Self diagnostic ultrasonic imaging systems

专利名称：Self diagnostic ultrasonic imaging systems发明人：Thomas M. Burke,James Mehi申请号：US08/340562申请日：19941116公开号：US05517994A公开日：19960521

摘要：A method and apparatus are described for testing the integrity of an ultrasonictransducer probe or the ultrasound system connected to the probe. The elements of thetransducer are pulsed at a time when the probe is not in contact with a patient and thesurface of the probe lens is exposed to the open air. The channel electronics receives theecho signal returned from the lens-air interface and reverberations between thisinterface and the transducer. These signals are analyzed by a diagnostic processorcoupled to the channel electronics for characteristics such as amplitude, time of echoreception, group delay, and other characteristics to determine the possible existence ofproblems such as faulty transducer elements or connections and problems in the systemreceive electronics. The diagnostic processor can adaptively adjust an operatingcharacteristic of the system electronics such as gain or time delay to compensate for adetected out of tolerance condition.

申请人：ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY LABORATORIES, INC.

代理人：W. Brinton Yorks, Jr.

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