Patent ID: 6210331
Filing Date: 2001-04-03
Classification: G01S,G10K

Abstract:
An ultrasonic imaging device comprising at least one acoustic transducer each transducer being associated with its own acoustic focusing system, a means to move the point of focus of each focusing system progressively to different coordinates within an acoustically transmissive volume to gather data as to the acoustic reflectivity of matter within said volume at said different coordinates, and means to construct an image or images of the volume from said data, each focusing system being a confocal acoustic focusing system including a first acoustic lens associated with the transducer, an aperture plate having a pinhole upon which the first lens is focused, and a second acoustic lens on an opposite side of the aperture plate to the first lens and focused upon said pinhole and said point of focus respectively,wherein an acoustically transparent and optically reflective diaphragm is applied spanning each pinhole, and each diaphragm is associated with an optical monitoring means generating a beam incident upon and receiving the beam as reflected by the diaphragm, to interrogate movement of the diaphragm responsive to passage of acoustic energy therethrough, whereby to detect acoustic energy reflected to the pinhole from the point of focus.