jona, Levy, Jacob
• Granted Patent: US 6,964,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/033 Uterine pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/02 Measuring pulse or heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0866 involving foetal diagnosis; pre-natal or peri-natal diagnosis of the baby
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/15 Transmission-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/488 involving Doppler signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8913 using separate transducers for transmission and reception
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8915 using a transducer array
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8922 the array being concentric or annular
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8979 Combined Doppler and pulse-echo imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52079 Constructional features constructional features of transducers B06B; mounting transducers G10K11/00; constructional features of ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/44

Abstract

As part of the present invention, a motion detector for detecting motion inside of a body may include a first oscillator to produce an electrical scanning signal and a second oscillator to produce an electrical Doppler signal. A vibrating element may vibrate in response to the scanning and Doppler signals. A vibration transducer may receive vibrations reflected from a structure inside the body and may convert the reflected vibrations into an electrical signal. Doppler shifts between the transmitted and received vibrations may be used to estimate the velocity of the structure inside the body.

Claims

1. A method of detecting motion inside of a body comprising:

producing an electrical scanning signal;

producing an electrical Doppler signal;

applying both the scanning and Doppler signals to a vibrating element in proximity with the body; and

receiving vibrations reflected from a structure inside the body and converting the reflected vibrations to an electric signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a frequency difference between the Doppler signal and the electric signal associated with the reflected vibrations.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising calculating a velocity of an structure from which the Doppler signal was reflected based on the frequency difference between the Doppler signal and the electric signal associated with the reflected vibrations.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising altering the pattern of vibrations emitted by the vibrating element.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising altering the pattern of vibrations emitted by the vibrating element by causing the vibrating element to alter its shape.

6. The claim according to claim 1, wherein the vibrating element is a piezo-ceramic element.

7. The claim according to claim 1, wherein the step of producing an electrical scanning signal produces an electrical signal in the Kilohertz range.

8. The claim according to claim 1, wherein the step of producing a Doppler signal produces an electrical signal in the Megahertz range.

9. A motion detector for detecting motion inside of a body, said detector comprising;

a first oscillator to produce an electrical scanning signal;

a second oscillator to produce an electrical Doppler signal;

a vibrating element to vibrate in response to the scanning and Doppler signals; and

a vibration transducer to receive vibrations reflected from a structure inside the body and to convert the reflected vibrations into an electrical signal.

10. The motion detector according to claim 9, further comprising a signal detector to detect the electrical signal produced by said vibration transducer.

11. The motion detector according to claim 10, wherein said signal detector compares the frequency of the electrical signal from said vibration transducer and the electrical Doppler signal.

12. The motion detector according to claim 9, further comprising a switching gate to switch the signal applied to said vibrating element between the electrical scanning signal and the electrical Doppler signal.

13. The motion detector according to claim 9, wherein said vibrating element is comprised of a piezo-ceramic material.

14. The motion detector according to claim 13, wherein said piezo-ceramic material has an opening.

15. The motion detector according to claim 9, wherein said vibration transducer is comprised of a piezo-ceramic material.

16. The motion detector according to claim 15, wherein said piezo-ceramic material has an opening.

17. The motion detector according to claims 16, wherein said vibrating element and said vibration transducer are combined into a single transceiver.

18. The motion detector according to claim 9, further comprising at least a second vibrating element.

19. The motion detector according to claim 9, further comprising at least a second vibration transducer.

20. The motion detector according to claim 18, wherein electrical signals from said first and second oscillators are applied to all said vibrating elements.

21. The motion detector according to claim 20, further comprising at least a second vibration transducer and wherein said signal detector detects signals produced by each of said vibration transducers.

22. The motion detector according to claim 9, wherein said first oscillator produces an electric signal in the Kilohertz range and said second oscillator produces an electric signal in the Megahertz range.

23. A system for motion detection within a body, said system comprising;

a first oscillator to produce an electrical scanning signal;

a second oscillator to produce an electrical Doppler signal;

a vibrating element to vibrate in response to the scanning and Doppler signals;

a vibration transducer to receive vibrations reflected from an object inside the body and to convert the reflected vibrations into an electrical signal;

a signal detector to compare the frequency of an electrical signal associated with reflected vibrations against the electrical Doppler signal; and

a cathode ray tube display to display results of said signal detector.

24. The system for motion detection according to claim 23, further comprising a housing which is at least partially clear for said vibrating element and said vibration transducer.