Body surface position locator for ultrasound transducer
First Claim
1. An imaging system, comprising:
- a position location array adapted to be affixed to a surface layer of an imaging subject, said position location array comprising a plurality of electrodes disposed in a grid pattern within a flexible substrate;
a transducer having at least one element operable to provide an acoustic pulse through said position location array and said surface layer in response to a driving signal and to provide a corresponding return signal in response thereto;
a receiver coupled to said transducer to receive said return signal from said at least one element and provide a beamformed signal; and
processor means coupled to said receiver and said position location array for forming an image from said beamformed signal that includes position coordinates that correspond to an intersection between said acoustic pulse and associated ones of said plurality of electrodes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasound imaging system comprises a position location array adapted to be affixed to a surface layer of an imaging subject. The position location array comprises a plurality of electrodes disposed in a grid pattern within a flexible substrate. An imaging transducer having at least one element is operable to provide an acoustic pulse through the position location array and the surface layer in response to a driving signal and to provide a corresponding return signal in response thereto. A receiver is coupled to the imaging transducer to receive the return signal from the at least one element and provide a beamformed signal. A processor coupled to the receiver and the position location array forms an image from the beamformed signal that includes position coordinates that correspond to an intersection between the acoustic pulse and associated ones of the plurality of electrodes.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An imaging system, comprising:
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a position location array adapted to be affixed to a surface layer of an imaging subject, said position location array comprising a plurality of electrodes disposed in a grid pattern within a flexible substrate; a transducer having at least one element operable to provide an acoustic pulse through said position location array and said surface layer in response to a driving signal and to provide a corresponding return signal in response thereto; a receiver coupled to said transducer to receive said return signal from said at least one element and provide a beamformed signal; and processor means coupled to said receiver and said position location array for forming an image from said beamformed signal that includes position coordinates that correspond to an intersection between said acoustic pulse and associated ones of said plurality of electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In an ultrasonic imaging system having a transducer having at least one element operable to provide an acoustic pulse in response to a driving signal and to provide a corresponding return signal in response thereto, a position location system comprises:
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a position location array adapted to be affixed to a surface layer of an imaging subject between said surface layer and said transducer, said position location array comprising a plurality of electrodes disposed in a grid pattern within a flexible substrate; and processor means coupled to said transducer and said position location array for forming an image from said return signal that includes position coordinates that correspond to an intersection between said acoustic pulse and associated ones of said plurality of electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification