Transducer array imaging system
First Claim
1. A method for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium, comprising:
- receiving an ultrasound echo wave at a first transducer element of a transducer array in a handheld probe of an ultrasound system;
receiving the ultrasound echo wave at a second transducer element of the transducer array in the handheld probe of the ultrasound system;
receiving the ultrasound echo wave at a third transducer element of the transducer array in the handheld probe of the ultrasound system;
processing into digital data the ultrasound echo wave received at the first transducer element and the ultrasound echo wave received at the second transducer element, the processing precluding data representative of the ultrasound echo wave received at the third transducer element from being included in the digital data, and the processing not including beamforming data representative of the ultrasound echo wave received at the first transducer element with data representative of the ultrasound echo wave received at the second transducer element; and
transmitting the digital data to a location relatively remote from the handheld probe.
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Accused Products
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.
118 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium, comprising:
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receiving an ultrasound echo wave at a first transducer element of a transducer array in a handheld probe of an ultrasound system; receiving the ultrasound echo wave at a second transducer element of the transducer array in the handheld probe of the ultrasound system; receiving the ultrasound echo wave at a third transducer element of the transducer array in the handheld probe of the ultrasound system; processing into digital data the ultrasound echo wave received at the first transducer element and the ultrasound echo wave received at the second transducer element, the processing precluding data representative of the ultrasound echo wave received at the third transducer element from being included in the digital data, and the processing not including beamforming data representative of the ultrasound echo wave received at the first transducer element with data representative of the ultrasound echo wave received at the second transducer element; and transmitting the digital data to a location relatively remote from the handheld probe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A handheld probe for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium, comprising:
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a first transducer element of a transducer array in the handheld probe, the first transducer element configured to receive an ultrasound echo wave; a second transducer element of the transducer array in the handheld probe, the second transducer element configured to receive the ultrasound echo wave; a third transducer element of the transducer array in the handheld probe, the third transducer element configured to receive the ultrasound echo wave; a converter, the converter configured to process into digital data the ultrasound echo wave received at the first transducer element and the ultrasound echo wave received at the second transducer element, the processing precluding data representative of the ultrasound echo wave received at the third transducer element from being included in the digital data, and the processing not including beamforming data representative of the ultrasound echo wave received at the first transducer element with data representative of the ultrasound echo wave received at the second transducer element; and a transmitter, the transmitter configured to transmit the digital data to a location relatively remote from the handheld probe. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification