Aspects of the technology described herein relate to apparatuses and methods for performing elevational beamforming of ultrasound data. Elevational beamforming may be implemented by different types of control circuitry. Certain control circuitry may be configured to control memory such that ultrasound data from different elevational channels is summed with stored ultrasound data in the memory that was collected at different times. Certain control circuitry may be configured to control a decimator to decimate ultrasound data from different elevational channels with different phases. Certain control circuitry may be configured to control direct digital synthesis circuitry to add a different phase offset to complex signals generated by the DDS circuitry for multiplying with ultrasound data from different elevational channels.
Aspects of the technology described herein include a processing device configured to display, on a touch-sensitive display screen of a processing device in operative communication with an ultrasound device, an ultrasound image, a movable measurement tool, and an icon that maintains a fixed distance from a portion of the measurement tool. The icon may be configured to modify the measurement tool, and the icon may not overlap the measurement tool.
A system for coherence imaging may receive ultrasound signals each having a respective delay associated with a respective ultrasonic transducer element in an ultrasonic transducer array. The system may obtain an approximation of the auto-correlation of ultrasound signals without any auto-correlation calculation, and determine the output image based on the approximation. In approximating the auto-correlation, the system may group the ultrasound signals into multiple portions, each corresponding to a respective sub-aperture of a plurality of sub-apertures of the ultrasonic transducer array. The system may determine a coherent sum of signals for each sub-aperture, perform a square operation or magnitude square operation over the coherent sum to obtain resulting data, normalize the resulting data, and sum the resulting data for all of the sub-apertures to generate the output image. A sub-aperture in the plurality of sub-apertures may overlap with another sub-aperture.
An ultrasound system includes an ultrasound probe and a mobile device in operative communication with each other. The ultrasound probe includes three buttons—an up button, a center button, and a down button—disposed on the external housing. The mobile device may be configured to receive an indication from the ultrasound probe of a double press of the center button when the mobile device is displaying a scan screen. Based on the double press of the center button, the mobile device may be configured to display a button function configuration menu on the scan screen, receive a selection from the button function configuration menu of a button function configuration, receive an indication of a single press of the up button or the down button, and perform an action in accordance with the single press of the up button or the down button and the button function configuration.
A processing device, that communicates with an ultrasound device, includes: a display screen; a memory that stores presets, where each preset includes one or more modes used to control the ultrasound device and one or more tools to analyze ultrasound data from the ultrasound device; and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to: operate the ultrasound device using a first preset; generate ultrasound images using ultrasound data from the ultrasound device, where the ultrasound images include a first portion of the ultrasound images that are imaging frames acquired with the first preset and a second portion of the ultrasound images that are search frames acquired with a search preset; display the imaging frames of the first portion on the display screen; identify an anatomical feature in the search frames using a deep learning model; select a target preset based on the identified anatomical feature.
Technology for guiding a user to collect clinically usable ultrasound images is described. In some embodiments, an ultrasound device may automatically change the elevational steering angle of its ultrasound beam (e.g., using beamforming) in order to collect ultrasound data from different imaging planes within the subject. A processing device in operative communication with the ultrasound device may select one of the collected ultrasound images based on its quality (e.g., select the ultrasound image having the highest quality), and then continue to collect ultrasound images using the elevational steering angle at which the selected ultrasound image was collected.
An ultrasound probe includes an ultrasound transducer stack, an acoustic lens, and an acoustic coupling layer between the acoustic lens and the ultrasound transducer stack. The transducer stack includes one or more ultrasound transducers emitting an acoustic signal and the acoustic lens focuses the acoustic signal. The acoustic coupling layer has a speed of sound that is higher than a speed of sound in the acoustic lens, and the acoustic coupling layer has a thickness between a quarter and half a wavelength of the acoustic signal.
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
8.
THERMAL DISSIPATION STRUCTURES FOR ULTRASOUND PROBES
The present disclosure provides an ultrasound device including thermal dissipation features. The ultrasound device is an ultrasound probe in some situations and includes thermal dissipation features allowing for increased runtime at higher power consumption rates. The thermal dissipation features include an interposer with thermal vias, a heat spreader, a heat sink, a single piece probe housing, and a chassis, or various combinations of such features.
An ultrasound transducer device made by a process that includes the steps of forming depositing a first layer on a substrate, depositing a second layer on the first layer, patterning the second layer at a region corresponding to a location of a transducer cavity, depositing a third layer that refills regions created by patterning the second layer, planarizing the third layer to a top surface of the second layer, removing the second layer, conformally depositing a fourth layer over the first layer and the third layer, defining the transducer cavity in a support layer formed over the fourth layer; and bonding a membrane to the support layer.
