Transducer array imaging system

• US 20080114250A1
• Filed: 11/10/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• 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., Lannutti, Anthony P., Weymer, Raymond F.
• Application Number:
  US11/595,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20080114250A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/447
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4422 related to hygiene or sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4438 Means for identifying the diagnostic device, e.g. barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8918 the array being linear
• 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 a digital data stream from a remote unit, wherein the remote unit interrogates a medium with an ultrasound wave;

dearranging the digital data stream into digital data signals; and

processing the digital data signals.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising distributing the digital data signals over a network prior to receiving.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote unit is a module in a probe.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote unit comprises a transducer array.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital data stream represents the ultrasound wave.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound wave is created using at least one of the following:

partial beamforming and full beamforming.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly receiving the digital data stream.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the dearranging comprises wirelessly receiving the digital data stream over a plurality of wireless channels.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the digital data stream over a wired communication path.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the dearranging comprises receiving the digital data stream over a plurality of wired channels.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the dearranging comprises demultiplexing the digital data stream.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the demultiplexing comprises at least one of the following:

phase division demultiplexing, orthogonal frequency division demultiplexing, code division demultiplexing, frequency division demultiplexing, and time division demultiplexing.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly receiving the digital data stream over wireless channels, wherein at least one wireless channel is in an orthogonal arrangement with respect to another wireless channel.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging the digital data.

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

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

16. The method of claim 14, wherein arranging the digital data comprises at least one of the following:

multiplexing and interleaving.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising multiplexing using at least one of the following techniques:

time-division multiplexing, frequency-division multiplexing, code-division multiplexing, and pulse width-division multiplexing.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the digital data is interleaved as a function of at least one of the following:

time, position of transducer channels, and data bit position.

19. 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.

20. 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 the remote unit, synchronizing communication with the remote unit, and ensuring communication with a predetermined remote unit.

21. A device for conducting ultrasound measurements, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a digital data stream from a remote unit;

a multiplexer in communication with the receiver for dearranging the digital data stream into digital data signals; and

a processor for processing the dearranged digital data signals.

22. The device of claim 21, further comprising a transmitter in communication with the multiplexer for wirelessly transmitting the digital data signals.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the transmitter transmits the digital data using at least one of the following techniques:

optical, infrared, radio frequency, and ultrawideband frequency.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the transmitter transmits a unique identifier with the digital data, and wherein the unique identifier is used for at least one of the following:

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

25. The device of claim 21, further comprising a network server in communication with the receiver, wherein the network server distributes the digital data signals to the receiver and other receivers.

26. The device of claim 21, wherein the remote unit is a module in a probe.

27. The device of claim 21, wherein the remote unit comprises a transducer array.

28. The device of claim 21, wherein the digital data stream represents an ultrasound interrogation wave.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the ultrasound interrogation wave is created using at least one of the following:

partial beamforming and full beamforming.

30. The device of claim 21, wherein the receiver is wireless.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the multiplexer wirelessly receives the digital data stream via the receiver over a plurality of wireless channels.

32. The device of claim 21, wherein the receiver is wired.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the multiplexer wirelessly receives the digital data stream via the receiver over a plurality of wired channels.

34. The device of claim 21, wherein the multiplexer operates using one of the following techniques:

phase division demultiplexing, orthogonal frequency division demultiplexing, code division demultiplexing, frequency division demultiplexing, and time division demultiplexing.

35. The device of claim 21, wherein the receiver receives the digital data stream over wireless channels, and wherein at least one wireless channel is in an orthogonal arrangement with respect to another wireless channel.

36. The device of claim 21, wherein the multiplexer arranges the digital data using at least one of the following techniques:

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

37. The device of claim 21, wherein the multiplexer uses at least one of the following techniques:

time-division multiplexing, frequency-division multiplexing, code-division multiplexing, and pulse width-division multiplexing.