System and method for testing operability of a lens and selected transducer elements of an acoustic probe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10028729-B2
Application number	US-201414535638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2014
Priority date	Nov 7, 2014
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

A system and method for testing an acoustic probe is provided. The system includes an electric signal generator connected to transmit an electric generator signal into selected transducer elements of the acoustic probe. The selected of transducer elements of the acoustic probe convert the electrical signal into an acoustic signal that reflects off the lens of the acoustic probe and is then converted by the selected transducer elements of the acoustic probe into a reflected electrical signal. An analysis engine is connected to receive the reflected electrical signal and determine the operability of lens and each selected transducer element for acoustic and electrical conversion. A display provides an illustration indicative of the operative ability of the lens and the selected transducer element of the acoustic probe for acoustic and electrical conversion.

First claim

We claim:

1. System for testing an acoustic probe having a lens in combination with a plurality of transducer elements adapted to convert between acoustic and electrical signals, the system comprising:
a transceiver comprising:
an electrical signal generator configured to generate an electrical generator signal;
an element switch configured to selectively establish connection with at least one transducer element from the plurality of transducer elements of the acoustic probe;
a transmit switch selectable between a first position and a second position, the first position to transmit the electrical generator signal from the transceiver to the acoustic probe, wherein the selected at least one transducer element of the acoustic probe converts the electrical generator signal into an acoustic signal that reflects off the lens of the acoustic probe and is then converted by the selected at least one transducer element of the acoustic probe into a reflected electrical signal, the second position to transmit the reflected electrical signal from the acoustic probe to the transceiver; and
an analysis engine configured to receive the reflected electrical signal and determine operability of the lens and the selected at least one transducer element for acoustic and electrical conversion; and

a display configured to provide an illustration indicative of the operative ability of the lens and the selected at least one transducer element of the acoustic probe for acoustic and electrical conversion.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
wherein the element switch comprises a relay matrix configured to establish connections in a sequential manner with the plurality of transducer elements of the acoustic probe.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the element switch includes a switching integrated circuitry configured to establish the connection.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical signal generator is an alternating voltage source.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the analysis engine compares the reflective electrical signal to at least one threshold to determine the operability of the lens and the selected at least one transducer element.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one threshold is an amplitude of another reflective electrical signal received from one of another of the transducer elements of the acoustic probe and transducer elements of another acoustic probe.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein in response to not detecting the reflected electrical signal from the selected at least one transducer element in response to transmission of the electrical generator signal to the acoustic probe, the display provides an illustration indicative of an inoperability of the lens and the selected at least one transducer element of the acoustic probe.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein in response to detecting the reflected electrical signal from the selected transducer element in response to communicating the electrical generator signal to the acoustic probe, the display provides an illustration indicative of an operability of the lens and the selected transducer element of the acoustic probe.

9. A method of testing an acoustic probe having a plurality of transducer elements adapted for conversion between acoustic and electrical signals, the method comprising:
generating an electrical generator signal from an electrical signal generator;
placing an transmit switch in a first position to transmit the electrical generator signal to the acoustic probe;
selectively routing the electrical generator signal to at least one transducer element from the plurality of transducer elements of the acoustic probe via an element switch, wherein the selected at least one transducer element converts the electrical generator signal into an acoustic signal that reflects off a lens back toward the acoustic probe and is converted by the selected at least one transducer element into a reflected electrical signal;
placing the transmit switch in a second position to transmit the reflected electrical signal from the acoustic probe;
selectively routing the reflected electrical signal from the selected at least one transducer element via the element switch;
detecting and analyzing the reflected electrical signal; and
displaying an indication of the operative ability of the lens and the selected at least one transducer element of the acoustic probe for acoustic and electrical conversion.

10. The method of claim 9 ,
wherein the element switch comprises a relay matrix to establish connections in a sequential manner with the plurality of transducer elements of the acoustic probe.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the element switch comprises a switching integrated circuitry.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein in response to not detecting the reflected electrical signal from the selected at least one transducer element generated in response to communicating the acoustic signal to the acoustic probe, generating a display signal to trigger the illustration to indicate inoperability of the lens and the selected at least one transducer element of the acoustic probe.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein in response to detecting the reflected electrical signal generated in response to communicating the acoustic signal to the acoustic probe, generating a display signal to trigger the illustration to indicate the operability of the lens and the selected at least one transducer element of the acoustic probe.

14. The method of claim 9 , further including comparing the reflected electrical transducer signal to at least one threshold to determine the operability of the lens and the selected at least one transducer element.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the at least one threshold is an amplitude of another reflective electrical signal received from another of the transducer elements of the acoustic probe.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein comparing includes comparing a value of a parameter of the reflected electrical signal of the selected at least one transducer element of the acoustic probe to a value of the parameter for another of the plurality of transducer elements of the acoustic probe.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Beaty Gregory Alan
• Ginther James

Classifications

• A61B8/58 Primary

  Testing, adjusting or calibrating the diagnostic device · CPC title

• G01S7/5205

  Means for monitoring or calibrating · CPC title

• G01S15/8915

  using a transducer array · CPC title

• A61B8/54

  Control of the diagnostic device · CPC title

• G01R27/2623 Primary

  Measuring-systems or electronic circuits (G01R27/2635, G01R27/2682 take precedence) · CPC title