TW201927247A - Tablet ultrasound system - Google Patents

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments provide systems and methods for portable medical ultrasound imaging. Preferred embodiments utilize a tablet touchscreen display operative to control imaging and display operations without the need for using traditional keyboards or controls. Certain embodiments provide ultrasound imaging system in which the scan head includes a beamformer circuit that performs far field sub array beamforming or includes a sparse array selecting circuit that actuates selected elements. Exemplary embodiments also provide an ultrasound engine circuit board including one or more multi-chip modules, and a portable medical ultrasound imaging system including an ultrasound engine circuit board with one or more multi-chip modules. Exemplary embodiments also provide methods for using a hierarchical two-stage or three-stage beamforming system, three dimensional ultrasound images which can be generated in real-time.

Description

Tablet PC ultrasound system

Medical ultrasound imaging has become one of the industry standards for many medical imaging applications. In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for medical ultrasound imaging equipment that can be carried to allow medical personnel to easily transport the equipment to and from hospitals and / or on-site locations, and more Humanize to medical staff who can have a range of skill levels.
Conventional medical ultrasound imaging equipment usually includes at least an ultrasound probe / sensor, a keyboard and / or a knob, a computer, and a display. In a typical operating mode, the ultrasonic probe / sensor generates ultrasonic waves that can penetrate tissue to different depths based on frequency levels and receives ultrasonic waves reflected back from the tissue. In addition, medical personnel can input system input to a computer via a keyboard and / or knob, and view ultrasound images of the tissue structure on the display.
However, conventional medical ultrasound imaging devices employing such keyboards and / or knobs can be large in size and therefore may not be suitable for portable use in hospitals and / or field locations. In addition, because these keyboards and / or knobs often have uneven surfaces, they may be difficult to keep clean in hospital and / or field environments, and maintaining a sterile field in such places may be critical to patient health. Some conventional medical ultrasound imaging devices have incorporated touch screen technology to provide a portion of the user input interface. However, conventional medical ultrasound imaging devices employing this touch screen technology generally only provide limited touch screen functionality in combination with a traditional keyboard and / or knob, and therefore may not only be difficult to keep clean but also complicated to use.

According to the present invention, a system and method for medical ultrasound imaging are disclosed. The presently disclosed systems and methods for medical ultrasound imaging use medical ultrasound imaging equipment. The medical ultrasound imaging equipment includes a handheld housing in one of the external dimensions of a tablet computer and a touch panel disposed on a front panel of the housing. Control the screen display. The touch screen display includes a multi-touch touch screen. The multi-touch touch screen can recognize and distinguish one or more single-point, multi-point, and And / or simultaneous touch, thereby allowing gestures (ranging from simple single-point gestures to complex multi-point movement gestures) to be used as user input to a medical ultrasound imaging device.
According to one aspect, an exemplary medical ultrasound imaging system includes a housing having a front panel and a rear panel rigidly mounted to each other in a parallel plane, a touch screen display, having at least one processor and at least one memory. A computer, an ultrasonic beam forming system, and a battery. The casing of the medical ultrasonic imaging device is implemented in a tablet computer appearance size. The touch screen display is disposed on the front panel of the casing and includes one or more single-point, multi-point, and / or one or more touch or gestures that can be recognized and distinguished on a surface of the touch-screen display. Point-touch LCD touch screen. A computer, ultrasonic beamforming system or engine and battery are operatively housed within the housing. Medical ultrasound imaging equipment can be detected using a Firewire connection operatively connected between a computer in the housing and the ultrasound engine and a probe with a probe attachment / detachment lever that facilitates the connection of at least one ultrasound probe / sensor. Head connector. In addition, the exemplary medical ultrasound imaging system includes an I / O port connector and a DC power input.
In an exemplary operation mode, medical personnel may use simple single-point gestures and / or more complex multi-point gestures as user inputs for multi-touch LCD touch screens for controlling exemplary medical ultrasound imaging devices. Operating mode and / or function. These single-point / multi-point gestures may correspond to single-point and / or multi-touch events mapped to one or more predetermined operations that can be performed by a computer and / or an ultrasound engine. Medical personnel can perform these single-point / multi-point gestures with various finger, palm, and / or stylus movements on the surface of a touch screen display. The multi-touch LCD touch screen receives single-point / multi-point gestures as user input, and provides these user inputs to a computer, which uses a processor to execute program instructions stored in memory to communicate with these Predetermined operations associated with single / multi-point gestures (at least some of these operations are performed in conjunction with an ultrasonic engine). These single-point / multi-point gestures on the surface of a touch screen display can include (but are not limited to): one-click selection gesture, one pinch gesture, one toggle gesture, one rotation gesture, one or two gestures, one expansion gesture , A drag gesture, a press gesture, a press and drag gesture, and a palm gesture. Compared to existing ultrasound systems that rely on many control features operated by mechanical switching, keyboard components, or touch pad trackball interfaces, the preferred embodiment of the present invention uses a single on / off switch. All other actions have been performed using touchscreen controls. In addition, the preferred embodiment uses a capacitive touch screen display that is sensitive enough to detect touch gestures that are actuated by the user's bare fingers and the user's gloved fingers. Medical personnel must generally wear sterile plastic gloves during medical procedures. Therefore, it is highly desirable to provide a portable ultrasound device that can be used by a gloved hand; however, this has previously prevented the use of touch screen display control functions in ultrasound systems for many applications requiring aseptic precautions. A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides that all gloved ultrasound imaging operations are controlled by a gloved person using a programmed touch gesture on a touch screen display.
According to an exemplary aspect, at least one swipe gesture can be used to control the tissue penetration depth of the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic probe / sensor. For example, a single swipe gesture in the "upward" direction on the touchscreen display surface can increase the penetration depth by one (1) cm or any other suitable amount, and the "downward" direction on the touchscreen display surface A single swipe gesture can reduce the penetration depth by one (1) cm or any other suitable amount. In addition, a drag gesture in one of the "up" or "down" directions on the touch screen display surface can increase or decrease the penetration depth by a multiple of one (1) centimeter or any other suitable amount. Additional operating modes and / or functions controlled by specific single / multi-point gestures on the touch screen display surface may include (but are not limited to): freeze / save operation, two-dimensional mode operation, gain control, color control, segmentation Screen control, PW imaging control, film / time-series video clip scrolling control, zoom and pan control, full screen control, Doppler and 2D beam steering control and / or body marking control. At least some operating modes and / or functions of the exemplary medical ultrasound imaging device can be controlled by one or more touch controls implemented on a touch screen display, wherein beamforming can be reset by moving touch gestures parameter. The medical staff may provide one or more specific single / multi-point gestures as user inputs for specifying at least a selected subset of touch controls to be implemented on the touch screen display as required and / or required. When some or more virtual buttons or icons are available, a larger number of touch controls achieve greater functionality when operating in full screen mode.
According to another exemplary aspect, a pressing gesture may be adopted in an area of the touch screen display, and in response to the pressing gesture, a virtual window may be provided on the touch screen display for displaying the touch screen. At least one enlarged portion of an ultrasound image is displayed on the display. According to yet another exemplary aspect, a press and drag gesture can be employed in the area of the touch screen display, and in response to the press and drag gesture, a predetermined feature of the ultrasound image can be tracked. In addition, a one-point selection gesture (substantially simultaneously with a part of the press and drag gestures) can be used in the area of the touch screen display, and in response to the click gesture, the predetermined characteristics of the ultrasound image can be tracked. These operations can be performed in different areas with a single display format, such that, for example, a move gesture in an area of interest in an image can be performed differently than the same performed in the image but outside the area of interest Gesture one function.
By providing a medical ultrasound imaging device with a multi-touch touch screen, medical personnel can control the device using simple single-point gestures and / or more complex multi-point gestures without the need for a traditional keyboard or knob. . Because the multi-touch touch screen eliminates the need for a traditional keyboard or knob, this medical ultrasound imaging device is easier to keep clean in hospitals and / or on-site environments, provides an intuitive user-friendly interface, and provides full Functional operation. In addition, by providing this medical ultrasound imaging device in a tablet form factor, medical personnel can easily transport the device between hospitals and / or on-site locations.
The system is operable to communicate with external and remote devices via a wireless communication network, such as a 3G or 4G wireless cellular network. The system can therefore provide voice and data transfer (including via a wireless public access network for mobile device communication).
Certain exemplary embodiments provide a multi-chip module for an ultrasonic engine of a portable medical ultrasound imaging system, in which a transmit / receive (TR) chip, a preamplifier / time gain compensation (TGC) chip And a beamformer wafer is assembled into a vertically stacked configuration. The transmission circuit provides a high-voltage electric drive pulse to the sensor element to generate a transmission beam. When the transmission chip is operated at a voltage greater than 80 V, a CMOS processing program using a 1 micron design rule has been used for the transmission chip and a one-micron design rule has been used for the low-voltage receiving circuit (less than 5 V).
A preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes a one-micron processing procedure to provide a integrated circuit having sub-circuits operating at a plurality of voltages (eg, 2.5 V, 5 V, and 60 V or higher). According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, these features can be used in conjunction with a dual-plane sensor probe.
Therefore, a single IC chip that combines high voltage transmission, low voltage amplifier / TGC, and low voltage beamforming circuits into a single chip can be used. Using a 0.25-micron design rule, this mixed-signal circuit can accommodate beam forming of 32 sensor channels in a chip area of less than 0.7 x 0.7 (0.49) cm ² . Therefore, 128 channels can be processed using four 32-channel wafers in a total circuit board area of less than 1.5 x 1.5 (2.25) cm ² .
The term "multi-chip module" as used herein refers to an electronic package in which multiple integrated circuits (ICs) are packaged using a unified substrate, thereby promoting their use as a single component (i.e., as a package in a small package) One of the much larger volumes (higher processing capacity IC). Each IC may include a circuit fabricated in a thinned semiconductor wafer. Exemplary embodiments also provide an ultrasonic engine including one or more such multi-chip modules and a portable medical ultrasonic imaging system including an ultrasonic engine circuit board having one or more multi-chip modules. The illustrative embodiments also provide methods for facilitating and assembling a multi-chip module as taught herein. Stacking TR wafers, preamplifier / TGC wafers, and beamformer wafers vertically on a circuit board minimizes the package size (eg, length and width) and the area occupied by the chips on the circuit board.
The TR chip, preamplifier / TGC chip, and beamformer chip in a multi-chip module may each include multiple channels (for example, 8 channels per chip to 64 channels per chip). In some embodiments, the high-voltage TR chip, the preamplifier / TGC chip, and the sample interpolation receiving beamformer chip may each include 8, 16, 32, and 64 channels. In a preferred embodiment, each circuit in a two-layer beamformer module has 32 beamformer receiving channels to provide a 64-channel receive beamformer. A second 64-channel two-layer module can be used to form a 128-channel handheld tablet PC ultrasonic device with a total thickness of less than 2 cm. It is also possible to use a transmission multi-chip beamformer with one of the same or similar channel density in each layer.
An exemplary number of chips vertically integrated in a multi-chip module may include (but is not limited to): two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and the like. In one embodiment of an ultrasonic device, a single multi-chip module is provided on a circuit board of an ultrasonic engine that performs a specific operation of an ultrasonic wave. In other embodiments, a plurality of multi-chip modules are provided on a circuit board of an ultrasonic engine. The multiple multi-chip modules can be stacked vertically on top of each other on the circuit board of the ultrasonic engine to further minimize the package size and footprint of the circuit board.
Provide one or more multi-chip modules to achieve a high number of channels on a circuit board of an ultrasonic engine while minimizing the overall package size and footprint. For example, a multi-chip module can be used to assemble a 128-channel ultrasonic engine circuit board in an exemplary planar size of about 10 cm x about 10 cm, which is a significant improvement over the much larger space requirements of conventional ultrasonic circuits. . In some embodiments, a single circuit board containing one of the ultrasonic engines of one or more multi-chip modules may have 16 to 128 channels. In some embodiments, a single circuit board including one of the ultrasonic engines of one or more multi-chip modules may have 16, 32, 64, 128 or 192 channels and the like.

