Apparatus and method for a noninvasive estimate of the characteristics of a periodic/cyclic bodily sound in a region close to its source
First Claim
1. A method for noninvasively determining a sound pressure of a source located inside of a body, the source transmitting a generally periodic acoustic signal including at least one signal component to a surface of the body, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) receiving the signal component at the surface of the body;
b) estimating an initial phase-inverted signal component responsive to the signal component received at the surface, the phase-inverted signal component approximating a phase-inverted version of the received signal component;
c) transmitting the phase-inverted signal component advanced by a predetermined time increment toward the source via the surface, the predetermined time increment corresponding to a distance of the signal component within the body;
d) adjusting at least one feature of the transmitted signal component until a further received signal approximates a minimum value;
e) setting the adjusted signal component determined in step d) as the phase-inverted signal component corresponding to the signal component at the distance; and
f) repeating steps c)-e) until the phase-inverted signal component corresponds to the signal component proximate to the source.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for noninvasively determining a sound pressure of a source that transmits a generally periodic acoustic signal including at least one signal component to a surface of a body are provided. The signal component at the surface of the body is received and an initial phase-inverted signal component is estimated responsive to the received signal component. The phase-inverted signal component, advanced by a predetermined time increment, is transmitted toward the source via the surface. The predetermined time increment corresponds to a distance of the signal component within the body. At least one feature of the transmitted signal component is adjusted until a further received signal approximates a minimum value. The adjusted signal component corresponds to the signal component at the distance. The apparatus determines the phase-inverted signal component that corresponds to the signal component being proximate to the source.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A method for noninvasively determining a sound pressure of a source located inside of a body, the source transmitting a generally periodic acoustic signal including at least one signal component to a surface of the body, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a) receiving the signal component at the surface of the body;
b) estimating an initial phase-inverted signal component responsive to the signal component received at the surface, the phase-inverted signal component approximating a phase-inverted version of the received signal component;
c) transmitting the phase-inverted signal component advanced by a predetermined time increment toward the source via the surface, the predetermined time increment corresponding to a distance of the signal component within the body;
d) adjusting at least one feature of the transmitted signal component until a further received signal approximates a minimum value;
e) setting the adjusted signal component determined in step d) as the phase-inverted signal component corresponding to the signal component at the distance; and
f) repeating steps c)-e) until the phase-inverted signal component corresponds to the signal component proximate to the source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A system for noninvasively determining a source sound pressure of a source located inside of a body, the source transmitting a generally periodic acoustic signal including at least one signal component to a surface of the body, the system comprising:
-
means for receiving the signal component at the surface of the body;
means for estimating an initial phase-inverted signal component responsive to the signal component received at the surface, the phase-inverted signal component approximating a phase-inverted version of the received signal component;
means for transmitting the phase-inverted signal component advanced by a predetermined time increment toward the source via the surface, the predetermined time increment corresponding to a distance of the signal component within the body;
means for adjusting at least one feature of the transmitted signal component until a further received signal approximates a minimum value;
means for setting the adjusted signal component as the phase-inverted signal component corresponding to the signal component at the distance, whereby the system determines the phase-inverted signal component that corresponds to the signal component being proximate to the source.
-
-
9. Apparatus for noninvasively determining a source sound pressure of a source located inside of a body, the source transmitting a generally periodic acoustic signal including at least one signal component to a surface of the body, the system comprising:
-
a first acoustic transducer disposed on the surface for receiving the signal component at the surface of the body;
a second acoustic transducer disposed on the surface of the body; and
a source pressure determination system comprising;
a signal generator configured to generate an estimated phase-inverted signal component responsive to the signal component received at the surface by the first acoustic transducer, the phase-inverted signal component approximating a phase-inverted version of the received signal component, and a controller for;
a) providing a predetermined time increment to the signal generator for advancing the generated phase-inverted signal component, the predetermined time increment corresponding to a distance of the signal component within the body, the second acoustic transducer transmitting the advanced phase-inverted signal component provided by the signal generator toward the source, and b) adjusting at least one feature of the estimated phase-inverted signal generated by the signal generator until a further signal received from the first acoustic transducer approximates a minimum value, the controller setting the adjusted signal component as the phase-inverted signal component corresponding to the signal component at the distance, wherein the source pressure determination system determines the phase-inverted signal component that corresponds to the signal component being proximate to the source. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification