Method and apparatus for reducing undesired multiple-echo signal in ultrasound imaging
First Claim
1. A method of reducing an undesired multiple-echo signal in ultrasound imaging, comprising the steps of:
- successively generating first 1-sound-line received signals from an output signal of a transducer;
selecting one from among the generated first 1-sound-line received signals as a 1-sound-line received signal of interest;
selecting second 1-sound-line received signals from among the generated first 1-sound-line received signals, the second 1-sound-line received signals including a 1-sound-line received signal preceding the 1-sound-line received signal of interest and also a 1-sound-line received signal following the 1-sound-line received signal of interest;
averaging the second 1-sound-line received signals into a mean 1-sound-line received signal which corresponds to an undesired multiple-echo signal;
subtracting the mean 1-sound-line received signal from the 1-sound-line received signal of interest to remove the undesired multiple-echo signal from the 1-sound-line received signal of interest.
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Accused Products
Abstract
First 1-sound-line received signals are successively generated from an output signal of a transducer. One is selected from among the generated first 1-sound-line received signals as a 1-sound-line received signal of interest. Second 1-sound-line received signals are selected from among the generated first 1-sound-line received signals. The second 1-sound-line received signals include a 1 -sound-line received signal preceding the 1-sound-line received signal of interest and also a 1-sound-line received signal following the 1-sound-line received signal of interest. The second 1-sound-line received signals are averaged into a mean 1-sound-line received signal which corresponds to an undesired multiple-echo signal. The mean 1-sound-line received signal is subtracted from the 1-sound-line received signal of interest to remove the undesired multiple-echo signal from the 1-sound-line received signal of interest.
143 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method of reducing an undesired multiple-echo signal in ultrasound imaging, comprising the steps of:
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successively generating first 1-sound-line received signals from an output signal of a transducer; selecting one from among the generated first 1-sound-line received signals as a 1-sound-line received signal of interest; selecting second 1-sound-line received signals from among the generated first 1-sound-line received signals, the second 1-sound-line received signals including a 1-sound-line received signal preceding the 1-sound-line received signal of interest and also a 1-sound-line received signal following the 1-sound-line received signal of interest; averaging the second 1-sound-line received signals into a mean 1-sound-line received signal which corresponds to an undesired multiple-echo signal; subtracting the mean 1-sound-line received signal from the 1-sound-line received signal of interest to remove the undesired multiple-echo signal from the 1-sound-line received signal of interest. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method of reducing an undesired multiple-echo signal in ultrasound imaging, comprising the steps of:
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generating information of a distance between a movable transducer and an acoustic window in a probe, the distance depending on a position of the transducer; successively generating first 1-sound-line received signals from an output signal of the transducer; selecting one from among the generated first 1-sound-line received signals as a 1-sound-line received signal of interest; selecting second 1-sound-line received signals from among the generated first 1-sound-line received signals, the second 1-sound-line received signals including a 1-sound-line received signal preceding the 1-sound-line received signal of interest and also a 1-sound-line received signal following the 1-sound-line received signal of interest; delaying the second 1-sound-line received signals into third 1-sound-line received signals in response to the information of the distance; averaging the third 1-sound-line received signals into a mean 1-sound-line received signal which corresponds to an undesired multiple-echo signal; subtracting the mean 1-sound-line received signal from the 1-sound-line received signal of interest to remove the undesired multiple-echo signal from the 1-sound-line received signal of interest. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. An apparatus for reducing an undesired multiple-echo signal in ultrasound imaging, comprising:
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a transducer; means for successively generating first 1-sound-line received signals from an output signal of the transducer; means for selecting one from among the generated first 1-sound-line received signals as a 1-sound-line received signal of interest; means for selecting second 1-sound-line received signals from among the generated first 1-sound-line received signals, the second 1-sound-line received signals including a 1-sound-line received signal preceding the 1-sound-line received signal of interest and also a 1-sound-line received signal following the 1-sound-line received signal of interest; means for averaging the second 1-sound-line received signals into a mean 1-sound-line received signal which corresponds to an undesired multiple-echo signal; means for subtracting the mean 1-sound-line received signal from the 1-sound-line received signal of interest to remove the undesired multiple-echo signal from the 1-sound-line received signal of interest. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. An apparatus for reducing an undesired multiple-echo signal in ultrasound imaging, comprising:
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a probe including a movable transducer and an acoustic window; means for generating information of a distance between the transducer and the acoustic window, the distance depending on a position of the transducer; means for successively generating first 1-sound-line received signals from an output signal of the transducer; means for selecting one from among the generated first 1-sound-line received signals as a 1-sound-line received signal of interest; means for selecting second 1-sound-line received signals from among the generated first 1-sound-line received signals, the second 1-sound-line received signals including a 1-sound-line received signal preceding the 1-sound-line received signal of interest and also a 1-sound-line received signal following the 1-sound-line received signal of interest; means for delaying the second 1-sound-line received signals into third 1-sound-line received signals in response to the information of the distance; means for averaging the third 1-sound-line received signals into a mean 1-sound-line received signal which corresponds to an undesired multiple-echo signal; means for subtracting the mean 1-sound-line received signal from the 1-sound-line received signal of interest to remove the undesired multiple-echo signal from the 1-sound-line received signal of interest. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification