Acoustic imaging system and method
US4518992A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 17, 1982 |
| Grant date | May 21, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 17, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N29/449
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An acoustic microscope or like acoustic imaging system includes an insonifier for insonifying an object with high frequency (over ten megahertz) acoustic waves, a scanner for scanning a high-energy light beam across a reflective interface surface coupled to the object, a photodetector to detect the reflected beam, and a signal processor to convert the photodetector output to an image signal used to produce a visual image representative of acoustic properties of the object; the level of the image signal is detected and is used to adjust the gain of the insonifier to a reference level, the insonification gain adjustment affording a quantitative measure of acoustic properties of the object, usable for comparison purposes, that minimizes or eliminates the effects of system non-linearities and compensates for inadequate dynamic range of system components. The quantitative measurement can be limited to a portion of the object, for comparison with another part of the same object or with a part of another object, and the portions of the image corresponding to the quantitative measurements can be visually identified. An optical AGC circuit is provided to compensate for non-uniformity in ope…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.