Image generation apparatus and image generation method

• US 10,444,200 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Masuda, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Huls, Natalie
• Application Number:
  US15/456,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20170269040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/34 Generating the ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves , e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/348 with frequency characteristics, e.g. single frequency signals, chirp signals measuring frequency of mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in general G01H1/06, G01H3/04; measuring frequency or analysing frequency spectra G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/44 Processing the detected response signal , e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor digital signal processing per se G06F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4463 Signal correction, e.g. distance amplitude correction [DAC], distance gain size [DGS], noise filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8977 using special techniques for image reconstruction, e.g. FFT, geometrical transformations, spatial deconvolution, time deconvolution
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52038 involving non-linear properties of the propagation medium or of the reflective target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52047 for elimination of side lobes or of grating lobes; for increasing resolving power

Abstract

An image generation apparatus including a computation processing section that generates an ultrasonic image from a received signal associated with each scanning of an object in which an ultrasonic wave is transmitted and received is provided. The computation processing section sets, for each scanning, a selection range over which the received signal is received and which includes the direction of the scanning, calculates weights used in a beamforming process based on the received signals within the selection range, and carries out the beamforming process based on the weights to generate an image associated with the scanning.

Claims

1. An image generation apparatus comprising:

an ultrasonic probe selectively scanning an object by transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave; and

a computation processor configured to generate an ultrasonic image from a received signal associated with each scanning in which the ultrasonic wave is transmitted and received,

wherein the computation processor is further configured to;

set, for each scanning, a selection range over which the received signal is received and which includes a direction of the scanning, wherein the selection range indicates a range of scan lines, and the selection range is set based on a main lobe width of a scan line, and wherein the computation processor is configured to set the selection range based on a transmission frequency of the ultrasonic wave,

calculate weights used in a beamforming process based on the received signals within the selection range, and

carry out the beamforming process based on the weights to generate an image associated with the scanning.

2. The image generation apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the setting of the selection range includes decreasing the selection range in response to the transmission frequency of the ultrasonic wave increasing.

3. The image generation apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the setting of the selection range includes decreasing the selection range based on a width of a drive element associated with the scanning.

4. The image generation apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the generation of the image is selectively accompanied by a predetermined harmonic process when an image associated with the scanning is generated, and

the setting of the selection range includes setting a narrower selection range in a case where the harmonic imaging process is carried out as compared to a case where no harmonic imaging process is carried out.

5. An image generation method for generating an ultrasonic image from a received signal associated with each scanning of an object in which an ultrasonic wave is transmitted and received, the method comprising:

setting, for each scanning, a selection range over which the received signal is received and which includes a direction of the scanning, wherein the selection range is set based on a transmission frequency of the ultrasonic wave, and wherein the selection range indicates a range of scan lines, and the selection range is set based on a main lobe width of a scan line;

calculating weights used in a beamforming process based on the received signals within the selection range; and

carrying out the beamforming process based on the weights to generate an image associated with the scanning.

6. The image generation apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the setting of the selection range includes decreasing the selection range in response to the transmission frequency of the ultrasonic wave increasing.

7. The image generation apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the setting of the selection range includes decreasing the selection range based on a width of a drive element associated with the scanning.

8. The image generation apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the generation of the image is selectively accompanied by a predetermined harmonic process when an image associated with the scanning is generated, and

the setting of the selection range includes setting a narrower selection range in a case where the harmonic imaging process is carried out as compared to a case where no harmonic imaging process is carried out.