Transducer array imaging system

• US 20080110263A1
• Filed: 11/10/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Penrith Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Randall, Kevin S., Klessel, Jodi Schwartz, Urbano, Joseph A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,220,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/602
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4494 characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements devices for short-range imaging using particular transducer elements arrangements under G01S15/8909; arrangements of transducers in generation of mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic frequency B06B1/0607
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8906 Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52028 using digital techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52085 Details related to the ultrasound signal acquisition, e.g. scan sequences control of medical diagnostic ultrasound devices A61B8/54

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments include a method, system, and device for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium. The novel method includes transmitting a non-beamformed or beamformed ultrasound wave into the medium, receiving more than one echoed ultrasound wave from the medium, and converting the received echoed ultrasound wave into digital data. The novel method may further transmit the digital data. In some embodiments, the transmitting may be wireless. The novel device may include transducer elements, an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the transducer elements, and a transmitter in communication with the analog-to-digital converter. The transducers may operate to convert a first electrical energy into an ultrasound wave. The first electrical energy may or may not be beamformed. The transducers also may convert an echoed ultrasound wave into a second electrical energy. The analog-to-digital converter may convert the electrical energy into digital data, and the transmitter may transmit the digital data.

Claims

1. A method for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium, comprising:

receiving an ultrasound echo wave at a first location;

receiving the ultrasound echo wave at a second location;

preventing receiving of the ultrasound echo wave at a third location;

converting to digital data the received ultrasound echo wave at the first location and the second location; and

transmitting the digital data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising reducing the digital data without combining the received ultrasound echo wave at the first location and the second location.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising partially combining the received ultrasound echo wave at the first location and the second location.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the digital data at a rate that varies as a function of at least one of the following:

an available bandwidth of the transmission, a rate at which the digital data is acquired, an image frame, a transmit aperture, a receive aperture.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting the received echo wave to digital data using quadrature sampling.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the digital data based on at least one of the following characteristics:

capability of a remote unit, quality of transmission of digital data, quantity of errors in transmission of digital data, and availability of power.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the digital data using at least one of the following techniques:

optical, infrared, radio frequency, and ultrawideband frequency.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a unique identifier with the digital data, wherein the unique identifier is used for at least one of the following:

initiating communication with a remote unit, synchronizing communication with a remote unit, and ensuring communication with a predetermined remote unit.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting is wireless.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving is prevented as a function of an area in a region of interest, and wherein the region of interest is a function of a displayed image.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving is prevented as a function of a display resolution.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a resolution of a display of an image created from the digital data.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging the digital data into data streams, wherein the arranging comprises transmitting the digital data over a plurality of multiple wireless channels.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging the digital data using at least one of the following techniques:

manipulating the digital data after converting the received echoed ultrasound wave to digital data and manipulating the digital data prior to converting the received echoed ultrasound wave to digital data.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the digital data at a rate that varies as a function of at least one of the following:

an available bandwidth of the transmission, a rate at which the digital data is acquired, an image frame, a transmit aperture, a receive aperture.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming an image frame from the digital data, storing the digital data and transmitting the digital data after at least one image frame of digital data is stored.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising reducing a number of at least one of a transmitted non-beamformed wave and received echoed ultrasound wave ultrasound to create the image frame.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting an interrogation wave that reflects as the ultrasound echo wave, wherein the interrogation wave is formed using at least one of the following techniques:

focusing, unfocusing, and defocusing.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting the ultrasound echo wave to digital data using quadrature sampling.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising varying the preventing of the received ultrasound echo wave as a function of a rate of the transmission of the digital data.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising varying the preventing of the received ultrasound echo wave as a function of displayed region of interest of the medium.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising packetizing the digital data and retransmitting a compromised packet.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising varying the preventing of the received ultrasound echo wave as a function of at least one of the following characteristics:

capability of a remote unit, quality of transmission of digital data, quantity of errors in transmission of digital data, and availability of power.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a unique identifier with the digital data, wherein the unique identifier is used for at least one of the following:

initiating communication with a remote unit, synchronizing communication with a remote unit, and ensuring communication with a predetermined remote unit.

