Transducer with spatial sensor

• US 6,517,491 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Chang, Showna Hsu-Hwa, Thiele, Karl E
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imam, Ali M.
• Application Number:
  US09/702,328
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/424-427, 600/437-472, 736/25, 736/26
• US Class Current: 600/459
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe

Abstract

An ultrasound system comprising an ultrasound unit and a transducer. The transducer including a transducer housing integrating at least one element integrated and a first spatial locator unit. The ultrasound unit includes an imaging unit that receives an echo signal from the at least one element of the transducer and outputs echo data. A second spatial locator unit, in communication with the first spatial locator unit, is integrated with the ultrasound unit. The second spatial locator unit enables the determination of a location of the transducer housing.

Claims

1. An ultrasound system comprising:

a transducer including;

a transducer housing;

at least one element integrated in the transducer housing; and

a first spatial locator unit integrated in the transducer housing; and

an ultrasound unit including;

an imaging unit that receives an echo signal from the at least one element of the transducer and outputs echo data; and

a second spatial locator unit, in communication with the first spatial locator unit, that enables the determination of a location of the transducer housing.

2. An ultrasound system, as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ultrasound unit further includes:

a cart that supports the imaging unit and the second spatial locator unit.

3. An ultrasound system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the ultrasound unit further includes:

a controller connected to the first spatial locator unit and the second spatial locator unit that causes the second spatial locator unit to output a signal to be received by the first spatial locator unit and output a signal to the controller indicative of a location of the first spatial locator with respect to the second spatial locator; and

a shut off process that shuts down power to the transducer based on a location of the transducer.

4. An ultrasound system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the shut off process shuts down power to the transducer when the location of the transducer remains constant for a predetermined period of time.

5. An ultrasound system, as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ultrasound unit further includes a controller connected to the first spatial locator unit and the second spatial locator unit that causes the second spatial locator unit to output a signal to be received by the first spatial locator unit and output a signal to the controller indicative of a location of the first spatial locator with respect to the second spatial locator.

6. An ultrasound system, as set forth in claim 5 wherein the controller outputs a signal indicating the location of the second spatial locator and the ultrasound unit further includes:

a image processing unit that receives the echo data from the imaging unit and the location of the second spatial locator unit from the controller and creates a matrix of data.

7. An ultrasound system, as set forth in claim 6 wherein the at least one element of the transducer comprises a plurality of elements arranged in a 2-D array and the imaging unit of the ultrasound unit controls the 2-D array of elements to obtain echo data from a volume.

8. An ultrasound system, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the image processing unit creates a first matrix of data representing a first volume as imaged from a first location of the transducer and a second matrix of data representing a second volume, which overlaps at least a portion of the first volume, as imaged from a second location of the transducer.

9. An ultrasound system, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the image processing unit uses the first matrix of data and the second matrix of data to generate a third matrix of data which is used for rendering and display.

10. A method of imaging comprising:

isonifying a first volume from a first position, using a 2-D array of elements, in a first scanning operation;

determining a relative location of the first position;

receiving first echo data from the first scanning operation and relating the relative location of the first position to the first echo data;

isonifying a second volume from a second position, using a 2-D array of elements, in a second scanning operation, the second volume overlapping at least a portion of the first volume;

determining a relative location of the second position;

receiving second echo data from the second scanning operation and relating the relative location of the second position to the second echo data; and

creating a display of the at least a portion of the first volume using the first echo data and the second echo data.

11. A method, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the step of creating a display comprises compounding the first echo data with the second echo data.