[ Cross-reference to related applications ]
This application is a continuation of US Application No. 14 / 037,106, filed on September 25, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The invention discloses a system and a method for medical ultrasound imaging. The presently disclosed systems and methods for medical ultrasound imaging use medical ultrasound imaging equipment. The medical ultrasound imaging equipment includes a housing in the appearance of a tablet computer and a touch screen display disposed on a front panel of the housing. . The touch screen display includes a multi-touch touch screen. The multi-touch touch screen can recognize and distinguish one or more single-point, multi-point, and And / or simultaneous touch, thereby allowing gestures (ranging from simple single-point gestures to complex multi-point movement gestures) to be used as user input to a medical ultrasound imaging device. Further details on the ultrasound system and operation of tablet computers are described in U.S. Application No. 10 / 997,062 filed on November 11, 2004, U.S. Application No. 10 / 386,360, filed on March 11, 2003, and U.S. Patent No. No. 6,969,352, the entire contents of these patents and applications are incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 1 depicts one illustrative embodiment of an exemplary medical ultrasound imaging apparatus 100 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the medical ultrasound imaging apparatus 100 includes a housing 102, a touch screen display 104, and a computer (which has at least one processor and at least one memory implemented on a computer motherboard 106). An ultrasonic engine 108 and a battery 110. For example, the casing 102 can be implemented in a tablet computer appearance size or any other suitable appearance size. The casing 102 includes a front panel 101 and a rear panel 103. The touch screen display 104 is disposed on the front panel 101 of the casing 102, and includes one or more multi-point and / or simultaneous touches that can be identified and distinguished on a surface 105 of the touch screen display 104. Control one multi-touch LCD touch screen. The computer motherboard 106, the ultrasonic engine 108, and the battery 110 are operatively disposed in the casing 102. The medical ultrasound imaging apparatus 100 further includes a Firewire connection 112 (see also FIG. 2A) operatively connected between the computer motherboard 106 and the ultrasound engine 108 in the housing 102, and a device having at least one ultrasound detection head / sensor. One of the probe head attachment / detachment rods 115 is connected to the probe head connector 114 (see also Figs. 2A and 2B). In some preferred embodiments, the sensor head housing may include circuit components including a sensor array, transmission and reception circuits, and a beamformer and beamformer control circuit. In addition, the medical ultrasound imaging apparatus 100 has one or more I / O port connectors 116 (see FIG. 2A). The I / O port connectors 116 may include (but are not limited to): one or more USB connectors, One or more SD cards, one or more network ports, one or more small display ports, and a DC power input.
In an exemplary operation mode, medical personnel (also referred to herein as "users" or "several users") can use simple single-point gestures and / or more complex multi-point gestures as touch screen displays 104. User input of the multi-touch LCD touch screen is used to control one or more operation modes and / or functions of the medical ultrasound imaging apparatus 100. This gesture is defined herein as at least one of a finger, a stylus, and / or a palm moving, a tap, or a position on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104. For example, such single / multi-point gestures may include static or dynamic gestures, continuous or segmented gestures, and / or any other suitable gestures. A single-point gesture is defined herein as a gesture that can be performed using a single touch contact point on the touch screen display 104 with a single finger, a stylus, or a palm. A multi-point gesture is defined herein as being performed using multiple touch contact points on the touch screen display 104 by any suitable combination of multiple fingers or at least one finger, a stylus, and a palm. A gesture. A static gesture is defined herein as a gesture that does not involve the movement of at least one finger, a stylus pen, or a palm on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104. A dynamic gesture is defined herein as a gesture involving movement of at least one finger, a stylus, or a palm (such as movement caused by dragging one or more fingers across the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104). A continuous gesture is defined herein as a gesture that can be performed in a single movement or tap of at least one finger, a stylus, or a palm on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104. A segmented gesture is defined herein as a gesture that can be performed in multiple movements or taps of at least one finger, a stylus pen, or a palm on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104.
These single-point / multi-point gestures performed on the surface 105 of the touch-screen display 104 may correspond to single-point or multi-touch events that are mapped to a computer and / or an ultrasound engine 108 Perform one or more scheduled operations. The user can perform these single-point / multi-point gestures by various single-finger, multi-finger, stylus, and / or palm movements on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104. The multi-touch LCD touch screen receives single-point / multi-point gestures as user input, and provides these user inputs to the processor, which executes program instructions stored in memory to perform such operations. Predetermined operations associated with point / multi-point gestures (such operations are performed at least in conjunction with the ultrasound engine 108). As shown in FIG. 3A, these single-point / multi-point gestures on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104 may include (but are not limited to): one-click selection gesture 302, one pinch gesture 304, one toggle gesture 306, 314 , A rotation gesture 308, 316, a one-and-two gesture 310, an expansion gesture 312, a drag gesture 318, a press gesture 320, a press and drag gesture 322, and / or a palm gesture 324. For example, these single-point / multi-point gestures can be stored in at least one gesture library in the memory implemented on the computer motherboard 106. A computer program operable to control the operation of the system may be stored on a computer-readable medium and may be implemented using a touch processor connected to an image processor and a control processor connected to a system beamformer as needed. Therefore, the beamformer delay associated with transmission and reception can be adjusted in response to both static touch gestures and mobile touch gestures.
According to the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 1, a user of a medical ultrasound imaging apparatus 100 may use at least one swipe gesture 306 or 314 to control the depth of tissue penetration of ultrasound waves generated by an ultrasound probe / sensor. For example, a dynamic, continuous swipe gesture 306 or 314 in the "up" direction or any other suitable direction on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104 may increase the penetration depth to one (1) cm or any other suitable amount. In addition, a dynamic, continuous swipe gesture 306 or 314 in the "down" direction on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104 or any other suitable direction can reduce the penetration depth by one (1) cm or any other suitable amount . In addition, a dynamic, continuous drag gesture 318 in the "up" or "down" direction or any other suitable direction on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104 can increase or decrease the depth of penetration by multiple centimeters or any other combination. Right amount.
Additional operating modes and / or functions controlled by specific single / multi-point gestures on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104 may include (but are not limited to): freeze / save operation, 2D mode operation, gain control, color Control, split-screen control, PW imaging control, movie / time-series video clip scroll control, zoom and pan control, full-screen control, Doppler and 2D beam steering control, and / or body marking control. At least some operation modes and / or functions of the medical ultrasound imaging apparatus 100 may be controlled by one or more touch control items implemented on the touch screen display 104. In addition, the user may provide one or more specific single / multi-point gestures as user inputs for specifying at least one selection of touch control items to be implemented on the touch screen display 104 as required and / or required. Subset. A plurality of preset scan parameters displayed as icons or selectable from a menu are associated with each imaging mode so that the scan parameters are automatically selected for the mode.
A processing sequence is shown in FIG. 3B, in which ultrasonic beamforming and imaging operations 340 are controlled in response to a touch gesture input on a touch screen. Various static and mobile touch gestures have been programmed into the system to enable the data processor to operate to control beamforming and image processing operations within the tablet device 342. A user may select 344 a first display operation having a first plurality of touch gestures associated with the first display operation. Using a static or moving gesture, the user can perform one of a plurality of gestures operable to control the imaging operation and can specifically select a plurality of beamforming parameters 346 that can be adjusted to generate image data associated with the first display operation One of the four gestures. The displayed image is updated and displayed 348 in response to the updated beamforming procedure. The user may further choose to perform a different gesture with a different speed characteristic (direction or speed or both) to adjust 350 a second characteristic of the first ultrasonic display operation. Then, the displayed image is updated 352 based on the second gesture, which may modify the imaging processing parameter or the beamforming parameter. An example of this process is described in further detail herein, in which changes in speed and direction of different gestures can be associated with distinct imaging parameters of a selected display operation.
Ultrasound images of blood flow or tissue movement (whether color blood flow or spectral Doppler) are basically obtained from measurements of movement. In an ultrasound scanner, a series of pulses are transmitted to detect blood movement. The echo from a fixed target is the same between pulses. The echo from the moving scatterer appears slightly different in the time it takes for the signal to return to the scanner.
As can be seen from FIGS. 3C to 3H, there must be movement in the direction of the beam; if the blood flow is perpendicular to the beam, no relative motion from pulse to pulse is received, and no blood flow is detected. These differences can be measured as a direct time difference or, more commonly, they can be measured in terms of the phase shift from which one of the "Doppler frequencies" is obtained. These differences are then processed to produce a color blood flow display or a Doppler echogram. In FIG. 3C to FIG. 3D, the blood flow direction is perpendicular to the beam direction, and no blood flow was measured by the pulse wave spectrum Doppler. In FIGS. 3G to 3H, when the ultrasound beam is directed to an angle that is better aligned to the blood flow, a weak blood flow is displayed in the color blood flow image, and in addition, the blood flow is measured by pulse wave Doppler. In FIG. 3H, when the ultrasound beam is directed to better alignment to an angle corresponding to a moving blood flow direction, the color blood flow image is stronger, and in addition, when the correction angle of the PWD is placed to align to the blood flow At this time, PWD measured a strong blood flow.
In this tablet ultrasound system, a ROI (area of interest) is also used to define the direction of a movement gesture in response to an ultrasound transmission beam. An image of the liver with a branch of renal blood flow in the color blood flow mode is shown in FIG. 3I. Because the ROI is straight down from the sensor, and the blood flow direction is almost normal to the ultrasound beam, it is very weakly detected. Renal blood flow. Therefore, the color blood flow pattern is used to image one of the renal blood flows in the liver. As can be seen, the beam is almost normal to the blood flow and a very weak blood flow is detected. One of the finger gestures outside the ROI is used to steer the beam. As can be seen in FIG. 3J, by resetting the beamforming parameters to steer the ROI, the beam direction is more aligned to the blood flow direction, and a stronger blood flow within the ROI is detected. In FIG. 3J, one of the finger gestures outside the ROI is used to direct the ultrasound beam into a direction more aligned to the direction of blood flow. Stronger blood flow can be seen within the ROI. A gesture of horizontal movement of the finger within the ROI will move the ROI frame to a position that overlaps the entire kidney region, that is, the horizontal movement allows one of the ROI frames to move in translation so that the frame overlaps the entire target region.
Figure 3K demonstrates a horizontal movement gesture. When the finger is within the ROI, the finger can move the ROI frame to any place in the image plane. In the above embodiment, it is easy to distinguish that one of the fingers is in a "flick" gesture outside a "ROI" box, which is intended to be used to guide a beam and one of the fingers is in a "drag and The "Move, ie move horizontally" gesture is intended for moving the ROI box. However, there are applications in which there is no ROI as a reference area, it is obvious that it is difficult to distinguish between a "flick" or a "horizontal move" gesture. In this case, the touch screen program needs to track the initial speed or acceleration of the finger It is determined whether the gesture is a "flick" gesture or a "drag and move" gesture. Therefore, the touch engine receiving data from the touch screen sensor device is programmed to discriminate between speed thresholds indicating different gestures. Therefore, the time, rate, and direction associated with different mobile gestures may have preset thresholds. Two- and three-finger static and movement gestures can have separate thresholds to distinguish these control operations. Note that preset displayed icons or virtual buttons can have different static pressures or duration thresholds. When operating in full screen mode, the touch screen processor (which preferably operates on the central processing unit of the system performing other imaging operations such as scan conversion) turns off static icons.
4A-4C depict exemplary subsets of touch controls 402, 404, 406 that can be implemented on the touch screen display 104 by a user of the medical ultrasound imaging device 100. It should be noted that any other suitable subset (s) of touch controls may be implemented on the touch screen display 104 as required and / or required. As shown in FIG. 4A, the subset 402 includes one touch control item 408 for performing a two-dimensional (2D) mode operation, one touch control item 410 for performing a gain control operation, and one for performing a color control operation. A touch control item 412 and a touch control item 414 for performing an image / clip freeze / save operation. For example, a user may use the pressing gesture 320 to activate the touch control item 408, so as to return the medical ultrasonic imaging apparatus 100 to the 2D mode. In addition, the user may use a pressing gesture 320 against one side of the touch control item 410 to reduce a gain level, and use a pressing gesture 320 against the other side of the touch control item 410 to increase the gain level. In addition, the user can use a drag gesture 318 on the touch control item 412 to identify a range of density on a 2D image using a predetermined color code. In addition, the user may use the press gesture 320 to activate the touch control 414 to freeze / store a still image or obtain a movie image clip.
As shown in FIG. 4B, the subset 404 includes a touch control item 416 for performing a split screen control operation, a touch control item 418 for performing a PW imaging control operation, and performing Doppler and 2D One touch control item 420 for beam steering control operation and one touch control item 422 for performing annotation operation. For example, a user may use a touch gesture 320 against the touch control item 416 to allow the user to alternately use a click gesture 302 on each side of the split screen on the opposite side of the split touch screen display 104. Switch. In addition, the user can use a press gesture 320 to activate the touch control 418 and enter PW mode, which allows (1) the user to control the angle correction, and (2) move by using a press and drag gesture 322 (for example, "up ("Or" Down ") may be displayed on a touch screen display 104 at a baseline, and / or (3) may be increased or decreased by using a click gesture 302 on a scale that may be displayed on the touch screen display 104 proportion. In addition, the user can use a pressing gesture 320 against one side of the touch control item 420 to perform 2D beam steering to "left" or any other suitable direction in five (5) increments or any other suitable increment, And the other side against the touch control item 420 uses a press gesture 320 to perform 2D beam steering to "right" or any other suitable direction in five (5) increments or any other suitable increment. In addition, the user may employ a tap gesture 302 on the touch control item 422 to allow the user to input annotation information via a pop-up keyboard that can be displayed on the touch screen display 104.
As shown in FIG. 4C, the subset 406 includes one touch control item 424 for performing dynamic range operations, one touch control item 426 for performing Teravision ™ software operations, and one touch control for performing mapping operations. Item 428 and one touch control item 430 for performing a needle guidance operation. For example, a user can control or set the dynamic range by using a touch gesture 320 and / or a press and drag gesture 322 against the touch control item 424. In addition, the user may use a tap gesture 302 on the touch control item 426 to select one of the desired levels of Teravision ™ software to be executed by the processor from the memory on the computer motherboard 106. Moreover, the user can use the tap gesture 302 on the touch control item 428 to perform a desired mapping operation. In addition, the user can use the pressing gesture 320 against the touch control item 430 to perform a desired needle guidance operation.
According to the present invention, an object displayed as an ultrasonic image on the touch-screen display 104 can be performed using a single-point / multi-point gesture on the surface 105 of the touch-screen display 104 of the medical ultrasonic imaging apparatus 100 (see FIG. 1). Such as organs, tissues, etc.). The user can directly view an original ultrasound image of one of the displayed objects, an enlarged version of the ultrasound image of one of the displayed objects, and / or a virtual window 506 on the touch screen display 104 (see FIGS. 5C and 5D). One of the ultrasound images within) performs such measurement and / or tracking of an object with an enlarged portion.
5A and 5B depict an original ultrasound image of an exemplary object (ie, a liver 502 with a cystic lesion 504) displayed on a touch screen display 104 of a medical ultrasound imaging apparatus 100 (see FIG. 1). It should be noted that this ultrasound image can be generated by the medical ultrasound imaging device 100 in response to ultrasound (the ultrasound waves are generated by an ultrasonic probe / sensor operatively connected to one of the devices 100) to penetrate the liver tissue. The measurement and / or tracking of the liver 502 with cystic lesions 504 can be performed directly on the original ultrasound image (see FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B) displayed on the touch screen display 104, or on an enlarged version of the ultrasound image. For example, the user may use an expansion gesture by placing two (2) fingers on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104 and spreading them apart to enlarge the original ultrasound image (see, for example, the expansion of FIG. 3). Gesture 312) to obtain this enlarged version of the ultrasound image. Such measurement and / or tracking of the liver 502 and the cystic lesion 504 can also be performed on one of the ultrasound images in the virtual window 506 (see FIGS. 5C and 5D) on the touch screen display 104 with an enlarged portion.
For example, using his or her finger (for example, see one of the fingers 508 of FIGS. 5A-5D), the user can rest on the touch screen display by near the area of interest, such as the area corresponding to the cystic lesion 504. The surface 105 of 104 uses a pressing gesture (for example, see pressing gesture 320 of FIG. 3) (see FIG. 5B) to obtain a virtual window 506. In response to the pressing gesture, the virtual window 506 (see FIG. 5C and FIG. 5D) is displayed on the touch screen display 104 (may be at least partially superimposed on the original ultrasound image), thereby providing the user with the vicinity of the cystic lesion 504 One view of one enlarged portion of the liver 502. For example, the virtual window 506 of FIG. 5C may provide a magnified view of one of the ultrasound images of the cystic lesion 504. The ultrasound image of the cystic lesion 504 is a finger 508 pressed against the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104 Overlap. To reposition the enlarged cystic lesion 504 within the virtual window 506, the user can use a press and drag gesture against the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104 (see, for example, press and drag gesture 322 of FIG. 3) (see FIG. 5D), thereby moving the image of the cystic lesion 504 to a desired position within the virtual window 506. In an embodiment, the medical ultrasound imaging apparatus 100 may be configured to allow a user to select a magnification level within the virtual window 506 that is 2 times, 4 times, or any other suitable multiple of the original ultrasound image. The user can remove the virtual window 506 from the touch screen display 104 by lifting his or her finger (eg, see the finger 508 of FIGS. 5A-5D) from the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104.
FIG. 6A depicts an ultrasound image of another exemplary object (ie, a apical four (4) chamber view of a heart 602) displayed on the touch screen display 104 of the medical ultrasound imaging apparatus 100 (see FIG. 1). It should be noted that this ultrasonic image may be generated by the medical ultrasonic imaging device 100 in response to ultrasonic waves (which are generated by an ultrasonic probe / sensor operatively connected to the device 100) to penetrate the heart tissue. The measurement and / or tracking of the heart 602 may be performed directly on the original ultrasound image (see FIGS. 6A to 6E) displayed on the touch screen display 104, or on an enlarged version of the ultrasound image. For example, using his or her fingers (see, for example, fingers 610, 612 of FIGS. 6B-6E), the user can perform a heart by using one or more multi-finger gestures on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104 One of the left ventricles 606 (see FIGS. 6B to 6E) and one of the endocardial borders 604 (see FIG. 6B) is manually tracked. In one embodiment, using his or her finger (for example, see fingers 610, 612 of FIGS. 6B to 6E), the user can perform one or two gestures on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104 (for example, 3A, point two gestures 310) to obtain a cursor 607 (see FIG. 6B), and by using a finger (such as finger 610) to adopt a drag gesture (for example, see the drag gesture 318 of FIG. 3A) and The cursor 607 is moved to move the cursor 607 to a desired position on the touch screen display 104. The systems and methods described herein can be used for quantitative measurement of cardiac wall motion and specifically for measurement of ventricular asynchrony, as described in detail in US Application No. 10 / 817,316, filed April 2, 2004 , The entire contents of the case are incorporated herein by reference.
Once the cursor 607 is at a desired location on the touch screen display 104 (as determined by the location of the finger 610), the user can use a one-click gesture by using another finger (such as finger 612) (see, for example, click gesture 302; see FIG. 3) and fix the cursor 607 at this position. To perform manual tracking of one of the endocardial borders 604 (see FIG. 6B), the user can use a finger 610 to use a press and drag gesture (for example, see press and drag gesture 322 of FIG. 3), as shown in FIGS. 6C and 6D. Painted. This manual tracking of the endocardial border 604 may be highlighted on the touch screen display 104 in any suitable manner, such as by a dashed line 608 (see FIGS. 6C-6E). This manual tracking of the endocardial border 604 may continue until the finger 610 reaches any suitable location on the touch screen display 104, or until the finger 610 returns to the location of the cursor 607, as shown in FIG. 6E. Once the finger 610 is at the position of the cursor 607 or any other suitable location, the user can complete the manual tracking operation by using the finger 612 with a one-point selection gesture (for example, see the click gesture 302; see FIG. 3). It should be noted that this manual tracking operation may be employed to track any number of other suitable features and / or waveforms (such as a pulsed wave Doppler (PWD) waveform). In an embodiment, the medical ultrasound imaging device 100 may be configured to manually track at least in part based on one or more of the respective feature / waveform (s) to perform one or more of the features (s) and / or waveforms. Appropriate calculations and / or measurements.
As described above, the user may perform measurement and / or tracking of an object on an enlarged part of an original ultrasonic image of a displayed object in a virtual window on the touch screen display 104. 7A-7C depict an original ultrasound image of an exemplary object (ie, a liver 702 with a cystic lesion 704) displayed on a touch screen display 104 of a medical ultrasound imaging apparatus 100 (see FIG. 1). 7A to 7C further depict a virtual window 706 that provides an enlarged view of one of the ultrasound images of the cystic lesion 704. The ultrasound image of the cystic lesion 704 is pressed against the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104 One of the user's fingers (such as a finger 710) overlaps. Using his or her fingers (see, for example, fingers 710, 712 of FIGS. 7A-7C), a user can execute a virtual window 706 by using one or more multi-finger gestures on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104 The size of one of the cystic lesions 704 was measured.
For example, using his or her fingers (see, for example, fingers 710, 712 of FIGS. 7A-7C), the user can apply a one-two gesture on surface 105 (e.g., two-point gesture 310 of FIG. 3) ) To obtain a first cursor 707 (see FIG. 7B, FIG. 7C), and the first cursor can be moved by using a finger (such as finger 710) using a drag gesture (for example, see drag gesture 318 of FIG. 3). 707, thereby moving the first cursor 707 to a desired position. Once the first cursor 707 is at the desired location (such as determined by the location of the finger 710), the user can use a single click gesture by using another finger (such as finger 712) (see, for example, click gesture 302; see FIG. 3) The first cursor 707 is fixed at the position. Similarly, the user can obtain a second cursor 709 (see FIG. 7C) by using a double-tap gesture on the surface 105 (see, for example, double-tap gesture 310 in FIG. 3), and can use a finger 710 The second cursor 709 is moved by using a drag gesture (for example, see the drag gesture 318 in FIG. 3), thereby moving the second cursor 709 to a desired position. Once the second cursor 709 is at the desired position (such as determined by the position of the finger 710), the user can use the finger 712 to adopt a one-click gesture (for example, see the click gesture 302; see FIG. 3). Two cursors 709 are fixed at this position. In an embodiment, the medical ultrasound imaging device 100 may be configured to perform calculations and / or measurements of any suitable size (s) related to the cystic lesion 704 based at least in part on the locations of the first cursor 707 and the second cursor 709. .
8A to 8C depict an original ultrasound image of an exemplary object (ie, a liver 802 with a cystic lesion 804) displayed on a touch screen display 104 of a medical ultrasound imaging apparatus 100 (see FIG. 1). Figures 8a to 8c further depict a virtual window 806 that provides an enlarged view of one of the ultrasound images of the cystic lesion 804. The ultrasound image of the cystic lesion 804 is pressed against the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104 One of the user's fingers (such as a finger 810) overlaps. Using his or her fingers (for example, see fingers 810, 812 of FIGS. 8A-8C), the user can execute a virtual window 806 by using one or more multi-finger gestures on the surface 105 of the touch screen display 104 Caliper measurement of one of the cystic lesions 804 inside.
For example, using his or her finger (see, for example, fingers 810, 812 of FIGS. 8A-8C), the user can apply a one-two gesture on surface 105 (e.g., two-point gesture 310 of FIG. 3) ) To obtain a first cursor 807 (see FIG. 8B, FIG. 8C), and move the cursor 807 by using a finger (such as finger 810) using a drag gesture (for example, see drag gesture 318 of FIG. 3), Thereby, the cursor 807 is moved to a desired position. Once the cursor 807 is at the desired location (as determined by the location of finger 810), the user can use a single-click gesture by using another finger (such as finger 812) (for example, see click gesture 302; see Figure 3) The cursor 807 is fixed at this position. Then, the user can use a press and drag gesture (for example, see the press and drag gesture 322 of FIG. 3) to obtain a connection line 811 (see FIGS. 8B and 8C) and extend from the first cursor 807 across the cystic lesion 804 The connecting line 811 is to a desired part on the other side of the cystic lesion 804. Once the connecting line 811 extends across the cystic lesion 804 to a desired location on the other side of the cystic lesion 804, the user can use the finger 812 to use a single click gesture (for example, see click gesture 302; see Figure 3) A second cursor 809 (see FIG. 8C) is obtained and fixed at the desired location. In an embodiment, the medical ultrasound imaging device 100 may be configured to perform any (several) any of the cystic lesions 804 related to the cystic lesion 804 based at least in part on the connecting line 811 extending between the portions of the first cursor 807 and the second cursor 809. Calculation and / or measurement with suitable calipers.
FIG. 9A shows a system 140 in which a sensor housing 150 having an array of sensor elements 152 may be attached to the housing 102 at a connector 114. Each probe 150 may have a probe identification circuit 154 that uniquely identifies one of the attached probes. When a user inserts a different probe with a different array, the system identifies the operating parameters of the probe. Note that the preferred embodiment may include a display 104 having a touch sensor 107, which can be connected to analyze touch screen data from the sensor 107 and transmit commands to two images A processing operation (1124 shown in FIG. 11) and a touch processor 109, which is one of a beamformer control processor (1116 shown in FIG. 11). In a preferred embodiment, the touch processor may include a computer-readable medium storing instructions for operating an ultrasonic touch screen engine that is operable to control the display and imaging operations described herein. .
FIG. 9B shows a software flowchart 900 of a typical sensor management module 902 in an ultrasound application. When a TRANSDUCER ATTACH 904 event is detected, the sensor management software module 902 first reads the sensor type ID 906 and the hardware version information from the IDENTIFICATION segment. This information is used to fetch the specific sensor profile data set 908 from the hard disk and load it into the application's memory. Then, the software reads the adjustment data 910 from the FACTORY segment and applies the adjustments to the profile data just loaded into the memory 912. The software module then sends a sensor attachment message 914 to the main ultrasound application, which uses the loaded sensor profile. After confirming 916, an ultrasound imaging sequence is performed and the USAGE segment 918 is updated. Then, the sensor management software module waits for a sensor detach (TRANSDUCER DETACH) event 920 or 5 minutes have passed. If a sensor detach event is detected 921 and a message 924 is sent and confirmed 926, the 928 sensor profile data set is removed from the memory and the module returns to wait for another sensor attach event. If a 5 minute time period expires without detecting a sensor detach event, the software module adds a cumulative use counter to the usage segment 922 and waits for another 5 minute time period or a sensor detach event. This cumulative use is recorded in memory for maintenance and replacement records.
There are many types of ultrasonic sensors. They differ in terms of geometry, number of components, and frequency response. For example, a linear array with a center frequency of 10 MHz to 15 MHz is better suited for chest imaging, and a curved array with a center frequency of 3 MHz to 5 MHz is better suited for abdominal imaging.
Different types of sensors are often required for the same or different ultrasound scanning sessions. For ultrasound systems with only one sensor connection, the operator will change the sensors before starting a new scanning session.
In some applications, it is necessary to switch between different types of sensors during an ultrasound scanning session. In this case, it is more convenient to have multiple sensors connected to the same ultrasound system, and the operator can control by clicking the operator without physically removing and reattaching the sensor (this takes a long time) A button on the stage to quickly switch between these connected sensors. A preferred embodiment of the present invention may include a multiplexer in a tablet computer housing. The multiplexer may select between a plurality of probe head connector ports in the tablet computer housing, or alternatively, the tablet The computer case can be connected to an external multiplexer that can be mounted to a cart as described herein.
FIG. 9C is a perspective view of an exemplary needle-sensing positioning system using an ultrasonic sensor without any active electronics in the sensor assembly. The sensor sensor may include a passive ultrasonic sensor element. These components can be used in a manner similar to one of the typical sensor probes of ultrasonic engine electronics. System 958 includes the addition of an ultrasonic sensor element 960 added to a needle guide 962, which is shown in FIG. 9C but can be of any suitable physical size. The ultrasonic sensor element 960 and the needle guide 962 may be mounted to an ultrasonic sensor probe head sound grip or an ultrasonic imaging probe head assembly 970 using a needle guide mounting bracket 966. A magnetic disk (ultrasonic reflector disk 964) mounted on the exposed end is reflective to ultrasonic waves.
The ultrasonic sensor element 960 on the needle guide 962 may be connected to an ultrasonic engine. This connection can be made through a separate cable to a dedicated probe connector on the engine (similar to a common pencil-shaped CW probe connector). In an alternative embodiment, a small short cable can be plugged into a larger image sensor probe head grip or a split cable connected to the same probe connector at the engine. In another alternative embodiment, the connection may be made via an electrical connector between the image detection head grip and the needle guide (there is no cable between them). In an alternative embodiment, the ultrasonic sensor element on the needle guide may be connected to the ultrasonic engine by enclosing the needle guide and the sensor elements in the same mechanical enclosure of the imaging probe head grip.
FIG. 9D is a perspective view of a needle guide 962 positioned with the sensor element 960 and the ultrasonic reflector disk 964. FIG. The position of the reflector disk 964 is positioned by transmitting ultrasonic waves 972 from the sensor element 960 on the needle guide 962. The ultrasonic wave 972 travels through the air toward the reflector disk 964 and is reflected by the reflector disk 964. The reflected ultrasonic wave 974 reaches the sensor element 960 on the needle guide 962. The distance 976 between the reflector disk 964 and the sensor element 960 is calculated from the elapsed time and the rate of sound in the air.
FIG. 9E is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of an exemplary pin feeler positioning system using an ultrasonic sensor without any active electronics in the sensor assembly. The sensor sensor may include a passive ultrasonic sensor element. These components can be used in a manner similar to one of the typical sensor probes of ultrasonic engine electronics.
The system 986 includes a needle guide 962 that can be mounted to a needle guide mounting bracket 966 that can be coupled to an ultrasound imaging probe assembly 982 for imaging a patient's body or can be an alternative Suitable appearance size. An ultrasonic reflector disk 964 can be mounted at the exposed end of the needle 956. In this embodiment, a linear ultrasonic sound array 978 is mounted parallel to the moving direction of the needle 956. The linear ultrasonic sound array 978 includes an ultrasonic sensor array 980 positioned parallel to the needle 956. In this embodiment, an ultrasound imaging probe assembly 982 is positioned for imaging the patient's body. An ultrasound sensor array 984 is configured using an ultrasound sensor array 984 for imaging a patient's body.
In this embodiment, the position of the ultrasonic reflector disk 964 can be detected by using an ultrasonic sensor array 980 coupled to an ultrasonic imaging probe head assembly 978 for imaging. The position of the reflector disk 964 is positioned by transmitting ultrasonic waves 972 from a sensor element 980 on the ultrasonic imaging probe head assembly 978 for imaging. The ultrasonic wave 972 travels through the air toward the reflector disk 964 and is reflected by the reflector disk 964. The reflected ultrasonic wave 974 reaches the sensor element 980 on the ultrasonic imaging probe head assembly 978 for imaging. The distance 976 between the reflector disk 964 and the sensor element 980 is calculated from the elapsed time and the rate of sound in the air. In an alternative embodiment, an alternating algorithm may be used to sequentially scan the polarities of the elements in the sensor array and analyze the reflections produced by each sensor array element. In an alternative embodiment, multiple scans may occur before an ultrasound image is formed.
FIG. 9F illustrates a system 140 similar to the system shown in FIG. 9A and configured to receive a subscriber identity module (SIM) card for wireless communication. In this particular embodiment, the communication circuit 118 is connected to the computing circuit 106, and a SIM card port 119 is configured to receive a SIM card 120 and connect the SIM card 120 to the communication circuit 118 via a plurality of conductive contacts. In some embodiments, a SIM card port 119 configuration that can accept a standard SIM card, small SIM card, micro SIM card, nano SIM card, embedded SIM card, or other similar wireless identification / authorization card or circuit can be used. Ultrasonic devices. The system incorporates a SIM card interface circuit 118 (such as a SIM card interface circuit available from NXP Semiconductors NV in Eindhoven, The Netherlands), which may include electromagnetic interference ( EMI) filtering and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection features. The identification card incorporates an identification circuit (usually an integrated circuit embedded in a plastic card or substrate). The identification circuit includes storing an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) and a mobile wireless network such as 3G or 4G. Communication network) a memory device that identifies and authenticates a key of a user.
