Patent ID: 8109878
Filing Date: 2012-02-07
Classification: A61B,G01S

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting a target in a medium, comprising: a. generating and transmitting an ultrasound signal having a modulation envelope and causing the ultrasound signal to impact the target; b. applying a coded modulation envelope having a specific auto-correlation function and a given band of frequencies to the transmitted ultrasound signal with the objective of improving the detection of signals generated by demodulation which occurs at the target; c. demodulating the ultrasound signal having a modulation envelope through the interaction of the ultrasound signal having a modulation envelope and the target and receiving the demodulated signal by at least one sensor; d. transmitting the ultrasound signal at an ultrasonic frequency and receiving the demodulation signal or signals at the frequency or frequencies of the applied modulation envelope; e. determining that a detected target is present in the medium by analyzing the received demodulated signal using at least one signal processing technique, the reception of signals are at frequencies which are not harmonically related to the transmitted ultrasound frequency and which are less than the transmitted ultrasound frequency; and f. demodulation at the target occurs prior to reception of the demodulated signal or signals as a result of the interaction of the modulated ultrasound signal and the target.