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:
Dec. 30, 1997
Filed:
May. 01, 1995
Ramez E Shehada, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Warren S Grundfest, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
An ultrasonic transducer orientation sensing and display apparatus, and related method, for use in providing an accurate representation of the orientation of an ultrasonic transducer's imaging plane. The orientation sensing and display apparatus includes an ultrasonic transducer having an integral orientation sensor, a processor, and a display. The representation of the imaging plane as indicated on the display is based on electrical signals generated by the orientation sensor. The ultrasonic transducer, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, is integrated near the distal end or tip of an elongated tube of a laparoscopic instrument used for ultrasonic imaging. The orientation sensor is a biaxial gravitational sensor, composed of two orthogonal sensing toroids to sense rotation about any axis lying in a horizontal plane. Each sensing toroid has a hollow tubular shape that contains a gravity indicator that is free to move within the respective sensing toroid for measuring rotation about an axis through the toroid's center. Gravity causes each gravity indicator to migrate to the lowest portion of the respective toroid. The orientation also can include a permanent magnet thus providing a tri-axial sensor.