FIG. 10A illustrates an exemplary method for monitoring synchronization of a heart according to an exemplary embodiment. In this method, a reference template is loaded into the memory and used to guide a user to identify an imaging plane (step 930). Next, a user identifies a desired imaging plane (step 932). One apical 4-chamber view of the heart is commonly used; however, other views may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Sometimes identifying the endocardial boundary can be difficult, and when encountering these difficulties, tissue Doppler imaging of the same view can be used (following step 934). A reference template is provided for identifying the septum and one of the lateral free walls (as per step 936). Then, a standard tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) with a preset speed level of, for example, ± 30 cm / sec can be used (per step 938).
A reference to one of the desired triple images can then be provided (step 940). Mode B or TDI can be used to guide the distance gate (as per step 942). The B mode can be used to guide the distance gate (in step 944) or TDI can be used to guide the distance gate (in step 946). Using TDI or B mode to guide the distance gate also allows the use of a directional correction angle to allow the spectral Doppler to display the radial average speed of the middle wall. Next, a first pulse wave spectral Doppler is used to measure the average speed of the next wall using the dual or triple mode (step 948). Software for processing data and calculating out-of-sync can use a site (eg, a central point) to automatically set an angle between dated sites on the heart wall to help simplify parameter setting.
A dual image or a TDI is also used to guide a second distance gate position (as per step 950), and a directional correction angle can be used if required. After step 950, the average velocity of the middle partition wall and the lateral free wall is tracked by the system. Next, the time integral 952 of the spectral Doppler average velocity at the region of interest (eg, the septal wall and the left ventricular free wall) provides displacement of the septum and left free wall, respectively.
The above method steps may be utilized in conjunction with one of the high-pass filtering components (analog or digital) known in the related art for removing any baseline interference present in the collected signal. In addition, the disclosed method employs multiple simultaneous PW spectral Doppler lines for tracking the movement of the interventricular septum and the left ventricular free wall. In addition, a multi-gate structure can be used along each spectrum line, so quantitative measurement of the area wall motion is allowed. Averaging multiple gates allows for the measurement of global wall movement.
10B is a detailed schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a system 1000 having an integrated ultrasonic probe 1040 that can be connected to any personal computer (PC) 1010 through an interface unit 1020. The ultrasonic probe 1040 is configured to transmit ultrasonic waves and reduce ultrasonic waves reflected from one or more image targets 1064. The sensor 1040 may be coupled to the interface unit 1020 using one or more cables 1066, 1068. The interface unit 1020 can be positioned between the integrated ultrasonic probe 1040 and the host computer 1010. The two-stage beamforming systems 1040 and 1020 can be connected to any PC via a USB connection 1022 and 1012.
The ultrasonic probe 1040 may include a sub-array / aperture 1052 composed of adjacent elements having an aperture smaller than the aperture of the entire array. The returned echoes are received by the 1D sensor array 1062 and transmitted to the controller 1044. The controller starts to form a coarse beam by transmitting signals to the memories 1058, 1046. The memories 1058 and 1046 transmit a signal to a transmission driver 1 1050 and a transmission driver m 1054. Next, the transmission driver 1 1050 and the transmission driver m 1054 send signals to the multiplexer 1 1048 and the multiplexer m 1056, respectively. This signal is transmitted to the sub-array beamformer 1 1052 and the sub-array beamformer n 1060.
The output of each rough beamforming operation may include further processing through a second stage beamforming in the interface unit 1020 to convert the beamforming output into a digital representation. The coarse beamforming operations may be successively summed to form a fine beam output for the array. The signals can be transmitted from the ultrasonic probe 1040 sub-array beamformer 1 1052 and the sub-array beamformer n 1060 to the A / D converters 1030 and 1028 in the interface unit 1020. Within the interface unit 1020, there are A / D converters 1028, 1030 for converting the first-stage beamforming output into a digital representation. A customer-specific application integrated circuit (ASIC), such as a programmable gate array (FPGA) 1026, can receive digital conversion from the A / D converters 1030, 1028 to complete the second stage beamforming. The FPGA digital beamforming 1026 can transmit information to the system controller 1024. The system controller can transmit information to a memory 1032, which can send a signal back to the FPGA digital beamforming 1026. Alternatively, the system controller 1024 can transmit information to the custom USB3 chipset 1022. The USB3 chipset 1022 can then transmit the information to a DC-DC converter 1034. Then, the DC-DC converter 1034 can transmit power from the interface unit 1020 to the ultrasonic probe 1040. In the ultrasonic probe 1040, a power supply 1042 can receive power signals and interface with the transmission driver 1 1050 to provide power to the front-end integrated probe.
The interface unit 1020 is customized or the USB3 chipset 1022 can be used to provide a communication link between the interface unit 1022 and the host computer 1010. The custom or USB3 chipset 1022 transmits a signal to the custom or USB3 chipset 1012 of the host computer 1010. The custom or USB3 chipset 1012 then interfaces with the microprocessor 1014. Then, the microprocessor 1014 can display information or send the information to a device 1075.
In an alternative embodiment, a narrow-band beamformer may be used. For example, an analog phase shifter is applied to each of the received echoes. Then, the phase-shifted outputs in each sub-array are summed to form a rough beam. An A / D converter can be used to digitize each of these coarse beams; a digital beamformer is then used to form a fine beam.
In another embodiment, forming a 64-element linear array may use eight neighboring elements to form a coarse beam output. This configuration can utilize eight output analog cables that connect the output of the integrated probe to the interface unit. The rough beam can be sent through a cable to the corresponding A / D converter located in the interface unit. Digital delay is used to form a fine beam output. Eight A / D converters may be required to form a digital representation.
In another embodiment, sixteen sub-array beamforming circuits can be used to form a 128-element array. Each circuit can form a rough beam provided in a first stage output to the interface unit from an adjacent eight-element array. This configuration can utilize sixteen output analog cables that connect the output of the integrated probe to the interface unit to digitize the output. A PC microprocessor or a DSP can be used to perform down-conversion, base-banding, scan conversion, and post-image processing functions. The microprocessor or the DSP can also be used to perform all Doppler processing functions.
FIG. 10C is a detailed schematic block diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a system 1080 of the integrated ultrasonic probe 1040 with a first sub-array beamforming circuit, and the second-stage beamforming circuit is integrated inside the host computer 1082. The back-end computer with the second-level beamforming circuit may be a PDA, a tablet computer, or a mobile device housing. The ultrasonic probe 1040 is configured to transmit ultrasonic waves and reduce ultrasonic waves reflected from one or more image targets 1064. The sensor 1040 is coupled to the host computer 1082 using one or more cables 1066, 1068. Note that A / D circuit components can also be placed in the sensor head housing.
The ultrasonic probe 1040 includes a sub-array / aperture 1052 composed of adjacent elements having an aperture smaller than one aperture of the entire array. The returned echoes are received by the 1D sensor array 1062 and transmitted to the controller 1044. The controller starts to form a rough beam by transmitting signals to the memories 1058, 1046. The memories 1058 and 1046 transmit a signal to a transmission driver 1 1050 and a transmission driver m 1054. Next, the transmission driver 1 1050 and the transmission driver m 1054 send signals to the multiplexer 1 1048 and the multiplexer m 1056, respectively. This signal is transmitted to the sub-array beamformer 1 1052 and the sub-array beamformer n 1060.
The output of each coarse beamforming operation is then passed through a second stage beamforming in the interface unit 1020 to convert the beamforming output into a digital representation. These coarse beamforming operations may be summed consecutively to form one fine beam output for the array. The signals are transmitted from the ultrasonic probe 1040 sub-array beamformer 1 1052 and the sub-array beamformer n 1060 to the A / D converters 1030 and 1028 in the host computer 1082. There are A / D converters 1028 and 1030 in the host computer 1082 for converting the first-stage beamforming output into a digital representation. A customer ASIC (such as an FPGA 1026) can receive digital conversion from the A / D converters 1030, 1028 to complete the second stage beamforming. The FPGA digital beamforming 1026 transmits information to the system controller 1024. The system controller transmits information to a memory 1032, which can send a signal back to the FPGA digital beamforming 1026. Alternatively, the system controller 1024 can transmit information to the custom USB3 chipset 1022. The USB3 chipset 1022 can then transmit the information to a DC-DC converter 1034. Then, the DC-DC converter 1034 can transmit power from the interface unit 1020 to the ultrasonic probe 1040. In the ultrasonic probe 1040, a power supply 1042 can receive power signals and interface with the transmission driver 1 1050 to provide power to the front-end integrated probe. The power supply may include a battery that enables wireless operation of the sensor assembly. A wireless transceiver can be integrated in the controller circuit or a separate communication circuit to enable wireless transmission of image data and control signals.
The custom or USB3 chipset 1022 of the host computer 1082 can be used to provide a communication link between the custom or USB3 chipset 1012 to transmit a signal to the microprocessor 1014. Then, the microprocessor 1014 can display information or send the information to a device 1075.
11 is an exemplary embodiment of an ultrasonic engine 108 (ie, a front-end ultrasonic specific circuit) and an exemplary embodiment of a computer motherboard 106 (ie, a host computer) of the ultrasonic device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A. One detailed schematic block diagram. The components of the ultrasonic engine 108 and / or the computer motherboard 106 may be implemented in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Exemplary ASICs have a high channel count and may in some exemplary embodiments package 32 or more channels per chip. Those of ordinary skill will recognize that the ultrasound engine 108 and the computer motherboard 106 may include more or fewer modules than those shown. For example, the ultrasonic engine 108 and the computer motherboard 106 may include the modules shown in FIG. 17.
A sensor array 152 is configured to transmit and receive ultrasound waves to and from one or more imaging targets 1102. The sensor array 152 is coupled to the ultrasound engine 108 using one or more cables 1104.
The ultrasonic engine 108 includes a high voltage transmission / reception (TR) module 1106 for applying a driving signal to the sensor array 152 and for receiving a return echo signal from the sensor array 152. The ultrasonic engine 108 includes a preamplifier / TGC module 1108 for amplifying the return echo signals and applying a suitable time gain compensation (TGC) function to these signals. The ultrasonic engine 108 includes a sampled data beamformer 1110, which has been amplified and processed by a preamplifier / TGC module 1108 and used for delay coefficients in each channel after returning an echo signal.
In some exemplary embodiments, the high voltage TR module 1106, the preamplifier / TGC module 1108, and the sample interpolation receiving beamformer 1110 may each be a silicon chip with 8 to 64 channels per chip, but Exemplary embodiments are not limited to this range. In some embodiments, the high-voltage TR module 1106, the preamplifier / TGC module 1108, and the sample interpolation receiving beamformer 1110 may each have 8, 16, 32, 64 channels, and the like One silicon chip. As shown in FIG. 11, an exemplary TR module 1106, an exemplary preamplifier / TGC module 1108, and an exemplary beamformer 1110 may each take the form of a silicon wafer including 32 channels.
The ultrasonic engine 108 includes a FIFO buffer module 1112. The FIFO buffer module 1112 is used to buffer the processed data output by the beamformer 1110. The ultrasonic engine 108 also includes a memory 1114 for storing program instructions and data, and a system controller 1116 for controlling operations of the ultrasonic engine module.
The ultrasound engine 108 interfaces with the computer motherboard 106 via a communication link 112, which can follow a standard high-speed communication protocol such as Firewire (IEEE 1394 standard serial interface) or fast (e.g., 200 Mbit / s Seconds to 400 megabits per second or faster) Universal Serial Bus (USB 2.0 USB 3.0) protocol. The standard communication link to the computer motherboard is operated at 400 Mbit / s or higher, preferably at 800 Mbit / s or higher. Alternatively, the link 112 may be a wireless connection, such as an infrared (IR) link. The ultrasound engine 108 includes a communication chipset 1118 (eg, a Firewire chipset) that establishes and maintains a communication link 112.
Similarly, the computer motherboard 106 also includes a communication chipset 1120 (eg, a Firewire chipset) that establishes and maintains a communication link 112. The computer motherboard 106 includes a core computer-readable memory 1122 for storing data and / or computer-executable instructions for performing ultrasound imaging operations. The memory 1122 forms the main memory of the computer, and can store about 4 GB of DDR3 memory in an exemplary embodiment. The computer motherboard 106 also includes a microprocessor 1124 for executing one of the computer-executable instructions stored on the core computer-readable memory 1122. The computer-executable instructions are used for performing ultrasound imaging processing operations. An exemplary microprocessor 1124 may be an existing commercial computer processor (such as an Intel-Core i5 processor). Another exemplary microprocessor 1124 may be a digital signal processor (DSP) based processor such as one or more from Texas Instruments^TM processor). The computer motherboard 106 also includes a display controller 1126 for controlling a display device, which can be used to display ultrasound data, scans, and maps.
Exemplary operations performed by the microprocessor 1124 include (but are not limited to): down-conversion (for generating I and Q samples from received ultrasound data), scan conversion (for converting ultrasound data into one of the display devices) Display format), Doppler processing (for determining and / or imaging movement and / or flow information from ultrasound data), color blood flow processing (for generating superimposition on a B-mode ultrasound using autocorrelation in one embodiment One color-coded image of the Doppler frequency shift on the image), energy Doppler processing (for determining energy Doppler data and / or generating an energy Doppler image), spectral Doppler processing (for determining Spectral Doppler data and / or generating a spectral Doppler map) and post-signal processing. These operations are described in further detail in WO 03/079038 A2, entitled “Ultrasound Probe with Integrated Electronics”, filed on March 11, 2003, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
In order to achieve a smaller and lighter portable ultrasonic device, the ultrasonic engine 108 includes providing a reduction in overall package size and footprint of a circuit board of the ultrasonic engine 108. To this end, the exemplary embodiments provide a small and light portable ultrasonic device that minimizes the overall package size and footprint while providing a high channel count. In some embodiments, a high-channel-count circuit board of an exemplary ultrasonic engine may include one or more multi-chip modules, where each chip provides multiple channels (eg, 32 channels). The term "multi-chip module" as used herein refers to an electronic package in which multiple integrated circuits (ICs) are packaged into a unified substrate, thereby promoting their use as a single component (i.e., as a comparison Big IC). A multi-chip module can be used in an exemplary circuit board to enable two or more active IC components integrated on a high-density interconnect (HDI) substrate to reduce the overall package size. In an exemplary embodiment, a multi-chip module may be assembled by vertically stacking a transmission / reception (TR) silicon wafer, an amplifier silicon wafer, and a beamformer silicon wafer of an ultrasonic engine. A single circuit board of an ultrasonic engine may include one or more of these multi-chip modules to provide a high channel count while minimizing the overall package size and footprint of the circuit board.
FIG. 12 depicts a schematic side view of a portion of a circuit board 1200 including a multi-chip module assembled in a vertically stacked configuration. Two or more layers of active electronic integrated circuit components are vertically integrated in a single circuit. The IC layers are oriented in spaced planes that extend substantially parallel to each other in a vertically stacked configuration. In FIG. 12, the circuit board includes an HDI substrate 1202 for supporting one of the multi-chip modules. The first integrated circuit wafer 1204 containing, for example, one of the first beamformer devices is coupled to the substrate 1202 using any suitable coupling mechanism (eg, epoxy application and curing). A first spacer layer 1206 is coupled to the surface of the first integrated circuit wafer 1204 opposite to the substrate 1202 using, for example, epoxy resin application and curing. A second integrated circuit wafer 1208 having, for example, one of a second beamformer device is coupled to a surface of the first spacer layer 1206 opposite the first integrated circuit wafer 1204 using, for example, epoxy application and curing. A metal frame 1210 is provided for mechanical and / or electrical connection between integrated circuit wafers. An exemplary metal frame 1210 may be in the form of a lead frame. The first integrated circuit wafer 1204 may be coupled to the metal frame 1210 using a wiring 1212. The second integrated circuit wafer 1208 may be coupled to the same metal frame 1210 using the wiring 1214. A package 1216 is provided to encapsulate the multi-chip module assembly and maintain a plurality of integrated circuit chips in a substantially parallel configuration relative to each other.
As shown in FIG. 12, the vertical three-dimensional stacking of the first integrated circuit wafer 1204, the first spacer layer 1206, and the second integrated circuit wafer 1208 provides high-density functionality on the circuit board while minimizing the overall package size and Occupied area (compared to an ultrasonic engine circuit board that does not use a vertically stacked multi-chip module). Those of ordinary skill will recognize that an exemplary multi-chip module is not limited to two stacked integrated circuit chips. An exemplary number of chips vertically integrated in a multi-chip module may include (but is not limited to): two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and the like.
In one embodiment of an ultrasonic engine circuit board, a single multi-chip module is provided as shown in FIG. 12. In other embodiments, a plurality of multi-chip modules are also shown in FIG. 12. In an exemplary embodiment, a plurality of multi-chip modules (for example, two multi-chip modules) may be stacked vertically on top of each other on a circuit board of an ultrasonic engine to further minimize the packaging of the circuit board. Size and footprint.
In addition to reducing the occupied area, the overall package height in the multi-chip module also needs to be reduced. Exemplary embodiments may use wafers that are thinned to hundreds of microns to reduce the package height in multi-chip modules.
Any suitable technique can be used to assemble a multi-chip module on a substrate. Exemplary assembly techniques include (but are not limited to): multilayer MCM (MCM-L), where the substrate is a multilayer multilayer printed circuit board; deposition MCM (MCM-D), where multi-chip modules are deposited on a substrate using thin-film technology A substrate; and a ceramic substrate MCM (MCM-C), in which several conductive layers are deposited on a ceramic substrate and embedded in a glass layer (wherein the layers are co-fired at high temperature (HTCC) or low temperature (LTCC)).
13 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for manufacturing a circuit board including a multi-chip module assembled in a vertically stacked configuration. In step 1302, an HDI substrate is manufactured or provided. In step 1304, a metal frame (eg, a lead frame) is provided. In step 1306, a first IC layer is coupled or bonded to the substrate using, for example, epoxy application and curing. The first IC layer is bonded to the metal frame via a wire. In step 1308, a spacer layer is coupled to the first IC layer using, for example, epoxy application and curing such that the layers are stacked vertically and extend substantially parallel to each other. In step 1310, a second IC layer is coupled to the spacer layer using, for example, epoxy application and curing such that all of the layers are stacked vertically and extend substantially parallel to each other. The second IC layer is bonded to the metal frame via a wire. In step 1312, a package is used to encapsulate the multi-chip module assembly.
Exemplary wafer layers in a multi-chip module can be coupled to each other using any suitable technique. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, a spacer layer may be provided between the wafer layers to separate the wafer layers at intervals. A passivation silicon layer, a die attach paste layer, and / or a die attach film layer can be used as the spacer layer. An exemplary spacer technology that can be used to make a multi-chip module is further described at the 58th Electronic Components and Technology Conference (May 27-30, 2008) in Florida, USA. Technology Conference) (ECTC2008), "Die Attach Adhesives for 3D Same-Sized Dies Stacked Packages" by Toh CH et al., Pages 1538 to 1543, the entire contents of the case are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
An important requirement for die attach (DA) pastes or films is excellent adhesion to passivation materials adjacent to the die. Also, for large die applications, a uniform bond chain thickness (BLT) is required. In addition, high cohesive strength under high temperature and low hygroscopicity is better for reliability.
14A to 14C are schematic side views of an exemplary multi-chip module including vertically stacked dies that can be used according to an exemplary embodiment. Both peripheral and center pad wire bond (WB) packages are illustrated and can be used to wire bond an exemplary chip layer in a multi-chip module. 14A is a schematic side view of one of a multi-chip module including four vertically stacked dies, wherein the dies passivate a silicon layer by having a 2-in-1 cut die attach film (D-DAF) Separated from each other. FIG. 14B is a schematic side view of one of a multi-chip module including four vertically stacked dies, where the dies are separated from each other by a DA film-based adhesive as a die-to-die spacer. FIG. 14C is a schematic side view of one of a multi-chip module including four vertically stacked dies, where the dies are separated by a DA paste or film-based adhesive spacer as a die-to-die spacer. In some exemplary embodiments, the DA paste or film-based adhesive may have a wire penetrating ability. In the exemplary multi-chip module of FIG. 14C, a film covered wire (FOW) is a die package that allows long wire bonding and center bond pad stacking. FOW uses a die attach film with wire penetration capability that allows wire bonding dies of the same or similar size to be stacked directly on top of each other without a passivation silicon layer. This solution solves the problem of having the same or similar sized grains directly stacked on top of each other, and this presents another challenge because there is no gap or not enough gap for the bonding wires of the lower grains.
The DA material shown in FIGS. 14B and 14C preferably maintains a bond line thickness (BLT) with almost no voids and is discharged through the assembly process. After assembly, the DA material sandwiched between the grains maintains excellent adhesion to the grains. Customize the material properties of DA materials as needed to maintain high cohesive strength for high temperature reliability pressurization without block cracking. Customize the properties of the DA material as needed to also minimize or better eliminate moisture build-up that can cause package reliability failures (for example, bursting, whereby interface or block cracking occurs due to pressure buildup from moisture in the package) .
Figure 15 uses (a) a passivation silicon layer with a 2-in-1 cut die attach film (D-DAF), (b) a DA paste, (c) a thick DA film, and (d) a film with the same or similar dimensions Specific exemplification of die-to-die stacking of wire-bonded die with direct pass stacking on top of each other without passivation silicon spacers Flow chart of one method. Each method performs backside polishing of the wafer to reduce the thickness of the wafer to achieve stacking of integrated circuits and high-density packaging. The wafers are sawed to separate individual dies. A first die is bonded and bonded to a substrate of a multi-chip module using, for example, epoxy resin in an oven. Wire bonding is used to couple the first die to a metal frame.
In the method (A), a dicing die attach film (D-DAF) is used to bond a first passivation silicon layer to the first die in a stacked manner. A second die is bonded to the first passivation silicon layer in a stacked manner using D-DAF. Wire bonding is used to couple the second die to the metal frame. A second passivation silicon layer is bonded to the second die in a stacked manner using D-DAF. A third die is bonded to the second passivation silicon layer in a stacked manner using D-DAF. Wire bonding is used to couple the third die to the metal frame. A third passivation silicon layer is bonded to the third die in a stacked manner using DAF. A fourth die is bonded to the third passivation layer in a stacked manner using D-DAF. Wire bonding is used to couple the fourth die to the metal frame.
In method (B), repeating die attach (DA) paste application and curing for multiple thin die stacks. DA paste is dispensed on a first die, and a second die is provided on the DA paste and cured to the first die. Wire bonding is used to couple the second die to the metal frame. A DA paste is dispensed on the second die, and a third die is provided on the DA paste and cured to the second die. Wire bonding is used to couple the third die to the metal frame. DA paste is dispensed on the third die, and a fourth die is provided on the DA paste and cured to the third die. Wire bonding is used to couple the fourth die to the metal frame.
In method (C), a die attach film (DAF) is cut and pressed to a bottom die and then a top die is placed and thermally compressed on the DAF. For example, a DAF is pressed onto the first die and a second die is thermally compressed onto the DAF. Wire bonding is used to couple the second die to the metal frame. Similarly, a DAF is pressed onto the second die and a third die is thermally compressed onto the DAF. Wire bonding is used to couple the third die to the metal frame. A DAF is pressed onto the third die and a fourth die is thermally compressed onto the DAF. Wire bonding is used to couple the fourth die to the metal frame.
In method (D), the film-covered wire (FOW) uses a die attach having a wire-penetrating capability that allows wire bonding dies of the same or similar size to be stacked directly on top of each other without a passivation silicon layer membrane. A second die is bonded and cured to the first die in a stacked manner. Film-covered wire bonding is used to couple the second die to a metal frame. A third die is bonded and cured to the first die in a stacked manner. Film-covered wire bonding is used to couple the third die to a metal frame. A fourth die is bonded and cured to the first die in a stacked manner. Film-covered wire bonding is used to couple the fourth die to a metal frame.
After the above steps are completed, in each of the methods (a) to (d), wafer molding and post-mold curing (PMC) are performed. Subsequently, bead installation and singulation are performed.
"Die Attach Adhesives for" at the 58th Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC2008) by Toh CH et al. (May 27-30, 2008) in Florida, USA "3D Same-Sized Dies Stacked Packages", pages 1538 to 1543 provide further details on the die attach technology described above, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 16 is a schematic side view of a multi-chip module 1600 including a TR chip 1602, an amplifier chip 1604, and a beamformer chip 1606 vertically integrated on a substrate 1614 in a vertical stack configuration. Any suitable technique shown in FIGS. 12 to 15 can be used to fabricate a multi-chip module. Those of ordinary skill will recognize that the particular order of stacking wafers may be different in other embodiments. A first spacer layer 1608 and a second spacer layer 1610 are provided to separate the wafers 1602, 1604, and 1606 at intervals. Each wafer is coupled to a metal frame (eg, a lead frame) 1612. In some exemplary embodiments, a heat transfer and heat dissipation mechanism may be provided in the multi-chip module to maintain high-temperature reliability pressure without block cracking. The other components of FIG. 16 are described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 14.
In this exemplary embodiment, each multi-chip module can handle full transmission, reception, TGC amplification, and beamforming operations for a larger number of channels (eg, 32 channels). By vertically integrating three silicon wafers into a single multi-chip module, the space and footprint required by the printed circuit board are further reduced. Multiple multi-chip modules can be provided on a single ultrasonic engine circuit board to further increase the number of channels while minimizing package size and footprint. For example, a 128-channel ultrasonic engine circuit board 108 can be manufactured in an exemplary planar size of about 10 cm x about 10 cm, which is a significant improvement on the space requirements of conventional ultrasonic circuits. In a preferred embodiment, a single circuit board including an ultrasonic engine of one or more multi-chip modules may have 16 channels to 128 channels. In some embodiments, a single circuit board containing one or more multi-chip module ultrasonic engines may have 16, 32, 64, 128 channels, and the like.
FIG. 17 is a detailed illustration of an exemplary embodiment of an ultrasonic engine 108 (ie, a front-end ultrasonic specific circuit) and an exemplary embodiment of a computer motherboard 106 (ie, a host computer) provided as a single-board complete ultrasound system. Sex block diagram. One exemplary veneer ultrasound system as illustrated in FIG. 17 may have an exemplary planar size of about 25 cm x about 18 cm, but other sizes are also feasible. The single-board complete ultrasound system of FIG. 17 can be implemented in the ultrasound devices shown in FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, and 9A, and can be used to execute the processes depicted in FIGS. 3 to 8, 9B, and 10 operating.
The ultrasonic engine 108 includes a probe connector 114 that facilitates the connection of at least one ultrasonic probe / sensor. In the ultrasonic engine 108, a TR module, an amplifier module, and a beamformer module can be vertically stacked to form a multi-chip module as shown in FIG. 16, thereby minimizing the entirety of the ultrasonic engine 108. Package size and footprint. The ultrasonic engine 108 may include a first multi-chip module 1710 and a second multi-chip module 1712. Each module includes a TR chip vertically integrated into a stacked configuration as shown in FIG. 16, and an ultrasonic pulse. A generator and a receiver, an amplifier chip including a time gain control amplifier, and a sample beamformer chip. The first multi-chip module 1710 and the second multi-chip module 1712 can be vertically stacked on top of each other to further minimize the required area on the circuit board. Alternatively, the first multi-chip module 1710 and the second multi-chip module 1712 may be horizontally disposed on a circuit board. In an exemplary embodiment, the TR chip, amplifier chip, and beamformer chip are each a 32-channel chip, and each multi-chip module 1710, 1712 has 32 channels. Those of ordinary skill will recognize that the exemplary ultrasonic engine 108 may include, but is not limited to, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight multi-chip modules. Note that in a preferred embodiment, the system can be configured with a first beamformer in the sensor housing and a second beamformer in the tablet housing.
The ASIC and multi-chip module configuration enable a 128-channel complete ultrasound system to be implemented on a small single board the size of a tablet format. An exemplary 128-channel ultrasonic engine 108 (for example) can be accommodated in an exemplary planar size of about 10 cm x about 10 cm, which is a significant improvement on the space requirements of conventional ultrasonic circuits. An exemplary 128-channel ultrasonic engine 108 can also be accommodated at about 100 cm² One is exemplary area.
The ultrasound engine 108 also includes a clock generation complex programmable logic device (CPLD) 1714 for generating a timing clock to perform an ultrasound scan using a sensor array. The ultrasonic engine 108 includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 1716 for converting an analog ultrasonic signal received from a sensor array to a digital RF-formed beam. The ultrasound engine 108 also includes one or more delay profiles and a waveform generator field programmable gate array (FPGA) 1718 for managing a receive delay profile and generating a transmission waveform. The ultrasound engine 108 includes a memory 1720 for storing a delay profile for ultrasound scanning. An exemplary memory 1720 may be a single DDR3 memory chip. The ultrasound engine 108 includes a configuration to manage the ultrasound scan sequence, transmission / reception timing, storage of profiles to and from the memory 1720, and buffering and moving digital RF data streams via a high-speed serial interface 112 One of the scan sequence control fields to the computer motherboard 106 is a programmable gate array (FPGA) 1722. The high-speed serial interface 112 may include a Fire Wire or other serial or parallel bus interface between the computer motherboard 106 and the ultrasonic engine 108. The ultrasound engine 108 includes a communication chipset 1118 (eg, a Fire Wire chipset) that establishes and maintains a communication link 112.
A power module 1724 is provided to supply power to the ultrasonic engine 108, manage a battery charging environment, and perform power management operations. The power module 1724 can generate regulated, low-noise power for ultrasonic circuits and can generate high voltages for ultrasonic transmission pulse generators in TR modules.
The computer motherboard 106 includes a core computer-readable memory 1122 for storing data and / or computer-executable instructions for performing ultrasound imaging operations. The memory 1122 forms the main memory of the computer and can store about 4 Gb of DDR3 memory in an exemplary embodiment. The memory 1122 may include a solid state hard disk drive (SSD) for storing an operating system, computer executable instructions, programs, and image data. An exemplary SSD may have a capacity of about 128GB.
The computer motherboard 106 also includes a microprocessor 1124 for executing computer-executable instructions stored on the core computer-readable memory 1122 to perform ultrasonic imaging processing operations. Exemplary operations include, but are not limited to: down-conversion, scan conversion, Doppler processing, color blood flow processing, energy Doppler processing, spectral Doppler processing, and post-signal processing. An exemplary microprocessor 1124 may be an existing commercial computer processor (such as an Intel Core-i5 processor). Another exemplary microprocessor 1124 may be a digital signal processor (DSP) -based processor such as DaVinci from Texas Instruments^TM processor).
The computer motherboard 106 includes an input / output (I / O) and graphics chipset 1704, which includes input / output (I / O) and graphics chipset 1704 configured to control I / O and graphics peripherals such as USB Port, video display port, and the like). The computer motherboard 106 includes a wireless network adapter 1702 configured to provide a wireless network connection. An exemplary adapter 1702 supports the 802.11g and 802.11n standards. The computer motherboard 106 includes a display controller 1126 configured to interface the computer motherboard 106 to one of the displays 104. The computer motherboard 106 includes a communication chipset 1120 (eg, a Fire Wire chipset or interface) configured to provide a fast data communication between the computer motherboard 106 and the ultrasonic engine 108. An exemplary communication chipset 1120 may be an IEEE 1394b 800 Mbit / sec interface. Other serial or parallel interfaces 1706 may alternatively be provided, such as USB3, Thunder-Bolt, PCIe, and the like. A power module 1708 is provided to supply power to the computer motherboard 106, manage a battery charging environment, and perform power management operations.
An exemplary computer motherboard 106 can be accommodated in an exemplary planar size of about 12 cm x about 10 cm. An exemplary computer motherboard 106 can hold about 120 cm² One is exemplary area.
FIG. 18 is a perspective view of one exemplary portable ultrasound system 100 provided according to an exemplary embodiment. The system 100 is included in one of the tablet PC exterior dimensions as shown in FIG. 18 but may be one of the housings 102 in any other suitable exterior dimensions. An exemplary housing 102 may have a thickness of less than 2 cm and preferably between 0.5 cm and 1.5 cm. A front panel of the housing 102 includes a multi-touch LCD touch screen display 104, and the multi-touch LCD touch screen display 104 is configured to identify and distinguish one of the touch screen displays 104. One or more multi-point and / or simultaneous touches on the surface. The surface of the display 104 can be touched using a user's finger, a user's hand, or one or more optional stylus 1802. The housing 102 includes one or more I / O port connectors 116 (the one or more I / O port connectors 116 may include (but is not limited to): one or more USB connectors, one or more SD cards , One or more network small display ports) and a DC power input. The embodiment of the housing 102 in FIG. 18 can also be configured with a size of 150 mm x 100 mm x 15 mm (225000 mm³ One volume) or smaller than the external dimensions of one palm. The housing 102 may have a weight of less than 200 g. Optionally, the cabling between the sensor array and the display housing may include an interface circuit 1020 as described herein. The interface circuit 1020 may include, for example, a beamforming circuit and / or an A / D circuit in a pod suspended from a tablet computer. Detach connectors 1025, 1027 can be used to connect the hanging pod to the sensor probe cable. The connector 1027 may include a probe identification circuit as described herein. The unit 102 may include a camera, a microphone, and a speaker, and a wireless telephone circuit for voice and data communication, and software that can be used to control the activation of the ultrasound imaging operation as described herein.