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
B81B 3/00 - Dispositifs comportant des éléments flexibles ou déformables, p. ex. comportant des membranes ou des lamelles élastiques
B81C 1/00 - Fabrication ou traitement de dispositifs ou de systèmes dans ou sur un substrat
10.
METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ACQUISITION OF PATIENT INFORMATION FOR ULTRASOUND SCANS VIA BARCODE EXTRACTION
Described herein are methods and systems for acquisition of patient information for ultrasound scans via barcode extraction. An ultrasound system may include an ultrasound device, a mobile device in operative communication with the ultrasound device, a processing device, and a cloud including one or more servers. The processing device may be configured to prompt for and receive selection of a barcode type, and prompt for and receive configuration of how to process barcode data, where the prompt is based on the selected barcode type The mobile device may be configured to download barcode settings from the cloud, perform an ultrasound scan on a patient in conjunction with the ultrasound device, scan a barcode associated with the patient, process the barcode data based on the downloaded barcode settings, and perform an electronic health record query based on data from the processed barcode.
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
G16H 10/60 - TIC spécialement adaptées au maniement ou au traitement des données médicales ou de soins de santé relatives aux patients pour des données spécifiques de patients, p. ex. pour des dossiers électroniques de patients
G16H 40/63 - TIC spécialement adaptées à la gestion ou à l’administration de ressources ou d’établissements de santéTIC spécialement adaptées à la gestion ou au fonctionnement d’équipement ou de dispositifs médicaux pour le fonctionnement d’équipement ou de dispositifs médicaux pour le fonctionnement local
11.
METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR MONITORING FETAL HEARTBEAT AND UTERINE CONTRACTION SIGNALS
An ultrasound system includes: an ultrasound device having a two-dimensional array of ultrasound transducers; and a smartphone or tablet in operative communication with the ultrasound device. The ultrasound system is configured to: collect multiple sets of ultrasound data from multiple regions within the subject; detect fetal heartbeat signals and uterine contraction signals; monitor a fetal heartbeat signal among the fetal heartbeat signals by automatically steering an ultrasound beam to a first region among the multiple regions within the subject to collect first further ultrasound data from the first region based on a quality of the fetal heartbeat signal; and monitor a uterine contraction signal among the uterine contraction signals by automatically steering the ultrasound beam to a second region among the multiple regions within the subject to collect second further ultrasound data from the second region based on a quality of the uterine contraction signal.
A variable current trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) for an ultrasound device is described. The TIA may be coupled to an ultrasonic transducer to amplify an output signal of the ultrasonic transducer representing an ultrasound signal received by the ultrasonic transducer. During acquisition of the ultrasound signal by the ultrasonic transducer, one or more current sources in the TIA may be varied.
H03F 3/16 - Amplificateurs comportant comme éléments d'amplification uniquement des tubes à décharge ou uniquement des dispositifs à semi-conducteurs comportant uniquement des dispositifs à semi-conducteurs avec dispositifs à effet de champ
A61B 5/00 - Mesure servant à établir un diagnostic Identification des individus
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
G01S 7/52 - Détails des systèmes correspondant aux groupes , , de systèmes selon le groupe
H03F 1/08 - Modifications des amplificateurs pour réduire l'influence défavorable de l'impédance interne des éléments amplificateurs
Aspects of the technology described herein relate to built-in self-testing (BIST) of circuitry (e.g., a pulser or receive circuitry) and/or transducers in an ultrasound device. A BIST circuit may include a transconductance amplifier coupled between a pulser and receive circuitry, a capacitor network coupled between a pulser and receive circuitry, and/or a current source couplable to the input terminal of receive circuitry to which a transducer is also couplable. The collapse voltages of transducers may be characterized using BIST circuitry, and a bias voltage may be applied to the membranes of the transducers based at least in part on their collapse voltages. The capacitances of transducers may also be measured using BIST circuitry and a notification may be generated based on the sets of measurements.
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
G01N 29/30 - Dispositions pour l'étalonnage ou la comparaison, p. ex. avec des objets standard
G01S 7/52 - Détails des systèmes correspondant aux groupes , , de systèmes selon le groupe
G01S 15/89 - Systèmes sonar, spécialement adaptés à des applications spécifiques pour la cartographie ou la représentation
H03F 1/32 - Modifications des amplificateurs pour réduire la distorsion non linéaire
H03K 5/24 - Circuits présentant plusieurs entrées et une sortie pour comparer des impulsions ou des trains d'impulsions entre eux en ce qui concerne certaines caractéristiques du signal d'entrée, p. ex. la pente, l'intégrale la caractéristique étant l'amplitude
H03M 3/00 - Conversion de valeurs analogiques en, ou à partir d'une modulation différentielle
14.
APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR CONFIGURING ULTRASOUND DEVICES
Ultrasound devices are disclosed. The ultrasound devices have an elevational dimension. Different percentages of the aperture of the ultrasound device corresponding to different percentages of the elevational dimension are utilized in different applications. The resolution of imagine may be adjusted in connection with usage of different percentages of the aperture.
An ultrasonic transducer is described. The ultrasonic transducer comprises a membrane and a substrate disposed opposite the membrane such that a cavity is formed therebetween. The substrate comprises an electrode region and pedestals protruding from a surface of the substrate and having a height greater than a height of the electrode region, the pedestals being electrically isolated from the electrode region.
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
B81B 3/00 - Dispositifs comportant des éléments flexibles ou déformables, p. ex. comportant des membranes ou des lamelles élastiques
The systems and methods for generating a three-dimensional (3D) model of an imaging target of an ultrasound scan. In one aspect, an ultrasound device having a two-dimensional (2D) flat array of micromachined ultrasound transducers can utilize beam steering to take a series of ultrasound images at a range of angles along an axis. The images may be collected, analyzed and processed to generate a 3D model of the subject matter from the series of images. The system can then display, to a user, a view of the imaging target from a point of view other than the point of view at which the target was originally imaged.
The systems and methods for capturing images using ultrasound and in particular, systems that provide an ultrasound probe having a two-dimensional (2D) array of ultrasound transducers elements. The systems leverage the 2D array of transducer elements to achieve beam steering over the generated ultrasound signals. The system applies beam steering to generate multiple ultrasound signals which are, in sequence, transmitted across the elevational dimension of the 2D transducer array and at different angles of orientation. Each transmission in the sequence can be treated as a slice of a final image (whether still or video) that can be presented on a display. The final image is generated by image processing the multiple different slices of images to join the images slices together into a composite image. The joined images may be presented on a display to the user. Optionally, the joined images may be presented as a video of images made by sweeping the ultrasound beam over an anatomical target.
Micromachined ultrasonic transducers having pressure ports are described. The micromachined ultrasonic transducers may comprise flexible membranes configured to vibrate over a cavity. The cavity may be sealed, in some instances by the membrane itself. A pressure port may provide access to the cavity, and thus control of the cavity pressure. In some embodiments, an ultrasound device including an array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers is provided, with pressure ports for at least some of the ultrasonic transducers. The pressure ports may be used to control pressure across the array.
A61B 8/12 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores dans des cavités ou des conduits du corps, p. ex. en utilisant des cathéters
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
B06B 1/06 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique fonctionnant par effet piézo-électrique ou par électrostriction
H10N 30/20 - Dispositifs piézo-électriques ou électrostrictifs à entrée électrique et sortie mécanique, p. ex. fonctionnant comme actionneurs ou comme vibrateurs
19.
APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR CONFIGURING ULTRASOUND DEVICES
Ultrasound devices are described. The ultrasound devices may be flexibly configured to output a certain number of multilines per channel of ultrasound data and to process certain channels of ultrasound data per processing cycle. The ultrasound device may then be configured to either output more multilines per channel and process fewer channels per processing cycle, or output fewer multilines per channel and process more channels per processing cycle. In other words, the circuitry may be configured to change to a configuration with increased resolution and increased processing time or to a configuration with decreased resolution and decreased processing time.
A61B 8/12 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores dans des cavités ou des conduits du corps, p. ex. en utilisant des cathéters
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
Aspects of the technology described herein related to controlling, using control circuitry, modulation circuitry to modulate and delay first ultrasound data generated by first ultrasound transducers positioned at a first azimuthal position of an ultrasound transducer array of an ultrasound device and second ultrasound data generated by second ultrasound transducers positioned at a second azimuthal position of the ultrasound transducer array of the ultrasound device, such that the first ultrasound data is delayed by a first delay amount and the second ultrasound data is delayed by a second delay amount that is different from the first delay amount. The first and second ultrasound data received from the modulation circuitry may be filtered and summed. The ultrasound transducer array, the control circuitry, the modulation circuitry, the filtering circuitry, and the summing circuitry may be integrated onto a semiconductor chip or one or more semiconductor chips packaged together.
