Method and system for PDA-based ultrasound

• US 9,986,972 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Halmann, Menachem, Amemiya, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Brutus, Joel F
• Application Number:
  US14/015,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20140024942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 600407, 600437, 600443-449, 600459
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/145 characterised by scanning multiple planes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4411 Device being modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4427 Device being portable or laptop-like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 the transducer being a phased array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/462 characterised by constructional features of the display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/465 adapted to display user selection data, e.g. icons or menus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/469 for selection of a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5207 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image reconstruction G06T11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8909 using a static transducer configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5208 with integration of processing functions inside probe or scanhead
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52082 involving a modular construction, e.g. a computer with short range imaging equipment modular ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/4411
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52085 Details related to the ultrasound signal acquisition, e.g. scan sequences control of medical diagnostic ultrasound devices A61B8/54

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for a compact, inexpensive ultrasound system using an off-the-shelf personal digital assistant (PDA) device interfacing to a hand-held probe assembly through a standard digital interface. The hand-held probe assembly comprises a detachable transducer head attached to a beamforming module that performs digital beamforming. The PDA runs Windows applications and displays menus and images to a user. The PDA also runs ultrasound data processing software to support a plurality of imaging modes. An internal battery is provided in the PDA to power the system. The transducer head is detachable from the beamforming module.

Claims

1. A method of ultrasound imaging, said method comprising:

receiving ultrasound signals of a region of interest with a hand-held probe assembly;

generating a plurality of received digital signals based on said ultrasound signals within said hand-held probe assembly;

transmitting said plurality of received digital signals to a hand-held device having a display;

digitally beamforming said plurality of received digital signals within said hand-held device to generate at least one beam of digital data corresponding to said region of interest; and

creating and displaying an ultrasound image on said display of said hand-held device, wherein said hand-held device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

2. A method of ultrasound imaging, said method comprising:

receiving ultrasound signals of a region of interest with a hand-held probe assembly;

generating a plurality of received digital signals based on said ultrasound signals within said hand-held probe assembly;

transmitting said plurality of received digital signals to a hand-held device having a display;

digitally beamforming said plurality of received digital signals within said hand-held device to generate at least one beam of digital data corresponding to said region of interest;

creating and displaying an ultrasound image on said display of said hand-held device;

demodulating said at least one beam of digital data, within said hand-held device, to generate demodulated data;

parameter estimating said demodulated data, within said hand-held device, to generate parameter estimate data, wherein said parameter estimating comprises performing Doppler processing;

scan converting said parameter estimate data, within said hand-held device, to generate scan converted data; and

display processing said scan converted data, within said hand-held device, to generate a displayed representation of said region of interest on a display of said hand-held device.

3. A method of ultrasound imaging, said method comprising:

receiving ultrasound signals of a region of interest with a hand-held probe assembly;

generating a plurality of received digital signals based on said ultrasound signals within said hand-held probe assembly;

transmitting said plurality of received digital signals to a hand-held device having a display;

digitally beamforming said plurality of received digital signals within said hand-held device to generate at least one beam of digital data corresponding to said region of interest;

creating and displaying an ultrasound image on said display of said hand-held device;

demodulating said at least one beam of digital data, within said hand-held device, to generate demodulated data;

parameter estimating said demodulated data, within said hand-held device, to generate parameter estimate data, wherein said parameter estimating comprises performing non-Doppler processing;

scan converting said parameter estimate data, within said hand-held device, to generate scan converted data; and

display processing said scan converted data, within said hand-held device, to generate a displayed representation of said region of interest on a display of said hand-held device.

4. A method of ultrasound imaging, said method comprising:

receiving ultrasound signals of a region of interest with a hand-held probe assembly;

generating a plurality of received digital signals based on said ultrasound signals within said hand-held probe assembly;

transmitting said plurality of received digital signals to a hand-held device having a display;

digitally beamforming said plurality of received digital signals within said hand-held device to generate at least one beam of digital data corresponding to said region of interest;

creating and displaying an ultrasound image on said display of said hand-held device; and

running WINDOWS applications on said hand-held device to display menus and images to a user.

5. A system for performing ultrasound imaging, said system comprising:

a hand-held probe assembly comprising;

a signal processing module configured to perform ultrasound signal processing, and

a transducer head attached to said signal processing module; and

a hand-held device comprising a display, said hand-held device connected to said hand-held probe assembly, wherein said hand-held device is configured to perform ultrasound data processing functions comprising digital beamforming, and wherein said hand-held device is configured to create and display ultrasound images on said display;

wherein said hand-held device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

6. A system for performing ultrasound imaging, said system comprising:

a hand-held probe assembly comprising;

a signal processing module configured to perform ultrasound signal processing, and

a transducer head attached to said signal processing module; and

a hand-held device comprising a display, said hand-held device connected to said hand-held probe assembly, wherein said hand-held device is configured to perform ultrasound data processing functions comprising digital beamforming, and wherein said hand-held device is configured to create and display ultrasound images on said display;

wherein said signal processing module comprises;

an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to convert a third set of received analog signals to a first set of received digital signals;

a pulser module generating a set of analog transmit signals in response to digital control data from said hand-held device and sending said set of analog transmit signals to said transducer head;

a TX/RX switching module to switch between passing said set of analog transmit signals and a first set of received analog signals;

a folder module generating a second set of received analog signals from said first set of received analog signals received from said transducer head via said TX/RX switching module;

a voltage controlled amplifier (VCA) connected to said folder module and generating said third set of received analog signals from said second set of received analog signals; and

a digital interface controller connecting to said ADC and transmitting said first set of received digital signals to said hand-held device and receiving said digital control data from said hand-held device.