The housing 102 includes or is coupled to one of the probe head connectors 114 that facilitates the connection of the at least one ultrasonic probe head / sensor 150. The ultrasonic probe 150 includes a sensor housing, and the sensor housing includes one or more sensor arrays 152. The ultrasonic probe head 150 may be coupled to the probe head connector 114 using a housing connector 1804 provided along a flexible cable 1806. Those of ordinary skill will recognize that the ultrasound probe 150 may be coupled to the housing 102 using any other suitable mechanism (eg, an interface housing containing one of the circuits for performing ultrasound specific operations such as beamforming). Other exemplary embodiments of the ultrasound system are described in further detail in WO 03/079038 A2, entitled "Ultrasound Probe with Integrated Electronics", filed on March 11, 2003, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated by reference. In this article. The preferred embodiment may use a wireless connection between the handheld sensor detection head 150 and the display housing. Beamformer electronics may be incorporated into the probe head housing 150 to provide beamforming of a sub-array in a 1D or 2D sensor array as described herein. The display housing can be sized to be held in the palm of a user's hand and can include wireless network connectivity to a public access network, such as the Internet.
FIG. 19 illustrates an exemplary view of a main graphical user interface (GUI) 1900 presented on the touch screen display 104 of the portable ultrasound system 100 of FIG. 18. This main GUI 1900 may be displayed when the ultrasound system 100 is activated. To assist a user to browse the main GUI 1900, the GUI can be regarded as including four exemplary working areas: a function bar 1902, an image display window 1904, an image control bar 1906, and a toolbar 1908. Additional GUI components may be provided on the main GUI 1900 to, for example, enable a user to close the GUI / or the window in the GUI, adjust the size of the GUI / or the window in the GUI, and exit the GUI and / or the Windows in the GUI.
The menu bar 1902 enables a user to select ultrasound data, images and / or videos for display in the image display window 1904. The function list 1902 may include, for example, a GUI component for selecting one or more files in a patient folder directory and an image folder directory. The image display window 1904 displays ultrasound data, images and / or videos and provides patient information as needed. Toolbar 1908 provides the functionality associated with an image or video display, including (but not limited to): a save button for saving the current image and / or video to a file, a maximum allowable number of previous frames ( Such as a movie playback (Cine loop) one of the save playback button, a print button for printing the current image, a freeze image button for freezing an image, a playback for controlling the playback of a movie. Toolbar and similar. The exemplary GUI functionality available in the main GUI 1900 is described in further detail in WO 03/079038 A2, entitled "Ultrasound Probe with Integrated Electronics", filed on March 11, 2003, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference The way is explicitly incorporated into this article.
The image control bar 1906 includes touch control items that can be operated by a user directly applying touch and touch gestures to the surface of the display 104. Exemplary touch control items may include (but are not limited to): a 2D touch control item 408, a gain touch control item 410, a color touch control item 412, a stored touch control item 414, a split touch Control 416, a PW imaging touch control 418, a beam steering touch control 420, an annotation touch control 422, a dynamic range operation touch control 424, a Teravision ™ touch control 426, a The map operates a touch control item 428 and a needle-guided touch control item 430. These exemplary touch control items are further described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4a to 4c.
FIG. 20A depicts an illustrative embodiment of an exemplary medical ultrasound imaging apparatus 2000 implemented in a tablet computer's external dimensions according to one embodiment of the present invention. The tablet can have a size of 12.5 ”x 1.25” x 8.75 ”or 31.7 cm x 3.175 cm x 22.22 cm but it can also be³ One volume and any other suitable appearance size of less than 8 lbs. As shown in FIG. 20A, the medical ultrasound imaging device 2000 includes a housing 2030 and a touch screen display 2010, in which an ultrasound image 2010 and ultrasound data 2040 can be displayed, and an ultrasound control item 2020 is configured to be touched by a touch The on-screen display 2010 is controlled. The casing 2030 may have a front panel 2060 and a rear panel 2070. The touch screen display 2010 forms the front panel 2060 and includes one or more multi-touch and / or one touch multi-touch LCD touches that can identify and distinguish a user on the touch screen display 2010. Screen. The touch screen display 2010 may have a capacitive multi-touch and AVAH LCD screen. For example, capacitive multi-touch and AVAH LCD screens allow a user to view images from multiple angles without loss of resolution. In another embodiment, the user can use a stylus to input data on the touch screen. The tablet computer may include an integrated foldable stand that allows a user to rotate the stand from a storage position that is conformal to the external dimensions of the tablet computer so that the device can lie flat on the back panel, or instead Generally, the user can rotate the stand to enable the tablet computer to stand in an upright position at one of a plurality of inclined angles with respect to a support surface.
The capacitive touch screen module includes an insulator (for example, glass) coated with a transparent conductor (such as indium tin oxide). The process may include a bonding process between glass, x-sensor film, y-sensor film, and a liquid crystal material. The tablet is configured to allow a user to perform multi-touch gestures (such as pinch and spread) while wearing a dry glove or a wet glove. The surface of the screen records the electrical conductors that are in contact with the screen. This contact distorts the screen's electrostatic field, resulting in a measurable change in capacitance. A processor then interprets the change in the electrostatic field. Increase the level of response by using "in-cell" technology to reduce layers and generate touch screens. "In-cell" technology reduces layers by placing capacitors in the display. Apply "in-cell" technology to reduce the visible distance between the user's finger and the touch screen target, thereby generating more directional contact with one of the displayed content and enabling the click gesture to have A response increased.
FIG. 20B depicts an illustrative embodiment of an exemplary medical ultrasound imaging device 2000 implemented in a tablet PC form factor and configured to receive a wireless SIM card according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this particular embodiment, the ultrasound imaging device / device 2000 includes a SIM card port 2080 configured to receive a SIM card 2084 and connect the SIM card circuit to one of the wireless communication circuits within the device. The SIM card port 2080 in this embodiment includes internal metal contacts that connect the ID circuit of the SIM card 2084 to the circuit of the device 2000. In this particular example, a SIM card tray 2082 is configured to accept the SIM card 2084 and connect it to the SIM card port 2080. In some embodiments, the SIM card port 2080 and / or the SIM card tray 2082 may be configured to accept a standard SIM card, a small SIM card, a micro SIM card, a nano SIM card, or other similar wireless identification / authorization card or circuit. .
FIG. 21 illustrates a preferred cart system for a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cart system 2100 uses a base assembly 2122 including a docking rack that receives a tablet computer. The cart configuration 2100 is configured to interface a tablet computer 2104 including a touch screen display 2102 to a cart 2108, which may include a complete operator console 2124. After docking the tablet 2104 to the cart stand 2108, the system is formed to rotate about one of the complete features of the system. Rotating around this complete feature of the system may include an adjustable height device 2106, a gel holder 2110 and a bin 2114, a plurality of wheels 2126, a thermal probe holder 2120, and an operator console 2124. The control device may include a keyboard 2112 on the operator console 2124, and the keyboard 2112 may also have other peripheral devices (such as a printer or a video interface or other control devices) added.
FIG. 22 illustrates a preferred cart system for an embodiment with a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cart system 2200 can be configured using a vertical support member 2212 coupled to one of the horizontal support members. One of the auxiliary device connectors 2018 having one position for the auxiliary device attachment 2014 may be configured to connect to the vertical support member 2212. A 3-port probe MUX connection device 2016 can also be configured to connect to a tablet. A storage box 2224 may be configured to be attached to the vertical support member 2212 by a storage box attachment mechanism 2222. The cart system may also include a rope management system 2226 configured to attach to the vertical support member. The cart assembly 2200 includes a support beam 2212 mounted on a base 2228. The support beam 2212 has wheels 2232 and a battery 2230 that provides power for extended operation of the tablet. The assembly may also include an accessory holder 2224 mounted using a height adjustment device 2226. The holders 2210 and 2218 can be mounted on the beam 2212 or the console panel 2214. The multi-port probe multiplexer device 2216 is connected to the tablet computer to provide the user with simultaneous connection of several sensor probes selected sequentially by the displayed virtual switch. Move a touch gesture (such as a three-finger swipe) to one of the displayed images or touch a displayed virtual button or icon to switch between connected probes.
FIG. 23A illustrates a preferred cart mount system for a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Configuration 2300 depicts a tablet computer 2302 coupled to a docking station 2304. The docking station 2304 is fixed to the attachment mechanism 2306. The attachment mechanism 2306 may include a hinge member 2308 that allows the user display to be tilted to a desired position of the user. This attachment mechanism 2306 is attached to the vertical member 2312. One of the tablet computers 2302 as described herein may be mounted on a base coupling unit 2304 that is mounted on a mounting assembly 2306 on top of the beam 2212. The base unit 2304 includes a bracket 2310, an electrical connector 2305 and a port 2307 that connect the system 2302 to the battery 2230 and the multiplexer device 2216.
23B illustrates a cart mount system for a modular ultrasound imaging system configured to receive a wireless SIM card according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this particular embodiment, the docking station 2304 includes a SIM card port 2080 configured to receive a SIM card 2084 and connect the SIM card circuit to one of the wireless communication circuits located in the docking station 2304 or the tablet computer 2302. In this particular example, a SIM card 2084 can be inserted directly into the SIM card port 2080, while in other examples a SIM card tray (such as the SIM card tray shown in Figure 20B) can be used to connect the SIM card 2084 to Metal contacts in SIM card port 2080. In some embodiments, the SIM card port 2080 and / or the SIM card tray 2082 may be configured to accept a standard SIM card, a small SIM card, a micro SIM card, a nano SIM card, or other similar wireless identification / authorization card or circuit. .
FIG. 24 illustrates a preferred cart system 2400 for a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a tablet computer 2402 is connected to an installation assembly 2406 using a connector 2404. The configuration 2400 depicts a tablet computer 2402 coupled to a vertical support member 2408 via an attachment mechanism 2404 without an engagement element 2304. The attachment mechanism 2404 may include a hinge 2406 for display adjustment.
25A and 25B illustrate a multifunctional docking station system 2500. 25A illustrates a docking station 2502 and a tablet computer 2504 having a base assembly 2506 mated to the docking station 2502. The tablet computer 2504 and the docking station 2502 can be electrically connected. The tablet computer 2504 can be released from the docking station 2502 by engaging the release mechanism 2508. The docking station 2502 may include a sensor port 2512 for connecting a sensor head 2510. The docking station 2502 may include three USB 3.0 ports, a LAN port, a headphone jack, and a power connector for charging. 25B illustrates a side view of a tablet computer 2504 and a docking station 2502 with a stand according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The docking station may include an adjustable stand / grip 2526. The adjustable stand / grip 2526 can be tilted for multiple viewing angles. The adjustable stand / grip 2526 can be flipped up for shipping purposes. The side view also shows a sensor port 2512 and a sensor probe connector 2510.
Referring to FIG. 26A, the integrated probe system 2600 includes a front-end probe 2602, a host computer 2604, and a portable information device (such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) 2606). The PDA 2606 (such as a Palm Pilot device or other handheld computing device) is a remote display and / or recording device 2606. In the illustrated embodiment, the front-end probe 2602 is connected to the host computer 2604 via a communication link 2608 (which is a wired link). The host computer 2604 (a computing device) is connected to the PDA 2606 through a communication link or interface 2610 (which is a wireless link 2610).
Because the integrated ultrasonic probe system 2600 in the described embodiment has a Windows®-based host computer 2604, the system can utilize a wide selection of software that can be used with the Windows® operating system. One potentially useful application is to electrically connect an ultrasound system to allow a physician to use the system to send and receive messages, diagnostic images, instructions, reports, or even remotely control the front-end probe 2602.
Connections through communication links or interfaces 2608 and 2610 can be wired through an Ethernet network or through a wireless communication link (such as, but not limited to: IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, hyperlink, or HomeRF) ) Is wireless. FIG. 26A shows one wired link for communication link 2608 and one wireless link for communication link 2610. It should be appreciated that other wired embodiments or agreements may be used.
The wireless communication link 2610 may use a variety of different protocols, such as an RF link, and may use all or part of a dedicated protocol, such as the IEEE 1394 protocol stack or the Bluetooth system protocol stack, to implement the different protocols. IEEE 1394 is a better interface for high-bandwidth applications, such as high-quality digital video editing of ultrasound imaging data. The Bluetooth protocol uses a combination of circuit and packet switching. The time slot can be reserved for isochronous packets. Bluetooth can support one asynchronous data channel (up to three simultaneous synchronous channels) or one channel of asynchronous data and synchronous voice at the same time. Each synchronization channel supports one 64 kb / s synchronization (voice) channel in each direction. Asynchronous channels can support up to 723.2 kb / s asymmetry or 433.9 kb / s symmetry.
The Bluetooth system consists of a radio unit, a link control unit, and a support unit for link management and host terminal interface functions. The link controller implements baseband protocols and other low-order link routines.
The Bluetooth system provides a point-to-point connection (only involving two Bluetooth units) or a single point-to-multipoint connection. In this single point-to-multipoint connection, a channel is shared between several Bluetooth units. Two or more units sharing the same channel form a piconet. One Bluetooth unit is used as the master unit of the piconet, and the other units are used as slave units. Up to seven slaves can be active in a piconet.
The Bluetooth link controller has two main states: STANDBY and CONNECTION. In addition, there are seven sub-states: paging, paging scan, query, query scan, master response, slave response, and query response. These sub-states are used to add new temporary states from the unit to a piconet.
Links can also be implemented using, but not limited to, Home RF or IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN specifications. For more information on the IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN specification, see the IEEE Standard for Wireless LAN, which is incorporated herein by reference. IEEE standards can be found at the World Wide Web's Global Resource Locator (URL) www.ieee.org. For example, hardware support for the IEEE standard 802.11b provides two PCs with one communication link at 2 Mbps and 11 Mbps. The frequency band allocated for signal transmission and reception is approximately 2.4 GHz. In comparison, the IEEE standard 802.11a provides 54 Mbps communication. The frequency allocation for this standard is approximately 5 GHz. Recently, merchants (such as Proxim) have manufactured PC cards and access points (base stations) that use a proprietary data doubling, chipset technology to achieve 108 Mbps communication. A data doubling chip (AR5000) manufactured by Atheros Communications. As with any radio system, the actual data rate maintained between two computers is related to the physical distance between the transmitter and receiver.
The wireless link 2610 may also take other forms (such as, for example, an infrared communication link as defined by the Infrared Data Association (IrDA)). Depending on the desired communication type (ie, Bluetooth, infrared, etc.), the host computer 5 and the remote display and / or recording device 9 each have a desired communication port.
FIG. 26B shows the communication link 2608 between the probe 3 and the host computer 5 as a wireless link. The communication link 2610 between the host computer 2604 and the PDA 2606 is shown as a wired link.
The integrated probe system 2600 of FIG. 26C has a wireless link for both a communication link 2608 between the probe 2602 and the host computer 2604 and a communication link 2610 between the host computer 2604 and the PDA 2606. . It should be appreciated that both wired and wireless links may be used together or alternatively may be purely wired or wireless links in a system 2600.
The remote display and / or recording device 2606 of the integrated probe system 2600 of FIG. 27 is a remote computing system 2612. The remote computing system 2612 can remotely control the probe 2602 in addition to having remote display and / or recording capabilities. The communication link 2610 is shown as a wireless link. The communication link 2608 between the probe 2602 and the host computer 2604 is shown as a wired link.
An example of a remote control system includes the use of a wearable computer (such as a personal computer manufactured by Xybernaut), a pair of high-speed, wireless PC cards (such as those provided by Proxim), and ultrasound programs and detection Head 2602. A portable network-connected ultrasound system can be configured to weigh less than 2.5 pounds. Using a program similar to Microsoft® NetMeeting, you can establish an instant connection between a remote PC and a portable computer. The remote host can monitor all interactions with the portable computer, including real-time ultrasound imaging (at a display rate of up to about 4 frames per second). NetMeeting can also be used to "control" portable computers and manage ultrasound sessions from remote PCs in real time. In addition, it is possible to transfer images and repeatedly executable software instructions archived to a hard disk on a portable computer to the host computer at 108 Mbps. With this technology, real-time ultrasound diagnosis can be performed at a rate comparable to a hard-wired 100 million bits per second (100 Mbps) local area network (LAN) and relayed to a remote field of view.
FIG. 28 illustrates an integrated probe head system 2800 having a hub 2802 for connecting a plurality of remote devices 2606 to a host computer 2604. The communication link 2804 from the hub 2802 to the remote device is shown as both a wireless link and a wired link. It should be recognized that a fully wired network (such as a LAN or Ethernet) can be used. Alternatively, using one of the wireless transceivers and ports in each of the computers (remote devices) 2606 makes it easy to build a wireless network / communication system. With the recent emergence of high-speed wireless standards (such as IEEE 802.11a), the communication between the remote and local machines is comparable to a wired, 100 Mbps local area network (LAN) communication. Another alternative is to use a Bluetooth system to form a piconet.
The increased use of combined audio-visual and computer data has led to a greater need for multimedia network connection capabilities and the solutions included in the preferred embodiments of the present invention have begun to appear. Standardization of multimedia network connections is underway, and IEEE 1394 appears as an important competitor capable of interfacing with many audio-visual (AV) computers and other digital consumer electronics devices and providing transmission bandwidths up to 400 Mbps .
The preferred embodiment uses IEEE 1394 technology, which uses a wireless solution for 1394 over IEEE 802.11 (an emerging standard for wireless data transmission in corporate environments and increasingly in the home) Agreement transmission. In a preferred embodiment, the IEEE 1394 system is implemented as a Protocol Adapter Layer (PAL) on top of 802.11 radio hardware and Ethernet protocols, bringing together one of these important technologies. This protocol interface layer enables the PC to operate as a wireless 1394 device. The engineering goal is to make the actual IEEE 1394 bandwidth available for a single high-definition MPEG2 video stream (or multiple standard-definition MPEG2 video streams) from one room in a facility to another One-room transmission.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the use of Wi-LAN's Wideband Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (W-OFDM) technology for wireless transmission of IEEE 1394 at 2.4 GHz. This development builds W-OFDM (the most bandwidth-efficient wireless transmission technology) as one of the technologies that can provide the data rate required for home multimedia network connections.
The wireless IEEE 1394 system includes an MPEG-2 data stream generator that feeds a multi-transport stream to, for example, a set-top box (STB) provided by Philips Semiconductors. The STB converts this signal to an IEEE 1394 data stream and applies the IEEE 1394 data stream to a W-OFDM radio system such as that provided by Wi-LAN.TM. The radio transmitter then sends the IEEE 1394 data stream over the air to a corresponding W-OFDM receiver in the host computer, for example. On the receiving side, the IEEE 1394 signal is demodulated and sent to two STBs, which display the contents of different MPEG-2 data streams on two separate TV monitors. Using IEEE 1394 as the interface of the wired part of the network optimizes the entire system for transmitting isochronous information (voice, live video) and provides an ideal interface to multimedia devices in the facility. W-OFDM technology is essentially unaffected by multipath effects. Like all modulation schemes, OFDM encodes the data in a radio frequency (RF) signal. Radio communications are often hindered by noise, stray, and reflected signals. By simultaneously transmitting high-speed signals on different frequencies, OFDM technology provides robust communication. OFDM-capable systems are highly tolerant of noise and multipath, making multi-point coverage in wide area and homes possible. In addition, because these systems are very efficient at using bandwidth, more high-speed channels are possible in one frequency band. W-OFDM is one of the cost-effective variants of OFDM that allows a much larger throughput than conventional OFDM by using a wide band. W-OFDM further processes the signal to maximize range. These improvements to conventional OFDM have led to a sharp increase in transmission rates.
OFDM technology is becoming more and more visible because the US and European Standardization Commission is choosing it as the only technology that can provide reliable wireless high data rate connections. European terrestrial digital video broadcasting uses OFDM and the IEEE 802.11 working group recently selected OFDM among its 6 Mbps to 54 Mbps wireless LAN standards. The European Telecommunications Standards Institute is considering W-OFDM for the ETSI BRAN standard. More information about Wi-LAN.TM. Can be found on the website http://www.wi-lan.com/Philips Semiconductors, a Royal Semiconductor based in Eindhoven, Netherlands. A division of Philips Electronics. Additional information about Philips Semiconductors can be obtained by accessing its homepage at http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/.
In addition, it is also possible to use the IEEE 1394 high-speed serial bus based NEC capable of reaching 400 million bits (Mbps) in the transmission range of up to 7 meters through the inner wall and up to 12 meters under the line of sight in the preferred embodiment. The company's wireless transmission technology. With the development of the ASK modulation scheme and a low-cost transceiver, this embodiment uses 60 GHz millimeter wavelength transmission, which does not require any kind of authorization. This embodiment incorporates an echo detection function of the PD72880 400 Mbps long-distance transmission physical layer device of NEC to prevent the influence of signal reflection (this is a significant obstacle to the stable operation of IEEE 1394 via a wireless connection).
Wireless IEEE 1394 can play an important role in bridging a PC to a cluster of interconnected IEEE 1394 devices, which can be in another room in the facility. Three exemplary applications are source video or audio streaming from a PC, providing Internet content and connectivity to an IEEE 1394 cluster, and providing command, control, and configuration capabilities to the cluster. In a first embodiment, the PC can provide information to someone in another room in a facility. In the second embodiment, the PC can provide a channel for the 1394 enabled device to access the Internet. In the third embodiment, the PC plays a role of carefully arranging activities in the 1394 cluster and routing data within the cluster and via the bridge (although actual data does not flow through the PC).
FIG. 29 is a diagram showing the deployment of wireless access to an image generated by an ultrasonic imaging system and associated architecture 2902 according to a preferred embodiment. The imaging system 2906 exports patient information and images to files in the corresponding folder 2908. The executable software instructions have all the functionality needed to implement the ultrasound imaging methods described above.
The wireless agent 2910 is used to detect the patient directory and image files and open a port for the wireless client to obtain a connection to it. After establishing a connection 2914, it sends the patient list and corresponding images back to the client. For example, the wireless agent 2910 may include a data interface circuit, and the data interface circuit may include a first port (such as an RF interface port).
A wireless viewer 2912 residing on the side of a handheld device can establish a connection to the wireless agent 2910 and retrieve patient and image information. After the user selects the patient and the image, it starts the file transfer from the wireless agent. After receiving an image, the viewer 2912 displays the image along with patient information. The image is stored on the handheld device for future use. Users of handheld devices can view the images captured in a previous session or can request a new image transmission.
FIG. 33 is a block diagram of a portable information device (such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or any computing device) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The link interface or data interface circuit 3310 illustrates (but is not limited to) a link interface for establishing a wireless link to another device. The wireless link is preferably an RF link defined by the IEEE 1394 communication specification. However, the wireless link may take other forms (such as an infrared communication link as defined by the Infrared Data Association (IrDA)). The PDA includes a processor 3360 capable of executing an RF stack 3350. The RF stack 3350 communicates with a data interface circuit 3310 through a bus 3308. The processor 3360 is also connected to the user interface circuit 3370, the data storage 3306, and the memory 3304 through the bus 3308.
The data interface circuit 3310 includes a port (such as an RF interface port). The RF link interface may include a first connection 3312. The first connection 3312 includes a radio frequency (RF) circuit 3314 for converting a signal into a radio frequency output and for receiving a radio frequency input. The RF circuit 3314 can send and receive RF data communications through a transceiver built in the communication port 1026. The RF communication signal received by the RF circuit 3314 is converted into an electrical signal and relayed to the RF stack 3350 in the processor 3360 via the bus 3308. The radio interfaces 3314, 3316 and links between the laptop personal computer (PC) (host computer) and the PDA can be implemented by, but not limited to, the IEEE 1394 specification.
Similarly, the PC host computer has an RF stack and circuitry that is capable of communicating to remotely located image viewers. In a preferred embodiment, the remote image viewer can be used to monitor and / or control ultrasound imaging operations (rather than just displaying the resulting imaging data).
The current market offers many different options related to wireless connectivity. In a preferred embodiment, a spread-spectrum technology wireless LAN is used. The most advanced wireless LAN solution is the 802.11b standard. Many manufacturers offer 802.11b compliant devices. Compatibility with selected handheld devices is a major criterion in one of the specified categories of wireless connectivity options.
The handheld device market also offers a variety of handheld devices. For imaging purposes, it is important to have a high-quality screen and sufficient processing power to display an image system. Considering these factors, in a preferred embodiment, a Compaq iPAQ is used, and in particular, a Compaq iPAQ 3870 is used. Use a wireless PC card compatible with handheld devices (such as Compaq's Wireless PC Card WL110 and the corresponding wireless access point).
FIG. 30 illustrates an image viewer 3020 in communication with a personal computer in a preferred embodiment or a probe in an alternative embodiment. The image viewer has user interface buttons 3022, 3024, 3026, and 3028 that allow a user to interface with an ultrasound imaging system computer or probe head according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, a communication interface (such as button 3022) allows the user to initiate a connection with one of the ultrasound imaging applications. Similarly, button 3024 is used to terminate a connection with one of the ultrasound imaging applications. A button 3026 is used as a selection button for providing a selectable list of patients and corresponding images. These images are stored locally or remotely. If selected, remotely stored images are transferred to the viewer. The selected image is displayed on the viewer 3030.
An additional communication interface button (such as button 3028) acts as an option button, which may (but is not limited to) allow changes to configuration parameters (such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address).
FIG. 31 is a diagram of a preferred embodiment ultrasonic image collection and distribution system 3140 including four main software components. The main hardware components of the system are ultrasonic probes 3142a to 3142n. The probes in communication with the laptops 3144a to 3144n allow the generation of ultrasound images and related patient information and deliver the images and information to an image / patient information distribution server 3146. The distribution server utilizes a SQL database server 3148 to store and retrieve images and related patient information. The SQL server provides decentralized database management. Multiple workstations can manipulate data stored on a server, and the server coordinates operations and performs resource-intensive calculations.
Image viewing software or executable instructions may be implemented in two different embodiments. In a first embodiment, a fully fixed version of an image viewer as described in FIG. 30 may reside on a workstation or laptop computer equipped with a high-bandwidth internet connection. In a second embodiment, a light-weight version of the video viewer may reside on a small handheld personal computer (PocketPC) 3020 equipped with one of IEEE 802.11b and / or IEEE 802.11a compliant network cards. The handheld PC image viewer implements only limited functionality that allows basic image viewing operations. A wireless network protocol 3150 (such as IEEE 802.11) can be used to transmit information to a handheld device or other computing device 3152 in communication with a hospital network.
This preferred embodiment describes an ultrasound imaging system that covers a wide range of image collection and acquisition needs in hospitals. It also provides instant access to non-imaging patient-related information. In order to provide information exchange between hospitals, the image distribution server has the ability to maintain mutual connectivity across a wide area network.
In another preferred embodiment, the probe 3262 can directly use a wireless communication link 3266 to communicate with a remote computing device (such as a PDA 3264), as shown in the system 3260 of FIG. 32. This communication link can use the IEEE 1394 protocol. Both the probe and the PDA 3302 have one of the RF stacks and circuits described with reference to FIG. 33 to communicate using wireless protocols. The detection head includes a sensor array, a beam forming circuit, a transmission / reception module, a system controller, and a digital communication control circuit. Provide ultrasonic image data for processing in PDA (including scan conversion).
FIG. 34 shows a schematic diagram 3440 of an imaging and telemedicine system of an integrated ultrasound system 3442 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A preferred embodiment of the system outputs real-time RF digital data or front-end data.
As will be understood, various wireless connections described herein (such as ultrasound clinics 3442 (e.g., for ultrasound capture), community clinics 3446 (e.g., for general telemedicine capture), radiology clinics 3448 (e.g., , For digital film capture) and the heart clinic 3450 (for example, for echocardiographic imaging capture) connection 3444; and the connections shown in Figures 26A to 29 and Figures 31 to 32) This includes 3G, 4G, GSM, CDMA, CDMA2000, W-CDMA or any other suitable wireless connection using any number of communication protocols. In some cases, the ultrasound imaging device may be configured to respond to a command from the user and one of a remote computer or other electronic device executed via a touch sensitive user interface (UI) of the ultrasound imaging screen. Wireless connections. For example, during, before, or after performing an ultrasound procedure, a user may initiate a wireless connection with a hospital or doctor to transmit ultrasound imaging data. The data can be transmitted in real-time as it is generated, or it can be transmitted. An audio and / or video connection can also be initiated via the same wireless network so that the user of the ultrasound imaging device can contact a hospital or doctor while performing the procedure. You can navigate through the touch screen UI provided on the ultrasound imaging screen and / or select the options described herein. In some embodiments, all or part of the touch screen UI may be provided to a user via a wireless network using, for example, JavaScript or some other browser-based technology. Part of the UI can be executed on the device or remotely, and various device-side and / or server-side technologies can be implemented to provide various UI features described herein.
FIG. 35 illustrates a 2D imaging operation mode using a modular ultrasonic imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The touch screen of the tablet 2504 can display an image obtained by a two-dimensional sensor head using a 256 digital beamformer channel. The 2D image window 3502 depicts a 2D image scan 3504. A two-dimensional image can be obtained using the flexible frequency control 3506, where the control parameters are represented on a tablet computer.
FIG. 36 illustrates a motion operation mode using a modular ultrasonic imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The touch screen display 3600 of the tablet computer can display images obtained by a motion operation mode. The touch screen display 3600 of the tablet computer can simultaneously display two-dimensional imaging 3606 and sports imaging 3608. The touch screen display 3600 of the tablet computer can display a two-dimensional image window 3604 having a two-dimensional image 3606. The flexible frequency control 3506 displayed using the graphical user interface can be used to adjust the frequency from 2 MHz to 12 MHz.
FIG. 37 illustrates a color Doppler operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The tablet's touchscreen display 3700 displays images obtained with a color Doppler operating mode. A 2D image window 3706 is used as the base display. The color-coded information 3708 is superimposed on the two-dimensional image 3710. Ultrasound-based imaging of red blood cells is derived from the received echo of the transmitted signal. The main characteristics of the echo signal are frequency and amplitude. The amplitude depends on the amount of moving blood in the volume sampled by the ultrasound beam. You can use the display to adjust a high frame rate or high resolution to control the quality of the scan. Higher frequencies are produced by fast blood flow and can be displayed in lighter colors, while lower frequencies are displayed in darker colors. Flexible frequency control items 3704 and color Doppler scan information 3702 can be displayed on the tablet computer display 3700.
FIG. 38 illustrates a pulse wave Doppler operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The touch screen display 3800 of the tablet computer can display images obtained by the pulse wave Doppler operation mode. A pulse wave Doppler scan generates a series of pulses for analyzing blood flow in a small area along a desired ultrasonic cursor (referred to as the sample volume or sample gate 3812). The tablet computer display 3800 can depict a two-dimensional image 3802 with the sample volume / sample gate 3812 overlaid. The tablet computer display 3800 may use a hybrid operating mode 3806 to depict a two-dimensional image 3802 and a time / Doppler shift 3810. If an appropriate angle between the beam and the blood flow is known, the time / Doppler frequency shift 3810 can be converted into velocity and blood flow. The gray shading 3808 in this time / Doppler shift 3810 may indicate the strength of the signal. The thickness of the spectral signal can indicate laminar blood flow or turbulence. The tablet computer display 3800 can depict adjustable frequency controls 3804.
FIG. 39 illustrates a triple scan operation mode using a modular ultrasonic imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The tablet computer display 3900 may include a two-dimensional window 3902 capable of displaying two-dimensional images alone or in combination with color Doppler or directional Doppler features. The touch screen display 3900 of the tablet computer can display images obtained by the color Doppler operation mode. A 2D image window 3902 is used as a base display. The color-coded information 3904 is an overlay 3906 on the two-dimensional image 3916. Pulse wave Doppler features can be used alone or in combination with two-dimensional imaging or color Doppler imaging. The tablet computer display 3900 may include a pulse wave Doppler scan represented by a sample volume / sample gate 3908 overlaid on a two-dimensional image 3916 or color coded overlaid 3906 (alone or in combination). The tablet monitor 3900 can depict one of the split screens representing time / Doppler shift 3912. If an appropriate angle between the isolated beam and the blood flow is known, the time / Doppler frequency shift 3912 can be converted into velocity and blood flow. The gray shading 3914 in the time / Doppler frequency shift 3912 may indicate the strength of the signal. The thickness of the spectral signal can indicate laminar blood flow or turbulence. The tablet monitor 3900 can also depict a flexible frequency control 3910.
FIG. 40 illustrates a GUI home screen interface 4000 for a user operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The screen interface 4000 for a user operation mode can be displayed when the ultrasound system is activated. To assist a user to navigate the GUI main screen 4000, the main screen can be regarded as including three exemplary working areas: a menu bar 4004, an image display window 4002, and an image control bar 4006. Additional GUI components may be provided on the main GUI home screen 4000 to enable a user to close the GUI home screen and / or windows in the GUI home screen, adjust the GUI home screen and / or the windows in the GUI home screen Size and exit the window on the GUI home screen and / or the GUI home screen.
The menu bar 4004 enables the user to select ultrasound data, images, and / or videos for display in the image display window 4002. The menu bar may include components for selecting one or more files in a patient folder directory and an image folder directory.
The image control bar 4006 includes touch control items that can be operated by a user directly applying touch and touch gestures to the surface of the display. Exemplary touch control items may include (but are not limited to): a depth control touch control item 4008, a two-dimensional gain touch control item 4010, a full-screen touch control item 4012, a text touch control item 4014, a Split screen touch control 4016, an ENV touch control 4018, a CD touch control 4020, a PWD touch control 4022, a frozen touch control 4024, a stored touch control 4026, and Optimized touch control 4028.
FIG. 41 illustrates a GUI function screen interface 4100 for a user operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. When the menu selection mode is triggered from the menu bar 4104 to start the operation of the ultrasound system, a screen interface 4100 for a user operation mode may be displayed. To assist a user to navigate the GUI main screen 4100, the main screen can be regarded as including three exemplary working areas: a menu bar 4104, an image display window 4102, and an image control bar 4120. Additional GUI components may be provided on the main GUI menu screen 4100 to, for example, enable a user to close the GUI menu screen and / or windows in the GUI menu screen, adjust the GUI menu screen and / or the The size of the window in the GUI menu screen and exit the window in the GUI menu screen and / or the GUI menu screen.
The menu bar 4104 enables the user to select ultrasound data, images and / or videos for display in the image display window 4102. The function list 4104 may include a touch control component for selecting one or more files in a patient folder directory and an image folder directory. The function list depicted in an extended format 4106 may include exemplary touch controls, such as a patient touch control 4108, a preset touch control 4110, a view touch control 4112, a report touch A control item 4114 and a touch control item 4116 are set.
The image control bar 4120 includes touch control items that can be operated by a user directly applying touch and touch gestures to the surface of the display. Exemplary touch control items may include (but are not limited to): depth control touch control items 4122, a two-dimensional gain touch control item 4124, a full-screen touch control item 4126, a text touch control item 4128, a segmentation Screen touch control 4130, one-pin visual ENV touch control 4132, one CD touch control 4134, one PWD touch control 4136, one frozen touch control 4138, one stored touch control 4140, and An optimized touch control item 4142.
FIG. 42 illustrates a GUI patient data screen interface 4200 for a user operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. When the ultrasound system is activated, when a patient selection mode is triggered from the function list 4202, a screen interface 4200 for a user operation mode may be displayed. To assist a user to navigate the GUI patient data screen 4200, the patient data screen can be considered to include five exemplary work areas: a new patient touch screen control 4204, a new research touch screen control 4206, a A research list touch screen control 4208, a work list touch screen control 4210, and an edit touch screen control 4212. Within each touch screen control, further information input fields 4214, 4216 are available. For example, the patient information section 4214 and the research information section 4216 may be used to record data.
In the patient data screen 4200, the image control bar 4218 includes touch control items that can be operated by the user directly applying touch and touch gestures to the surface of the display. Exemplary touch control items may include (but are not limited to): accept research touch control items 4220, study touch control items 4222 closely, print touch control items 4224, print preview touch control items 4226, eliminate touch A control item 4228, a two-dimensional touch control item 4230, a frozen touch control item 4232, and a stored touch control item 4234.
FIG. 43 illustrates a GUI patient data screen interface 4300 (such as a default parameter screen interface) for a user operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. When the ultrasound system is activated, when the preset selection mode 4304 is triggered from the function list 4302, a screen interface 4300 for a user operation mode may be displayed.
In the default screen 4300, the image control bar 4308 includes touch controls that can be operated by the user directly applying touch and touch gestures to the surface of the display. Exemplary touch control items may include (but not limited to): a save setting touch control item 4310, a delete touch control item 4112, a CD touch control item 4314, a PWD touch control item 4316, a frozen touch control Item 4318, a stored touch control item 4320, and an optimized touch control item 4322.
FIG. 44 illustrates a GUI viewing screen interface 4400 for a user operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. When the ultrasound system is activated, a screen interface 4400 for a user operation mode may be displayed when the preset extended view 4404 is triggered from the menu bar 4402.
Within the viewing screen 4400, the image control bar 4416 includes touch controls that can be operated by the user directly applying touch and touch gestures to the surface of the display. Exemplary touch control items may include (but not limited to): a thumbnail set touch control item 4418, a synchronized touch control item 4420, a selected touch control item 4422, a previous image touch control item 4424, and an image next A touch control item 4426, a two-dimensional image touch control item 4428, a pause image touch control item 4430, and a stored image touch control item 4432.
An image display window 4406 allows the user to view images in multiple formats. The image display window 4406 may allow a user to view the images 4408, 4410, 4412, 4414 in a combination or subset, or allow any individual image 4408, 4410, 4412, 4414 to be viewed individually. The image display window 4406 can be configured to display up to four images 4408, 4410, 4412, 4414 to be viewed simultaneously.
FIG. 45 illustrates a GUI report screen interface for a user operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. When the ultrasound system is activated, when the report extended view 4504 is triggered from the function list 4502, a screen interface 4500 for a user operation mode may be displayed. Display 4506 contains ultrasound report information 4526. The user can use the worksheet selection in the ultrasound report 4526 to enter notes, patient information, and research information.
In the report screen 4500, the image control bar 4508 includes touch controls that can be operated by the user directly applying touch and touch gestures to the surface of the display. Exemplary touch control items may include (but not limited to): a save touch control item 4510, a save as touch control item 4512, a print touch control item 4514, a print preview touch control item 4516, A touch control item 4518, a two-dimensional image touch control item 4520, a frozen image touch control item 4522, and a stored image touch control item 4524 are studied.
FIG. 46A illustrates a GUI setting screen interface for a user operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. When the ultrasound system is activated, when the report extended view 4604 is triggered from the function bar 4602, a screen interface 4600 for a user operation mode may be displayed.
In the setting expansion screen 4604, the setting control bar 4644 includes touch control items that can be operated by the user directly applying touch and touch gestures to the surface of the display. Exemplary touch control items may include (but are not limited to): a universal touch control item 4606, a display touch control item 4608, a measurement touch control item 4610, an annotation touch control item 4612, and a print touch Control item 4614, a storage / retrieval touch control item 4616, a DICOM touch control item 4618, an export touch control item 4620, and a research information image touch control item 4622. These touch controls may include a display screen that allows the user to enter configuration information. For example, the universal touch control 4606 includes a configuration screen 4624, in which a user can input configuration information. In addition, the universal touch control 4606 contains a choice of allowing the user to configure one of the soft key docking positions 4626. FIG. 46B depicts a soft key control 4652 with a right alignment. FIG. 46B further illustrates that the activation of the soft key control arrow 4650 will change the key alignment to the opposite side (in this case, the left alignment). FIG. 46C depicts the left alignment of the soft key control 4662. The user can use the soft key control arrow 4660 to initiate a certain direction change to change the position to the right alignment.
In the viewing screen 4600, the image control bar 4628 includes touch control items that can be operated by a user directly applying touch and touch gestures to the surface of the display 4664. Exemplary touch control items may include (but are not limited to): a thumbnail set touch control item 4630, a synchronous touch control item 4632, a selected touch control item 4634, a previous image touch control item 4636, and an image next A touch control item 4638, a two-dimensional image touch control item 4640, and a pause image touch control item 4642.
FIG. 47 illustrates a GUI setting screen interface for a user operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. When the ultrasound system is activated, a screen interface 4700 for a user operation mode may be displayed when the report extended view 4704 is triggered from the menu bar 4702.
In the setting expansion screen 4704, the setting control bar 4744 includes touch control items that can be operated by the user directly applying touch and touch gestures to the surface of the display. An exemplary touch control item may include (but is not limited to) a plurality of icons, such as a universal touch control item 4706, a display touch control item 4708, a measurement touch control item 4710, and an annotation touch control item 4712. , A print touch control 4714, a save / retrieve touch control 4716, a DICOM touch control 4718, an export touch control 4720, and a research information image touch control 4722. These touch controls may include a display screen that allows the user to enter storage / retrieval information. For example, the storage / retrieval touch control item 4716 includes a configuration screen 4702, in which a user can input configuration information. The user can activate a virtual keyboard that allows the user to enter alphanumeric characters in one of the fields with different touch activations. In addition, the Store / Retrieve Touch Control 4702 contains an option that allows the user to enable retroactive retrieval 4704. When the user enables the save function, the system is preset to save the expected movie playback. If the user enables retroactive acquisition, the storage function collects movie playbacks retroactively.
In the setting screen 4700, the image control bar 4728 includes touch control items that can be operated by the user directly applying touch and touch gestures to the surface of the display. Exemplary touch control items may include (but not limited to): a thumbnail set touch control item 4730, a synchronous touch control item 4732, a selected touch control item 4734, a previous image touch control item 4736, and an image next A touch control item 4738, a two-dimensional image touch control item 4740, and a pause image touch control item 4742.
A preferred embodiment of a miniaturized PC-enabled ultrasound imaging system runs on an industry standard PC and Windows® 2000 operating system (OS). As a result, a network that is ideal and cost-effective for telemedicine solutions is ready. Provide open architecture support for embedding and therefore integration with third-party applications. The preferred embodiment includes an improved application programming interface (API), a common interface, for third-party applications (for example, such as (but not limited to): radiation therapy plans, image-guided surgery, integrated Export support for solutions such as computing, 3D, and report packaging. The API provides a set of software interrupts, calls, and data formats for use by applications to initiate communication with network services, host communications programs, telephone equipment, or program-to-program communications. Software-based feature enhancements reduce obsolete hardware and provide effective upgrades.
In addition, the preferred embodiment includes a system-on-a-chip integrated circuit (IC) that runs on a PC and has a large number of channels, a large dynamic range, high image quality, and a complete feature set. , Extensive diagnostic coverage, minimum supply chain requirements, simplified design for simple testing and high reliability, and very low maintenance costs.
As previously described herein, the preferred embodiment includes a PC-based design that is intuitive, has a simple graphical user interface, is easy to use and train, and utilizes PC industry technology know-how, sound electronics, and high quality Displays and low manufacturing costs. It also provides support for software-controlled communication with other applications that are embedded applications that allow patient data, scanner images, current procedure terminology (CPT) code management, and current procedure terminology (CPT) code management It is a digital coding system. The physician uses this digital coding system to record all the procedures and services, the doctor's plan, and the result evaluation report on an integrated PC. Pressure has been put on healthcare reform to reduce costs, highlighting the need for first-time visits / infield diagnostics, data storage, and retrieval solutions that combine technological innovations such as, for example, medical-based digital imaging and Communication (DICOM) standard data storage and retrieval, broadband and image archiving and communication system (PACS)), driving changes in patient record storage and retrieval and transmission, at lower cost for ultrasound data acquisition / handheld devices Innovations in this respect all realize the preferred embodiments of the present invention. The DICOM standard facilitates the dissemination and viewing of medical images, such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT) scans. Broadband is a wide area network term that refers to one of the transmission facilities that provides a bandwidth greater than 45 Mbps. Broadband systems are generally fiber in nature.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides image acquisition and end-user applications (eg, radiation therapy, surgery, angiography), all of which are executed on the same platform. This provides low-cost, user-friendly control through a common software interface. The ultrasound system has a scalable user interface for advanced users and an intuitive Windows®-based PC interface. A preferred embodiment of the ultrasound system is attributed to the one-stop image capture, analysis, storage, retrieval, and transmission capabilities of data and imaging, which also provides an improved diagnostic capability. Provides a high image quality with a 128-channel bandwidth. In addition to being easy to use, the ultrasound system also provides patient access at any time, anywhere, and with any tool. A 10-ounce probe according to one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention is used to provide point of care imaging. Data storage and retrieval capabilities are based on DICOM standards and are compatible with existing third-party analysis and patient record systems. The ultrasound system according to a preferred embodiment also uses, for example, but is not limited to, e-mail, LAN / WAN, DICOM, and Digital Imaging Network Image Archive and Communication System (DINPAC) to provide direct image transmission capabilities. Options for displaying captured images include, but are not limited to: a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a portable personal computer, and a handheld device (such as a personal digital assistant).
As described above, the ultrasound system of the present invention is used in minimally invasive surgery and robotic surgery methods, including (but not limited to): biopsy procedures, catheterization for diagnostic and therapeutic angiography, fetal imaging, Cardiac imaging, vascular imaging, imaging during endoscopic procedures, imaging for telemedicine applications and imaging for veterinary applications, radiation therapy and cryotherapy. These embodiments use a computer-based tracking system and CT and MR images to pinpoint the precise location of the target area. An alternative preferred embodiment of the ultrasound system may provide imaging at a lower cost and using a smaller footprint device just before, during, and immediately after the procedure. The preferred embodiment overcomes the need for a separate ultrasonic device that requires a procedure room to be advanced and a method that moves the image from the ultrasound to a tracking position and a device that registers the target for previously captured CT and MR images. A preferred embodiment of the ultrasound system provides a fully integrated solution because it can run its ultrasound application on the same platform as any third-party application that processes the image. The system includes a streaming video interface (an interface between a third-party application and the system's ultrasound application). A key component of this system allows the two applications to run on the same computer platform (using the same operating system (OS)), for example, such as a Windows®-based platform, other platforms (such as Linux) can also be used and therefore Provides seamless integration of one of these two applications. The following describes the details of moving the image from the system's ultrasound application to another software interface.
The preferred embodiment includes control and data transfer methods that allow a third-party Windows®-based application to run an ultrasound application as a background task, send control commands to the ultrasound application, and receive images in exchange ( Data) to control, for example, a portable Windows®-based ultrasound system. In addition, the embodiment configures a portable ultrasonic Windows®-based application as a server that supplies another ultrasonic image frame of a Windows®-based application (which acts as a client). The client application receives these ultrasound image frames and further processes them. In addition, an alternative embodiment configures the portable ultrasound Windows®-based application as being activated and controlled by two communication agencies (e.g., by a third party (hereinafter interchangeably referred to as external or a client)) Portable Ultrasound is a server based on a component object model (COM) automation interface for Windows®-based applications and a high-speed shared memory interface for delivering live ultrasound images. It interacts with a third-party client application.
A preferred embodiment includes and is configured as a shared memory interface as one of a streaming video interface between a portable Windows®-based ultrasound application and another third-party Windows®-based application. This streaming video interface is designed to provide ultrasound images to a third-party client in real time.
A preferred embodiment allows third-party Windows®-based applications to control the flow rate of images from portable ultrasound Windows®-based applications through a shared memory interface within the same PC platform and the memory required to implement this interface The amount. These controls consist of setting the number of image buffers, the size of each buffer, and the rate of image transmission. This flow rate control can be set for zero data loss to ensure that each frame is delivered from the ultrasound system to a third-party Windows®-based application, or this flow rate control is set for the lowest latency, so that the ultrasound system will first generate The latest frames are delivered to third-party Windows®-based applications.
A preferred embodiment formats the ultrasound image frame so that when a third-party Windows®-based application acquires images (generated by a portable ultrasound Windows®-based application) from a shared memory interface, the third-party based Windows® applications interpret head, space and time information. The actual image data passed between the server (that is, the portable ultrasound application) and the client application (a third-party Windows®-based application) is one of 8-bit pixels and a 256-item color table. Device Independent Bit Map (DIB). The image frame also contains a header that provides one of the following additional information, such as (but not limited to): probe type, probe serial number, frame serial number, frame rate, frame time stamp, frame trigger time stamp, image Width (in pixels), image height (in pixels), pixel size (on X and Y), pixel origin (x, y positioning of the first pixel in the image relative to the sensor head), and direction ( The spatial direction along or across the lines of the image).
In addition, the preferred embodiment controls the shared memory interface for transmitting ultrasound images between a Windows®-based portable ultrasound system and a third-party Windows®-based system by using ActiveX controls. A Windows®-based portable ultrasound application contains an ActiveX control that sends a frame to shared memory and sends a Windows® event (which contains an indicator for the frame just written) ) To third-party Windows®-based applications. This third-party application has an ActiveX-like control that receives this event and retrieves an image frame from shared memory.
The graphical user interface includes one or more control programs, each of which is preferably a self-contained (for example) client-side script. These control programs are independently configured to (among other functions) generate graphical or text-based user controls in the user interface for generating in user interfaces such as guided by user controls A display area, or used to display processed streaming media. These control programs can be implemented as ActiveX controls, Java applets, or any other self-contained and / or self-executing applications or portions thereof that can operate in a media gateway container environment and can be controlled through web pages.
The ultrasound content can be displayed in a frame in a graphical user interface. In one embodiment, the program generates an instance of an ActiveX control. ActiveX refers to a set of object-oriented programming technologies and tools provided by Redmond's Microsoft® company in Washington. The core part of ActiveX technology is the Component Object Model (COM). A program running under the ActiveX environment is called a "component" and can run a self-sufficient program anywhere in the network (as long as the program is supported). This component is often called an "ActiveX Control". Therefore, an ActiveX control is a component program object that can be reused by many applications in a computer or in several computers on a network, regardless of the programming language in which it is generated. An ActiveX control runs in a so-called container, which is an application that uses one of the COM programming interfaces.
One advantage of using a component is that it can be reused by many applications (which are referred to as "component containers"). Another advantage is that an ActiveX control can be generated using one of several well-known languages or development tools (including C ++, Visual Basic, or PowerBuilder) or using a script tool (such as VBScript). ActiveX controls can be downloaded as, for example, smaller executable programs, or as self-executable code for web animation. An applet similar to an ActiveX control and suitable for client-side scripting. An applet is usually a self-contained, self-executing computer written in Java.TM. (a web-based object-oriented programming language released by Sun Microsystems, Sunnyvale, California). Program.
The control program can be stored and accessed locally at the client system, or the control program can be downloaded from the network. It is usually downloaded by encapsulating a control program in one or more markup language based files. The control program can also be used for any task normally required by an application running in one of several operating system environments. Windows®, Linux, and Macintosh are examples of operating system environments that can be used in the preferred embodiment.
A preferred embodiment of the ultrasound imaging system has a specific software architecture for image streaming capabilities. This ultrasonic imaging system is an application program that controls an ultrasonic probe of a preferred embodiment and allows obtaining and displaying visual images for medical purposes. The imaging system has its own graphical user interface. This interface has reached its features and is suitably organized to provide maximum flexibility to work with separate images and image streams. Some possible medical applications require the development of graphical user interfaces with significantly different characteristics. This involves integrating imaging systems into other more complex medical systems. The preferred embodiment allows the imaging data to be exported in a highly efficient and convenient manner for direct access by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
The quality of the video streaming solution according to a preferred embodiment is measured by the following criteria, such as data transfer performance. Imaging data consumes a lot of memory and processor power. A larger number of separate image frames are required to generate live medical video patient examinations. Minimizing data handling operations in transferring data from one process that generates video data to one process that consumes video data is very important. The second criterion contains industry standard imaging formats. Because it is intended that third-party companies develop applications that consume video imaging data, the data can be represented in an industry-standard format. A third criterion is convenience. Imaging data can be presented through a programming interface that is easy to use and does not require additional learning.
In addition, the criteria include scalability and extensibility. A stream data architecture can be easily extended to accommodate new data types. It can provide one of the basic architectures for future multiplications of video streaming that target more than one data receiving process.
The image streaming architecture of the preferred embodiment provides a method for data transmission between two processing procedures. The video streaming architecture defines operating parameters for adjusting data transmission processing procedures, and describes a mechanism for transmitting parameters between processing procedures. One of the methods of transmitting operating parameters from a third-party client application to the imaging system of a preferred embodiment is by using an existing COM interface.
In a preferred embodiment, the image transfer architecture uses an object-oriented programming methodology to focus on the processing room capabilities of the Microsoft Windows® operating system. This object-oriented methodology provides one of the necessary foundations for an architectural solution that allows the necessary requirements to be met. It also lays the foundation for future enhancements and extensions that make modification relatively simple and backward compatible.
Video imaging data represents complex data structures that interfere with each other between different data elements. It also allows and often requires different interpretations of the same data element. The following preferred embodiment of the image transmission architecture includes a shared memory for physical data exchange. For example, the Windows® shared memory system is a fast and economical way to exchange data between processes. In addition, in some embodiments, the shared memory may be subdivided into separate segments having a fixed size. Each section can then be at a minimum controllable unit. In addition, imaging data can be abstracted into objects. Each frame of the imaging data can be represented by a separate object. These objects can then be mapped to sections of shared memory.
The preferred embodiment may include locking-unlocking a segment of objects. The programming API notification mechanism used is an event-driven mechanism. The event-driven mechanism is an implementation scheme based on C ++ pure virtual functions.
In a preferred embodiment, the image transmission architecture is composed of three layers: an application programming interface (API) layer, a programming interface implementation and a shared memory access layer, and a physical shared memory layer. The application programming interface layer provides two different C ++ class library interfaces to an application on a client and a server. All associated sequences of instructions that belong to the application itself are also part of this layer. Application derived classes and their implementations are key elements of the application design interface layer. The server serving as the imaging data provider uses, for example, the object transmitter class and related derivative and base classes. The client as the imaging data consumer uses, for example, an Object Factory category and related derivative and base categories.
The programming interface implementation layer provides two different dynamic link library (DLL) implementation classes for applications. This layer maps an object of a class associated with an application to one of the internal implementations of an object that accesses a shared memory entity system object. This layer allows hiding all implementation-specific member variables and functions from the scope of the application. As a result, the application design interface layer is less cluttered, easier to understand, and easier to use. Server-side applications can use (for example) Object-Xmitter.DLL, and client-side applications can use (for example) ObjectFactory.DLL.
The physical shared memory layer represents operating system objects that implement the shared memory functionality. It also describes the structure of shared memory, its segments, and memory control blocks.
Regarding the organization of shared memory, since shared memory is intended for inter-program communication, the operating system assigns a unique name at the time of its creation. To manage shared memory, other inter-process communication (IPC) system objects are required. They also need to have unique names. To simplify a unique name generation process, only one base name is required. All other names are derived from the base name by an implementation code. Therefore, the application programming interface requires a specification of only one base name for logical shared memory objects. The same unique name can be used on both the server side of the application and the client side of the application.
The server side of the application is responsible for the generation of shared memory. In a generation process, not only must the unique name of the shared memory be specified, but also other configuration parameters must be specified. These parameters include (but are not limited to): the number of fragments specifying the number of fragments to be allocated, the fragment size, and the operation flag. There are three such flags in a preferred embodiment. The first flag specifies the order in which fragments are submitted and retrieved. The order can be one of Last In First Out (LIFO), First In First Out (FIFO), or Last In Out (LIO). LIO is a modification of ordinary LIFO so that whenever a new frame arrives, if it finds a frame that is ready for retrieval but is not locked for retrieval, it is one of the ways to erase the frame. The second flag specifies the shared memory implementation behavior under one of the conditions when a new fragment allocation is requested but no fragment is available. This usually happens when the receiving application processes data slower than submitting the application. This flag may allow deletion of one of the previously allocated segments. If it does not allow deletion of one of the previously allocated segments, it reports an abnormal condition back to the application. Using this flag application can automatically choose to rewrite data into a shared memory or it can control the data rewrite process itself. The third flag may be used only when the second flag allows the segment to be rewritten into a shared memory. It specifies how to select one segment to be rewritten. By default, the shared memory implementation deletes the youngest or most recently submitted piece of data. Alternatively, the oldest fragment can be selected for rewriting the handler.
When shared memory is created, its physical layout is initialized. Because the operating system does not allow address calculation in a physical shared memory, no data pointer is used in the shared memory. All addressing within the shared memory control block and segment can be implemented based on the relative displacement from the virtual origin (VO). With a zero displacement from VO, the shared memory header structure is allocated. It contains all the parameters listed above. FIG. 48 is a block diagram showing the structure of the physical shared memory 4880.
The system immediately following the allocation of the shared memory header structure 4882 generates a header array 4884 for each memory segment. The memory segment header contains the size occupied by the segment, a unique label of the object type mapped to the segment, and the segment status. Each segment can be one of the following four states: unused state, where the segment is available for allocation; locked state for writing, where the segment is mapped to an object of a particular category and is currently formed; written A state in which a fragment is mapped to an object of a specific category and is available for retrieval; and a state locked in for reading, in which a fragment is mapped to an object of a specific category and is currently in a processing procedure for data retrieval . Because each fragment has its own state, it is possible for the application to lock more than one fragment for object formation and object retrieval. This allows the system to have a flexible multi-threaded architecture on both the server and client sides of the application. In addition, the ability to place more than one fragment in a "write" state provides a "buffering" mechanism that cancels or minimizes performance differences between the server and client applications.
The last element in a physical shared memory layout contains a memory segment 4888. In addition to the physical shared memory, the logical shared memory also contains a physical system mutex 4886 and a system event 4890. The physical mutex provides mutually exclusive access to physical shared memory. The entity event has a manual control type. It remains at a high level when at least one of the segments has a "write" state. It goes to the level "low" only when there is no single segment in a "write" state. This mechanism allows "write" objects to be retrieved from shared memory without passing control to an operating system within the same time slice allocation for threads.
In a preferred embodiment, the object transfer programming interface is composed of the following three categories: AObjectXmitter, USFrame, and BModeFrame. The AObjectXmitter class allows to initially specify an object transfer service for one of the desired operating parameters. Once the AObjectXmitter class object is instantiated, initialized objects of USFrame and BmodeFrame classes can be generated. The USFrame class builder needs to reference one of the objects of the AObjectXmitter class. The first action that must be completed after instantiating a USFrame object is to establish an association between the object and one of the fragments in the shared memory. The function Allocateo maps an object to an unused shared memory segment and locks this segment for use by the current object. When mapping an object, a bitmap size can be provided by an application. The size provided only represents the size required for the bitmap data (not including the memory size required for other data elements of the object).
The BModeFrame category is a category derived from the USFrame category. It inherits all the methods and functionality of this base class. The only additional functionality provided by the BModeFrame class is an additional method that allows providing information specific to the BMode operation.
After instantiating a USFrame or BModeFrame class object and mapping it to a shared memory segment, the application can populate all the required data elements of the object. It is not necessary to provide a value for each data element. When mapping an object to a shared memory segment, all data elements of the object are initialized with default values. The only data element that is not initialized after mapping is a bit mapped data element. When the server side of the application has provided all the required data elements, it can deliver the object to the client of the application by calling a method (for example, Submit ()).
USFrame or BModeFrame objects can be reused by subsequently remapping and resubmitting. Alternatively, when the object is applicable to an application, the object may be deleted and a new object may be generated. Because object instantiation does not require any interprogram communication mechanism, it is as simple as the memory allocation for a common variable.
There are at least two advantages of the architecture of the preferred embodiment. Because the ObjectXmitter category does have knowledge about the USFrame or BModeFrame categories, it can be very simple to introduce additional categories that are similar or derived directly or indirectly from the USFrame category. This allows future versions of the object transfer programming interface to be generated without any modification to the code or instruction sequences developed for use with existing embodiments. In addition, the object transfer programming interface class does not have any member variables. This provides two other benefits to the interface. The first benefit is that these categories are oriented through the COM object interface and can be directly used for COM object interface specifications and implementations. A second benefit is that these categories effectively hide all implementation-specific details, making the interface very clear, easy to understand, and easy to use.
ObjectXmitter.DLL implements object transfer programming interface. For each object generated by the application, there is a mirrored implementation object generated by code residing in the ObjectXmitter.DLL. Because each programming interface category has a corresponding mirroring category in the implementation, modification is facilitated and the modification is currently extended to the specified image type. This can be done by generating a corresponding image class in the implementation DLL4910. Implementation objects handle the mapping of shared memory and programming interface objects. One embodiment of the present invention includes a DLL that allows instantiation of only one ObjectXmitter class object using only one communication channel with a client application. The object transfer implementation not only transfers the object data but also provides additional information describing the type of object being transferred.
Object Factory programming interface consists of three categories: AObjectFactory, USFrame and BModeFrame. This class AObjectFactory contains three pure virtual member functions. This makes this class an abstract class that cannot be instantiated by an application. Must define its own class derived from the application definition from the AObjectFactory class. It is not necessary to define any "special" category derived from the AObjectFactory category. Because the application intends to process the image to be received, it will have a very high chance of processing one of the categories of image. An image processing category can be well derived from the AObjectFactory category.
Classes derived from an AObjectFactory class must define and implement only pure virtual functions, such as, for example, OnFrameOverrun (), OnUSFrame (), and OnBModeFrame (). For example, once exported categories can be defined as follows:


After instantiating a class object, the image processor base class member function Open () can be called. This function provides a shared memory name that matches one of the shared memory names used by the server side of the application. The function Open () connects the client application to the server application via a specified shared memory.
At any time after the shared memory is turned on, the application can expect to call one of the virtual functions OnFrameOverrun (), OnUSFrame (), and OnBModeFrame (). Each call of the OnUSFrame () function carries an object of type USFrame as an argument. Each call to the OnBModeFrame () function carries an object of type BModeFrame as an argument. It is not necessary for an application to instantiate an object of the USFrame or BModeFrame class. USFrame and BModeFrame objects are "given" to an application by the underlying implementation of an AObjectFactory class.
The only action the application needs to complete is to process the received frame and release the "given" object. The application did not attempt to delete a frame object because the deletion was performed by an underlying implementation. The member function Release () of the USFrame object is called only when the application completes all data processing or the application no longer needs the USFrame object or objects of the exported class.
Once the application has received an object of a class USFrame or BModeFrame, it can retrieve the imaging data and process it appropriately. The application needs to be aware that it does process frame object data in a separate thread and ensures that processing functions are written using a thread-safe programming technique. Because either of the pure virtual functions is called within a separate thread generated by the implementation DLL, subsequent calls are not possible until the virtual function returns control to the calling thread. This means that as long as the application has not returned control to the threads generated by the implementation, the application cannot receive any new frames. At the same time, the server side of the application can continue to submit additional frames. This eventually results in shared memory overflow and prevents any new frame transfers.
The application always maintains shared memory resources while processing frame data from subsequent remapping locks. The more frames the application has not released, the fewer shared memory fragments can be used for the object transfer interface on the server side of the application. If the frame companion object is not released at an appropriate rate ratio, the client application eventually locks all the memory segments of the shared memory. At that time, the image transfer application stopped sending new frames or rewritten frames that were not locked by the receiving application. If the receiving app locks the entire clip, the transmitting app cannot even choose to rewrite the existing frame.
The function OnFrameOverrun () is called when Frame Overrun is proposed by the service application. This condition is raised at any time when the service application attempts to submit a new frame and there is no available shared fragment to which an object is mapped. This condition can be cleared only by the client of the application by calling the function ResetFrameOverrun (). If the client application does not call this function, it proposes the Frame Overrun condition and calls OnFrameOverrun () pure virtual function again.
The Object Factory interface has the same advantages outlined above when describing the object transport interface. In addition to these advantages, it also implements an event-driven programming method that minimizes programming tasks and maximizes performance. There are also functions such as USFrames (), BModeFrames (), GetUSFrame (), and GetBModeFrame (). These functions can be used to implement a less efficient "polling" programming method.
Object Factory programming interface is implemented by ObjectFactory.DLL4918. This DLL retrieves an object class type information and object related data from the shared memory. It produces one of the types used by the transmitter. The Object Factory implementation maps newly generated objects to corresponding data. The Object Factory implementation has a separate thread that fires one of the newly generated and mapped objects via pure virtual function events. The application "owns" this object throughout the processing and instructs the application to no longer need the object by calling the Releaseaseo function. The factory implementation locally releases resources allocated for objects and shared memory resources.
The process flow 4900 described above is shown diagrammatically in block diagram FIG. 49. The preferred embodiment includes the simplicity of code maintenance and enhancements to the image transmission mechanism. The object transfer interface 4908 and the Object Factory interface 4916 and their implementations allow such modifications to be made at relatively low development costs. Regarding object modification, the shared memory implementation is completely independent of the type of data transmitted. Therefore, any type of modification does not require any changes to the underlying code that controls the shared memory. Because the transmitted data is encapsulated within a specific type of category, the only action required to modify an object is to modify the corresponding category that defines the object. Because an object represents a category export tree, any modification of the base category causes an appropriate change for each object of the derived category. These modifications to the object type do not affect application code that is not related to the modified object class.
New types of objects can be introduced by deriving a new category from one of the existing categories. A newly derived category can be derived from the appropriate level of the base category. An alternative way to generate a new object type is by generating a new base class. This approach can be advantageous in situations where a newly defined category is significantly different from existing categories.
Regarding multiple object transmission channels, alternative preferred embodiments may support more than one AObjectXmitter class object and more than one corresponding communication channel. It can also expand in one of the ways that it allows communication of objects in opposite directions. This allows applications to distribute imaging data to more than one client application. It accepts incoming communications that control image generation and probe operation.
In addition, wireless and remote video streaming channels can be adapted in the preferred embodiment. An identical object transfer programming interface may be implemented to transmit images not via shared memory but via a high-speed wireless communication network (for example, such as ISO 802.11a). The same object transfer programming interface can also be used to send images across a wired Ethernet connection. Remote and wireless video streaming assumes that the recipient computing system can differ in performance. This makes the choice of one of the recipient's device models one of the important factors for successful implementation.
Therefore, the streaming imaging included in the preferred embodiment utilizes a shared memory client-server architecture that provides high bandwidth at low overhead.
A software application of the ultrasound imaging system in a preferred embodiment is used by a client application 4904 as a server 4902 of a live ultrasound image frame. This client-server relationship is supported by the two communication mechanisms described above. The client application uses a COM automation interface to launch and control the ultrasound imaging system application 4906. A high-speed shared memory interface 4912 delivers live ultrasound images with probe identification, space and time information from the application to the client application.
For a simple ActiveX COM API (TTFrameReceiver), the client application encapsulates the complexity of the shared memory implementation. Shared memory communication has flexible parameters specified by the client application. The queue order, buffer number, buffer size, and rewrite permission are specified by the client when the image frame streaming is turned on. The queue order mode can be specified as first-in-first-out (FIFO), last-in-first-out (LIFO), and last-in-first-out (LIO). In general, when zero data loss is more important than minimum delay, this FIFO mode is better. The LIO mode delivers only the most recent image frame and is better when the lowest latency is more important than data loss. LIFO mode can be used when minimum delay and minimum data loss are equally important. However, in the LIFO mode, frames may not always be delivered in sequential order and after receiving the frames, a more sophisticated client application is required to classify them. When all the shared memory buffers are full, the rewrite permission is specified as not allowing, rewriting the oldest frame and rewriting the latest frame.
Each image frame contains a single ultrasonic image, probe identification information, pixel space information, and time information. The image format is a standard Microsoft device-independent bit map (DIB) with 8-bit pixels and a 256-item color table.
The TTFrameReceiver ActiveX control provides two schemes for receiving picture frames. The first scenario is event-driven. A COM event FrameReady is triggered when a frame has been received. After the FrameReady event, the interface data access method can be used to read the image and associated data. After the image and other data have been copied, the client releases the frame by calling the ReleaseFrame method. The next FrameReady event does not occur until the previous frame is released. In another embodiment, the client can use the WaitForFrame method to poll the next available frame.
In a preferred embodiment, both the client application and the server application run on the same computer. This computer can run (for example, without limitation) Microsoft® Windows® 2000 / XP operating system. Client applications (USAutoView) can be developed using Microsoft® Visual C ++ 6.0 and MFC. Source code can be compiled in, for example, Visual Studio 6.0. The server-side COM automation interface and TTFrameReceiver ActiveX control are compatible with other MS Windows® software development environments and languages.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the name of the server-side COM automation interface (ProgfD) is, for example, "Ultrasound.Document", and the interface is registered on the computer when the application program is run for the first time. The dispatch interface can be imported from a type library into a client application.
In a preferred embodiment, the automation interface is extended to support frame streaming by adding different methods such as void OpenFrameStream (BSTR * queneName, short numBuffers, long buffersize, BSTR * queueOrder, short overwritepermission). Open the frame stream transmitter on the server side; open the shared memory interface with the client application, queueName is a unique name of the shared memory "file" and is the same name used when the receiver is opened NumBuffer is the number of buffers in the shared memory queue, bufferSize is the size in bytes of each buffer in the shared memory queue, where the buffer size is 5120 larger than the largest image that can be transmitted In units of bytes, queueOrder is "LIO", "FIFO" or "LIFO". OverwritePermission is 0 for overwrites that are not allowed, 1 for overwritePermissions for the oldest rewrite or 2 for overwritePermissions for the latest rewrite. Note that OpenFrameStream must be called before the TTFrameReceiver control is turned on.
The next additional method includes: void CloseFrameStream (), which closes the frame stream transmitter on the server side; void StartTransmitting (), which tells the server side to start transmitting the ultrasonic frame; void StopTransmitting (), which tells the server The terminal stops transmitting the ultrasonic frame; and short GetFrameStreamStatus (), which obtains the status of the frame stream transmitter. It is important to check that the stream transmitter is turned on before turning on TTFrameReceiver. The COM automation interface is not blocked and the OpenFrameStream call cannot occur at the moment it is called from the client application.
In a preferred embodiment, the TTFrameReceiver ActiveX control is a client-side application program interface for live ultrasound frame streaming. The frame stream control method includes boolean Open (BSTR name), which opens the frame stream receiver. The frame stream receiver cannot be turned on until the frame stream transmitter on the server has been turned on. The frame stream control method also includes: boolean Close (), which closes the frame stream receiver; long WaitForFrame (long timeoutms), which waits for a frame to be ready or until the timeout period ends; and boolean ReleaseFrame (), It releases the current image frame. Once you have copied all the required data, you can release the current frame. You cannot receive the next frame until the current frame has been released. The return value of other data access functions will not be valid until the next FrameReady event after releasing the current frame.
In a preferred embodiment, the data access method for an image includes long GetPtrBitmapinfo (), which obtains an index for a header (with a color table) of a DIB containing an image. The ultrasound image is stored as a standard Microsoft device-independent bit map (DIB). The BITMAPINFO and BITMAPINFOHEADER structures can be cast to the returned indicators as needed. The memory system for the BITMAPINFO structure is allocated in the shared memory and cannot be unallocated; instead, ReleaseFrame () can be called to transfer the memory back to the shared memory mechanism. A further method includes long GetPtrBitmapBits (), which obtains an index of image pixels. The returned metrics can be dispatched for use with the Microsoft DIB API as needed. The memory system for the bit-mapped pixels is allocated in the shared memory and cannot be unallocated; instead, ReleaseFrame () can be called to return the memory to the shared memory mechanism.
Methods related to probe identification include: short GetProbeType (), which gets the defined ultrasonic probe type used; BSTR GetProbeType (), which gets the defined probe name; long GetProbeSN (), which gets used The serial number of the probe.
Regarding time information, the method includes short GetSequenceNum (), which obtains the serial number of the current frame. The serial number is derived from an 8-bit counter and is therefore repeated every 256 frames. It is useful for determining gaps in a frame sequence and for reordering received frames when using LIFO buffer ordering mode. In addition, double GetRate () obtains the frame rate when combined with the serial number, providing accurate relative timing for the received frame; BSTR GetTimestamp (), which obtains a timestamp of one of the current frames, which provides One absolute time that may be useful when synchronizing to external events. The resolution is about milliseconds. Timestamps can be averaged and used in conjunction with rate and sequence numbers to achieve higher accuracy. Finally, regarding time information, the method includes BSTR GetTriggerTimestamp (), which obtains a timestamp of the start of an ultrasound scan, where the ultrasound probe is stopped when the image is "frozen". Record trigger time stamps when live imaging is resumed.
The spatial information in the preferred embodiment has the following methods: short GetXPixels (), which obtains the width of the image in pixels; short GetYPixels (), which obtains the height of the image in pixels; double GetXPixelSize (), which Get the size of each pixel in the x direction, (the x direction is defined as horizontal and parallel to each image line); and double GetYPixelSize (), which gets the size of each pixel in the y direction. The y-direction is defined as vertical and perpendicular to each image line. In addition, double GetXOrigin () obtains the x-position of the first pixel in the image relative to the sensor head; and double GetYOrigin () obtains the y-position of the first pixel in the image relative to the sensor head. The positive y-direction is defined as being away from the sensor head into the patient's body. Another method includes short GetXDirection (), which obtains the spatial direction along the lines of the image. The positive x direction is defined as being away from the probe head mark. Short GetYDirection (), get the spatial direction across the lines of the image. The positive y-direction is defined as being away from the sensor head into the patient's body.
The spatial position of any pixel in the image relative to the sensor head can be easily calculated as follows:
PX = OX + NX * SX * DX
PY = OY + NY * SY * DY
among them,
P = the position of the pixel relative to the sensor head,
O = origin,
N = the index value of the pixel in the image,
S = pixel size,
D = pixel orientation.
In addition, when a frame is prepared and data can be read, the event void FrameReady () in a preferred embodiment is used. The handler copies the data from the data access method and then calls ReleaseFrame (). It is recommended to avoid any kind of infinite processing in the handler (for example, a function that calls a message loop). In addition, use void FrameOverrun () when the server cannot send a frame or has to rewrite a frame in the buffer (because the buffer is full). This only applies to FIFO and LIFO modes, because the LIO automatically releases the old buffer. This event is useful to determine if the client application is fast enough to read the frame and the number of allocated buffers is sufficient for the client's latency.
In a preferred embodiment, USAutoView is a sample client application that enables the client to automate and display live ultrasound image frames. It has proven to start and stop the server, hide and show the server, switch between graphics on the display image and graphics on the non-display image, freeze and restore ultrasound acquisition, load a preset check, change the Designated patient size, change image size, spatial information and reverse image function.
FIG. 50 is a view of a graphical user interface 4950 for a USAutoView UI according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The USAutoView program is a Windows® dialog application with one of three ActiveX components. TTFrameReceiver, which provides an ActiveX interface for receiving ultrasonic picture frames; TTAutomate, which encapsulates server-side automation; and TTSimplelmageWnd, which is an image display window. CUSAutoViewDlg is the main dialog. It manages server-side automation through the TTAutomate control, receives ultrasound frames through TTFrameReceiver, and displays images through TTSimplelrnageWnd. CUSAutoViewDlg's OnStartUS () method calls to start or stop the TTAutomate and TTFrameReceiver methods required for server-side automation and data transmission.
The method OnFramReady () handles the FrameReady event from TTFrameReciever. It copies the required data from TTFrameReceiver and then releases the frame using TTFrameReceiver's ReleaseFrame () method. It avoids any function that performs uncertain processing (such as a function that calls a message loop).
TTAutomate is an ActiveX control that encapsulates server-side automation functions. The native COM automation interface on the server side is not blocked and needs to wait with GetStatusFlags to coordinate the function. TTAutomate wraps each function in the required waiting loop. These wait loops allow processing of Windows® messages so that the user interface thread of the client application is not blocked while waiting. Although the automation methods in TTAutomate cannot return until the function is completed, other Windows® messages are processed before the function is completed. It is recommended to prevent multiple concurrent calls from the message handler to the TTAutomate method, because coordination with the server side is generally not re-entrant. The source code for this control is included in the USAutoView workspace. It can be reused or modified as needed.
TTSimplelmageWnd is an ActiveX control that provides a display window for device independent bit mapping (DIB). The two properties of the display interface are long DIBitmaplnfo and long DIBits. DIBitmapInfo corresponds to an index of a block of memory containing a BITMAPINFO structure for DIB. DIBits corresponds to an index of a block of memory containing image pixels. To load a new image, DIBitmapInfo is set as an indicator of the bit mapping information of the DIB. DIBits is then set as an indicator of bit-mapped bits. When setting DIBits, it is expected that the index set for DIBitmapInfo is still valid and both the bit mapping information and the bit mapping bits are internally copied to be displayed on the screen. Set DIBitmapInfo and DIBits to zero to clear the image. The source code for this control is included in the USAutoView workspace. It can be reused or modified as needed.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of probe head types. For example, these probes include (but are not limited to): a convex linear sensor array operating between 2 MHz and 4 MHz, a phased linear sensor array operating between 2 MHz and 4 MHz, A convex linear cavity sensor array operating between 8 MHz, a linear sensor array operating between 4 MHz and 8 MHz, and a linear sensor array operating between 5 MHz and 10 MHz.
A preferred embodiment of the portable ultrasound system of the present invention provides high-resolution images during an examination, such as the following images: B-mode, M-mode, color Doppler (CD), pulse wave Doppler (PWD), orientation Energy Doppler (DirPwr) and Energy Doppler (PWR). Once the system software is installed, the probe device is connected to a desktop or laptop computer. The probe can be an industry standard sensor connected to a 28 oz. Box, one of the beamforming hardware containing the system. If the probe is connected to a laptop, a 4-pin FireWire cable is connected to an IEEE 1394 serial connection positioned on a built-in MediaBay. However, if the probe is connected to a desktop computer, the computer may not be equipped with MediaBay. We can use an external DC module (EDCM) connector to connect the probe head. Before connecting the probe, we need to make sure that Firewire is connected to both the right and left sides of the computer.
In one embodiment, the EDCM is designed to accept a 6-pin IEEE 1394 (also known as FireWire) cable at one end and a Lemo connector from one of the probes at the other end. The EDCM accepts an input DC voltage from one of +10 volts to +40 volts. In addition, in one embodiment, the system can be connected to a host computer using IEEE 1394. The 6-pin IEEE 1394 input to the EDCM can be derived from any IEEE 1394-equipped host computer running, for example, the Windows® 2000 operating system. An external IEEE 1394 hub may also be necessary to provide the required DC voltage to the EDCM. In a host computer equipped with one of the IEEE 1394, there is one of two types of the IEEE 1394 connector (a 4-pin or a 6-pin). 6-pin connectors are most commonly found in PC-based workstations that use internal PCI bus cards. Usually, the 6-pin connector provides the required DC voltage to the EDCM. A 6-pin male to 6-pin male IEEE 1394 cable is used to connect the host computer to the EDCM.
The 4-pin connector is found in laptops that do not contain MediaBay or provide a DC voltage output according to one of the preferred embodiments. When using this connector type, an external IEEE-1394 hub can be used to power the EDCM and the probe.
When power is not provided from the host computer, an external IEEE-1394 hub can be used between the host computer and the EDCM. The hub derives its power from a wall socket and is connected using a medical grade power supply that complies with IEC 60601-1 electrical safety standards.
To connect the hub to the host computer, a 4-pin male to 6-pin male or 6-pin male to 6-pin male IEEE cable is required. Insert the appropriate connector (4-pin or 6-pin) into the host computer and the 6-pin connector into the hub. Next, use a 6-pin male to 6-pin male IEEE 1394 cable to connect the hub to the EDCM. An IEEE 1394 hub is required only if the host computer cannot supply at least +10 volts to +40 volts direct current (DC) and 10 watts of power to the EDCM. If the host computer can supply enough voltage and power, a 6-pin male to 6-pin male IEEE 1394 cable can be used to connect the computer directly to the EDCM.
FIG. 51 illustrates a view of a home screen display of a graphical user interface according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. When the user activates the system according to the present invention, the home screen 5170 is displayed. To help users navigate, the home screen can be thought of as four separate work areas that provide information to help us perform tasks. These working areas include a menu bar 5172, an image display window 5174, an image control bar 5176, and a toolbar 5178 to 5186.
To adjust the size of the window and area, the user can click the small button at the top right of the window to close, resize and exit the program. A user interface or button closes the window but leaves the program running (minimize the window). A system button appears at the bottom of the screen in an area called the taskbar. By clicking the system button in the taskbar, the window reopens. The other interface button enlarges the window to fill the entire screen (called maximize), however, when the window is at its maximum, the frame rate can be reduced. Another interface button returns the window to its previous size before zooming in. The system program can be closed by another interface button.
Users can increase or decrease the width of each area of the application to meet our needs. For example, to make the Explorer window narrower, place the cursor at either end of the area and click and drag to get the new desired size. We can reposition the size and location of each area so that they become floating windows. To create a floating window, the user simply selects his own mouse on the double edge boundary of a specific area and drags it until it looks like a floating window. To restore the floating window to its original form, I double-clicked in the window. These functionalities are depicted in FIGS. 52A-52C, which are views in a graphical user interface 5200, 5208, 5220 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The Explorer window provides a nested level file directory 5202 for all patient folders of user-generated images that have been generated and saved. The folder directory structure includes the following (but not limited to): a patient folder and an image folder. The patient folder directory is where the patient information files are stored along with any associated images. The image folder directory contains images by date and exam type. The images in this catalog are not associated with a patient and are produced without patient information. 53A to 53B illustrate a patient folder 5340 and an image folder 5350 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The menu bar at the top of the screen provides nine options that I can use to perform basic tasks. To access a menu option, simply select the menu name to display the drop-down menu options. Users can also access any menu by using their shortcut key combinations.
The image display window provides two tabs: Image Display and Patient Information. The user clicks on the image display index tab to view the ultrasound image. The image is displayed in the window according to the defined control settings. Once the image is saved, when the user captures it again, the classification, date, and time of the image are also displayed in the image display window. The patient information tab is used to enter new patient information that will be stored in a patient folder later. Users can access this tab to also modify and update patient information.
54A and 54C illustrate an XY dual-plane detection head composed of two one-dimensional, multi-element arrays. The arrays can be constructed by stacking each other, where one of the polarization axes of each array is aligned in the same direction. The elevation axes of the two arrays may be at right angles to each other or orthogonal to each other. Exemplary embodiments may employ a sensor assembly, such as the sensor assembly described in U.S. Patent No. 7,066,887 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference) or the Cade, Tours, France Sensors sold by Tours Cedex. As shown in FIG. 54A, the array orientation is represented by the configuration 5400. The polarization axes (5408, 5422) of the two arrays are indicated in the z-axis 5406. The elevation axis of the bottom array is indicated in the y direction 5402, and the elevation axis of the top array is in the x direction 5404.
With further illustration in FIG. 54B, a one-dimensional multi-element array forms an image as depicted in configuration 5412. A one-dimensional array having an elevation axis 5410 in a y direction 5402 forms an ultrasound image 5414 on the x-axis 5404 and z-axis 5406 planes. A one-dimensional array having an elevation angle axis 5410 in the x direction 5404 forms an ultrasound image 5414 on the y axis 5402 and the z axis 5406. A one-dimensional sensor array having an elevation axis 5410 along a y-axis 5402 and a polarization axis 5408 along a z-axis 5406 will result in an ultrasound image 5414 formed along the x-plane 5404 and the z-plane 5406. An alternative embodiment illustrated by FIG. 54C depicts a one-dimensional sensor array having an elevation axis 5420 on the x-axis 5404 and a polarization axis 5422 in the z-axis 5406 direction. An ultrasound image 5424 is formed on the y-plane 5402 and the z-plane 5406.
FIG. 55 illustrates the operation of a dual-plane image forming xy probe, wherein the array 5512 has a high voltage applied to form an image. High voltage drive pulses 5506, 5508, 5510 can be applied to the bottom array 5504 with a y-axis elevation angle. This application may cause a transmission pulse for forming a received image on the XZ plane, while keeping the elements of the top array 5502 at a ground level. These probes enable a 3D imaging mode that uses one of the simpler electronics than a full 2D sensor array. As described herein, a touch screen-enabled user interface may employ screen icons and gestures to activate 3D imaging operations. These imaging operations can be augmented by software running on a tablet computer data processor, which processes the image data into 3D ultrasound images. This image processing software may use smooth filtering and / or interpolation operations known in the art. Beam steering can also be used to enable 3D imaging operations. A preferred embodiment uses a plurality of 1D sub-array sensors configured for dual plane imaging.
Figure 56 illustrates the operation of a dual plane image forming xy probe. FIG. 56 illustrates an array 5610 having a high voltage applied to it for forming an image. High voltage pulses 5602, 5604, 5606 can be applied to the top array 5612 with an elevation angle on the x-axis, thereby generating a transmission pulse for forming a received image on the yz plane, while keeping the element 5614 of the bottom array 5614 grounded. This embodiment may also utilize an orthogonal 1D sensor array using a sub-array beamforming operation as described herein.
Figure 57 shows the circuit requirements for a dual plane image forming xy probe. Receive beamforming requirements are described for a dual-plane probe. Make a connection to one of the receiving electronics 5702. Next, the components from the selection bottom array 5704 and the selection top array 5708 are connected to share one connection to the receiving electronics 5702 channel. A two to one multiplexer circuit can be integrated on the high voltage drivers 5706, 5710. The two to one multiplexer circuits can be integrated on the high voltage drivers 5706, 5712. A receive beam is formed for each transmission beam. The dual plane system requires a total of 256 transmission beams. For the 256 transmission beams, 128 transmission beams are used to form an XZ plane image and another 128 transmission beams are used to form a YZ plane image. Beam forming techniques that have been received multiple times can be used to improve the frame rate. One ultrasonic system with dual receiving beam capabilities for each transmission beam provides a system in which two reception beams can be formed. The dual plane probe only needs a total of 128 transmission beams to form two orthogonal plane images, of which 64 transmission beams are used to form an XZ plane image, and another 64 transmission beams are used to form a YZ plane image. Similarly, for an ultrasound system with a quadruple or four receive beam capability, the probe requires 64 transmission beams to form two orthogonal plane images.
58A to 58B illustrate an application for simultaneous dual plane evaluation. The ability to use cardiographic imaging to measure LV mechanical asynchrony can help identify patients who are more likely to benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy. The LV parameters that need to be quantified are Ts- (lateral-septal), Ts-SD, Ts-peak, etc. The Ts- (lateral-septal) can be measured on a 2D apical 4-chamber view echo image, and Ts-SD, Ts-peak (medial), Ts-onset (medial), Ts-peak (basal), Ts-onset (basal) can be obtained on two separate parasternal short-axis views with 6 segments (providing a total of 12 segments) at the mitral valve and papillary muscle levels, respectively. 58A to 58B depict one of the apical four-chamber images 5804 and the apical two-chamber images 5802, which are to be viewed simultaneously, one of the xy probes.
59A to 59B illustrate measurement techniques of the ejection fraction detecting head. When the visualization of two orthogonal planes ensures an on-axis view, the dual plane probe provides EF measurement. Automatic boundary detection algorithms provide quantized echo results to select implanted transponders and guide AV delay parameter settings. As depicted in Figure 59A, the XY probe acquires real-time simultaneous images from two orthogonal planes and the images 5902 and 5904 are displayed on a split screen. A manual contour tracking or automatic boarder tracking technique can be used to track endometrial boarders (from which EF is calculated) at both end-systole and end-diastole. The LV regions (A1 and A2, respectively) in apical 2CH view 5902 and apical 4CH view 5904 were measured at the end of diastole and end of systole. LVEDV (left ventricular end-diastolic volume) and LVESV (left ventricular end-systolic volume) are calculated using the following formula:
. And the ejection fraction isCalculation.
FIG. 60 illustrates an exemplary method for wirelessly transmitting data to and from a portable ultrasonic imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method may begin with selecting a wireless communication menu option 6001 to present one of the various wireless connections available to the user. For example, a user may wish to connect to a WiFi network, a 3G or 4G cellular network, or some other wireless network. This method can choose 6002 to continue a desired wireless connection. The method may further include selecting one or more destinations for transmitting 6003 ultrasound data. In some embodiments, this selection may be performed by using a touch screen UI to select one or more hospitals, doctors, clinics, etc., similar to the way we select a contact from a telephone contact list. The method may further include determining whether 6004 expects an audio connection and / or a video connection. In some embodiments, in addition to transmitting ultrasound and other medical information between the portable ultrasound device and a remote hospital or clinic, users can also establish an audio and / or video connection via the same wireless network . This feature allows users of ultrasound imaging devices, for example, to remotely execute and transmit ultrasound data when in direct audio and / or video contact with a hospital or medical professional. In one example, initiating an audio and / or video call with a hospital may allow a user of a portable ultrasound imaging device to receive guidance and / or advice from a doctor while performing an ultrasound procedure. If an audio and / or video call is desired, the method may further include starting an audio / video call with 6005 and the desired destination.
If no audio / video connection is desired, or after an audio / video call is initiated, the method may further include determining whether 6006 intends to transmit ultrasonic imaging data in real time, or whether the user only wishes to transmit the generated ultrasonic data. If an instant connection is desired, the method may further include starting a 6007 ultrasound scan and transmitting 6008 ultrasound data to the desired destination (s) in real time. If real-time ultrasound data transmission is not required, the method can select 6009 (s) of the desired file and transmit 6010 (s) of the selected file (s) to the desired (s) of the desired destination to continue.
In some embodiments, a user can perform the method described above by navigating through various windows, folders, sub-folders, menus and / or sub-menus presented through a touch-sensitive UI. One touch screen gesture can be performed on an icon (by dragging and dropping an icon from one part to another, selecting or deselecting one or more check boxes, or performing any other sufficiently unique or distinguishable touch Control screen commands) to execute various UI commands for selecting a menu option, destination, file, etc. In some embodiments, the various touch screen commands described herein may be user-configurable, while in other embodiments they are hard-coded. As will be understood, the various elements of the methods described herein may be performed in any desired order. For example, in some embodiments, a user may select 6003 one or more destinations before selecting the file (s) to be transmitted 6009, while in other embodiments, a user may select 6003 before the desired destination. Select 6009 one or more files. Similarly, other elements of the methods described above may be performed in a variety of sequences or simultaneously, and the methods described herein are not intended to be limited to any particular sequence unless otherwise stated.
It should be noted that the operations described herein are purely illustrative and do not imply any particular order. In addition, such operations may be used in any sequence as appropriate, and / or may be used in part. Exemplary flowcharts are provided herein for illustrative purposes and these exemplary flowcharts are non-limiting examples of methods. Those of ordinary skill will recognize that the exemplary method may include more or less steps than those shown in the illustrative flowchart, and may perform the steps in the exemplary flowchart in a different order than one shown.
In describing exemplary embodiments, specific terminology is used for clarity. For the purpose of description, specific terms are intended to include at least all technical and functional equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. Furthermore, in some instances where a particular exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of system elements or method steps, a single element or step may be substituted for those elements or steps. Similarly, a single element or step may be replaced by a plurality of elements or steps serving the same purpose. In addition, in the case where parameters for various properties are specified for the exemplary embodiments herein, unless otherwise specified, these parameters may be adjusted up and down by one-twentieth, one-tenth, and one-fifth. , One-third, one-half, etc., or a rounded approximation.
In view of the above illustrative embodiments, it should be understood that these embodiments may be implemented using various computers that involve transferring or storing data in a computer system. These operations require physical manipulation of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical, magnetic, and / or optical signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and / or otherwise manipulated.
Moreover, any of the operations described herein that form part of the illustrative embodiments are useful machine operations. The illustrative embodiments are also related to a device or a device for performing such operations. The device may be specially constructed for the required purpose, or it may be incorporated into a general-purpose computer device that is selectively activated or configured by a computer program stored in the computer. In particular, various general-purpose machines employing one or more processors coupled to one or more computer-readable media may be used with computer programs written in accordance with the teachings disclosed herein, or constructed to perform one of the required operations More specialized devices may be more convenient.
The foregoing description has been directed to specific illustrative embodiments of the invention. It will be understood, however, that other variations and modifications of the described embodiments may be made to obtain some or all of their associated advantages. In addition, the programs, processes, and / or modules described herein may be implemented in hardware, software (embodied as a computer-readable medium with program instructions), firmware, or a combination thereof. For example, one or more of the functions described herein may be performed by a processor that executes program instructions from a memory or other storage device.
Those skilled in the art will understand that modifications and changes to the systems and methods described above can be made without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein. Therefore, the present invention should not be regarded as limiting, except as for example, by the scope and spirit of the scope of the accompanying patent application.