A method includes: determining, by a host device, a predetermined path including a first tilt from which a target anatomical view is available and a second tilt from which the target anatomical view is not available, where the predetermined path has a pivot of fewer than 180 degrees about an anatomical area; instructing, by the host device, an operator to pivot an ultrasound device along the predetermined path by displaying a display on the host device; receiving a first ultrasound image depicting the target anatomical view and a second ultrasound image not depicting the target anatomical view based on ultrasound data collected by the ultrasound device while pivoting along the predetermined path; and identifying that the first ultrasound image depicts the target anatomical view. The predetermined path is determined prior to collecting the first ultrasound image and the second ultrasound image.
A method of forming an ultrasonic transducer device includes forming and patterning a film stack over a substrate, the film stack comprising a metal electrode layer and a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) stop layer formed over the metal electrode layer; forming an insulation layer over the patterned film stack; planarizing the insulation layer to the CMP stop layer; measuring a remaining thickness of the CMP stop layer; and forming a membrane support layer over the patterned film stack, wherein the membrane support layer is formed at thickness dependent upon the measured remaining thickness of the CMP stop layer, such that a combined thickness of the CMP stop layer and the membrane support layer corresponds to a desired transducer cavity depth.
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
B81B 3/00 - Dispositifs comportant des éléments flexibles ou déformables, p. ex. comportant des membranes ou des lamelles élastiques
B81C 1/00 - Fabrication ou traitement de dispositifs ou de systèmes dans ou sur un substrat
To implement a single-chip ultrasonic imaging solution, on-chip signal processing may be employed in the receive signal path to reduce data bandwidth and a high-speed serial data module may be used to move data for all received channels off-chip as digital data stream. The digitization of received signals on-chip allows advanced digital signal processing to be performed on-chip, and thus permits the full integration of an entire ultrasonic imaging system on a single semiconductor substrate. Various novel waveform generation techniques, transducer configuration and biasing methodologies, etc., are likewise disclosed. HIFU methods may additionally or alternatively be employed as a component of the “ultrasound-on-a-chip” solution disclosed herein.
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
B81C 1/00 - Fabrication ou traitement de dispositifs ou de systèmes dans ou sur un substrat
G01S 7/52 - Détails des systèmes correspondant aux groupes , , de systèmes selon le groupe
G01S 15/02 - Systèmes utilisant la réflexion ou la reradiation d'ondes acoustiques, p. ex. systèmes sonar utilisant la réflexion d'ondes acoustiques
G01S 15/89 - Systèmes sonar, spécialement adaptés à des applications spécifiques pour la cartographie ou la représentation
Aspects of the technology described herein relate to receiving an ultrasound image, automatically determining a location of a specific point on an anatomical structure depicted in the ultrasound image, and displaying an indicator of the location of the specific point on the anatomical structure on the ultrasound image. In some embodiments, the anatomical structure is a bladder. In some embodiments, the specific point is the centroid. In some embodiments, a statistical model determines the specific point. The indicator may be, for example, a symbol located at the specific point, a horizontal line extending through the specific point from one edge of the anatomical structure to another, and/or a vertical line extending through the specific point from one edge of the anatomical structure to another.
Systems that include an array of ultrasound transducers divided into two or more sub-arrays where for example, a one or two dimensional array, with a long axis in a lateral direction, may be divided in half. The system may include a different beamformer for each sub-array. Each sub-array may define independent and spatially separated sub-apertures. The spatial separation of the two sub-apertures allows for aperture compounding to reduce speckle because the received ultrasound waves at each sub-aperture are propagating in a different direction with respect to each other. This may allow the point spread function for the ultrasound signals corresponding to each sub-aperture to be decorrelated for reducing speckle. The speckle can be reduced by averaging the ultrasound signal from each of the sub-apertures, and a higher resolution can be maintained by also using the signal from the full aperture.
An ultrasound system includes an ultrasound probe and a mobile device in operative communication with each other. The ultrasound probe includes three buttons—an up button, a center button, and a down button—disposed on the external housing. The mobile device may be configured to receive an indication from the ultrasound probe of a double press of the center button when the mobile device is displaying a scan screen. Based on the double press of the center button, the mobile device may be configured to display a button function configuration menu on the scan screen, receive a selection from the button function configuration menu of a button function configuration, receive an indication of a single press of the up button or the down button, and perform an action in accordance with the single press of the up button or the down button and the button function configuration.
