Three-dimensional temperature probe
First Claim
1. Apparatus for internally measuring variations in a body that affect the transmission of an energy wave through the body, comprising:
- means for generating two coaxial energy beams, at least one of said beams being convergent and the other of said beams having generally the same cross-sectional area as said focused beam along most of the propagation path of said convergent beam and having a cross-sectional area that is greater than that of the convergent beam in the region of its convergence;
means for receiving said two beams after propagation through the region of the body being measured;
means for measuring changes in the relative phase angle between the received beams as an indication of variations in the body.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Two coaxial acoustic beams, one focused and the other unfocused, are used to measure changes in temperature within a localized region in a body. The focal region of the focused beam is located at the area to be measured. Changes in the relative phase angle between the two beams are indicative of changes in acoustic properties occurring at the focal region. Since the two beams have generally the same propagation path outside of the focal region, they will be similarly affected by acoustic variations which occur there, so there will not be any relative phase change between them due to such variations.
177 Citations
22 Claims
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1. Apparatus for internally measuring variations in a body that affect the transmission of an energy wave through the body, comprising:
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means for generating two coaxial energy beams, at least one of said beams being convergent and the other of said beams having generally the same cross-sectional area as said focused beam along most of the propagation path of said convergent beam and having a cross-sectional area that is greater than that of the convergent beam in the region of its convergence; means for receiving said two beams after propagation through the region of the body being measured; means for measuring changes in the relative phase angle between the received beams as an indication of variations in the body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. Apparatus for internally measuring variations of a parameter affecting acoustic properties within an object, comprising:
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means for transmitting a focussed acoustic beam being that converges upon a focal region; means for transmitting a second acoustic beam coaxially with said focussed beam, the cross-sectional area of said second acoustic beam being generally the same as the focussed beam outside of said focal region and greater than that of the focussed beam within said focal region; means for receiving said beams; means for measuring changes in the difference in velocities of the received beams; and means for displaying said changes as an indication of changes in the parameter. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. Apparatus for internally measuring temperature variations of a region within an object, comprising:
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means for transmitting a focussed acoustic beam that converges upon a focal region; means for transmitting a second acoustic beam coaxially with said focussed beam, the cross-sectional area of said second acoustic beam being generally the same as the focussed beam outside of said focal region and greater than that of the focussed beam within said focal region; means for receiving said beams; means for measuring changes in the difference in velocities of the received beams; and means for displaying the measured changes as an indication of temperature variations. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A method for measuring variations of a parameter affecting the transmission of an energy wave through the interior of an object, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a convergent energy beam into the object, said beam converging on a region in the area of the object wherein said parameter is to be measured; transmitting a reference energy beam into the object that is coaxial with said convergent beam, the cross-sectional area of said reference energy is generally the same as that of the convergent beam outside of said region and is greater than that of the convergent beam in said region; receiving the convergent and reference energy beams after propagation through the region where said parameter is to be measured; determining the relative phase angle between the two received beams; and measuring changes in the determined phase angle as an indication of changes in the parameter. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for measuring variations of a parameter affecting acoustic properties within the interior of an object, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a first acoustic beam into the object, said beam being focussed onto an area of the object wherein said parameter is to be measured; transmitting a second acoustic beam into the object that is coaxial with said first beam, the cross-sectional area of said second beam being generally the same as that of the first beam outside of said area and being greater than that of said first beam within said area; receiving the beams after propagation through the area where said parameter is to be measured; determining the relative phase angle between the two received beams; and measuring changes in the determined phase angle as an indication of changes in the parameter. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for internally measuring variations in temperature of a region within an object, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a first acoustic beam into the object, said beam being focussed onto the region of the object wherein temperature variations are to be measured; transmitting a second acoustic beam through said region of object, the cross-sectional area of said second beam in the object being generally the same as that of the first beam outside of the region and being greater than that of the first beam in said region; receiving the first and second beams after propagation through the region of the object to be measured; determining the relative phase angle between the two received beams; measuring changes in the determined phase angle; and correlating the measured changes to variations in temperature. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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19. The method of 18 wherein said second beam is coaxial with said first beam.
Specification