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:
Oct. 24, 1995
Filed:
Oct. 06, 1994
Mir S Seyed-Bolorforosh, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Hewlett Packard Co., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for three dimensional ultrasonic scanning with reduced electronic switching and cabling requirements. The invention includes a body including a relaxor ferroelectric ceramic material and electrodes coupled to opposing surfaces of the body. Electronic switches select electrodes so as to select column regions of the body that are arranged adjacent to one another in a row extending radially outward from a central axis of the body. A bias voltage source is coupled with the electronic switches for substantially polarizing ceramic material within the selected column regions of the body. A sector controller dynamically configures the electronic switches to rotationally vary a position of the row arrangement of selected column regions. An oscillating voltage source excites the row of selected column regions to emit an acoustic beam, so that the beam rotationally scans the medium as the sector controller rotationally varies the position of the row arrangement.