LOW POWER ULTRASOUND SYSTEM

• US 20080255451A1
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Messerly, Shayne, Cohen, Ben, Robles, Dylan K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,500,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/443
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/145 characterised by scanning multiple planes
• 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 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5207 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image reconstruction G06T11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8909 using a static transducer configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52017 particularly adapted to short-range imaging G01S7/53 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5208 with integration of processing functions inside probe or scanhead
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52082 involving a modular construction, e.g. a computer with short range imaging equipment modular ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/4411
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52096 related to power management, e.g. saving power or prolonging life of electronic components details of power supplies for ultrasonic medical diagnostic imaging devices A61B8/56

Abstract

A low power ultrasound system for use in sonography applications, including vascular imaging, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the low power ultrasound system comprises a base unit that includes an image processor and a display. An ultrasound probe is operably connected to the base unit. The probe includes a head portion including an array of crystal transducers. A plurality of pulser/receiver modules that cause the transducers to emit ultrasonic transmit pulses are also included in the probe. The pulser/receiver modules are further configured to receive analog signals relating to ultrasonic echo receive pulses detected by the transducers. The probe includes a singular low noise amplifier that amplifies the analog signals, and an analog-to-digital converter that converts the analog signals to a digital signal. A wireless interface is included for enabling the digital signal to be wirelessly transmitted from the probe to the image processor of the base unit.

Claims

1. A low power ultrasound imaging device, comprising:

a base unit including an image processor and a display;

an ultrasound probe operably connected to the base unit, the probe including;

a head portion including a crystal transducer array;

a plurality of pulser/receiver modules that cause the transducer array to emit at least one ultrasonic transmit pulse, the pulser/receiver modules configured to receive analog signals relating to at least one ultrasonic echo receive pulse detected by the transducer array;

a singular low noise amplifier that amplifies the analog signals;

a singular analog-to-digital converter that converts the analog signals to a digital signal;

a field-programmable gate array that controls the pulser/receiver modules and the analog-to-digital converter; and

an interface for enabling the digital signal to be transferred from the probe to the image processor of the base unit.

2. The low power ultrasound imaging device as defined in claim 1, wherein the ultrasound probe further comprises a multiplexer that combines the analog signals before the analog signals are amplified by the low noise amplifier.

3. The low power ultrasound imaging device as defined in claim 1, wherein the ultrasound probe includes a battery for providing power to components of the ultrasound probe.

4. The low power ultrasound imaging device as defined in claim 3, wherein the interface is a wireless interface, and wherein the base unit includes a wireless interface.

5. The low power ultrasound imaging device as defined in claim 4, wherein the wireless interface of the ultrasound probe and the base unit communicate via a wireless USB protocol.

6. The low power ultrasound imaging device as defined in claim 1, wherein the interface includes a cable interface between the ultrasound probe and the base unit.

7. The low power ultrasound imaging device as defined in claim 1, wherein the low noise amplifier produces a differential output of amplified analog signals.

8. The low power ultrasound imaging device as defined in claim 1, wherein the ultrasound probe further comprises a central processing unit that controls the field-programmable gate array and the interface of the ultrasound probe.

9. The low power ultrasound imaging device as defined in claim 1, wherein the base unit is a laptop computer.

10. A method for insonating an object to be imaged via ultrasound, the method comprising:

by a plurality of transducers in a transducer array, simultaneously transmitting a plurality of ultrasonic transmit pulses;

by at least one transducer of the plurality of transducers, detecting an ultrasonic echo receive pulse, the ultrasonic echo receive pulse being changed by the at least one transducer into an electrical analog signal;

multiplexing the electrical analog signal with additional electrical analog signals into a multiplexed analog signal;

by a singular amplifier, amplifying the multiplexed analog signal; and

by a singular analog-to-digital converter, converting the multiplexed analog signal into a digital signal.

11. The method for insonating as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

processing the digital signal to produce an ultrasonic image.

12. The method for insonating as defined in claim 11, wherein the transducer array is a linear array disposed in a head portion of an ultrasound probe.

13. The method for insonating as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting the digital signal from the ultrasound probe to a base unit, the base unit processing the digital signal to produce an ultrasonic image.

14. The method for insonating as defined in claim 10, wherein amplifying the multiplexed analog signal further comprises changing the multiplexed analog signal from a single-ended signal to a differential signal.

15. The method for insonating as defined in claim 10, wherein the transducers are crystal transducers and wherein the transducers of the subset of transducers in the array are contiguous.

16. The method for insonating as defined in claim 10, wherein the additional electrical analog signals are produced by echo receive pulses produced by subsequent transmission of ultrasonic transmit pulses.

17. The method for insonating as defined in claim 10, wherein detecting an ultrasonic echo receive pulse further comprises detecting a plurality of ultrasonic echo receiver pulses.

18. A low power ultrasound probe for use in wirelessly transmitting ultrasonic image data to a base unit for production of an ultrasonic image, the low power ultrasound probe comprising:

an outer covering housing a plurality internal probe components, the internal probe components including;

a head portion including a plurality of transducers;

a plurality of pulser/receiver modules that cause the transducers to emit a plurality of ultrasonic transmit pulses, the pulser/receiver modules further configured to receive analog signals relating to a plurality of ultrasonic echo receive pulses detected by at least one of the transducers;

a multiplexer that combines the analog signals into a multiplexed analog signal;

a singular low noise amplifier that amplifies the multiplexed analog signal;

a singular analog-to-digital converter that converts the multiplexed analog signal to a digital signal;

a field-programmable gate array that controls the pulser/receiver modules and the analog-to-digital converter; and

a wireless interface enabling the digital signal to be wirelessly transmitted from the ultrasound probe to an image processor of the base unit.

19. The low power ultrasound probe as defined in claim 18, wherein the base unit includes a wireless interface for receiving the digital signal transmitted from the ultrasound probe.

20. The low power ultrasound probe as defined in claim 19, wherein the internal probe components are included on at least one circuit board.

21. The low power ultrasound probe as defined in claim 20, wherein the internal probe components are included on three circuit boards, the circuit boards being in a stacked configuration.

22. The low power ultrasound probe as defined in claim 21, wherein the multiplexer includes a plurality of multiplexers that are controlled by the field-programmable gate array.

23. The low power ultrasound probe as defined in claim 22, wherein the plurality of transducers includes 64 crystal transducers, wherein the plurality of pulser/receiver modules includes 64 pulser/receiver modules, and wherein the plurality of multiplexers includes eight multiplexers.

24. The low power ultrasound probe as defined in claim 23, further comprising a lithium-ion battery for powering the internal probe components.

25. The low power ultrasound probe as defined in claim 25, further comprising a plurality of pulser buffers interposed between the field-programmable gate array and the plurality of pulser/receiver modules.

26. A method of ultrasonically scanning a target object, the method comprising:

firing a plurality of transducers at the target object;

receiving data by only a first transducer of the plurality of transducers;

re-firing the plurality of transducers at the target;

receiving data by only a second transducer of the plurality of transducers; and

repeating the steps of firing the plurality of transducers and receiving data by a single, sequential transducer until the target object is scanned.

27. The method of ultrasonically scanning a target object as defined in claim 26, further comprising:

producing an image from the received data.