Patent ID: 9168022
Filing Date: 2015-10-27
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An abdominal sonar for use with a pregnant patient, the abdominal sonar comprising: an ultrasound transducer array comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducers; at least one additional ultrasound transducer; a digital signal processor communicatively connected to the plurality of ultrasound transducers of the ultrasound transducer array and communicatively connected to the at least one additional ultrasound transducer, the digital signal processor individually operates the plurality of ultrasound transducers of the ultrasound transducer array to each produce at least one ultrasound tone signal and operates the at least one additional ultrasound transducer to produce at least one ultrasound chirp signal, receives reflected ultrasound signals back from each of the plurality of ultrasound transducers and the at least one additional ultrasound transducer, and down converts the received ultrasound signals from the plurality of ultrasound transducers into a first audio signal in a range of audible frequencies, and modulates the ultrasound signals from the at least one additional ultrasound transducer into a second audio signal in the range of audible frequencies, and the digital signal processor mixes the first audio signal and the second audio signal into a combined audio signal in the range of audible frequencies and a wireless transmitter communicatively connected to the digital signal processor, the wireless transmitter receives the combined audio signal from the digital signal processor and broadcasts the received combined audio signal; wherein the ultrasound tone signals of the plurality of ultrasound transducers are used to monitor fetal heart rate and the at least one ultrasound chirp signal of the at least one additional ultrasound transducer is used to monitor uterine contractions.