The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 24, 2021
Filed:
Jun. 02, 2017
Fujifilm Sonosite, Inc., Bothell, WA (US);
Qinglin Ma, Kirkland, WA (US);
Paul Thurman Dunham, Bothell, WA (US);
Keith David Williams, Seattle, WA (US);
Hiroshi Murakami, Redmond, WA (US);
Wealth Salvador, Seattle, WA (US);
Carl Fabian, Beaverton, OR (US);
Brian R. Twehues, Seattle, WA (US);
FUJIFILM SONOSITE, INC., Bothell, WA (US);
Abstract
A laser light source transmits laser light to a tip of an interventional instrument such as a needle via an optical fiber. The laser light is absorbed at the distal tip of the instrument and generates a photoacoustic signal. The laser light source is configured to receive a trigger signal from an ultrasound machine when a laser pulse is to be produced. The light source signals the ultrasound machine when an optical connector is connected to the laser light source to automatically begin a needle tip (NTV) visualization mode. If the optical connector is removed from the laser light source, the laser light source stops producing laser light pulses.