Graphics processing unit for simulation or medical diagnostic imaging

• US 7,119,810 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Cherry, John W., Sumanaweera, Thilaka S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, Kee M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HAU H
• Application Number:
  US10/728,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20050122333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 345501-506, 345/519, 345/520, 345/522, 600/437, 600/407, 600/424, 600/425, 600453-457
• US Class Current: 345/506
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/005 General purpose rendering architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation

Abstract

Methods and systems provide simulation or medical diagnostic imaging with a graphics processing unit. Data to be processed by a graphics processing unit is transferred from a source to the graphics processing unit without copying by the central processing unit. For example, the central processing unit does not copy data to the cache. Instead, the source of data transfers the data directly to the graphics processing unit or directly to a graphics aperture region of a memory for transfer to the video memory of the GPU. The GPU is then used to generate a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image. The GPU is used to perform a medical imaging process, such as an ultrasound imaging process. The processed data is transferred to a different processor. Since the GPU provides various parallel processors, the GPU may more efficiently perform image processes different from rendering a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image.

Claims

1. A graphics processing unit system for diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging, the system comprising:

a graphics processing unit having an input, at least one of a vertex processor and a fragment processor, and at least one output, the graphics processing unit operable to process first ultrasound data from the input; and

a processor connected with the at least one output, the processor operable to process second ultrasound data output on the at least one output of the graphics processing unit;

further comprising an ultrasound data path beginning at a beamformer and ending at a display wherein the graphics processing unit implements at least a part of a first ultrasound process selected from the group of;

receive beamformation, scan conversion, motion detection and combinations thereof and the processor implements at least a part of a second ultrasound process selected from the group of;

detection, motion tracking, filtering, scan conversion, and combinations thereof.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the graphics processing unit comprises the fragment processor responsive to an output of the vertex processor.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one output is downstream from the vertex processor and upstream from the fragment processor.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one output is downstream from the vertex processor and the fragment processor.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one output comprises at least two outputs, a first one of the at least two outputs connected with the processor and a second one of the at least two outputs connected with a display.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor comprises an image processor.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein the vertex processor is operable to perform a scan conversion operation.

8. The system of claim 2 wherein the fragment processor is operable to perform one of:

a Fourier transform and a non-linear scan conversion operation.

9. A method for diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging with a graphic processing unit, the method comprising:

(a) processing first ultrasound data with one of a vertex processor and a fragment processor of a graphics processing unit;

(b) processing second ultrasound data output from the graphics processing unit with a different processor connected to the graphics processing unit prior to generating a display responsive to the first ultrasound data; and

(c) generating a display responsive to the second ultrasound data;

wherein (a) comprises performing at least a part of a first ultrasound process selected from the group of;

receive beamformation, scan conversion, motion detection and combinations thereof and wherein (b) comprises performing at least a part of a second ultrasound process selected from the group of;

detection, motion tracking, filtering, scan conversion, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein (b) comprises image processing the second ultrasound data.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein (a) comprises performing a scan conversion operation with the vertex processor.

12. The method of claim 9 where in (a) comprises performing a scan conversion operation with the fragment processor.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein (a) comprises performing one of:

a Fourier transform and a non-linear scan conversion operation with the fragment processor.