Tissue examination
First Claim
1. A tissue examination device comprisinga plurality of sensors, arranged in an array, each of said sensors producing a signal in response to pressure imposed on the sensor as the sensors are pressed against the tissue, such pressure varying in accordance with properties of different types of underlying tissue structures, anda processor for performing a plurality of processing tests on the signals produced by said sensors and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on results of said tests, said tests comprisinga first test that includes said processor comparing amplitudes of the signals produced by said sensors to a threshold, and evaluating signals that exceed said threshold differently than signals that do not exceed said threshold, anda second test in which said processor determines relative locations in said array of sensors that produce signals which exceed said threshold, and a number of said sensors that produce signals that exceed said threshold and which are located adjacent to another one of said sensors in said array that produces a signal which exceeds said threshold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tissue examination device includes a plurality of sensors, each of which produces a signal in response to pressure imposed on the sensor in accordance with the properties of different types of underlying tissue structures as the sensor is pressed against the tissue. A plurality of processing tests are performed on the signals, and the different types of the underlying tissue structures are discriminated from each other based on the results of the tests.
134 Citations
93 Claims
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1. A tissue examination device comprising
a plurality of sensors, arranged in an array, each of said sensors producing a signal in response to pressure imposed on the sensor as the sensors are pressed against the tissue, such pressure varying in accordance with properties of different types of underlying tissue structures, and a processor for performing a plurality of processing tests on the signals produced by said sensors and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on results of said tests, said tests comprising a first test that includes said processor comparing amplitudes of the signals produced by said sensors to a threshold, and evaluating signals that exceed said threshold differently than signals that do not exceed said threshold, and a second test in which said processor determines relative locations in said array of sensors that produce signals which exceed said threshold, and a number of said sensors that produce signals that exceed said threshold and which are located adjacent to another one of said sensors in said array that produces a signal which exceeds said threshold.
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11. A tissue examination device comprising
a plurality of sensors, arranged in an array, each of said sensors producing a signal in response to pressure imposed on the sensor as the sensors are pressed against the tissue, such pressure varying in accordance with properties of different types of underlying tissue structures, and a processor for performing a plurality of processing tests on the signals produced by said sensors and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on results of said tests, said tests comprising a first test that includes said processor comparing amplitudes of the signals produced by said sensors to a threshold, and evaluating signals that exceed said threshold differently than signals that do not exceed said threshold, said processor further being adapted to analyze signals that exceed said threshold to determine whether signals produced by sensors arranged on a periphery of said array are valid.
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44. A method of examining tissue, comprising
pressing a plurality of sensors, arranged in an array, against the tissue to cause each of said sensors to produce a signal in response to pressure imposed on the sensor by said pressing, such pressure varying in accordance with properties of different types of underlying tissue structures, and performing a plurality of processing tests on the signals produced by said sensors and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on results of said tests, said tests comprising a first test that includes comparing amplitudes of the signals produced by said sensors to a threshold, and evaluating signals that exceed said threshold differently than signals that do not exceed said threshold, and a second test that includes determining relative locations in said array of sensors that produce signals which exceed said threshold, and a number of said sensors that produce signals that exceed said threshold and which are located adjacent to another one of said sensors in said array that produces a signal which exceeds said threshold.
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52. A method of examining tissue comprising
pressing a plurality of sensors, arranged in an array, against the tissue to cause each of said sensors to produce a signal in response to pressure imposed on the sensor by said pressing, such pressure varying in accordance with properties of different types of underlying tissue structures, and performing a plurality of processing tests on the signals produced by said sensors and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on results of said tests, said tests comprising a first test that includes comparing amplitudes of the signals produced by said sensors to a threshold, and evaluating signals that exceed said threshold differently than signals that do not exceed said threshold, and analyzing signals that exceed said threshold to determine whether signals produced by sensors arranged on a periphery of said array are valid.
