Non-resistive contact electrical systems and methods for visualizing the structure and function of objects or systems

• US 9,757,074 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2016
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rescon Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Rescon Ltd.
• Inventors: Dawson, Thomas Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): ROZANSKI, MICHAEL T
• Application Number:
  US15/279,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20170014088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/40 Animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0536 Impedance imaging, e.g. by tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/2415 Measuring direct current [DC] or slowly varying biopotentials
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/296 for electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/341 Vectorcardiography [VCG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means G01N3/00 – G01N25/00 take precedence; measurement or testing of electric or magnetic variables or of electric or magnetic properties of materials G01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/60 by investigating electrostatic variables , e.g. electrographic flaw testing G01N27/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00 Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor

Abstract

Methods and systems for sensing properties of an object or entity utilize non-resistive contact sensors alone or in combination with other sensors. The sensor data is utilized for detecting and visualizing properties of one or more biological or non-biological objects or entities.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

(a) a plurality of non-resistive contact electric field sensors positioned at an entity, each of the plurality of non-resistive contact electric field sensors being positioned proximate a different particular generally predetermined location;

(b) one or more non-transitory computer readable media containing computer executable instructions executable by a computer processor for

(i) repeatedly measuring, utilizing the plurality of non-resistive contact electric field sensors, an electrical potential associated with two or more sections of an electrically active structure of the entity;

(ii) accessing, from a database, data corresponding to past measurements of the electrically active structure taken utilizing non-resistive contact electric field sensors;

(iii) electronically determining, by comparing data obtained from the repeated measuring to the accessed data, a current property of the electrically active structure of the entity; and

(iv) generating, utilizing data obtained from the repeated measuring, a visualization of the electrically active structure of the entity of which the current property is determined, the visualization including a depiction of each of the two or more sections of the electrically active structure, together with a visualization of a typical state of the electrically active structure generated based on the accessed data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer readable media contain computer executable instructions for generating a visualization which utilizes fixed shapes.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the or more computer readable media contain computer executable instructions for generating a visualization which utilizes variable shapes.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer readable media contain computer executable instructions for generating a visualization which utilizes colors.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer readable media contain computer executable instructions for generating a visualization which utilizes two dimensional displays.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer readable media contain computer executable instructions for generating a visualization which utilizes three dimensional displays.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer readable media contain computer executable instructions for generating a visualization which utilizes sound.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer readable media contain computer executable instructions for generating a visualization which is static.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer readable media contain computer executable instructions for generating a visualization which is dynamic.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer readable media contain computer executable instructions for generating a visualization which utilizes texture.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer readable media contain computer executable instructions for generating a visualization which utilizes heat.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer readable media contain computer executable instructions for generating a visualization which utilizes holograms.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer readable media contain computer executable instructions for generating a visualization which comprises video.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes one or more additional sensors comprising a sonar sensor.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes one or more additional sensors comprising an electrometer.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes one or more additional sensors comprising a magnetometer.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes one or more additional sensors comprising a camera.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes one or more additional sensors comprising a thermometer.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes one or more additional sensors comprising a hydrometer.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes one or more additional sensors comprising a resistive contact electrometer.