3‧‧‧ Probe

5‧‧‧ host computer

9‧‧‧ Remote display and / or recording device

100‧‧‧Medical Ultrasound Imaging Equipment / Equipment / Portable Ultrasound System / System / Ultrasonic System

101‧‧‧ front panel

102‧‧‧case / unit

103‧‧‧ rear panel

104‧‧‧Touch screen display / Split touch screen display / Monitor / Multi-touch LCD touch screen display

105‧‧‧ surface

106‧‧‧Computer motherboard / computing circuit

107‧‧‧touch sensor / sensor

108‧‧‧Ultrasonic engine / 128-channel ultrasonic engine circuit board

109‧‧‧Touch Processor

110‧‧‧ Battery

112‧‧‧communication link / link / high-speed serial interface

114‧‧‧ Probe head connector / connector

115‧‧‧ Probe attachment / detachment lever

116‧‧‧Input / Output (I / O) port connector

118‧‧‧Communication Circuit / Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Interface Circuit

119‧‧‧ Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card port

120‧‧‧ Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card

140‧‧‧System

150‧‧‧sensor housing / probe / ultrasonic probe / sensor / handheld sensor probe / probe housing

152‧‧‧Sensor element array / sensor array

154‧‧‧detection head recognition circuit

302‧‧‧click gesture

304‧‧‧ pinch gesture

306‧‧‧Push gesture / Dynamic, continuous gesture

308‧‧‧Rotate gesture

310‧‧‧ double click gesture

312‧‧‧Expand gesture

314‧‧‧Push gesture / Dynamic, continuous gesture

316‧‧‧Rotate gesture

318‧‧‧Drag gesture / dynamic, continuous drag gesture

320‧‧‧Press gesture

322‧‧‧Press and drag gestures

324‧‧‧ palm gesture

340‧‧‧Ultrasonic Beamforming and Imaging Operations

342‧‧‧Beamforming and image processing operations

344‧‧‧Select a first display operation

346‧‧‧Adjust beamforming parameters

348‧‧‧ Update and display the displayed image

350‧‧‧ Perform one of different gestures with a different speed characteristic (direction or velocity or both) to adjust one of the second ultrasonic display operations

352‧‧‧Update displayed image

402‧‧‧subset

404‧‧‧subset

406‧‧‧subset

408‧‧‧Touch Controls / 2D Touch Controls

410‧‧‧Touch Control / Gain Touch Control

412‧‧‧Touch Controls / Color Touch Controls

414‧‧‧Touch Controls / Save Touch Controls

416‧‧‧Touch Controls / Split Touch Controls

418‧‧‧Touch Controls / PW Imaging Touch Controls

420‧‧‧Touch Controls / Beam Steering Touch Controls

422‧‧‧Touch Controls / Annotation Touch Controls

424‧‧‧Touch Controls / Dynamic Range Operation Touch Controls

426‧‧‧Touch Controls / Teravision ™ Touch Controls

428‧‧‧Touch Controls / Map Operations Touch Controls

430‧‧‧Touch Controls / Pin Guided Touch Controls

502‧‧‧ liver

504‧‧‧cystic lesions / enlarged cystic lesions

506‧‧‧Virtual window

508‧‧‧finger

602‧‧‧heart

604‧‧‧Endocardial border

606‧‧‧ left ventricle

607‧‧‧Cursor

608‧‧‧ dotted line

610‧‧‧finger

612‧‧‧finger

702‧‧‧ liver

704‧‧‧cystic lesion

706‧‧‧Virtual window

707‧‧‧first cursor

709‧‧‧second cursor

710‧‧‧finger

712‧‧‧finger

802‧‧‧ liver

804‧‧‧cystic lesions

806‧‧‧Virtual window

807‧‧‧first cursor / cursor

809‧‧‧second cursor

810‧‧‧finger

811‧‧‧connecting wire

812‧‧‧finger

900‧‧‧ Software Flowchart

904‧‧‧step

906‧‧‧step

908‧‧‧step

910‧‧‧step

912‧‧‧step

914‧‧‧step

916‧‧‧step

918‧‧‧step

920‧‧‧step

921‧‧‧step

922‧‧‧step

924‧‧‧step

926‧‧‧step

928‧‧‧step

930‧‧‧step

932‧‧‧step

934‧‧‧step

936‧‧‧step

938‧‧‧step

940‧‧‧step

942‧‧‧step

944‧‧‧step

946‧‧‧step

948‧‧‧step

950‧‧‧step

952‧‧‧Spectrum Doppler Mean Time Integral / Handheld Personal Computer

956‧‧‧ needle

958‧‧‧ system

960‧‧‧Ultrasonic sensor element / sensor element

962‧‧‧ Needle Guide

964‧‧‧Ultrasonic Reflector Disk / Reflector Disk

966‧‧‧ Needle guide mounting bracket

970‧‧‧Ultrasonic imaging probe head assembly

972‧‧‧Ultrasonic

974‧‧‧Reflected Ultrasound

976‧‧‧distance

978‧‧‧Linear ultrasonic sound array / Ultrasonic imaging probe head assembly for imaging

980‧‧‧ultrasonic sensor array / sensor element

982‧‧‧Ultrasonic imaging probe head assembly / ultrasonic imaging probe head assembly for imaging the body of a patient

984‧‧‧Ultrasonic sensor array

986‧‧‧System

1010‧‧‧PC / PC

1012‧‧‧USB connection / custom or USB3 chipset

1014‧‧‧Microprocessor

1020‧‧‧Interface unit / Two-stage beamforming system / Interface circuit

1022‧‧‧USB Connect / Custom USB3 Chipset / USB3 Chipset / Custom or USB3 Chipset

1024‧‧‧System Controller

1025‧‧‧ Connector

1026‧‧‧ Field Programmable Gate Array / Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) Digital Beamforming / Communication Port

1027‧‧‧ Connector

1028‧‧‧A / D converter

1030‧‧‧A / D converter

1032‧‧‧Memory

1034‧‧‧DC-DC converter

1040‧‧‧Integrated ultrasonic probe / ultrasonic probe / sensor / two-stage beamforming system

1042‧‧‧Power Supply

1044‧‧‧Controller

1046‧‧‧Memory

1048‧‧‧ Multiplexer 1

1050‧‧‧Transfer driver 1

1052‧‧‧Subarray / Aperture / Subarray Beamformer 1

1054‧‧‧Transmission driver m

1056‧‧‧Multiplexer m

1058‧‧‧Memory

1060‧‧‧Subarray Beamformern

1062‧‧‧1D sensor array

1064‧‧‧Image target

1066‧‧‧cable

1068‧‧‧cable

1075‧‧‧device

1082‧‧‧Host computer

1102‧‧‧Image Target

1104‧‧‧cable

1106‧‧‧High Voltage Transmit / Receive (TR) Module / Transmit / Receive (TR) Module

1108‧‧‧Preamp / Time Gain Compensation (TGC) Module

1110‧‧‧Sampling data beamformer / sample interpolation acceptance beamformer / beamformer

1112‧‧‧FIFO buffer module

1114‧‧‧Memory

1116‧‧‧System Controller / Beamformer Control Processor

1118‧‧‧Communication Chipset

1120‧‧‧Communication Chipset

1122‧‧‧Core Computer Readable Memory / Memory

1124‧‧‧Microprocessor / Beamformer Control Processor

1126‧‧‧Display Controller

1200‧‧‧Circuit Board

1202‧‧‧High-density interconnect (HDI) substrate / substrate

1204‧‧‧The first integrated circuit chip

1206‧‧‧First spacer

1208‧‧‧Second Integrated Circuit Chip

1210‧‧‧ metal frame

1212‧‧‧Wiring

1214‧‧‧Wiring

1216‧‧‧Packaging

1302‧‧‧step

1304‧‧‧step

1306‧‧‧step

1308‧‧‧step

1310‧‧‧step

1312‧‧‧step

1600‧‧‧Multi-chip module

1602‧‧‧Transmit / Receive (TR) Chip / Chip

1604‧‧‧Amplifier Chip / Chip

1606‧‧‧Beamformer Chip / Chip

1608‧‧‧First spacer

1610‧‧‧Second spacer

1612‧‧‧metal frame

1614‧‧‧ substrate

1702‧‧‧Wireless Network Adapter / Adapter

1704‧‧‧Input / Output (I / O) and graphics chipset

1706‧‧‧Serial or Parallel Interface

1708‧‧‧Power Module

1710‧‧‧The first multi-chip module / multi-chip module

1712‧‧‧Second multi-chip module / multi-chip module

1714‧‧‧ Clock generates complex programmable logic device (CPLD)

1718‧‧‧ Delay profile and waveform generator field programmable gate array (FPGA)

1720‧‧‧Memory

1722‧‧‧Scanning Sequence Control Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)

1724‧‧‧Power Module

1802‧‧‧Stylus

1804‧‧‧shell connector

1806‧‧‧flexible cable

1900‧‧‧Main Graphical User Interface (GUI)

1902‧‧‧Function List

1904‧‧‧Image display window

1906‧‧‧Image Control Bar

1908‧‧‧toolbar

2000‧‧‧Medical ultrasound imaging equipment / ultrasonic imaging equipment / devices

