US 11,717,254 B2
Single piezoelectric transmitter and receiver to detect blood velocities
Andre Duerr, Achstetten (DE); Thomas Rocznik, Mountain View, CA (US); Christian Peters, Mountain View, CA (US); and Jochen Stehle, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Assigned to Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart (DE)
Filed by Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart (DE)
Filed on Oct. 7, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/65,436.
Application 17/065,436 is a division of application No. 15/283,218, filed on Sep. 30, 2016, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2021/0030391 A1, Feb. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 8/06 (2006.01); A61B 8/00 (2006.01); B06B 1/06 (2006.01); G01S 15/89 (2006.01); G01S 7/52 (2006.01); A61B 8/04 (2006.01); A61B 8/08 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 8/06 (2013.01) [A61B 8/04 (2013.01); A61B 8/42 (2013.01); A61B 8/4477 (2013.01); A61B 8/4488 (2013.01); A61B 8/4494 (2013.01); A61B 8/46 (2013.01); A61B 8/488 (2013.01); B06B 1/06 (2013.01); G01S 7/52079 (2013.01); G01S 15/8913 (2013.01); G01S 15/8915 (2013.01); G01S 15/8984 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of detecting blood velocity within a blood vessel, the method comprising:
placing a planar first main surface of a first ceramic substrate on a planar area of skin, the first ceramic substrate having the first main surface and a second main surface;
actuating a first ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer to emit an ultrasonic signal toward the blood vessel, the first ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer being supported on the first main surface of the first ceramic substrate, wherein the first main surface of the first ceramic substrate lies substantially in a first plane and the second main surface of the first ceramic substrate lies substantially in a second plane, and wherein the second main surface of the first ceramic substrate is angled with respect to the first main surface of the first ceramic substrate such that the first ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer has an angle of incidence with respect to the second plane that is greater than 0° and less than 90°;
receiving a reflected ultrasonic signal with a second ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer, the second ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer being supported on a first main surface of a second ceramic substrate, the second ceramic substrate having the first main surface and a second main surface, wherein the first main surface of the second ceramic substrate lies substantially in a third plane and the second main surface of the second ceramic substrate lies substantially in the second plane, and wherein the second main surface of the second ceramic substrate is angled with respect to the first main surface of the second ceramic substrate such that the second ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer has an angle of incidence with respect to the third plane that is greater than 0° and less than 90°; and
evaluating an electrical signal output by the second ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer to determine at least one of a location of a blood vessel, a measurement angle for the blood vessel, and a velocity of blood within the blood vessel, wherein the first ceramic substrate and the second ceramic substrate are separated by an isolation layer configured to isolate the first ceramic substrate from the second ceramic substrate, the isolation layer extending from the planar surface of the first ceramic substrate and positioned between the first ceramic substrate and the second ceramic substrate.