Ultrasonic apparatus and method for measuring animal backfat
US6012332A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 29, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jan 11, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 29, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2503/40
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An ultrasonic measuring apparatus (FIG. 2) and method (FIG. 5) to accurately determine the depth of an overlaying backfat (14-20) on an animal (8) without incurring any damage to the animal. The apparatus employs a reverse time analysis approach in which a pulse generator (28) sends a preselected ultrasonic input signal by way of a piezoelectric transducer (16) through the outer skin (12) and successively through each one of the animal's fat layer interfaces (15, 17, 20) to a preselected distance within the loin portion (22) of the animal. This reverse time approach then analyzes the resulting echo signal produced by the input signal sequentially in a direction from this loin portion toward the outer fat layers (14, 16, 18). The first strong signal within a specified range, which depends on the species, breed, age or weight of the animal to be measured, is taken as the bottom-most fat/loin transition. A microprocessor (44) is employed to measure and analyze the amplitude and contour of this signal in a direction toward the loin until it reaches a fixed point that is a prescribed percentage of the peak value of the amplitude of this signal, the magnitude of which depends on the type…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.