Three-dimensional imaging system
US4694434A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 12, 1984 |
| Grant date | Sep 15, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 12, 2004 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S15/8925
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An acoustic pulse echo imaging system capable of producing an image of a three-dimensional object utilizing a two-dimensional display having perspective capabilities is described. In the system angular relationships of targets at all ranges are maintained for display. The system uses a two-dimensional transducer array of piezoelectric elements; the array is steered to assume transmit and receive orientations in both azimuth and elevation by producing (1) a directed transmit pulse and many similarly directed receive orientations or (2) a non-directed transmit pulse and many directed receive orientations. For each transmit pulse a parallel processing system produces several unique image points whose locations in the image correspond to the tangents of the angles of the receive orientations in the azimuth and elevation planes. The brightness of each image point is the weighted integral of the echo data received along each receive path. As an option, range discrimination capability is provided by means of a range dependent gain control, brightness shading as a function of range or a color display in which data originating from different ranges is displayed in different hues.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.