2010‧‧‧Touch screen display / ultrasonic image

2020‧‧‧Ultrasonic control item

2030‧‧‧shell

2040‧‧‧ Ultrasonic Data

2060‧‧‧Front panel

2070‧‧‧ rear panel

2080‧‧‧ Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card port

2082‧‧‧ Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) chuck

2084‧‧‧Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card

2100‧‧‧cart system / cart configuration

2102‧‧‧Touch screen display

2104‧‧‧ Tablet

2106‧‧‧Adjustable height device

2108‧‧‧cart / cart holder

2110‧‧‧gel holder

2112‧‧‧Keyboard

2114‧‧‧Storage Box

2120‧‧‧ Thermal Probe Holder

2122‧‧‧base assembly

2124‧‧‧Complete Operator Console / Operator Console

2200‧‧‧Cart System / Cart Assembly

2210‧‧‧ holder

2212‧‧‧Vertical support components / support beams / beams

2214‧‧‧Control Panel

2216‧‧‧Multiport Probe Multiplexer Device / Multiplexer Device

2218‧‧‧ holder

2222‧‧‧Storage box attachment mechanism

2224‧‧‧Storage Box / Accessory Holder

2226‧‧‧ Rope management system / height adjustment device

2228‧‧‧ substrate

2230‧‧‧Battery

2232‧‧‧ Wheel

2300‧‧‧Configuration

2302‧‧‧ Tablet / System

2304‧‧‧Docking station / base joint unit / base unit / joint element

2305‧‧‧electrical connector

2306‧‧‧ Attachment / mounting assembly

2307‧‧‧port

2308‧‧‧articulated parts

2310‧‧‧Carriage

2312‧‧‧Vertical Components / Beams

2400‧‧‧ cart system / configuration

2402‧‧‧ Tablet

2404‧‧‧connector / attachment mechanism

2406‧‧‧Mounting Assembly / Hinge

2408‧‧‧Vertical support parts

2502‧‧‧Interchange Station

2504‧‧‧ Tablet

2506‧‧‧base assembly

2508‧‧‧Release agency

2510‧‧‧Sensor head / Sensor head connector

2512‧‧‧Sensor port

2526‧‧‧Adjustable stand / grip

2600‧‧‧Integrated Probe System / Integrated Ultrasonic Probe System / System

2602‧‧‧Front head / probe

2604‧‧‧host computer / Windows®-based host computer

2606‧‧‧Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) / Remote Display and / or Recording Device / Remote Device / Computer (Remote Device)

2608‧‧‧communication link / communication link or interface

2610‧‧‧communication link or interface / wireless link / communication link / wireless communication link

2612‧‧‧Remote Computing System

2802‧‧‧ Hub

2804‧‧‧communication link

2906‧‧‧Imaging System

2910‧‧‧Wireless Agent

2912‧‧‧Wireless viewer / viewer

3020‧‧‧Image viewer

3024‧‧‧User Interface Button

3026‧‧‧User Interface Button

3028‧‧‧user interface button

3030‧‧‧Viewer

3142a to 3142n‧‧‧ Ultrasonic probe

3144a to 3144n‧‧‧ laptop

3146‧‧‧Image / Patient Information Distribution Server

3148‧‧‧ Structured Query Language (SQL) Database Server

3152‧‧‧Handheld device or other computing device

3264‧‧‧Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)

3266‧‧‧Wireless communication link

3304‧‧‧Memory

3306‧‧‧Data Storage

3308‧‧‧Bus

3310‧‧‧link interface or data interface circuit / data interface circuit

3312‧‧‧First connection

3314‧‧‧RF circuit / radio interface

3316‧‧‧ Radio Interface

3350‧‧‧Radio Frequency (RF) Stack

3370‧‧‧User Interface Circuit

3440‧‧‧Schematic

3446‧‧‧ Clinic

3448‧‧‧ Clinic

3450‧‧‧ Clinic

3502‧‧‧Two-dimensional image window

3504‧‧‧Two-dimensional image scanning

3506‧‧‧Flexible Frequency Scan

3600‧‧‧Touch screen display for tablet

3604‧‧‧Two-dimensional image window

3606‧‧‧Two-dimensional imaging / two-dimensional imaging

3608‧‧‧Sport mode imaging

3700‧‧‧Touch screen monitor / tablet monitor

3702‧‧‧Color Doppler Scan Information

3704‧‧‧Flexible Frequency Control

3706‧‧‧Two-dimensional image window

3708‧‧‧ Color Coded Information

3710‧‧‧Two-dimensional image

3800‧‧‧Touch screen monitor / tablet monitor

3802‧‧‧ 2D image

3804‧‧‧adjustable frequency control

3806‧‧‧Mixed operation mode

3808‧‧‧Gray shade

3810‧‧‧time / Doppler shift

3812‧‧‧Sample volume or sample gate

3900‧‧‧Touch screen monitor / tablet monitor

3902‧‧‧Two-dimensional window

3904‧‧‧ Color Coded Information

3906‧‧‧ Overlay / Color Code Overlay

3908‧‧‧Sample volume / Sample gate

3910‧‧‧Flexible Frequency Control

3912‧‧‧Time / Doppler shift

3916‧‧‧Two-dimensional image

4000‧‧‧GUI main screen interface / screen interface for user operation mode / graphic user interface (GUI) main screen / main graphic user interface (GUI) main screen

4002‧‧‧Image display window

4004‧‧‧Function List

4006‧‧‧Image Control Bar

4008‧‧‧ Depth Control Touch Control

4010‧‧‧Two-dimensional gain touch control

4012‧‧‧Full-screen touch control

4014‧‧‧Text Touch Controls

4016‧‧‧ Split screen touch controls

4018‧‧‧ENV Touch Controls

4022‧‧‧Pulse Wave Doppler (PWD) Touch Control

4024‧‧‧Freeze touch controls

4026‧‧‧ Save touch controls

4028‧‧‧Optimized touch controls

4100‧‧‧GUI screen interface

4102‧‧‧Image display window

4104‧‧‧Function List

4108‧‧‧patient touch controls

4110‧‧‧Default touch controls

4112‧‧‧View touch controls

4114‧‧‧Report Touch Controls

4116‧‧‧Setting Touch Controls

4120‧‧‧Image Control Bar

4122‧‧‧Depth Control Touch Controls

4124‧‧‧Two-dimensional gain touch control

4126‧‧‧Full-screen touch controls

4128‧‧‧Text Touch Controls

4130‧‧‧ Split Screen Touch Controls

4132‧‧‧Pin Visual ENV Touch Controls

4136‧‧‧Pulse Wave Doppler (PWD) Touch Control

4138‧‧‧Freeze touch controls

4140‧‧‧Save touch controls

4142‧‧‧Optimized touch controls

4200‧‧‧Graphical User Interface (GUI) Patient Data Screen Interface / Screen Interface for User Operation Mode / Graphical User Interface (GUI) Patient Data Screen / Patient Data Screen

4202‧‧‧Function List

4204‧‧‧ new patient touchscreen controls

4206‧‧‧New research touch screen controls

4208‧‧‧Research List Touchscreen Controls

4210‧‧‧Task list touchscreen controls

4212‧‧‧Edit touch screen controls

4214‧‧‧ Patient Information Section

4216‧‧‧Research Information Section

4218‧‧‧Image Control Bar

4220‧‧‧Research on touch controls

4222‧‧‧Research closely on touch controls

4224‧‧‧Print touch controls

4226‧‧‧Print preview touch controls

4228‧‧‧Eliminate touch controls

4230‧‧‧Two-dimensional touch control

4232‧‧‧Freeze touch controls

4234‧‧‧Save touch controls

4300‧‧‧ Graphical User Interface (GUI) Patient Data Screen Interface / Screen Interface for User Operation Mode / Default Screen

4302‧‧‧Function List

4304‧‧‧ Preset Selection Mode

4308‧‧‧Image Control Bar

4310‧‧‧Save Settings Touch Controls

4312‧‧‧ Delete touch control

4314‧‧‧Color Doppler (CD) Touch Control

4316‧‧‧Pulse Wave Doppler (PWD) Touch Control

4318‧‧‧Freeze touch controls

4320‧‧‧Save touch controls

4322‧‧‧Optimized touch controls

4400‧‧‧Graphical User Interface (GUI) View Screen Interface / Screen Interface for User Operation Mode

4402‧‧‧Function List

4404‧‧‧default expanded view

4406‧‧‧Image display window

4408‧‧‧Image

4410‧‧‧Image

4412‧‧‧Image

4414‧‧‧Image

4416‧‧‧Image Control Bar

4418‧‧‧Thumbnail settings for touch controls

4420‧‧‧Sync Touch Controls

4422‧‧‧Select Touch Control

4424‧‧‧Previous image touch controls

4426‧‧‧Next Image Touch Control

4428‧‧‧Two-dimensional image touch control

4430‧‧‧ Pause Image Touch Control

4432‧‧‧Save Image Touch Control

4500‧‧‧Screen interface / report screen for user operation mode

4502‧‧‧Function List

4504‧‧‧Expand Report

4506‧‧‧display

4508‧‧‧Image Control Bar

4510‧‧‧Save Touch Controls

4512‧‧‧Save as touch control

4514‧‧‧Print Touch Controls

4516‧‧‧Print Preview Touch Controls

4518‧‧‧Research closely on touch controls

4520‧‧‧Two-dimensional image touch control

4522‧‧‧ Freeze image touch control

4524‧‧‧Save Image Touch Controls

4600‧‧‧Screen interface / view screen for user operation mode

4602‧‧‧Function List

4604‧‧‧Examination Extended View / Set Extended Screen

4606‧‧‧ Universal Touch Controls

4608‧‧‧Display touch controls

4610‧‧‧Measure Touch Controls

4612‧‧‧Annotation touch controls

4614‧‧‧Print Touch Control

4616‧‧‧Save / Retrieve Touch Controls

4618‧‧‧ Medical Digital Imaging and Communication (DICOM) Touch Controls

4620‧‧‧Export touch controls

4622‧‧‧Research Information Image Touch Controls

4624‧‧‧Configuration screen

4626‧‧‧ softkey connection position

4628‧‧‧Image Control Bar

4630‧‧‧Thumbnail settings for touch controls

4632‧‧‧Sync Touch Controls

4634‧‧‧Select Touch Control

4636‧‧‧Previous image touch controls

4638‧‧‧Next Image Touch Control

4640‧‧‧Two-dimensional image touch control

4642‧‧‧Pause Image Touch Control

4644‧‧‧Set Control Bar

4650‧‧‧ soft key control arrow

4652‧‧‧ soft key controls

4662‧‧‧ soft key controls

4700‧‧‧Screen interface / setting screen for user operation mode

4702‧‧‧Menu bar / configuration screen

4704‧‧‧Report Extended View / Set Extended Screen / Retrospective Acquisition

4706‧‧‧Universal Touch Controls

4708‧‧‧Display touch controls

4710‧‧‧Measure Touch Controls

4712‧‧‧ Annotation Touch Controls

4714‧‧‧Print Touch Control

4716‧‧‧Save / Retrieve Touch Controls

4718‧‧‧ Medical Digital Imaging and Communication (DICOM) Touch Controls

4720‧‧‧ Export touch controls

4722‧‧‧Research Information Image Touch Controls

4728‧‧‧Image Control Bar

4730‧‧‧Thumbnail settings for touch controls

4732‧‧‧Sync Touch Controls

4734‧‧‧Select Touch Control

4736‧‧‧ Previous image touch controls

4738‧‧‧Next image touch control

4740‧‧‧Two-dimensional image touch control

4742‧‧‧Pause Image Touch Control

4744‧‧‧Set Control Bar

4880‧‧‧physical shared memory

4882‧‧‧shared memory header structure

4884‧‧‧Header Array

4886‧‧‧Memory fragment

4888‧‧‧Entity systems are mutually exclusive

4890‧‧‧System Event

4908‧‧‧ Object Transfer Interface

4916‧‧‧Object Factory interface

5170‧‧‧Main screen

5172‧‧‧Function List

5174‧‧‧Image display window

5176‧‧‧Image Control Bar

5178‧‧‧toolbar

5180‧‧‧toolbar

5182‧‧‧toolbar

5184‧‧‧toolbar

5186‧‧‧toolbar

5202‧‧‧nested hierarchy file directory

5400‧‧‧Configuration

5402‧‧‧y-direction / y-axis / y-plane

5404‧‧‧x direction / x axis / x plane

5406‧‧‧z-axis / z-plane

5408‧‧‧polarized axis

5410‧‧‧ elevation axis

5412‧‧‧Configuration

5414‧‧‧ Ultrasound Imaging

5420‧‧‧Elevation axis

5422‧‧‧polarized axis

5424‧‧‧Ultrasonic image

5502‧‧‧Top Array

5504‧‧‧Bottom array

5506‧‧‧High Voltage Drive Pulse

5508‧‧‧High Voltage Drive Pulse

5510‧‧‧High Voltage Drive Pulse

5512‧‧‧Array

5602‧‧‧High Voltage Pulse

5604‧‧‧High Voltage Pulse

5606‧‧‧High Voltage Pulse

5610‧‧‧Array

5612‧‧‧Top Array

5614‧‧‧ bottom array

5704‧‧‧Select bottom array

5708‧‧‧Select top array

5710‧‧‧High Voltage Driver

5712‧‧‧High Voltage Driver

5802‧‧‧ apical two chamber images

5804‧‧‧ Four-chamber apical image

5902‧‧‧Image / apical 2CH view

5904‧‧‧Image / apical 4CH view

6002‧‧‧step

6003‧‧‧step

6004‧‧‧step

6005‧‧‧step

6006‧‧‧step

6007‧‧‧step

6008‧‧‧step

6009‧‧‧step

6010‧‧‧step

A, a‧‧‧method

B, b‧‧‧ methods

C, c‧‧‧method

D, d‧‧‧method

The foregoing description and other objects, aspects, features, and advantages of the exemplary embodiments will be more clearly understood and better understood by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, among which:

1 is a plan view of an exemplary medical ultrasound imaging apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

2A and 2B are side views of a medical ultrasound imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

3A illustrates exemplary single-point and multi-point gestures that can be adopted as user input to a medical ultrasound imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

3B illustrates a flowchart of a processing procedure for operating a tablet computer ultrasound system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

3C to 3K illustrate details of touch screen gestures for adjusting beamforming and display operations;

4A to 4C illustrate an exemplary subset of touch control items that can be implemented on a medical ultrasound imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

5A and 5B are exemplary representations of a liver with a cystic lesion on a touch screen display of a medical ultrasound imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

5C and 5D are exemplary representations of liver and cystic lesions on the touch screen display of FIGS. 5A and 5B, including a virtual window corresponding to an enlarged portion of the liver;

FIG. 6A is an exemplary representation of a view of one of the four apical four (4) chambers of a heart on a touch screen display of a medical ultrasound imaging system;

6B to 6E illustrate an exemplary manual tracking of one of the left ventricles and one of the endocardial boundaries of the heart on the touch screen display of FIG. 6A;

7A to 7C illustrate an exemplary measurement of the size of a cystic lesion on the liver in the virtual windows of FIGS. 5C and 5D;

8A to 8C illustrate an exemplary caliper measurement of one of cystic lesions on the liver in the virtual windows of FIGS. 5C and 5D;

9A illustrates one of a plurality of sensor arrays attached to a processor housing;

9B shows a software flowchart of a sensor management module in an ultrasound application according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 9C shows a perspective view of a pin feeler positioning system according to an exemplary embodiment; FIG.

9D shows a perspective view of a needle guide in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 9E shows a perspective view of a pin feeler positioning system according to an exemplary embodiment; FIG.

9F illustrates an exemplary system configured to accept a subscriber identity module (SIM) card for wireless communication;

FIG. 10A shows an exemplary method for measuring heart wall motion;

FIG. 10B shows a schematic block diagram of an integrated ultrasonic probe according to an exemplary embodiment; FIG.

FIG. 10C shows an alternative schematic block diagram of an integrated ultrasonic probe according to one of the exemplary embodiments; FIG.

11 is a detailed schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an ultrasonic engine (ie, a front-end ultrasonic specific circuit) and a computer motherboard (ie, a host computer) of an exemplary ultrasonic device;

12 depicts a schematic side view of a circuit board including a multi-chip module assembled in a vertically stacked configuration;

13 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for manufacturing a circuit board including a multi-chip module assembled into a vertically stacked configuration;

FIG. 14A is a schematic side view of one of a multi-chip module including four vertically stacked dies, wherein the dies are formed by a passivation silicon layer having a 2-in-1 cut die attach film (D-DAF) Separated from each other;

14B is a schematic side view of one of a multi-chip module including four vertically stacked dies, where the dies are separated from each other by a DA film-based adhesive as a die-to-die spacer;

FIG. 14C is a schematic side view of one of a multi-chip module including four vertically stacked dies, wherein the dies are spaced from each other by a DA paste or film-based adhesive as a die-to-die spacer Separation

Figure 15 uses (a) a passivation silicon layer with a 2-in-1 cut die attach film (D-DAF), (b) a DA paste, (c) a thick DA film, and (d) a 2-in-1 D -A flow chart of another exemplary method of die-to-die stacking of DOW's film envelope (FOW);

16 is a schematic side view of a multi-chip module including an ultrasonic transmitting / receiving IC chip, an amplifier IC chip, and an ultrasonic beamformer IC chip vertically integrated into a vertical stack configuration;

FIG. 17 is a detailed view of an exemplary embodiment of an ultrasonic engine (ie, a front-end ultrasonic specific circuit) and an exemplary embodiment of a computer motherboard (ie, a host computer) provided as a single-board complete ultrasound system Schematic block diagram

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an exemplary portable ultrasound system provided according to an exemplary embodiment; FIG.

FIG. 19 illustrates an exemplary view of a main graphical user interface (GUI) presented on a touch screen display of the exemplary portable ultrasound system of FIG. 18; FIG.

20A is a top view of a medical ultrasound imaging system according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention;

20B is a top view of a medical ultrasound imaging system configured to receive a wireless SIM card according to another embodiment of the present invention;

21 illustrates a preferred cart system for a tablet computer ultrasound system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

22 illustrates a preferred cart system for a modular ultrasound imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 23A illustrates a preferred cart system for a modular ultrasound imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

23B illustrates an alternative cart system for a modular ultrasound imaging system configured to receive a wireless SIM card according to another embodiment of the present invention;

24 illustrates a preferred cart system for a modular ultrasound imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

25A to 25B illustrate a multifunctional interface substrate for a tablet computer ultrasonic device;

26A illustrates an integrated probe head system configured according to an embodiment of the present invention;

26B illustrates a wireless communication link between a probe and a host computer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

26C illustrates a wireless ultrasound system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

27 illustrates an alternative wireless ultrasound system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 28 illustrates an alternative integrated probe system configured according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

FIG. 29 illustrates the deployment of wireless access to an image generated by an ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

FIG. 30 illustrates an image viewer communicating with a personal computer according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

FIG. 31 illustrates an exemplary ultrasound image collection and distribution system;

FIG. 32 illustrates an ultrasound imaging system having a wireless communication link between a remote computing device and a detection head according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

Figure 33 illustrates a data processing and storage system for wireless operation;

34 is a schematic diagram showing an imaging and telemedicine system integrated with an ultrasound system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

35 illustrates a 2D imaging operation mode using a modular ultrasonic imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

36 illustrates a motion operation mode using a modular ultrasonic imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 37 illustrates a color Doppler operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

FIG. 38 illustrates a pulse-wave Doppler operation mode using a modular ultrasonic imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

FIG. 39 illustrates a triple scan operation mode using a modular ultrasonic imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

FIG. 40 illustrates a home screen interface (GUI) for a user operation mode of a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

41 illustrates a GUI function screen interface of a user operation mode for using a modularized ultrasound imaging system according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 42 illustrates a GUI patient data screen interface for a user operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

FIG. 43 illustrates a GUI preset screen interface for a user operation mode using a modular ultrasonic imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

44 illustrates a GUI viewing screen interface for a user operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

45 illustrates a GUI report screen interface for a user operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

46A to 46C illustrate a GUI setting display screen interface for a user operation mode using a modular ultrasonic imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 47 illustrates a GUI setting storage / acquisition screen interface for a user operation mode using a modular ultrasound imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

48 is a block diagram showing a structure of a physical shared memory according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 49 illustrates a shared memory system that enables communication between ultrasonic and non-ultrasonic operations; FIG.

50 is a view of a graphical user interface configured according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 51 illustrates a home screen display of a graphical user interface according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

52A-52C show an alternate display of a graphical user interface according to another embodiment of the present invention;

53A-53B illustrate a patient folder and an image folder of a graphical user interface according to an embodiment of the present invention;

54A to 54C illustrate an XY dual-plane detection head including two one-dimensional ID multi-element arrays according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 55 is a diagram illustrating an operation of forming a xy probe of a dual plane image according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

FIG. 56 is a diagram illustrating an operation of forming a xy probe of a dual plane image according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

57 illustrates a high-voltage driving circuit of a dual-plane image forming xy detection head according to an embodiment of the present invention;

58A-58B illustrate simultaneous biplane assessment of left ventricular conditions according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

59A to 59B illustrate measurement techniques of a ejection fraction detecting head according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 60 illustrates an exemplary method for wirelessly transmitting data to and from a portable ultrasonic imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (37)

A mobile medical ultrasound imaging device includes: A sensor detection head including a sensor array; A tablet computer casing having a front panel; a computer in the casing, the computer including at least a processor and at least a memory; using a graphical user interface (GUI) to display an ultrasound image; A touch screen display, the touch screen display is positioned on the front panel; the computer is communicatively connected to an ultrasonic beamformer processing circuit, the ultrasonic beamformer processing circuit receives image signals from the sensor array, and the computer can Operating in response to a first gesture input from the touch screen display to change an operation of the ultrasonic beamformer processing circuit; and The graphical user interface includes a plurality of icons displayed on the display relative to an ultrasonic image display window, and the touch screen display includes touch actuation control of scan depth. The device of claim 1, wherein the first gesture input corresponds to a movement gesture on the touch screen display. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor array comprises a dual planar sensor array The device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a second input including a two-tap gesture against the touch screen display. The device of claim 3, further comprising displaying a first cursor inside an area of a virtual window in response to the second input from the touch screen display, the virtual window displaying an enlarged image. The device of claim 5, further comprising receiving a third input from the touch screen display at the computer, the third input being received within the region of the virtual window. The device of claim 6, wherein the third input corresponds to a drag gesture on the touch screen display. The device of claim 6, further comprising, in response to the third input from the touch screen display, moving the first cursor to a first portion inside the region of the virtual window. As in the device of claim 1, one of the further inputs corresponds to a pressing gesture against one of the touch screen displays. The device of claim 9, further comprising receiving a second further input from the touch screen display at the computer, the second further input and the further input being received substantially simultaneously. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensor arrays operated by a beamformer processing circuit in the tablet computer housing. The device of claim 10, further comprising, in response to the second further input from the touch screen display, fixing the first cursor at the first portion inside the region of the virtual window. The device of claim 12, further comprising performing, by the computer, at least one measurement of the ultrasound image based at least in part on the first cursor at the first location. The device of claim 12, further comprising receiving a third further input from the touch screen display at the computer. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the third further input corresponds to a gesture of two clicks against the touch screen display. The device of claim 14, further comprising displaying a second cursor at a second location inside the region of the virtual window in response to the third further input from the touch screen display. If the device of claim 16, wherein the computer processes at least one measurement of the ultrasound image based at least in part on the respective parts of the first and second cursors within the region of the virtual window. The device of claim 9, wherein the further input corresponds to a press and drag gesture against one of the touch screen displays. The device of claim 1, further comprising a needle guide device. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensor connectors and the sensor is operable to select a sensor from the plurality of connected sensors. The device of claim 19, further comprising a communication protocol for simultaneously operating an imaging program and a network connection in a second window on the display. The device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor array connected to the housing using a sensor connector, the sensor array communicating with the ultrasonic beamformer processing circuit in the sensor detection head. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing has a volume of less than 2500 cubic centimeters. The device of claim 1, further comprising connecting the device to a wireless network connection such as a public access network such as the Internet. The device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless card port and a card reader. A method for operating a portable medical ultrasonic imaging device. The portable medical ultrasonic imaging system includes: a sensor detection head; a casing in a tablet computer appearance size, the casing has a front panel; A computer in the housing, the computer including at least a processor and at least a memory; a touch screen display for displaying an ultrasonic image, the touch screen display is arranged on the front panel; the computer is connected To an ultrasonic beamformer circuit, the touch screen display can be communicatively coupled to the computer. The method includes the following steps: Receiving a first input from the touch screen display at the computer; In response to the first input from the touch screen display, tracking a feature of the displayed ultrasound image; Receiving a second input from the touch screen display at the computer, the second input being received substantially simultaneously with a portion of the first input; and In response to the second input from the touch screen display, tracking of the feature of the displayed ultrasound image is completed. The method of claim 26, wherein the first input corresponds to a press and drag gesture against one of the touch screen displays. The method of claim 26, wherein the second input corresponds to a click gesture against the touch screen display. The method of claim 26, further comprising receiving a third input at the computer to activate an icon of a graphical user interface operating with the touch screen display. The method of claim 29, wherein the third input corresponds to a double-tap gesture against the touch screen display. The method of claim 29, further comprising displaying a first cursor inside an area of the touch screen display in response to the third input from the touch screen display. The method of claim 26, further comprising receiving a fourth input from the touch screen display at the computer. The method of claim 32, wherein the fourth input corresponds to a drag gesture on the touch screen display. The method of claim 32, further comprising, in response to the fourth input from the touch screen display, moving the first cursor to a first portion inside the area of the touch screen display. The method of claim 26, further comprising tracking the feature of the ultrasound image, which includes starting with a first cursor at a first location inside a region of a display window on the touch screen display. The method of claim 26, further comprising performing, by the computer, at least one measurement of the ultrasound image based at least in part on the tracking of the predetermined feature of the ultrasound image. The method of claim 26, further comprising connecting to a wireless data network using a card inserted into the tablet computer having a card reader circuit.