Patent ID: 7744535
Filing Date: 2010-06-29
Classification: A61B,G01N,H04N

Abstract:
1. An ultrasound system for measuring strain with ultrasound in a material subject to varying tension, the system comprising: an ultrasound transducer assembly for transmitting an acoustic ultrasound signal into the material along a first axis and receiving the acoustic ultrasound signal after reflection and modification by the material adapted to obtain a first and second echo signal from a first and second material location when the material is at a first and second tension applied along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis, the first and second echo signals being electrical representations of portions of the ultrasound signal after reflection and modification by the material, the electrical representations being produced by the ultrasound transducer assembly by conversion of the acoustic ultrasound signal after reflection and modification into the electrical representations; and a processor in electrical communication with the ultrasound transducer assembly to receive the first and second echo signal from the ultrasound transducer assembly and processing the first and second echo signals according to a stored program to deduce both absolute strain of the material and material stiffness without a previous determination of the amount of tension; wherein the processor determines strain and material stiffness from a time of flight of ultrasound between a first and second interface in the material and a reflection coefficient indicating relative strength of reflected ultrasonic energy with respect to incident ultrasonic energy.