Device and method for locating flow blockage in a three-dimensional object
First Claim
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1. A method for detecting arterial blockage in a body containing blood vessels, comprising the steps of:
- positioning an array of sensors on a surface of the body;
detecting waveform energy on the body surface by said positioned array of sensors;
identifying a change in waveform energy on the surface of the body by at least one sensor in said array of sensors;
determining at least spectral, directional, and intensity waveform energy characteristics sensed by each sensor in said array of sensors; and
locating the arterial blockage from said waveform energy characteristics, wherein said step of positioning includes spacing each sensor in said array from an adjacent sensor by a distance at least one-half wavelength of the waveform energy being measured.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for locating artery stenoses in blood vessels incls providing an array of sensors on skin surface to acquire data for detecting, locating and analyzing energy emissions in three-dimensional objects. The array detects momentum transfer that exists in the object in the form of wave energy, and the detection is designed to occur on the surface of the object, thereby providing a non-intrusive method for locating artery stenoses, with localization of the artery stenoses being achieved through array signal processing by information detected on the surface of the skin with the plurality or array of sensors.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for detecting arterial blockage in a body containing blood vessels, comprising the steps of:
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positioning an array of sensors on a surface of the body; detecting waveform energy on the body surface by said positioned array of sensors; identifying a change in waveform energy on the surface of the body by at least one sensor in said array of sensors; determining at least spectral, directional, and intensity waveform energy characteristics sensed by each sensor in said array of sensors; and locating the arterial blockage from said waveform energy characteristics, wherein said step of positioning includes spacing each sensor in said array from an adjacent sensor by a distance at least one-half wavelength of the waveform energy being measured. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A device for detecting arterial stenoses within a body containing blood vessels, comprising:
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a sensor array adapted to be positioned on the surface of the body, each sensor in said sensor array detecting waveform energy on a surface of the body and outputting a representative analog signal; means for converting the analog waveform signal to a digital signal; a microprocessor unit, responsive to said converted digital signal, for reducing background noise and identifying variations in waveform energy at the surface of the body, comparing variations in waveform energy, and thereby localizing an origin of the arterial blockage; and display means joined to said microprocessor unit for displaying the localized origin of the arterial blockage, wherein each sensor in said array of sensors is spaced from an adjacent sensor by a distance one-half of the wavelength of the waveform energy being measured. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification