Transducer array imaging system

• US 8,600,299 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2006
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Randall, Kevin S., Klessel, Jodi Schwartz, Lannutti, Anthony P., Urbano, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): GONZALES, APRIL GUZMAN
• Application Number:
  US11/595,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20080110261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,580 Days
• Field of Search: 455/39, 455/41.1, 455/67.11, 600/447, 600/437, 600/509, 600/513, 600/519, 600/523, 600/60, 600/443, 735/92, 73/644.1, 128/916
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/489 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4893 Nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• 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 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/546 involving monitoring or regulation of device temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52023 Details of receivers
• 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 method, comprising:

determining a first data, wireless communication rate;

wirelessly communicating ultrasound data at the first wireless communication data rate with a unit;

determining a second wireless communication data rate, the second wireless communication data rate being greater than the first wireless communication data rate; and

adjusting the wireless communication of the ultrasound data to the second wireless communication data rate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound data is digital.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a power level of the unit and adjusting to the second wireless communication data rate as a function of the power level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a battery provides power to the unit.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising multiplexing the ultrasound data using at least one of the following techniques:

time-division multiplexing, frequency-division multiplexing, code-division multiplexing, or pulse width-division multiplexing.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the ultrasound data at a rate that varies as a function of at least one of the following:

an available bandwidth of the transmission, a rate at which the ultrasound data is acquired, an image frame, a transmit aperture, and a receive aperture.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving configuration information from the unit, wherein the configuration information comprises 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 data, quantity of errors in transmission of data, availability of power required for transmission of 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 ultrasound data, or transmission characteristics of the ultrasound data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the ultrasound data using at least one of the following techniques:

optical, infrared, radio frequency, or ultrawideband frequency.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a unique identifier with the ultrasound data, wherein the unique identifier is used for at least one of the following:

initiating communication with the unit, synchronizing communication with the unit, or ensuring communication with a predetermined remote unit.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein a battery provides power to the transmitter.

3. A method, comprising:

determining a first data communication rate;

wirelessly communicating ultrasound data at the first data communication rate with a unit;

determining a second data communication rate, the second data communication rate being greater than the first data communication rate; and

adjusting the wireless communication of the ultrasound data to the second data communication rate;

further comprising adjusting the wireless communication of the ultrasound data to the second data communication rate based on a mode of operation of the unit.

11. A device, comprising:

an ultrasound unit;

a processor, the processor configured, at least in part, to determine a first wireless communication data rate and a second wireless communication data rate, the second wireless communication data rate being greater than the first wireless communication data rate;

a transmitter in communication with the ultrasound unit, wherein the transmitter wirelessly communicates ultrasound data at the first wireless communication data rate with the ultrasound unit; and

a controller for adjusting the wireless communication of the ultrasound data by the transmitter to the second wireless communication data rate.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller adjusts the wireless communication of the ultrasound data by the transmitter to the second wireless communication data rate based on a mode of operation.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller monitors a power level of the ultrasound unit and adjusts to the second wireless communication data rate as a function of the power level.

14. The device of claim 11, further comprising a battery that provides power to the ultrasound unit.

15. The device of claim 11, further comprising a multiplexer that arranges the ultrasound data using at least one of the following techniques:

time-division multiplexing, frequency-division multiplexing, code-division multiplexing, or pulse width-division multiplexing.

16. The device of claim 11, further comprising a data store that stores the ultrasound data at a rate that varies as a function of at least one of the following:

an available bandwidth of the transmission, a rate at which the ultrasound data is acquired, an image frame, a transmit aperture, or a receive aperture.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the transmitter receives configuration information from the ultrasound unit, wherein the configuration information comprises 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 data, quantity of errors in transmission of data, availability of power required for transmission of 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 ultrasound data, or transmission characteristics of the ultrasound data.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein the transmitter communicates the ultrasound data using at least one of the following techniques:

optical, infrared, radio frequency, or ultrawideband frequency.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein the transmitter communicates a unique identifier with the ultrasound data, wherein the unique identifier is used for at least one of the following:

initiating communication with the unit, synchronizing communication with the unit, or ensuring communication with a predetermined remote unit.

20. The device of claim 11, wherein the ultrasound unit is at least one of the following:

a main unit, a remote unit, or another unit.

21. The device of claim 11, wherein the ultrasound data is digital.

23. The device of claim 11, further comprising a battery that provides power to the transmitter.