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82. A tissue examination device comprising
a plurality of sensors each of which produces a signal in response to pressure imposed on the sensor as the sensors are pressed against the tissue, the signals representing pressure signatures associated with different types of underlying tissue structures, and a processor for processing the signals to determine a plurality of characteristics of the pressure signatures and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on the determined characteristics, the plurality of characteristics including shapes of the pressure signatures.
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84. A tissue examination device comprising
a plurality of sensors each of which produces a signal in response to pressure imposed on the sensor as the sensors are pressed against the tissue, the signals representing pressure signatures associated with different types of underlying tissue structures, and a processor for processing the signals to determine a plurality of characteristics of the pressure signatures and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on the determined characteristics, the plurality of characteristics including a manner in which the pressure signatures change as the sensors are moved over the tissue.
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85. A tissue examination device comprising
a plurality of sensors each of which produces a signal in response to pressure imposed on the sensor as the sensors are pressed against the tissue, the signals representing pressure signatures associated with different types of underlying tissue structures, and a processor for processing the signals to determine a plurality of characteristics of the pressure signatures and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on the determined characteristics, the plurality of characteristics including continuity of the signals having an amplitude greater than a selected threshold in the pressure signatures.
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86. A tissue examination device comprising
a plurality of sensors each of which produces a signal in response to pressure imposed on the sensor as the sensors are pressed against the tissue, the signals representing pressure signatures associated with different types of underlying tissue structures, and a processor for processing the signals to determine a plurality of characteristics of the pressure signatures and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on the determined characteristics, the plurality of characteristics including size of the pressure signatures.
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87. A tissue examination device comprising
a plurality of sensors each of which produces a signal in response to pressure imposed on the sensor as the sensors are pressed against the tissue, the signals representing pressure signatures associated with different types of underlying tissue structures, and a processor for processing the signals to determine a plurality of characteristics of the pressure signatures and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on the determined characteristics, the plurality of characteristics including peakness or flatness of the pressure signatures.
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88. A method of examining tissue comprising
pressing a plurality of sensors against the tissue to cause each of the sensors to produce a signal in response to the pressure imposed on the sensor by said pressing, the signals representing pressure signatures associated with different types of underlying tissue structures, and processing the signals to determine characteristics of the pressure signatures and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on the determined characteristics, the plurality of characteristics including shapes of the pressure signatures.
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90. A method of examining tissue comprising
pressing a plurality of sensors against the tissue to cause each of the sensors to produce a signal in response to the pressure imposed on the sensor by said pressing, the signals representing pressure signatures associated with different types of underlying tissue structures, and processing the signals to determine characteristics of the pressure signatures and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on the determined characteristics, the plurality of characteristics including a manner in which the pressure signatures change as the sensors are moved over the tissue.
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91. A method of examining tissue comprising
pressing a plurality of sensors against the tissue to cause each of the sensors to produce a signal in response to the pressure imposed on the sensor by said pressing, the signals representing pressure signatures associated with different types of underlying tissue structures, and processing the signals to determine characteristics of the pressure signatures and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on the determined characteristics, the plurality of characteristics including continuity of the signals having an amplitude greater than a selected threshold in the pressure signatures.
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92. A method of examining tissue comprising
pressing a plurality of sensors against the tissue to cause each of the sensors to produce a signal in response to the pressure imposed on the sensor by said pressing, the signals representing pressure signatures associated with different types of underlying tissue structures, and processing the signals to determine characteristics of the pressure signatures and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on the determined characteristics, the plurality of characteristics including size of the pressure signatures.
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93. A method of examining tissue comprising
pressing a plurality of sensors against the tissue to cause each of the sensors to produce a signal in response to the pressure imposed on the sensor by said pressing, the signals representing pressure signatures associated with different types of underlying tissue structures, and processing the signals to determine characteristics of the pressure signatures and discriminating between the different types of the underlying tissue structures based on the determined characteristics, the plurality of characteristics including peakness or flatness of the pressure signatures.
Specification