MOBILE 3D WIRELESS ULTRASOUND IMAGE ACQUISITION DEVICE AND ULTRASOUND IMAGING SYSTEM

• US 20150238168A1
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Poland, McKee Dunn
• Application Number:
  US14/427,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20150238168A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/145 characterised by scanning multiple planes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4411 Device being modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4427 Device being portable or laptop-like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 the transducer being a phased array
• 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: A61B 8/466 adapted to display 3D data 3D imaging and stereoscopic displays in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S15/8993 and G01S7/52068, respectively; 3D image rendering G06T15/00; manipulating 3D models for computer graphics G06T19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• 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 8/54 Control of the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5208 with integration of processing functions inside probe or scanhead

Abstract

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system (10) comprising an ultrasound image acquisition device (46) and a mobile console (18), which are both connected in a wireless manner. In particular, the ultrasound acquisition device has a battery powered probe (14) having a probe housing (20), and the transducer array (32) and an image acquisition hardware assembly (37) comprising at least a beam former (34) and a signal processor (36) are located within the probe housing (16). By this, a low weight flexible, three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system (10) may be provided.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition device for use together with a mobile console to form a three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system, the ultrasound image acquisition device comprising:

a transducer array configured to provide an ultrasound receive signal,

an image acquisition hardware assembly having a beam former configured to control the transducer array, and further configured to receive the ultrasound receive signal and to provide an image signal, and a signal processor configured to receive the image signal and to provide image data,

an interface for connecting the mobile console with the ultrasound image acquisition device, and

wherein the ultrasound image acquisition device comprises a master beam former and a plurality of micro beam formers.

2. The three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition device of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound acquisition device is a portable probe having a probe housing, and wherein the transducer array and the image acquisition hardware assembly are located within the probe housing.

3. The three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition device of claim 1, wherein the transducer array is a phased transducer array, and wherein the interface is a wireless interface.

4. The three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition device of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition device further comprises an image processor configured to receive the image data and to provide display data.

5. The three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition device of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound image acquisition device further comprises a battery powering the ultrasound image acquisition device.

7. The three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition device of claim 3, wherein the wireless interface is further configured for transmission applying an ultra-wide band transmission technology.

8. The three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition device of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition device further has a portable probe and an intermediate connection device, and wherein the transducer array is located within the probe.

9. The three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition device of claim 8, wherein the probe and the intermediate connection device are connected via an intermediate interface, wherein the intermediate interface is a wireless intermediate interface.

10. The three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition device according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasound image acquisition device further comprises a first input device for enabling a user to command the ultrasound imaging system.

11. An ultrasound imaging system for providing an three-dimensional image of a volume, comprising the ultrasound image acquisition device according to claim 1 and a mobile console, wherein the mobile console has a display and a second input device, and wherein the mobile console and the ultrasound image acquisition device are connected via the interface.

12. he ultrasound imaging system of claim 11, wherein the mobile console has a memory unit having stored thereon an application for viewing the display data on the display of the mobile console.

13. The ultrasound imaging system according to claim 11, wherein the mobile console comprises a central processing unit for operating the mobile console, and an image processor configured to receive the image data from the signal processor and to provide display data, and a display unit configured to receive the display data and to provide the image.

14. The ultrasound imaging system according to claim 11, wherein the ultrasound acquisition device is a portable probe having a probe housing, wherein the transducer array and the image acquisition hardware assembly are located within the probe housing, and wherein a weight of the mobile console is less than four times the weight of the portable probe.

15. The three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition device of claim 7, wherein the master beam former is connected to each of the micro beam formers and wherein the master beam former is connected to a signal processor located in the intermediate connection device.

6. (canceled)