Aspects of the technology described herein include a processing device configured to display, on a touch-sensitive display screen of a processing device in operative communication with an ultrasound device, an ultrasound image, a movable measurement tool, and an icon that maintains a fixed distance from a portion of the measurement tool. The icon may be configured to modify the measurement tool, and the icon may not overlap the measurement tool.
Aspects of the technology described herein relate to built-in self-testing (BIST) of circuitry (e.g., a pulser or receive circuitry) and/or transducers in an ultrasound device. A BIST circuit may include a transconductance amplifier coupled between a pulser and receive circuitry, a capacitor network coupled between a pulser and receive circuitry, and/or a current source couplable to the input terminal of receive circuitry to which a transducer is also couplable. The collapse voltages of transducers may be characterized using BIST circuitry, and a bias voltage may be applied to the membranes of the transducers based at least in part on their collapse voltages. The capacitances of transducers may also be measured using BIST circuitry and a notification may be generated based on the sets of measurements.
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
G01N 29/30 - Dispositions pour l'étalonnage ou la comparaison, p. ex. avec des objets standard
G01S 7/52 - Détails des systèmes correspondant aux groupes , , de systèmes selon le groupe
G01S 15/89 - Systèmes sonar, spécialement adaptés à des applications spécifiques pour la cartographie ou la représentation
H03F 1/32 - Modifications des amplificateurs pour réduire la distorsion non linéaire
H03K 5/24 - Circuits présentant plusieurs entrées et une sortie pour comparer des impulsions ou des trains d'impulsions entre eux en ce qui concerne certaines caractéristiques du signal d'entrée, p. ex. la pente, l'intégrale la caractéristique étant l'amplitude
H03M 3/00 - Conversion de valeurs analogiques en, ou à partir d'une modulation différentielle
29.
Convolutional neural network for identification of anatomical landmark
A method includes: obtaining an ultrasound image of an anatomical area from an ultrasound imaging device; inputting the ultrasound image into a first stage of a convolutional neural network, the first stage configured to determine key-point locations of the anatomical area; generating, for each of the key-point locations, a cropped region of the ultrasound image; inputting each of the cropped regions into a second stage of the convolutional neural network, the second stage configured to locate an anatomical landmark of the anatomical area; and outputting a location of the anatomical landmark.
G06V 10/82 - Dispositions pour la reconnaissance ou la compréhension d’images ou de vidéos utilisant la reconnaissance de formes ou l’apprentissage automatique utilisant les réseaux neuronaux
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
A61B 8/02 - Mesure du pouls ou du rythme cardiaque
G06F 18/2413 - Techniques de classification relatives au modèle de classification, p. ex. approches paramétriques ou non paramétriques basées sur les distances des motifs d'entraînement ou de référence
G06T 7/70 - Détermination de la position ou de l'orientation des objets ou des caméras
G06T 11/60 - Édition de figures et de texteCombinaison de figures ou de texte
G06T 19/00 - Transformation de modèles ou d'images tridimensionnels [3D] pour infographie
G06V 10/44 - Extraction de caractéristiques locales par analyse des parties du motif, p. ex. par détection d’arêtes, de contours, de boucles, d’angles, de barres ou d’intersectionsAnalyse de connectivité, p. ex. de composantes connectées
G06V 30/19 - Reconnaissance utilisant des moyens électroniques
G06V 30/194 - Références réglables par une méthode adaptative, p. ex. par apprentissage
G06V 40/60 - Moyens statiques ou dynamiques permettant d’aider l’utilisateur à positionner une partie du corps pour l’acquisition de données biométriques
A61B 34/20 - Systèmes de navigation chirurgicaleDispositifs pour le suivi ou le guidage d'instruments chirurgicaux, p. ex. pour la stéréotaxie sans cadre
A61B 90/00 - Instruments, outillage ou accessoires spécialement adaptés à la chirurgie ou au diagnostic non couverts par l'un des groupes , p. ex. pour le traitement de la luxation ou pour la protection de bords de blessures
30.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSLATING ULTRASOUND IMAGES
The systems and methods, in one embodiment, include a convolutional neural network (CNN) model trained by a modified version of the CycleGAN process. The CNN filters ultrasound images generated by a handheld ultrasound device to generate images that are perceptually similar to images generated by a cart-based ultrasound device in terms of quality. The resulting images look sharper and less noisy compared to the original inputs. The invention is a tool within the actions menu of a mobile app. When the tool is open, users can turn filtering on and off. The users will turn filtering on to reduce noise so they can reach the right scanning spot faster. After which because of body habitus, still there might be some noise that this tool can clean up. The user can then decide to have the filtering on or off during the diagnostic process.
