Ultrasonic area-array sensor with area-image merging
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsJohn K. Schneider, Jack C. Kitchens
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and device for using a small area-array sensor to produce a larger image of a biological object is disclosed. In a method according to the invention, the presence of a biological object is detected, and images of the biological object are collected using the area-array sensor. Pixels from at least some of the collected area-images are discarded to produce a set having modified area-images, and the area-images of the set are combined to form an extended image using an image merging algorithm.
Claims21
A method of creating an area-image of a biological object using an ultrasonic area-array sensor comprising:
- detecting the presence of a biological object;
- collecting a first area-image of the biological object using the area-array sensor, the collected first area-image having perimeter pixels;
- collecting a second area-image of the biological object using the area-array sensor, the collected second area-image having perimeter pixels;
- identifying outer perimeter pixels of the collected area-images;
- discarding at least some of the identified outer perimeter pixels in order to produce a set of collected area-images having modified collected area-images;
- and then
- combining the modified collected area-images of the set to form an extended image using an image merging algorithm.
A biological object scanning device comprising:
- an ultrasonic area-array sensor;
- a processor, in communication with the area-array sensor, the processor configured to:
- (a) instruct the collection of area-images of a biological object using the area-array sensor, the collected area-images having perimeter pixels,
- (b) identify outer perimeter pixels of the collected area-images;
- (c) discard at least some of the identified outer perimeter pixels in order to produce a set of collected area-images having modified collected area-images;
- and then
- (d) instruct combining the modified collected area-images in the set to form an extended image using an image merging algorithm;
- a data storage device in communication with the processor to store collected area-images, or modified collected area images, or both.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.