US 11,941,907 B2
Acoustic imaging system architecture
Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost, Santa Clara, CA (US); Giovanni Gozzini, Berkeley, CA (US); Brian Michael King, Saratoga, CA (US); Marcus Yip, San Carlos, CA (US); Marduke Yousefpor, San Jose, CA (US); Ehsan Khajeh, Los Gatos, CA (US); Aaron Tucker, Redwood City, CA (US); and Henry H. Yang, Los Gatos, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on May 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/326,202.
Application 17/326,202 is a division of application No. 15/239,455, filed on Aug. 17, 2016, granted, now 11,048,902.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/207,589, filed on Aug. 20, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0271843 A1, Sep. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. G06V 40/13 (2022.01); A61B 5/1172 (2016.01); A61B 8/00 (2006.01)
CPC G06V 40/1306 (2022.01) [A61B 5/1172 (2013.01); A61B 8/00 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An acoustic imaging sensor comprising:
a first distribution of transducers circumscribing a portion of a substrate and operable in a drive mode in which at least one transducer of the first distribution of transducers mechanically deforms in response to a drive signal;
a second distribution of transducers disposed adjacent to the first distribution of transducers and operable in a sense mode in which at least one transducer of the second distribution of transducers produces an electronic signal when a section of the substrate adjacent to the at least one transducer of the second distribution of transducers mechanically deforms;
a master controller configured to:
actuate a first subgroup controller to cause the at least one transducer of the first distribution of transducers to cause a mechanical wave to be generated across at least one of a top surface or a thickness of the substrate toward an interior portion of the substrate; and
receive, from a second subgroup controller, the electronic signal from the at least one transducer of the second distribution of transducers; and
an image resolver in communication with the master controller and operable to construct an image of an object engaging the top surface of the substrate based on the electronic signal received by the master controller.