G16H 30/20 - TIC spécialement adaptées au maniement ou au traitement d’images médicales pour le maniement d’images médicales, p. ex. DICOM, HL7 ou PACS
31.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE WITH FILTER FOR ULTRASOUND IMAGE PRESETS
A graphical user interface displayed by a processing device in operative communication with an ultrasound device may include a preset filter option that provides an easy way to switch between different presets which belong to a preset family. The user uses the preset filter feature to cycle through the different presets in the family while remaining on the same screen that is showing ultrasound images collected in real time. The imaging depth remains the same while the user is using the preset filter feature to select the preset within a family Other settings such as time-gain compensation may not remain the same when cycling between presets. The preset filter feature allows a user to continuously view and assess the ultrasound images being collected in real time while cycling through the presets in the family.
An ultrasound-on-a-chip device has an ultrasonic transducer substrate with plurality of transducer cells, and an electrical substrate. For each transducer cell, one or more conductive bond connections are disposed between the ultrasonic transducer substrate and the electrical substrate. Examples of electrical substrates include CMOS chips, integrated circuits including analog circuits, interposers and printed circuit boards.
H10N 30/05 - Fabrication de dispositifs piézo-électriques ou électrostrictifs multicouches ou de leurs parties constitutives, p. ex. en empilant des corps piézo-électriques et des électrodes
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
B06B 1/06 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique fonctionnant par effet piézo-électrique ou par électrostriction
H05K 3/36 - Assemblage de circuits imprimés avec d'autres circuits imprimés
H10N 30/87 - Électrodes ou interconnexions, p. ex. connexions électriques ou bornes
33.
Trans-impedance amplifier for ultrasound device and related apparatus and methods
A variable current trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) for an ultrasound device is described. The TIA may be coupled to an ultrasonic transducer to amplify an output signal of the ultrasonic transducer representing an ultrasound signal received by the ultrasonic transducer. During acquisition of the ultrasound signal by the ultrasonic transducer, one or more current sources in the TIA may be varied.
G01S 7/52 - Détails des systèmes correspondant aux groupes , , de systèmes selon le groupe
A61B 5/00 - Mesure servant à établir un diagnostic Identification des individus
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
H03F 1/08 - Modifications des amplificateurs pour réduire l'influence défavorable de l'impédance interne des éléments amplificateurs
H03F 3/16 - Amplificateurs comportant comme éléments d'amplification uniquement des tubes à décharge ou uniquement des dispositifs à semi-conducteurs comportant uniquement des dispositifs à semi-conducteurs avec dispositifs à effet de champ
CMOS Ultrasonic Transducers and processes for making such devices are described. The processes may include forming cavities on a first wafer and bonding the first wafer to a second wafer. The second wafer may be processed to form a membrane for the cavities. Electrical access to the cavities may be provided.
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
B81B 3/00 - Dispositifs comportant des éléments flexibles ou déformables, p. ex. comportant des membranes ou des lamelles élastiques
B81C 1/00 - Fabrication ou traitement de dispositifs ou de systèmes dans ou sur un substrat
G10K 9/12 - Dispositifs dans lesquels le son est produit par la vibration d'un diaphragme ou un élément analogue, p. ex. cornes de brume, avertisseurs de véhicule ou vibreurs fonctionnant électriquement
G10K 11/18 - Procédés ou dispositifs pour transmettre, conduire ou diriger le son
35.
Anti-stiction bottom cavity surface for micromachined ultrasonic transducer devices
An ultrasound transducer device made by a process that includes the steps of forming depositing a first layer on a substrate, depositing a second layer on the first layer, patterning the second layer at a region corresponding to a location of a transducer cavity, depositing a third layer that refills regions created by patterning the second layer, planarizing the third layer to a top surface of the second layer, removing the second layer, conformally depositing a fourth layer over the first layer and the third layer, defining the transducer cavity in a support layer formed over the fourth layer; and bonding a membrane to the support layer.
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
B81B 3/00 - Dispositifs comportant des éléments flexibles ou déformables, p. ex. comportant des membranes ou des lamelles élastiques
B81C 1/00 - Fabrication ou traitement de dispositifs ou de systèmes dans ou sur un substrat
36.
