Medical diagnostic ultrasound system and method

• US 6,508,763 B1
• Filed: 09/14/1999
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Ecton, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Randall, Kevin S., Urbano, Joseph A., Lannutti, Anthony P., Knell, Christopher B., Wood, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imam, Ali M.
• Application Number:
  US09/396,203
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/440-447, 600/459, 736/25, 736/26, 348/536, 348/571, 348/540, 606/1, 367/2, 367/7, 367/11
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4411 Device being modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5284 involving retrospective matching to a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/899 Combination of imaging systems with ancillary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52025 for pulse systems G01S7/52034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52034 Data rate converters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52044 Scan converters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5206 Two-dimensional coordinated display of distance and direction; B-scan display

Abstract

The preferred embodiments described herein relate to a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system with at least one reprogrammable logic device, such as, for example, a field programmable gate array (“FPGA”). In one presently preferred embodiment, at least one reprogrammable logic device in the ultrasound system is reconfigured for probe changes (e.g., phased-array, curved array), for operator control changes (such as system mode changes, e.g., B-Mode, color Doppler), and/or dynamically as part of system operation (such as between ultrasonic pulse firings and/or between frames). By utilizing at least one reprogrammable logic device, the preferred embodiments reduce the size and cost of the ultrasound system without compromising the performance characteristics of the system. Further, unlike ultrasound systems that accommodate different sets of requirements by designing hardware modules to the most demanding requirements or by using separate hardware circuits for each alternative, the presently preferred embodiments provide a much less complex and costly solution.

Claims

1. A medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system comprising:

a subsystem comprising a reprogrammable logic device;

a storage device storing configuration data; and

a central processing unit operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device with the configuration data;

wherein the subsystem comprising the reprogrammable logic device is within an ultrasound data processing path for processing ultrasound data.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device in response to a change in a transducer probe.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device in response to an operator control change.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device dynamically as part of system operation.

5. The invention of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device between scan lines.

6. The invention of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device between image frames.

7. The invention of claim 1, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises a transmit beamformer controller field-programmable gate array.

8. The invention of claim 1, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises a beamformer field-programmable gate array.

9. The invention of claim 1, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises an RF processor field-programmable gate array.

10. The invention of claim 1, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises a Doppler processor field-programmable gate array.

11. The invention of claim 1, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises a scan converter field-programmable gate array.

12. The invention of claim 1, wherein the configuration data loader is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device in response to a mode change.

13. The invention of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device in response to an operator control change.

14. The invention of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device for test purposes.

52. The invention of claim 1, 15, 27, 33, or 41, wherein the diagnostic ultrasound system is portable.

53. The invention of claim 1, 15, 27, 33, or 41, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises a field programmable gate array.

54. The invention of claim 1, 15, 27, 33, or 41, wherein the diagnostic ultrasound system comprises at least 32 electrical channels.

15. A medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system comprising:

a storage device storing configuration data;

a memory unit;

a central processing unit coupled with the storage device and the memory unit;

a host interface coupled with the memory unit; and

a subsystem comprising a reprogrammable logic device coupled with the host interface;

wherein the central processing unit is operative to send configuration information from the storage device to the memory unit and wherein the host interface is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device with the configuration information in the memory unit;

wherein the subsystem comprising the reprogrammable logic device is within an ultrasound data processing path for processing ultrasound data.

16. The invention of claim 15, wherein the host interface comprises a DMA controller and a field-programmable gate array.

17. The invention of claim 15, wherein the host interface is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device in response to a change in a transducer probe.

18. The invention of claim 15, wherein the host interface is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device in response to a mode change.

19. The invention of claim 15, wherein the host interface is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device between scan lines.

20. The invention of claim 15, wherein the host interface is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device between image frames.

21. The invention of claim 15, wherein the host interface is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device for test purposes.

22. The invention of claim 15, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises a transmit beamformer controller field-programmable gate array.

23. The invention of claim 15, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises a beamformer field-programmable gate array.

24. The invention of claim 15, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises an RF processor field-programmable gate array.

25. The invention of claim 15, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises a Doppler processor field-programmable gate array.

26. The invention of claim 15, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises a scan converter field-programmable gate array.

27. A medical diagnostic ultrasound system, comprising at least one reprogrammable logic device having a plurality of gates that are reconfigured for different ultrasound processing modalities during the course of an ultrasound exam;

wherein the at least one reprogrammable logic device is part of a subsystem within an ultrasound data processing path for processing ultrasound data.

28. The ultrasound system of claim 27 wherein the at least one reprogrammable logic device includes circuitry for beam formation.

29. The ultrasound system of claim 27 wherein the at least one reprogrammable logic device includes circuitry for scan conversion.

30. The invention of claims 27, 28, or 29 wherein the ultrasound system weighs less than 40 pounds.

31. The invention of claim 30, wherein the ultrasound system comprises at least 32 electrical channels.

32. The invention of claims 27, 28, or 29, wherein the ultrasound system comprises at least 32 electrical channels.

33. A medical diagnostic ultrasound system, comprising at least one reprogrammable logic device having a plurality of gates that are reconfigured for processing signals resulting from ultrasound echoes during the course of interrogating a field of view with said system.

34. The ultrasound system of claim 33, wherein the at least one reprogrammable logic device is capable of being reconfigured on a scan line by scan line basis.

35. The invention of claims 33 or 34 wherein the ultrasound system comprises at least 32 electrical channels.

36. The invention of claim 35, wherein the ultrasound system weighs less than 40 pounds.

37. The invention of claims 35, wherein the at least one reprogrammable logic device includes circuitry for scan conversion.

38. The invention of claim 33 or 34, wherein the ultrasound system weighs less than 40 pounds.

39. The invention of claim 38, wherein the at least one reprogrammable logic device includes circuitry for scan conversion.

40. The invention of claims 33 or 34, wherein the at least one reprogrammable logic device includes circuitry for scan conversion.

41. A medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system comprising:

a subsystem comprising a reprogrammable logic device;

a storage device storing configuration data; and

a configuration data loader operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device with the configuration data;

wherein the subsystem comprising the reprogrammable logic device is within an ultrasound data processing path for processing ultrasound data.

42. The invention of claim 41, wherein the configuration data loader is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device in response to a change in a transducer probe.

43. The invention of claim 41, wherein the configuration data loader is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device between scan lines.

44. The invention of claim 41, wherein the configuration data loader is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device between image frames.

45. The invention of claim 41, wherein the configuration data loader is operative to reprogram the reprogrammable logic device for test purposes.

46. The invention of claim 41, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises a transmit beamformer controller field-programmable gate array.

47. The invention of claim 41, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises a beamformer field-programmable gate array.

48. The invention of claim 41, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises an RF processor field-programmable gate array.

49. The invention of claim 41, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises a Doppler processor field-programmable gate array.

50. The invention of claim 41, wherein the reprogrammable logic device comprises a scan converter field-programmable gate array.

51. The invention of claim 41, wherein the configuration data loader comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a central processing unit, a state machine, a DSP, a microprocessor, an ASIC.