Patent US4893286A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4893286A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for preprocessing and transmitting echo waveform information
Assignee: Standard Oil Co
•
Filing: 1987-11-04
•
Granted: 1990-01-09
•
Expires: 2007-11-04
Abstract
Abstract In the field of the echography, the present invention is a system and method of preprocessing and transmitting information (such as echo waveform information) from a source (such as a transducer) to a destination (such as a rule-based computer system). The present invention reduces the absolute amount of information that is transmitted without reducing the amount of meaningful information that is conveyed. In this way, the present invention is effectively able to transmit more meaningful information than would be expected for conventional transmission systems. It also acts to reduce the amount of information processing that must be done at the destination.
Inventors
- 👤 Wesley N. Cobb
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 14:56
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N29/00; G01N29/04; G01N29/07; E; E21; E21B; E21B47/00; E21B47/006; E21B47/08; E21B47/085; G01N29/11; G01N29/44; G01N29/449; G01N29/46; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/02; G01S15/06; G01S15/88; G01S7/00; G01S7/003; G01S7/52; G01S7/523; G01S7/526; E21B2200/00; E21B2200/22; G01N2291/00; G01N2291/04; G01N2291/042; G01N2291/0428; G01N2291/044; G01N2291/26; G01N2291/263; G01N2291/2634; G01N2291/2636
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for preprocessing and transmitting echo waveform information derived from an echo of an acoustic wave reflected from a target surface, comprising the steps of: digitizing an echo waveform produced in response to a launching of an acoustic wave; detecting amplitude of said echo waveform; continuously storing said digitized echo waveform in a recirculating memory; freezing information stored in said recirculating memory during a predetermined time period beginning after the detected amplitude of said echo waveform rises above a predetermined threshold; measuring a time interval between said launching of the acoustic wave and the rise of said detected amplitude of said echo waveform above said predetermined threshold; and multiplexing the time interval measured in said measured step and the waveform information frozen in said recalculating memory in said freezing step for transmission to a location remote from said acoustic wave.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for preprocessing and transmitting echo waveform information derived from an echo of an acoustic wave reflected from a target surface, comprising the steps of: digitizing an echo waveform produced in response to a launching of an acoustic wave; detecting amplitude of said echo waveform; continuously storing said digitized echo waveform in a recirculating memory; freezing information stored in said recirculating memory during a predetermined time period beginning after the detected amplitude of said echo waveform rises above a predetermined threshold; measuring a time interval between said launching of the acoustic wave and the rise of said detected amplitude of said echo waveform above said predetermined threshold; and multiplexing the time interval measured in said measured step and the waveform information frozen in said recalculating memory in said freezing step for transmission to a location remote from said acoustic wave.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for preprocessing and transmitting echo waveform information derived from the echo of an acoustic wave reflected from a target surface, comprising the steps of: converting an echo waveform produced in response to a launching of an acoustic wave to a monopolar waveform; smoothing said monopolar waveform, whereby a smoothed monopolar waveform is formed; compressing the dynamic range of the magnitude of said smoothed monopolar waveform, whereby a compressed, smoothed monopolar waveform is formed; digitizing said compressed, smoothed, monopolar waveform, whereby a digitized waveform is formed; storing said digitized waveform in a recirculating memory for transmission to a location remote from said acoustic wave; and freezing after a predetermined time period, information stored in said recirculating memory, said predetermined time period beginning when the amplitude of said monopolar waveform, after said launching of said acoustic wave, exceeds a predetermined threshold.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for preprocessing and transmitting echo waveform information derived from the echo of an acoustic wave reflected from a target surface, comprising the steps of: converting an echo waveform produced in response to a launching of an acoustic wave to a monopolar waveform; smoothing said monopolar waveform, whereby a smoothed monopolar waveform is formed; compressing the dynamic range of the magnitude of said smoothed monopolar waveform, whereby a compressed, smoothed monopolar waveform is formed; digitizing said compressed, smoothed, monopolar waveform, whereby a digitized waveform is formed; storing said digitized waveform in a recirculating memory for transmission to a location remote from said acoustic wave; and freezing after a predetermined time period, information stored in said recirculating memory, said predetermined time period beginning when the amplitude of said monopolar waveform, after said launching of said acoustic wave, exceeds a predetermined threshold.