25. A device for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium, comprising:

a first transducer for receiving an ultrasound echo wave at a first location;

a second transducer for receiving the ultrasound echo wave at a second location;

a third transducer that is prevented from receiving of the ultrasound echo wave at a third location;

an analog-to-digital converter for converting to digital data the received ultrasound echo wave at the first location and the second location; and

a transmitter for transmitting the digital data.

26. The device of claim 25, further comprising a processor for reducing the digital data without combining the received ultrasound echo wave at the first location and the second location.

27. The device of claim 25, further comprising a processor for partially combining the received ultrasound echo wave at the first location and the second location.

28. The device of claim 25, further comprising a data store for storing the digital data at a rate that varies as a function of at least one of the following:

an available bandwidth of the transmission, a rate at which the digital data is acquired, an image frame, a transmit aperture, a receive aperture.

29. The device of claim 25, wherein the analog-to-digital converter converts the received echo wave to digital data using quadrature sampling.

30. The device of claim 25, further comprising a processor that directs the transmitter to transmit the digital data based on at least one of the following characteristics:

capability of a remote unit, quality of transmission of digital data, quantity of errors in transmission of digital data, and availability of power.

31. The device of claim 25, further comprising a transmitter that transmits the digital data using at least one of the following techniques:

optical, infrared, radio frequency, and ultrawideband frequency.

32. The device of claim 25, further comprising transmitting a unique identifier with the digital data, wherein the unique identifier is used for at least one of the following:

initiating communication with a remote unit, synchronizing communication with a remote unit, and ensuring communication with a predetermined remote unit.

33. The device of claim 25, wherein the transmitter is wireless.

34. The device of claim 25, wherein the receiving is prevented as a function of an area in a region of interest, and wherein the region of interest is a function of a displayed image.

35. The device of claim 25, wherein the receiving is prevented as a function of a display resolution.

36. The device of claim 25, further comprising a processor for adjusting a resolution of a display of an image created from the digital data.

37. The device of claim 25, further comprising a multiplexer for arranging the digital data into data streams, wherein the arranging comprises transmitting the digital data over a plurality of multiple wireless channels.

38. The device of claim 25, further comprising a multiplexer for arranging the digital data using at least one of the following techniques:

manipulating the digital data after converting the received echoed ultrasound wave to digital data and manipulating the digital data prior to converting the received echoed ultrasound wave to digital data.

39. The device of claim 25, further comprising a data store for storing the digital data at a rate that varies as a function of at least one of the following:

an available bandwidth of the transmission, a rate at which the digital data is acquired, an image frame, a transmit aperture, a receive aperture.

40. The device of claim 25, further comprising a processor for forming an image frame from the digital data, and a data store for storing the digital data and transmitting the digital data after at least one image frame of digital data is stored.

41. The device of claim 40, further comprising a processor for reducing a number of at least one of a transmitted non-beamformed wave and received echoed ultrasound wave ultrasound to create the image frame.

42. The device of claim 25, wherein the first and second transducers transmit an interrogation wave that reflects as the ultrasound echo wave, and wherein the interrogation wave is formed using at least one of the following techniques:

focusing, unfocusing, and defocusing.

43. The device of claim 25, wherein the analog-to-digital converter converts the ultrasound echo wave to digital data using quadrature sampling.

44. The device of claim 25, further comprising a processor that varies the preventing of the received ultrasound echo wave as a function of a rate of the transmission of the digital data.

45. The device of claim 25, further comprising a processor that varies the preventing of the received ultrasound echo wave as a function of displayed region of interest of the medium.

46. The device of claim 25, further comprising a processor that packetizes the digital data and the transmitter that retransmits a compromised packet.

47. The device of claim 25, further comprising a processor that varies the preventing of the received ultrasound echo wave as a function of at least one of the following characteristics:

capability of a remote unit, quality of transmission of digital data, quantity of errors in transmission of digital data, and availability of power.

48. The device of claim 25, further comprising a processor that directs the transmitter to transmit a unique identifier with the digital data, wherein the unique identifier is used for at least one of the following:

initiating communication with a remote unit, synchronizing communication with a remote unit, and ensuring communication with a predetermined remote unit.