SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COMMUNICATING ULTRASOUND DATA

• US 20140164596A1
• Filed: 12/11/2012
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hoctor, Ralph Thomas, Bonanni, Pierino Gianni, Bush, Stephen Francis, Dell'Anno, Michael Joseph, Soro, Stanislava, Hartman, Michael James, Hershey, John Erik
• Granted Patent: US 9,100,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/38 by adapting coding or compression rate

Abstract

Systems and methods for communicating ultrasound data are provided. One method includes monitoring over time estimates of bandwidth of a channel communicatively coupling an imaging location with another location remote from the imaging location and communicating the estimates to a system at the imaging location. The method also includes identifying at least one of a region-of-interest (ROI) mask or one or more transmission parameters for the channel and adjusting at least one of the ROI mask or the one or more transmission parameters based on the monitored estimates of the bandwidth for communicating the medical images.

Claims

1. A method for controlling transmission of medical images, the method comprising:

monitoring over time estimates of bandwidth of a channel communicatively coupling an imaging location with another location remote from the imaging location;

communicating the estimates to a system at the imaging location;

identifying at least one of a region-of-interest (ROI) mask or one or more transmission parameters for the channel; and

adjusting at least one of the ROI mask or the one or more transmission parameters based on the monitored estimates of the bandwidth for communicating the medical images.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring comprises continuously determining estimates of the bandwidth over time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission parameters comprise at least one of compression or frame rate and adjusting the one or more transmission parameters comprises adjusting the compression or frame rate such that the compression or frame rate within the ROI mask is different than the compression or frame rate outside of the ROI mask.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ROI mask is selected based on one or more moving portions of a series of images communicated over the channel.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a time interval for extending an imagery sequence transmission time of medical images over the channel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the ROI mask comprises adjusting a size or area of the ROI mask.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the ROI mask comprises moving a center of the ROI mask.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting one or more transmission parameters comprises adjusting the parameters of compression and progressive transmission including at least one of adjusting image pixel sixes or a number of pixel quantization levels.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical images comprise a series of ultrasound images over time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting comprises adjusting one of a compression or frame rate based on a changing characteristic of the medical images.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the medical images are color flow ultrasound images, and the adjusting is based on a rate of change of one or more colors in the ultrasound images.

12. An image communication system comprising:

a first workstation located at one location, the workstation configured to acquire medical images from an imaging apparatus;

a transceiver coupled to the first workstation;

a second workstation at a location remote from the first workstation;

a transceiver coupled to the second workstation, the transceivers coupled to the first and second workstations forming a communication link therebetween; and

a link analysis unit (LAU) at the location of the second workstation, the LAU configured to monitor over time estimates of bandwidth of the communication link and communicate the estimates to the first workstation or the transceiver coupled to the first workstation, wherein at least one of a region-of-interest (ROI) mask or one or more transmission parameters for the communication link is adjusted based on the monitored estimates of the bandwidth for communicating the medical images.

13. The image communication system of claim 12, wherein the LAU is configured to continuously determine estimates of the bandwidth over time.

14. The image communication system of claim 12, wherein the transmission parameters comprise at least one of a compression or frame rate and the compression or frame rate is adjusted such that the compression or frame rate within the ROI mask is different than the compression or frame rate outside of the ROI mask.

15. The image communication system of claim 12, wherein the second workstation comprises a user interface configured to receive a user input selecting a time interval for extending an imagery sequence transmission time of the medical images over the channel.

16. The image communication system of claim 12, further comprising a user interface allowing adjustment of a size or area of the ROI mask or moving a center of the ROI mask.

17. The image communication system of claim 12, wherein the medical images comprise a series of ultrasound images over time and wherein one of a compression or frame rate based on a changing characteristic of the medical images is adjusted.

18. The image communication system of claim 17, wherein the ultrasound images are color flow ultrasound images, and the adjusting is based on a rate of change of one or more colors in the ultrasound images or movement within the images.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for controlling the communication of medical images over a channel using a processor, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions to command the processor to:

monitor over time estimates of bandwidth of a channel communicatively coupling an imaging location with another location remote from the imaging location;

communicate the estimates to a system at the imaging location;

identify at least one of a region-of-interest (ROI) mask or one or more transmission parameters for the channel; and

adjust at least one of the ROI mask or the one or more transmission parameters based on the monitored estimates of the bandwidth for communicating the medical images.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions command the processor to continuously determine estimates of the bandwidth over time.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the transmission parameters comprise at least one of compression or frame rate and the instructions command the processor to adjust a compression or frame rate such that the compression or frame rate within the ROI mask is different than the compression or frame rate outside of the ROI mask.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions command the processor to adjust the size or area of the ROI mask or a center of the ROI mask.