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 including, before digitizing said echo waveform, sensing the magnitude of said waveform, determining the gain required to adjust said magnitude to a desired range, amplifying said waveform by the determined gain and digitizing the determined gain value.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 3 including multiplexing said digitized, determined gain value with said time interval and said stored waveform.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 3 including, after amplifying said waveform by said determined gain, but before digitizing said waveform, logarithmically amplifying said waveform, whereby the dynamic amplitude range of different waveforms digitized is compressed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 3 including, before digitizing said waveform, reducing the bandwidth of said amplified waveform by passing it through an envelope detector.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 6 including, before digitizing said waveform, further reducing the bandwidth of said amplified and envelope-detected waveform by rectifying said envelope-detected waveform and filtering it through a low-pass frequency filter.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 including, before digitizing said waveform, logarithmically amplifying said waveform, whereby the dynamic amplitude range of different waveforms is compressed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 including resetting said recirculating memory, after said multiplexing step, for continuously storing incoming waveform information.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for preprocessing and transmitting echo waveform information derived from the echo of an acoustic wave reflected from a target surface, comprising the steps of: digitizing a full echo waveform produced in response to a launching of the acoustic wave, whereby digital waveform data is formed; detecting amplitude of said full echo waveform; continuously storing said digital waveform data in a recirculating memory for transmission to a location remote from said acoustic wave; and halting said continuously storing step after a predetermined time period beginning when the amplitude of said monopolar waveform, after said launching of said acoustic wave, exceeds a predetermined threshold, whereby a digital representation of said full echo waveform is frozen in said recirculating memory.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for preprocessing and transmitting echo waveform information derived from the echo of an acoustic wave reflected from a target surface, comprising the steps of: digitizing a full echo waveform produced in response to a launching of the acoustic wave, whereby digital waveform data is formed; detecting amplitude of said full echo waveform; continuously storing said digital waveform data in a recirculating memory for transmission to a location remote from said acoustic wave; and halting said continuously storing step after a predetermined time period beginning when the amplitude of said monopolar waveform, after said launching of said acoustic wave, exceeds a predetermined threshold, whereby a digital representation of said full echo waveform is frozen in said recirculating memory.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 2 including, before said converting step, measuring the magnitude of said wave form, determining the gain required to adjust said magnitude to a desired range and amplifying said waveform by the determined gain.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 2 including converting said echo waveform to a monopolar waveform by passing it through an envelope detector.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 2 including smoothing said monopolar waveform by rectifying it and filtering said rectified waveform through a low-pass frequency filter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 2 including compressing the dynamic range of said smoothed, monopolar wave form by logarithmically amplifying it.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR1302889A
Cited
US3407650A
Cited
US3369626A
Cited
FR1595825A
Cited
US3503038A
Cited
US3518679A
Cited
US3754472A
Cited
DE2160375A1
Cited
US3961683A
Cited
US3944942A
Cited
US3815124A
Cited
US3996791A
Cited
US4027281A
Cited
US4219810A
Cited
US4255798A
Cited
US4254479A
Cited
US4274288A
Cited
US4290308A
Cited
US4385255A
Cited
US4340944A
Cited
US4428235A
Cited
US4409838A
Cited
US4428237A
Cited
US4415895A
Cited
US4435985A
Cited
US4389893A
Cited
US4399704A
Cited
US4412315A
Cited
EP0075997A2
Cited
US4552020A
Cited
US4587641A
Cited
US4641529A
Cited
US4698793A
Cited
US4591983A
Cited
US4586380A
Cited
GB2172400A
Cited
US4670848A
Cited
US4744030A
Cited
US4741018A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-01-08 | 1993-07-10 | 1994-01-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-01-08 | 1997-07-10 | 1998-01-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-01-08 | 2001-07-10 | 2002-01-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |