TRANSMISSIVE IMAGING AND RELATED APPARATUS AND METHODS

• US 20140243614A1
• Filed: 02/26/2014
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BFLY Operations, Inc. (Butterfly Network, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
• Inventors: Rothberg, Jonathan M., Ralston, Tyler S., Charvat, Gregory L., Sanchez, Nevada J., Magary, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US14/190,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20140243614A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0035 adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/242 Detecting biomagnetic fields, e.g. magnetic fields produced by bioelectric currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7425 Displaying combinations of multiple images regardless of image source, e.g. displaying a reference anatomical image with a live image geometric transforms for image registration G06T3/14; enhancement using image fusion G06T5/50; algorithms for registration of images G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/15 Transmission-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4416 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4427 Device being portable or laptop-like
• 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 8/5207 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image reconstruction G06T11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5261 combining images from different diagnostic modalities, e.g. ultrasound and X-ray
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/54 Control of the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 : involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 : comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 : Head mounted

Abstract

Ultrasound imaging devices and heads up displays, as well and systems utilizing both are described. In some embodiments, ultrasound data or images may be displayed on a heads up display, which may be a head-mounted display. One or more users may manipulate the images. Image capture devices and sensors may also be implemented.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an ultrasound imaging device configured to produce ultrasound data; and

a heads-up display coupled to the ultrasound imaging device and configured to display the data and/or an image constructed based at least in part on the data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the heads-up display is a head-mounted display.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound imaging device is a transmissive ultrasound imaging device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the image is a volumetric image.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the heads-up display is coupled to the ultrasound imaging device via a wireless connection.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound imaging device is configured to operate in a transmissive modality.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an image capture device coupled to the heads-up display and configured to produce an image.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the image capture device forms part of the heads-up display.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the heads-up display is a head-mounted display.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the head-mounted display is configured to display the data from the ultrasound imaging device and/or the image constructed based at least in part on the data from the ultrasound imaging device and the image from the image capture device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the head-mounted display is configured to display two or more of the data from the ultrasound imaging device or the image constructed based at least in part on the data from the ultrasound imaging device or the image from the image capture device substantially simultaneously.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the head-mounted display is configured to transmit the data from the ultrasound imaging device and/or the image constructed based at least in part on the data from the ultrasound imaging device and/or the image from the image capture device to a device distinct from the head-mounted display.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the image captured by the image capture device is at least part of a sequence of images which the image capture device is configured to capture.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the image capture device is a camera.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the heads-up display comprises a pair of glasses.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to sense at least one condition of a subject being imaged by the ultrasound imaging device, wherein the heads-up display is configured to display data provided by the sensor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the sensor comprises an oxygenation sensor.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the sensor comprises a medical instrument.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the sensor comprises an electromagnetic (EM) sensor.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the sensor is an EKG sensor.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising a stereoscopic viewing device configured to provide a three-dimensional (3D) view of an image based at least in part on the ultrasound data.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the head-mounted display comprises the stereoscopic viewing device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the head-mounted display comprises first and second lenses forming, at least in part, the stereoscopic viewing device.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the head-mounted display comprises a display portion within at least one of the first or second lenses.

26. A method, comprising:

collecting ultrasound data using an ultrasound device; and

displaying the ultrasound data and/or an image constructed based at least in part on the ultrasound data on a heads-up display.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the heads-up display is a head-mounted display.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein displaying the ultrasound data and/or an image constructed based at least in part on the ultrasound data comprises displaying the image.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the ultrasound device is a transmissive ultrasound imaging device, and wherein the ultrasound data represents ultrasound transmission data.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the image is a volumetric image.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the heads-up display is coupled to the ultrasound device via a wireless connection, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting the ultrasound data and/or the image reconstructed based at least in part on the ultrasound data to the heads-up display wirelessly.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising capturing an image with an image capture device coupled to the heads-up display.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the image capture device forms part of the heads-up display.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the heads-up display is a head-mounted display.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising displaying on the head-mounted display the ultrasound data from the ultrasound device and/or the image constructed based at least in part on the ultrasound data and the image from the image capture device.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein displaying the ultrasound data from the ultrasound device and/or the image constructed based at least in part on the ultrasound data and the image from the image capture device comprises displaying two or more of the ultrasound data or the image constructed based at least in part on the ultrasound data or the image from the image capture device substantially simultaneously.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising transmitting the ultrasound data and/or the image constructed based at least in part on the ultrasound data and/or the image captured by the image capture device to a device distinct from the head-mounted display.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising capturing a sequence of images with the image capture device.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the image capture device is a camera.

40. The method of claim 26, wherein the heads-up display comprises a pair of glasses.

41. The method of claim 26, further comprising sensing at least one condition of a subject being imaged by the ultrasound device and displaying data about the at least one condition on the heads-up display.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein sensing at least one condition of the subject comprises sensing a temperature of the subject.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein sensing at least one condition of the subject comprises sensing an oxygen level of the subject.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein sensing at least one condition of the subject comprises sensing EKG data.

45. The method of claim 26, further comprising manipulating the ultrasound data and/or image constructed based at least in part on the ultrasound data.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein manipulating the ultrasound data and/or image constructed based at least in part on the ultrasound data is performed by a user with a hand-held device.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the user is located locally to a subject from which the ultrasound data is collected.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the user is located remotely from a subject from which the ultrasound data is collected.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein a first user is located locally to the subject and wherein the user located remotely from the subject is a second user, and wherein manipulating the ultrasound data and/or the image constructed based at least in part on the ultrasound data is performed by the first user and second user.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the first user and second user take turns manipulating the ultrasound data and/or the image constructed based at least in part on the ultrasound data.

51. A system, comprising:

an ultrasound device configured to produce ultrasound data; and

an image capture device configured to capture an image,

wherein the ultrasound device and the image capture device are configured to transmit ultrasound data and the image, respectively, to a common device distinct from the ultrasound device and the image capture device.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the image capture device forms at least part of a heads-up display, and wherein the heads-up display is configured to transmit the ultrasound data and the image to the common device.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the heads-up display is a head-mounted display.

54. The system of claim 51, wherein the image forms at least part of a sequence of images captured by the image capture device, and wherein the image capture device is configured to transmit the sequence of images to the common device.

55. A system, comprising:

a first hand-held device configured to manipulate an image;

a second hand-held device configured to manipulate the image, wherein the second hand-held device is located remotely from the first hand-held device; and

a communication link between the first hand-held device and the second hand-held device.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the image is a three-dimensional (3D) image.

57. The system of claim 55, wherein the first hand-held device and/or second hand-held device are configured to exchange control of the image.