Ultrasound system for the production of 3-D images

• US 20030013955A1
• Filed: 06/22/2001
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Poland, Mckee D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,582,372 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8993 Three dimensional imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52069 Grey-scale displays

Abstract

An ultrasound system that utilizes a probe in conjunction with little or no specialized 3-D software/hardware to produce images having depth cues. A control unit uses the probe to produce multiple slices of data, wherein each slice has a plurality of lines of data points. The control unit oversees the combination of data points from matched lines across the slices so as to create an image on the display giving the illusion of depth.

Claims

1. An ultrasound system comprising:

a probe;

a display; and

a control unit that uses the probe to produce a plurality of slices of data, wherein each slice comprises a plurality of lines of data points, and combines data points from matched lines across the slices so as to create an image on the display giving the illusion of depth.

2. The ultrasound system of claim 1 wherein the control unit combines the data points using a digital filter.

3. The ultrasound system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of slices of data is X slices of data where 3≦

X≦

15.

4. The ultrasound system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of slices of data is X slices of data where 6≦

X≦

12.

5. The ultrasound system of claim 4 wherein digital filter is a FIR type filter.

6. The ultrasound system of claim 4 wherein digital filter is an IIR type filter.

7. The ultrasound system of claim 4 wherein digital filter is an adaptive type filter.

8. The ultrasound system of claim 1 wherein the control unit combines the data points by weighting the matched data points based on a desired viewpoint and accumulating the matched weighted data points together.

9. The ultrasound system of claim 8 wherein data points in slices closer to the desired viewpoint receive a heavier weighting than data points in slices further from the desired viewpoint so as to create the visual effect of dimming.

10. The ultrasound system of claim 1 wherein the control unit linearly combines the data points by accumulating matched data points on lines from the plurality of slices.

11. The ultrasound system of claim 1 the control unit matches and combines the data points by indexing lines in each slice, adjusting the index of lines in at least one slice based on a desired rotation and accumulates data points from similar depths on lines with matching indexes in the plurality of slices.

12. The ultrasound system of claim 1 wherein the each slice comprises a plurality of lines and the control unit adjusts the placement of the lines to produce a desired effect in the image.

13. The ultrasound system of claim 12 wherein the control unit adjusts placement of lines by controlling the spacing of lines so as to have non-uniform spacing to produce apparent perspective with a sense of depth in the image.

15. The ultrasound system of claim 1 wherein each the control unit causes each slice to be shaped as a sector scan and wherein each slice shares a common apex.

16. The ultrasound system of claim 1 wherein each the control unit causes each slice to be shaped as a sector scan and wherein each slice has a different apex.

17. The ultrasound system of claim 1 wherein each the control unit causes each slice to be shaped as a rectangular scan and wherein each rectangular scans share a common side.

18. The ultrasound system of claim 1 wherein each the control unit causes each slice to be shaped as a rectangular scan and wherein none of the rectangular scans share a common side.

19. The ultrasound system of claim 1 wherein each the control unit causes each slice to be shaped as a trapezoidal scan and wherein each trapezoidal scan shares a common side.

20. The ultrasound system of claim 1 wherein each the control unit causes each slice to be shaped as a trapezoidal scan and wherein none of the trapezoidal scans share a common side.

21. The ultrasound system of claim 1 wherein the control unit utilizes a persistence routine to combine the slices.

22. An ultrasound system comprising:

a probe;

a display; and

a control unit that uses the probe to capture a plurality of lines of data points thereby obtaining a volume of data points; and

a signal processor that filters the volume of data points so as to select data points in a certain depth range and combines the data points on each line of data points within the depth range so as to create an image on the display giving the illusion of depth.

23. The ultrasound system of claim 22 wherein the control unit combines the data points using a digital filter.

24. The ultrasound system of claim 22 wherein the control unit weights each of the data points prior to combining.

25. The ultrasound system of claim 24 wherein the control unit combines and weights the data points using a digital filter.

26. The ultrasound system of claim 25 wherein digital filter is a FIR type filter.

27. The ultrasound system of claim 25 wherein digital filter is an IIR type filter.

28. The ultrasound system of claim 25 wherein digital filter is an adaptive type filter.

29. The ultrasound system of claim 22 wherein the depth and rotation of the image is user controllable.

30. The ultrasound system of claim 22 wherein the lines of data points are parallel.

31. The ultrasound system of claim 22 wherein the lines of data points are not parallel.

32. The ultrasound system of claim 22 wherein the control unit combines the data points by weighting each data point based on a desired viewpoint and accumulating the weighted data points together.

33. The ultrasound system of claim 32 wherein data points in slices closer to the desired viewpoint receive a heavier weighting than data points in slices further from the desired viewpoint so as to create the visual effect of dimming.

36. A method, as set forth in claim 35, wherein the step of combining comprises:

weighting each data point based on a desired viewpoint and accumulating the weighted data points together.

37. A method, as set forth in claim 35, wherein the step of combining comprises:

indexing lines in each slice, adjusting the index of lines in at least one slice, based on a desired rotation, and accumulating data points from similar depths on lines with matching indexes in the plurality of slices.

39. The method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the certain depth range is individually selected for each line of data so as to provide tilt.

34. An ultrasound system comprising:

a probe;

a display; and

control means for producing a plurality of slices of data, wherein each slice comprises a plurality of lines of data points, and combining data points from matched lines across the slices so as to create an image on the display giving the illusion of depth.

35. A method for creating an ultrasound imaging comprising:

using probe to produce a plurality of slices of data wherein each slice comprises a plurality of lines of data points; and

combining data points from matched lines across the slices so as to create an image on the display giving the illusion of depth.

38. A method for creating an ultrasound imaging comprising:

using probe to produce a plurality of slices of data, each slice of data having a plurality of lines of data points;

selecting data points in a certain depth range from each of the lines of data; and

combining the data points on each line of data points within the selected depth range so as to create an image on the display giving the illusion of depth.