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Publication Number
US-12228643-B2
Publication Date
2025-02-18
Expiration Date
Abstract
Techniques are described herein that are capable of providing a modularized acoustic probe that includes multiple acoustic transducers that have discrete substrates. A first acoustic transducer is configured to generate an acoustic signal and to transmit the acoustic signal toward an object. The second acoustic transducer is configured to detect a reflected acoustic signal, which results from the acoustic signal reflecting from the object, and to convert the reflected acoustic signal to an electrical signal. The first and second acoustic transducers have respective discrete substrates. In an example, the second acoustic transducer may not be configured to generate acoustic signals. In another example, the first and second acoustic transducers may be in respective first and second rows of a two-row transducer array. In accordance with this example, the first and second acoustic transducers may be designed to have an acoustic parameter having respective first and second parameter values.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a modularized acoustic probe with a probe scanhead that includes an acoustic transducer disposed on a first substrate and configured to generate an acoustic signal and transmit the acoustic signal toward tissue or bone. The scanhead also includes an optical sensor disposed on a second substrate and configured to detect a reflected acoustic signal resulting from reflection from the tissue or bone and convert the reflected acoustic signal to an electrical signal. The first substrate and the second substrate are discrete substrates, and the acoustic transducer and the optical sensor have at least one different acoustic parameter.
The probe scanhead further includes a thermal module disposed on the second substrate including at least one thermal circuit and configured to regulate a temperature inside the probe scanhead. The probe includes a first lens module associated with the acoustic transducer and configured to provide mechanical focusing of acoustic signals transmitted by the acoustic transducer. The probe also includes a second lens module associated with the optical sensor having a different acoustic design than the first lens module and configured to provide mechanical focusing of acoustic signals received by the optical sensor.
In a disclosed configuration, the transducer and optical sensor are arranged in a two-row transducer array, with a first row containing acoustic transducers configured to generate and transmit acoustic signals toward tissue or bone and a second row containing optical sensors configured to detect reflected acoustic signals and convert them to electrical signals, while still using discrete substrates. The different acoustic parameter is defined by at least one of a center frequency, a resonant frequency, a dynamic range, or a quality factor, including a center-frequency relationship between the acoustic transducer and the optical sensor.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001, clm-00015, clm-00025, clm-00029, and clm-00033, covering modularized acoustic probe scanheads, two-row array arrangements, and methods for making the modularized probes. Across these independent claims, the claims share a modular architecture with discrete substrates for acoustic transmission and optical reception, thermal regulation, and separate lens modules for mechanical focusing, with at least one different acoustic parameter and, in one claim set, a threshold difference in that parameter.
Discrete-substrate acoustic transducer and optical sensor with different acoustic parameter
A modularized acoustic probe scanhead comprising an acoustic transducer disposed on a first substrate and configured to generate an acoustic signal and transmit the acoustic signal toward tissue or bone, and an optical sensor disposed on a second substrate and configured to detect a reflected acoustic signal and convert the reflected acoustic signal to an electrical signal, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are discrete substrates and wherein the acoustic transducer and the optical sensor have at least one different acoustic parameter.
Thermal module regulating temperature in the scanhead
A thermal module disposed on the second substrate including at least one thermal circuit and configured to regulate a temperature inside the probe scanhead.
Separate lens modules with different acoustic design for transmitted versus received signals
A first lens module associated with the acoustic transducer and configured to provide mechanical focusing of acoustic signals transmitted by the acoustic transducer, and a second lens module associated with the optical sensor having a different acoustic design than the first lens module and configured to provide mechanical focusing of acoustic signals received by the optical sensor.
Two-row transducer array with discrete substrates and different acoustic parameter
An acoustic transducer disposed on a first substrate and in a first row of a two-row transducer array configured to generate an acoustic signal and transmit the acoustic signal toward tissue or bone; and an optical sensor disposed on a second substrate and in a second row of the two-row transducer array configured to detect a reflected acoustic signal resulting from reflection from the tissue or bone and convert the reflected acoustic signal to an electrical signal, wherein the first substrate of the acoustic transducer and the second substrate of the optical sensor are discrete substrates, and wherein the acoustic transducer and the optical sensor have at least one different acoustic parameter.
Method of making by fabricating transducer sub-components and combining subsets
A method of making a modularized acoustic probe comprising fabricating a plurality of transducer sub-components having a plurality of respective discrete substrates; combining a first subset of the plurality of transducer sub-components to form an acoustic transducer disposed on a first substrate and configured to generate an acoustic signal and transmit the acoustic signal toward tissue or bone; combining a second subset of the plurality of transducer sub-components to form an optical sensor disposed on a second substrate and configured to detect a reflected acoustic signal resulting from reflection from the tissue or bone and convert the reflected acoustic signal to an electrical signal; combining the acoustic transducer and the optical sensor in a probe scanhead to form the modularized acoustic probe; providing a thermal module disposed on the second substrate including at least one thermal circuit; providing a first lens module associated with the acoustic transducer; and providing a second lens module associated with the optical sensor having a different acoustic design than the first lens module.
Method of making using a two-row transducer array arrangement
A method of making a modularized acoustic probe comprising fabricating a plurality of transducer sub-components having a plurality of respective discrete substrates; combining a first subset of the plurality of transducer sub-components to form an acoustic transducer disposed on a first substrate in a first row of a two-row transducer array configured to generate an acoustic signal and transmit the acoustic signal toward tissue or bone; combining a second subset of the plurality of transducer sub-components to form an optical sensor disposed on a second substrate in a second row of the two-row transducer array configured to detect a reflected acoustic signal resulting from reflection from the tissue or bone and convert the reflected acoustic signal to an electrical signal; combining the first transducer and the second transducer in a probe scanhead to form the modularized acoustic probe; providing a thermal module disposed on the second substrate including at least one thermal circuit; providing a first lens module associated with the acoustic transducer; and providing a second lens module associated with the optical sensor having a different acoustic design than the first lens module.
Threshold-difference in acoustic parameter between transducer and sensor
A modularized acoustic probe comprising an acoustic transducer configured to generate an acoustic signal and transmit the acoustic signal toward tissue or bone; and an optical sensor disposed on a second substrate configured to detect a reflected acoustic signal resulting from reflection from the tissue or bone and convert the reflected acoustic signal to an electrical signal, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are discrete substrates and the acoustic transducer and the optical sensor have at least one different acoustic parameter differing by a threshold difference; and further comprising a thermal module disposed on the second substrate including at least one thermal circuit, a first lens module associated with the acoustic transducer, and a second lens module associated with the optical sensor having a different acoustic design than the first lens module.
Across the independent claims, the coverage centers on a modularized acoustic probe scanhead architecture that separates acoustic transmission and optical reception across discrete substrates, differentiates acoustic parameters, and provides thermal regulation plus separate lens modules with different acoustic design for mechanical focusing of transmitted versus received signals. Additional independent-claim coverage specifies two-row transducer array arrangements and corresponding methods for making the modularized probe via combining transducer sub-components into acoustic and optical elements on discrete substrates.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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