Specialized Ultrasound and Thermoacoustic Systems for Niche Applications

Publication ID: 24-11857291_0009_PTD
Published: November 07, 2025
Category:Specialized Variations & Niche Solutions

Legal Citation

pr1or.art Inc., “Specialized Ultrasound and Thermoacoustic Systems for Niche Applications,” Published Technical Disclosure No. 24-11857291_0009_PTD, Published November 07, 2025, available at https://archive.pr1or.art/24-11857291_0009_PTD
This technical disclosure describes improvements that would be readily apparent to a Person Having Ordinary Skill In The Art (PHOSITA) when considered in combination with the foundational architecture disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 11,857,291.

Summary of the Inventive Concept

The inventive concept adapts the original serial architecture and energy-saving methods for ultrasound and thermoacoustic systems to cater to specific, narrow markets or unique operational environments, enhancing their utility and effectiveness.

Background and Problem Solved

The original patent disclosed a serial architecture and energy-saving methods for ultrasound and thermoacoustic systems, but it lacked adaptability to extreme or specialized environments, limiting its applicability. This inventive concept addresses these limitations by introducing specialized variations and niche solutions.

Detailed Description of the Inventive Concept

The inventive concept comprises a range of systems and methods tailored to specific applications, including disaster relief, high-security medical imaging, extreme weather condition imaging, underwater ultrasound imaging, and search and rescue operations. Each variant incorporates the original patent's serial architecture and energy-saving methods, with additional features and modifications to suit the unique demands of its intended environment. For instance, the disaster relief system features a portable and battery-operated ultrasound and thermoacoustic instrument with a communication module for real-time data transmission, while the high-security medical imaging method employs enhanced encryption and secure data transmission protocols to ensure confidentiality of patient data.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The inventive concept's novelty lies in its ability to adapt the original patent's technology to diverse, specialized contexts, thereby expanding its utility and effectiveness. The inventive step resides in the recognition of the need for niche solutions and the development of tailored systems and methods that address these specific requirements.

Alternative Embodiments and Variations

Other embodiments of the inventive concept could include systems for environmental monitoring, industrial inspection, or veterinary imaging, each with its unique adaptations and features. Additionally, the inventive concept could be implemented using different materials, components, or manufacturing processes to further enhance its performance and versatility.

Potential Commercial Applications and Market

The inventive concept has significant commercial potential in various industries, including healthcare, disaster response, environmental monitoring, and industrial inspection. The target market includes organizations and individuals operating in these sectors, who require specialized ultrasound and thermoacoustic systems to address their specific needs and challenges.

Field of Art

Biomedical imaging and sensing technologies, specifically ultrasound and thermoacoustic systems with a focus on portable diagnostic instrumentation and signal processing

Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile

An electrical engineer or biomedical engineering professional with expertise in signal acquisition, transducer design, low-power electronics, and adaptive instrumentation for medical and emergency imaging applications

Obviousness Rationale

A person of ordinary skill would recognize that the source patent's fundamental serial architecture and energy-saving methods for ultrasound systems provide a flexible technological framework that can be readily adapted to specialized environments. The PTD's variations represent predictable extensions of the original patent's core technological principles, utilizing standard engineering design techniques to modify the base instrument for specific use cases. These adaptations involve routine modifications such as adding communication modules, adjusting transducer configurations, and implementing environmental protections that would be well within a skilled practitioner's capabilities.

Obvious Combinations & Variations

Source Patent Element
Portable and battery-operated device configuration from original patent claim 5
PTD Variation
Disaster relief system with communication module for real-time data transmission
Obviousness Reasoning
Adding a communication module to a portable instrument is a predictable solution for enhancing data utility in emergency scenarios, representing a known technique for extending diagnostic instrument functionality
Source Patent Element
Thermoacoustic data acquisition unit with digital processing capabilities from original patent claim 2
PTD Variation
High-security medical imaging system with enhanced encryption protocols
Obviousness Reasoning
Implementing additional data security features on an existing digital processing platform is a standard engineering approach to addressing specific operational requirements, involving no more than routine skill in the art
Source Patent Element
Transducer array design from original patent claim 1
PTD Variation
Specialized underwater ultrasound imaging transducer configuration
Obviousness Reasoning
Modifying transducer characteristics to suit different environmental conditions represents a predictable design variation that would be obvious to a skilled practitioner familiar with signal acquisition technologies
Source Patent Element
Energy-saving mode switching mechanism from original patent claim 3
PTD Variation
Extreme weather condition instrument with environmental stress protection
Obviousness Reasoning
Adapting an existing instrument's power management and protection strategies to handle challenging environmental conditions is a straightforward engineering optimization using known techniques
Source Patent Element
Integrated preamplifier and analog front-end design from original patent
PTD Variation
Search and rescue system with integrated GPS tracking capabilities
Obviousness Reasoning
Incorporating additional sensor and tracking technologies into an existing instrumentation platform represents a predictable enhancement that would be obvious to a person skilled in the art
35 U.S.C. § 103 Summary: Based on the teachings of US Patent 11857291 and the published technical disclosure, a person of ordinary skill in the art would find the claimed variations to be obvious extensions of the prior art, involving no more than routine engineering modifications to adapt a fundamental ultrasound and thermoacoustic imaging platform to specialized operational contexts. The disclosed variations represent predictable combinations of known technological elements that would not rise to the level of non-obvious innovation under 35 U.S.C. Section 103.

Original Patent Information

Patent NumberUS 11,857,291
TitleSerial architecture and energy saving methods for ultrasound and thermoacoustic systems
Assignee(s)PhotoSound Technologies Inc.