Transducer array imaging system

• US 8,079,263 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2006
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Penrith Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Randall, Kevin S., Klessel, Jodi Schwartz, Lannutti, Anthony P., Urbano, Joseph A., Weymer, Raymond F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAINT SURIN, JACQUES M
• Application Number:
  US11/595,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20080114239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 736/02, 736/18, 736/20, 736/23, 736/25, 736/26, 736/28, 600/407, 600/437, 600/443, 600/446, 600/447, 600/459
• US Class Current: 73/602
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4422 related to hygiene or sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4438 Means for identifying the diagnostic device, e.g. barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4494 characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements devices for short-range imaging using particular transducer elements arrangements under G01S15/8909; arrangements of transducers in generation of mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic frequency B06B1/0607
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52073 Production of cursor lines, markers or indicia by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52079 Constructional features constructional features of transducers B06B; mounting transducers G10K11/00; constructional features of ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/44
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5208 with integration of processing functions inside probe or scanhead

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments include a method, system, and device for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium. The novel method includes transmitting a non-beamformed or beamformed ultrasound wave into the medium, receiving more than one echoed ultrasound wave from the medium, and converting the received echoed ultrasound wave into digital data. The novel method may further transmit the digital data. In some embodiments, the transmitting may be wireless. The novel device may include transducer elements, an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the transducer elements, and a transmitter in communication with the analog-to-digital converter. The transducers may operate to convert a first electrical energy into an ultrasound wave. The first electrical energy may or may not be beamformed. The transducers also may convert an echoed ultrasound wave into a second electrical energy. The analog-to-digital converter may convert the electrical energy into digital data, and the transmitter may transmit the digital data.

Claims

1. A device for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium, comprising:

an array of transducers;

a transceiver in communication with the array of transducers, wherein the transceiver communicates ultrasound data wirelessly;

a power source in communication with the transceiver;

a processor in communication with the transceiver, the processor located relatively remotely with respect to the power source; and

an indicator in communication with the processor, the indicator located relatively remotely with respect to the power source, the indicator providing a status characteristic, and the status characteristic providing, at least in part, information regarding the power source.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a display.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the status characteristic further provides information regarding at least one of the following:

power status, designation of device, type of device, frequency range, array configuration, power warnings, capability of a remote unit, quality of transmission of digital data, quantity of errors in transmission of digital data, availability of power required for transmission of digital data, change in transmission rate, completion of transmission, quality of data transmission, look-up tables, programming code for field programmable gate arrays and microcontrollers, transmission characteristics of the non-beamformed ultrasound wave, processing characteristics of the echoed ultrasound wave, processing characteristics of the digital data, or transmission characteristics of the digital data.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the power source provides electrical energy to at least one of the following:

the transceiver, the processor, or the indicator.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a power controller in communication with the power source, wherein the power controller adjusts the electrical energy from the power source.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the power controller adjusts the electrical energy provided by the power source based on an amount of the ultrasound data communicated by the transceiver.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the transceiver adjusts communication of the ultrasound data based on a characteristic of the power source.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the characteristics of the power source includes at least one of the following:

capacity, type, charge state, power state, or age of the power source.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein the power source is a direct current source.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the direct current source is a battery.

11. The device of claim 4, further comprising a user interface in communication with the power controller.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the user interface comprises at least one of the following:

a depressable button, a motion detector, an acceleration detector, a heat detector, or a microphone.

13. The device of claim 4, further comprising an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the array of transducers.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising a proximity sensor module in communication with the processor, wherein the proximity sensor module senses a proximity to a remote unit using at least one of the following techniques:

optical, infrared, capacitive, inductive, electrically conductive, or radio frequency.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the processor directs power to be provided upon sensing a proximity to the remote unit.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface in communication with the processor.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the user interface is configured to initiate powering of the device via an activation of at least a portion of the user interface.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the device is configured to change from a low power state to a relatively more active power state by at least one of the following:

an activation of at least a portion of the user interface, a contact with the device, or a movement of the device.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the user interface provides an indication of at least one of the following:

designation of device, type of device, frequency range, array configuration, power status, power warnings, capability of a remote unit, quality of data transmission, or transmission characteristics of the digital data.

20. A method for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium, comprising:

wirelessly communicating ultrasound data with a transceiver;

powering the transceiver with a power source;

processing the ultrasound data at a relatively remote location with respect to the power source; and

providing an indication of a status characteristic at a relatively remote location with respect to the power source, the status characteristic providing, at least in part, information regarding the power source.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the indication is at least one of the following:

a visible or audible indication.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the status characteristic further provides information regarding at least one of the following:

power status, designation of device, type of device, frequency range, array configuration, power warnings, capability of a remote unit, quality of transmission of digital data, quantity of errors in transmission of digital data, availability of power required for transmission of digital data, change in transmission rate, completion of transmission, quality of data transmission, look-up tables, programming code for field programmable gate arrays and microcontrollers, transmission characteristics of the non-beamformed ultrasound wave, processing characteristics of the echoed ultrasound wave, processing characteristics of the digital data, or transmission characteristics of the digital data.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing electrical energy from the power source, and adjusting the electrical energy from the power source.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising adjusting the electrical energy provided by the power source based on an amount of the ultrasound data communicated by the transceiver.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the transceiver adjusts communication of the ultrasound data based on a characteristic of the power source.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the characteristics of the power source includes at least one of the following:

capacity, type, charge state, power state, or age of the power source.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the power source is a direct current source.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the direct current source is a battery.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising sensing a proximity to a remote unit using at least one of the following techniques:

optical, infrared, capacitive, inductive, electrically conductive, or radio frequency.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing power upon sensing a proximity to the remote unit.

31. The method of claim 20, further comprising initiating powering of the device via a portion of a user interface.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the status characteristic is at least one of the following:

designation of device, type of device, frequency range, array configuration, power status, power warnings, capability of a remote unit, quality of data transmission, or transmission characteristics of the digital data.