Segmented handheld medical ultrasound system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A handheld system for medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, the system comprising:
- a transducer;
an ultrasound processor in communication with the transducer;
a first housing for the ultrasound processor, the first housing adapted to be handheld; and
a multi-use display device separate from the first housing and operable to receive wireless communication from the ultrasound processor, the multi-use display device operable for a use other than associated with ultrasound and operable to display an ultrasound image responsive to the ultrasound processor.
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Abstract
A segmented ultrasound system is provided. Ultrasound data, such as image data in a video format, is wirelessly transmitted to a multi-use display device from a handheld ultrasound device. Any of various multi-use display devices may be used, such as personal digital assistants (PDA), tablet computers, lap top computers, or personal computers.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A handheld system for medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, the system comprising:
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a transducer;
an ultrasound processor in communication with the transducer;
a first housing for the ultrasound processor, the first housing adapted to be handheld; and
a multi-use display device separate from the first housing and operable to receive wireless communication from the ultrasound processor, the multi-use display device operable for a use other than associated with ultrasound and operable to display an ultrasound image responsive to the ultrasound processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
a multiplexer connected between the transducer and the ultrasound processor; and
a summer within the first housing, the summer operable to sum signals from a plurality of elements output by the multiplexer.
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8. The handheld system of claim 1 wherein the transducer is within the first housing.
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9. The handheld system of claim 1 further comprising user input controls in a second housing, the second housing separate from the first housing and the multi-use display device, the user input controls in communication with the ultrasound processor.
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10. The handheld system of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound processor comprises an application specific integrated circuit.
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11. The handheld system of claim 10 further comprising analog-to-digital converters spaced from the application specific integrated circuit.
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12. The handheld system of claim 1 further comprising a transceiver connected to the ultrasound processor within the first housing.
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13. The handheld system of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter connected to the ultrasound processor, the ultrasound processor operable to scan convert ultrasound image data, the transmitter operable to transmit video data, and the multi-use display device operable to receive the video data and generate an ultrasound image.
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14. The handheld system of claim 1 wherein the first housing is less than 8 inches in any dimension and the multi-use display device is less than 8 inches in any dimension.
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15. A method for medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging with a handheld system, the method comprising:
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(a) holding a transducer adjacent a patient;
(b) generating ultrasound data representing the patient;
(c) wirelessly transmitting the ultrasound data from a first portable housing to a multi-use display device, the multi-use display device operable for a use other than associated with ultrasound; and
(d) displaying an ultrasound image on the multi-use display device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
(e) multiplexing data from the transducer; and
(f) beamforming the multiplexed data.
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19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
(e) inputting user controls of the system on a second portable housing separate from the first portable housing.
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20. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
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(e) converting analog signals from the transducer to digital signals with converters separate from an application specific integrated circuit; and
(f) image processing the digital signals with the application specific integrated circuit.
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21. The method of claim 15 wherein (c) comprises wirelessly transmitting the ultrasound data as video data and wherein (d) comprises displaying a video image from the video data.
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22. The method of claim 15 wherein the first portable housing is separate from the transducer.
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23. The method of claim 22 wherein the first portable housing is adapted to be worn by the user.
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24. A handheld system for medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, the system comprising:
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a handheld image processing ultrasound device free of a display; and
a transmitter housed with the handheld image processing ultrasound device, the transmitter operable to wirelessly transmit ultrasound image data in a video format. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging with a handheld system, the method comprising:
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(a) generating ultrasound image data in a video format with a handheld ultrasound device;
(b) wirelessly transmitting the ultrasound image data in the video format from the handheld ultrasound device. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
(c) providing a computer readable storage medium having data stored therein representing instructions executable by a general processor, the instructions operable to generate an ultrasound image in response to the ultrasound image data.
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Specification