System and method for preprocessing and transmitting echo waveform information
AssigneeThe Standard Oil Company
InventorWesley N. Cobb
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Abstract
In the field of the echography, the present invention is a system and method of preprocessing and transmitting information (such as echo waveform information) from a source (such as a transducer) to a destination (such as a rule-based computer system). The present invention reduces the absolute amount of information that is transmitted without reducing the amount of meaningful information that is conveyed. In this way, the present invention is effectively able to transmit more meaningful information than would be expected for conventional transmission systems. It also acts to reduce the amount of information processing that must be done at the destination.
Claims14
A method for preprocessing and transmitting echo waveform information derived from an echo of an acoustic wave reflected from a target surface, comprising the steps of:
- digitizing an echo waveform produced in response to a launching of an acoustic wave;
- detecting amplitude of said echo waveform;
- continuously storing said digitized echo waveform in a recirculating memory;
- freezing information stored in said recirculating memory during a predetermined time period beginning after the detected amplitude of said echo waveform rises above a predetermined threshold;
- measuring a time interval between said launching of the acoustic wave and the rise of said detected amplitude of said echo waveform above said predetermined threshold;
- and
- multiplexing the time interval measured in said measured step and the waveform information frozen in said recalculating memory in said freezing step for transmission to a location remote from said acoustic wave.
A method for preprocessing and transmitting echo waveform information derived from the echo of an acoustic wave reflected from a target surface, comprising the steps of:
- converting an echo waveform produced in response to a launching of an acoustic wave to a monopolar waveform;
- smoothing said monopolar waveform, whereby a smoothed monopolar waveform is formed;
- compressing the dynamic range of the magnitude of said smoothed monopolar waveform, whereby a compressed, smoothed monopolar waveform is formed;
- digitizing said compressed, smoothed, monopolar waveform, whereby a digitized waveform is formed;
- storing said digitized waveform in a recirculating memory for transmission to a location remote from said acoustic wave;
- and
- freezing after a predetermined time period, information stored in said recirculating memory, said predetermined time period beginning when the amplitude of said monopolar waveform, after said launching of said acoustic wave, exceeds a predetermined threshold.
A method for preprocessing and transmitting echo waveform information derived from the echo of an acoustic wave reflected from a target surface, comprising the steps of:
- digitizing a full echo waveform produced in response to a launching of the acoustic wave, whereby digital waveform data is formed;
- detecting amplitude of said full echo waveform;
- continuously storing said digital waveform data in a recirculating memory for transmission to a location remote from said acoustic wave;
- and
- halting said continuously storing step after a predetermined time period beginning when the amplitude of said monopolar waveform, after said launching of said acoustic wave, exceeds a predetermined threshold, whereby a digital representation of said full echo waveform is frozen in said recirculating memory.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.