Apparatus and method for acoustic analysis of bone using optimized functions of spectral and temporal signal components
First Claim
1. An apparatus for externally determining in a vertebrate subject an index of porosity and non-connectivity of a bone disposed within a body part, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) first and second transducers;
(b) a mounting arrangement for mounting the transducers in spaced relationship with respect to the bone;
(c) a signal generator, in communication with the first transducer, for causing the first transducer to produce an acoustic signal, having energy distributed over a frequency range, that is propagated into the subject and received by the second transducer along a first path that includes the bone; and
(d) a signal processor, in communication with the second transducer, for providing a single measurement that is a function of at least one of transient spectral or transient temporal components of a portion, up to the whole amount thereof, of the acoustic signal received by the second transducer, so that the measurement relates to the extent of non-connectivity and porosity of the bone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method determine externally in a vertebrate subject an index of porosity and non-connectivity of a bone. A preferred embodiment has first and second transducers and a mounting arrangement for mounting the transducers in spaced relationship with respect to the bone. A signal generator,in communication with the first transducer, causes the first transducer to produce acoustic signals, having energy distributed over a frequency range, that are propagated into the subject and received by the second transducer along a path the includes the bone. Finally, the embodiment has a signal processor, in communication with the second transducer, for providing a measurement that is a function of at least one of spectral or temporal components of the sisal received by the second transducer. The transducers act like a point source and point receiver.
98 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An apparatus for externally determining in a vertebrate subject an index of porosity and non-connectivity of a bone disposed within a body part, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) first and second transducers; (b) a mounting arrangement for mounting the transducers in spaced relationship with respect to the bone; (c) a signal generator, in communication with the first transducer, for causing the first transducer to produce an acoustic signal, having energy distributed over a frequency range, that is propagated into the subject and received by the second transducer along a first path that includes the bone; and (d) a signal processor, in communication with the second transducer, for providing a single measurement that is a function of at least one of transient spectral or transient temporal components of a portion, up to the whole amount thereof, of the acoustic signal received by the second transducer, so that the measurement relates to the extent of non-connectivity and porosity of the bone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An apparatus for externally measuring in a vertebrate subject an index of porosity and non-connectivity of a bone disposed within a body part, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) first and second transducers; (b) a mounting arrangement for mounting the transducers in spaced relationship with respect to the bone; (c) a signal generator, in communication with the first transducer, for causing the first transducer to produce an acoustic signal, having energy distributed over a frequency range, that is propagated into the subject and received by the second transducer along a first path that includes the bone; and (d) a signal processor, in communication with the second transducer, for providing a single measurement that is a function of at least one of spectral or temporal components of a portion, up to the whole amount thereof, of the acoustic signal received by the second transducer, such measurement being other than a function based solely on Fourier spectral information. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for externally measuring in a vertebrate subject an index of porosity and non-connectivity of a bone disposed within a body part, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) first and second transducers, at least one of the transducers employing a vibrating element that is sufficiently small as to cause the at least one transducer, if driven by the signal generator, to produce an acoustical output, into the body part, that is substantially like that of a point source; (b) a mounting arrangement for mounting the transducers in spaced relationship with respect to the bone; (c) a signal generator, in communication with the first transducer, for causing the first transducer to produce an acoustic signal, having energy distributed over a frequency range, that is propagated into the subject and received by the second transducer along a first path that includes the bone; and (d) a signal processor, in communication with the second transducer, for providing a single measurement that is a function of at least one of spectral or temporal components of a portion, up to the whole mount thereof, of the acoustic signal received by the second transducer. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for externally determining in a vertebrate subject an index of porosity and non-connectivity of a bone disposed within a body part, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) first and second transducers; (b) a mounting arrangement for mounting the transducers in spaced relationship with respect to the bone; (c) a signal generator, in communication with the first transducer, for causing the first transducer to produce an acoustic signal, having energy distributed over a frequency range, that is propagated into the subject and received by the second transducer along a first path that includes the bone; (d) a signal processor, in communication with the second transducer, for providing a single measurement that is a function of at least one of spectral or temporal components of a portion, up to the whole amount thereof, of the signal received by the second transducer; wherein a selected one of the transducers employs a vibrating element that is sufficiently small as to cause the selected transducer, if driven by the signal generator, to produce an acoustical output, into the body part, that is substantially like that of a point source. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for externally determining in a vertebrate subject an index of porosity and non-connectivity of a bone disposed within a body part, the method comprising:
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(a) providing first and second transducers, wherein a selected one of the transducers employs a vibrating element that is sufficiently small as to cause the selected transducer, if driven by the signal generator, to produce an acoustical output, into the body part, that is substantially like that of a point source; (b) mounting the transducers in spaced relationship with respect to the bone; (c) utilizing a signal generator, in communication with the first transducer, to cause the first transducer to produce an acoustic signal, having energy distributed over a frequency range, that is propagated into the subject and received by the second transducer along a first path that includes the bone; and (d) processing the signal received by the second transducer so as to provide a single measurement that is a function of at least one of spectral or temporal components of a portion, up to the whole amount thereof, of the signal received by the second transducer. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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Specification