MULTI-SPECTRAL ULTRASONIC IMAGING
First Claim
1. A method of scanning a finger, comprising:
- scanning a finger positioned on an imaging surface of an ultrasonic sensor with a plurality of ultrasonic scan frequencies;
generating an ultrasonic image information set from a plurality of pixels of the ultrasonic sensor for each of the scan frequencies, the image information set including a pixel output value from each of the plurality of pixels, each pixel output value indicating an amount of energy reflected from the imaging surface; and
combining the image information sets corresponding to each of the scan frequencies to generate a combined image information set, the combined image information set including combined pixel output values from each of the plurality of pixels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for multi-spectral ultrasonic imaging are disclosed. In one embodiment, a finger is scanned at a plurality of ultrasonic scan frequencies. Each scan frequency provides an image information set describing a plurality of pixels of the finger including a signal-strength indicating an amount of energy reflected from a surface of a platen on which a finger is provided. For each of the pixels, the pixel output value corresponding to each of the scan frequencies is combined to produce a combined pixel out put value for each pixel. Systems and methods for improving the data capture of multi-spectral ultrasonic imaging are also disclosed.
64 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of scanning a finger, comprising:
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scanning a finger positioned on an imaging surface of an ultrasonic sensor with a plurality of ultrasonic scan frequencies; generating an ultrasonic image information set from a plurality of pixels of the ultrasonic sensor for each of the scan frequencies, the image information set including a pixel output value from each of the plurality of pixels, each pixel output value indicating an amount of energy reflected from the imaging surface; and combining the image information sets corresponding to each of the scan frequencies to generate a combined image information set, the combined image information set including combined pixel output values from each of the plurality of pixels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for scanning a finger, comprising:
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an imaging surface configured to receive a finger; a plane wave ultrasonic transmitter for generating one or more ultrasonic plane waves directed towards the imaging surface in response to a plurality of electrical signals; a transmitter driver amplifier configured to receive an electrical signal from the signal generator and use the electrical signal to drive the ultrasonic transmitter; an ultrasonic sensor array configured to receive one or more reflected ultrasonic signals from the imaging surface; and an electronic subsystem for generating image information sets corresponding to the one or more reflected ultrasonic signals at each frequency of interest and combining the image information sets. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable code, the executable code comprising instructions to:
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scan a finger positioned on an imaging surface of an ultrasonic sensor with a plurality of ultrasonic scan frequencies; generate an ultrasonic image information set from a plurality of pixels of the ultrasonic sensor for each of the scan frequencies, the image information set including a pixel output value from each of the plurality of pixels, each pixel output value indicating an amount of energy reflected from the imaging surface; and combine the image information sets corresponding to each of the scan frequencies to generate a combined image information set, the combined image information set including combined pixel output values from each of the plurality of pixels. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A system for scanning a finger comprising:
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means for generating one or more ultrasonic plane waves (“
MFG”
) in response to a signal generator that is capable of creating electrical signals of different discrete frequencies within the ultrasonic frequency range;means for driving the MFG in response to an electrical signal from the signal generator; means for contacting the finger and reflecting ultrasonic waves from the MFG as ultrasonic signals to an ultrasonic sensor array means, wherein the ultrasonic sensor array means is configured to receive the reflected ultrasonic signals; and means for forming an image information set of the finger for each received reflected ultrasonic signal at each frequency of interest and combining the formed image information sets. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification