Diagnostic medical ultrasound system having clock synchronized power supply
First Claim
1. A diagnostic medical imaging system comprising:
- a power supply operatively responsive to a power supply clock signal;
an event indicator operative to generate an event signal indicative of an occurrence of one of a transmit event, a receive event or a combination thereof; and
a power supply synchronizer coupled with the event indicator and the power supply and operative to reset the power supply clock signal based on the event signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method is disclosed for minimizing image artifacts, or the effect thereof, of electrical noise/interference caused by switch-mode power supplies of a diagnostic medical imaging system, such as a diagnostic medical ultrasound system. In one embodiment, one or more switch mode power supplies capable of being synchronized to an external clock signal are utilized to power the ultrasound system. The clock signal to the power supplies is provided by the system, generated, or otherwise derived from, the clock signal used by the imaging components, and phase-synchronized to the transmit and receive events of the imaging system. In this way, noise generated by the power supplies is synchronized with the imaging processes and, at least, will appear as a substantially constant artifact in the diagnostic images, allowing it to be readily ignored by a user or automatically removed therefrom.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A diagnostic medical imaging system comprising:
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a power supply operatively responsive to a power supply clock signal; an event indicator operative to generate an event signal indicative of an occurrence of one of a transmit event, a receive event or a combination thereof; and a power supply synchronizer coupled with the event indicator and the power supply and operative to reset the power supply clock signal based on the event signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of minimizing artifacts caused by noise in images generated by a diagnostic medical imaging system, the method comprising:
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providing a power supply clock signal to a power supply of a diagnostic medical imaging system, the power supply operating responsively thereto; determining the occurrence of one of a transmit event, receive event or a combination thereof; and resetting the power supply clock signal based on the occurrence. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A diagnostic medical imaging system comprising:
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means for providing a power supply clock signal to a power supply of a diagnostic medical imaging system, the power supply operating responsively thereto; means for determining the occurrence of one of a transmit event, receive event or a combination thereof; and means for resetting the power supply clock signal based on the occurrence.
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26. A method of minimizing artifacts caused by noise in images generated by a diagnostic medical ultrasound system, the method comprising:
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determining the start of one of the transmission of ultrasonic energy into a portion of a subject or the start of the reception of echoes from the portion of the subject due to the prior transmission of ultrasonic energy into the portion of the subject; and synchronizing a phase of a clock signal to a switched mode power supply of the diagnostic medical ultrasound system based on the determining, the operation of the switched mode power supply synchronizing thereto.
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Specification