ERGONOMIC ATTACHMENTS FOR A HANDHELD ULTRASOUND PROBE
Ergonomic attachments for a handheld ultrasound probe are described herein. An attachment assembly includes a plate-shaped member that includes a passage configured to accommodate the handheld ultrasound probe such that when the plate-shaped member is inserted in the attachment assembly, a portion of a transducer head of the handheld ultrasound probe protrudes from the plate-shaped member. Another attachment assembly includes a shell that attaches to the handheld ultrasound probe and partially covers the handheld ultrasound probe, and strap anchors that are each connected to the shell and are disposed at opposite ends of the shell. Another attachment includes a curved bar that is continuous between a proximal attachment flange, of the curved bar, that attaches to a first location of the handheld ultrasound probe and a distal attachment flange, of the curved bar, that attaches to a second location of the handheld ultrasound probe.
Aspects of the technology described herein related to controlling, using control circuitry, modulation circuitry to modulate and delay first ultrasound data generated by first ultrasound transducers positioned at a first azimuthal position of an ultrasound transducer array of an ultrasound device and second ultrasound data generated by second ultrasound transducers positioned at a second azimuthal position of the ultrasound transducer array of the ultrasound device, such that the first ultrasound data is delayed by a first delay amount and the second ultrasound data is delayed by a second delay amount that is different from the first delay amount. The first and second ultrasound data received from the modulation circuitry may be filtered and summed. The ultrasound transducer array, the control circuitry, the modulation circuitry, the filtering circuitry, and the summing circuitry may be integrated onto a semiconductor chip or one or more semiconductor chips packaged together.
Aspects of the technology described herein relate to techniques for calculating, during imaging, a quality of a sequence of images collected during the imaging. Calculating the quality of the sequence of images may include calculating a probability that a medical professional would use a given image for clinical evaluation and a confidence that an automated analysis segmentation performed on the given image is correct. Techniques described herein also include receiving a trigger to perform an automatic measurement on a sequence of images, calculating a quality of the sequence of images, determining whether the quality of the sequence of images exceeds a threshold quality, and performing the automatic measurement on the sequence of images based on determining that the quality of the sequence of images exceeds the threshold quality.
An ultrasound device includes: ultrasonic transducer cavities; a membrane comprising a silicon layer that seals the ultrasonic transducer cavities; electrode regions configured to control vibration of the membrane; and a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) substrate including integrated circuitry that is electrically coupled to the electrode regions. The ultrasonic transducer cavities are disposed between the membrane and the integrated circuitry along a vertical direction of the ultrasound device.
B81C 1/00 - Fabrication ou traitement de dispositifs ou de systèmes dans ou sur un substrat
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
An ultrasound transducer device includes an electrode, a membrane separated from the electrode by a cavity between the membrane and the electrode, a patterned membrane support layer that defines a size and shape of the cavity and that is disposed between the electrode and the membrane, and vias that electrically connect the electrode to a substrate. The vias are disposed in the ultrasound transducer device such that less than 50% of the vias overlap with a support surface of the patterned membrane support layer, in a plan view.
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
B81B 3/00 - Dispositifs comportant des éléments flexibles ou déformables, p. ex. comportant des membranes ou des lamelles élastiques
B81C 1/00 - Fabrication ou traitement de dispositifs ou de systèmes dans ou sur un substrat
41.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR WIRED AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATION USING ULTRASOUND DEVICES
An ultrasound system may include an ultrasound device that includes a first wired communication module and a first wireless communication module. The ultrasound system may further include a processing device that includes a second wired communication module and a second wireless communication module. The processing device may pair with the ultrasound device over a wireless connection using the first wireless communication module and the second wireless communication module. The processing device may further indicate a wireless connection on a display screen of the processing device. The processing device may further conduct an ultrasound imaging session over the wireless connection. The processing device may further determine that a cable has been connected between the ultrasound device and the processing device. The processing device may further terminate the wireless connection with the ultrasound device. The processing device may further indicate a wired connection on the display screen of the processing device.
G16H 40/67 - TIC spécialement adaptées à la gestion ou à l’administration de ressources ou d’établissements de santéTIC spécialement adaptées à la gestion ou au fonctionnement d’équipement ou de dispositifs médicaux pour le fonctionnement d’équipement ou de dispositifs médicaux pour le fonctionnement à distance
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
42.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING ULTRASOUND OPERATIONS USING MACHINE LEARNING AND/OR NON-GUI INTERACTIONS
An ultrasound system may be used for performing an ultrasound imaging exam. The ultrasound system may include an ultrasound imaging device. The ultrasound system may further include a processing device in operative communication with the ultrasound imaging device. The ultrasound system may automatically capture or receive a voice command to capture a clinically relevant ultrasound image.
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
G16H 10/60 - TIC spécialement adaptées au maniement ou au traitement des données médicales ou de soins de santé relatives aux patients pour des données spécifiques de patients, p. ex. pour des dossiers électroniques de patients
G10L 15/22 - Procédures utilisées pendant le processus de reconnaissance de la parole, p. ex. dialogue homme-machine
Aspects of the technology described herein include a processing device configured to display, on a touch-sensitive display screen of a processing device in operative communication with an ultrasound device, an ultrasound image, a movable measurement tool, and an icon that maintains a fixed distance from a portion of the measurement tool. The icon may be configured to modify the measurement tool, and the icon may not overlap the measurement tool.
Aspects of the technology described herein relate to receiving an ultrasound image, automatically determining a location of a specific point on an anatomical structure depicted in the ultrasound image, and displaying an indicator of the location of the specific point on the anatomical structure on the ultrasound image. In some embodiments, the anatomical structure is a bladder. In some embodiments, the specific point is the centroid. In some embodiments, a statistical model determines the specific point. The indicator may be, for example, a symbol located at the specific point, a horizontal line extending through the specific point from one edge of the anatomical structure to another, and/or a vertical line extending through the specific point from one edge of the anatomical structure to another.
Aspects of the technology described herein relate to operator processing devices and instructor processing device for tele-medicine. The instructor processing device may be configured to receive, from an instruction interface, a selection of an instruction for moving an ultrasound device. The operator processing device may be configured to determine a pose of the ultrasound device relative to the operator processing device. The instructor processing device and the operator processing device may be configured to display in an operator video, based on the pose of the ultrasound device relative to the operator processing device and based on the selected instruction, a directional indicator for moving the ultrasound device. The instructor processing device may also be configured to display, based on the pose of the ultrasound device relative to the operator processing device, orientation indicators in the instruction interface and/or the operator video.
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
G06T 19/00 - Transformation de modèles ou d'images tridimensionnels [3D] pour infographie
G16H 40/67 - TIC spécialement adaptées à la gestion ou à l’administration de ressources ou d’établissements de santéTIC spécialement adaptées à la gestion ou au fonctionnement d’équipement ou de dispositifs médicaux pour le fonctionnement d’équipement ou de dispositifs médicaux pour le fonctionnement à distance
G06T 19/20 - Édition d'images tridimensionnelles [3D], p. ex. modification de formes ou de couleurs, alignement d'objets ou positionnements de parties
46.
Methods and apparatuses for ultrasound imaging of lungs
An apparatus includes a processing device in operative communication with an ultrasound device. The processing device is configured to: receive a user selection of a lung imaging preset option and a user-selected imaging depth for the ultrasound device; define a threshold imaging depth based on a shallow lung imaging mode and a deep lung imaging mode (the threshold imaging depth is between approximately 4 cm and 8 cm); after receiving the user selection of the user-selected imaging depth, compare the user-selected imaging depth with the threshold imaging depth; and automatically configure the ultrasound device to switch between the shallow lung imaging mode and deep lung imaging mode, depending upon a result of the comparison of the user-selected imaging depth with the threshold imaging depth.
Aspects of the technology described herein relate to apparatuses and methods for performing elevational beamforming of ultrasound data. Elevational beamforming may be implemented by different types of control circuitry. Certain control circuitry may be configured to control memory such that ultrasound data from different elevational channels is summed with stored ultrasound data in the memory that was collected at different times. Certain control circuitry may be configured to control a decimator to decimate ultrasound data from different elevational channels with different phases. Certain control circuitry may be configured to control direct digital synthesis circuitry to add a different phase offset to complex signals generated by the DDS circuitry for multiplying with ultrasound data from different elevational channels.
A processing device is coupled to a single ultrasound device having a single array of capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers (CMUTs). The processing device generates a graphical user interface (GUI) having user selectable GUI menu options corresponding to respective ultrasound operating modes for the single ultrasound device having the single ultrasound transducer array. The user-selectable GUI menu options include GUI menu options labeled as representing an ultrasound operating mode for musculoskeletal imaging, breast imaging, carotid imaging, vascular imaging, and abdominal imaging, respectively. The processing device further receives, via the GUI, user input indicating selection of one of the ultrasound operating modes, and in response to receiving the user input, provides an indication to the single ultrasound device having the single array of CMUTs to operate in the selected ultrasound operating mode.
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
A61B 8/12 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores dans des cavités ou des conduits du corps, p. ex. en utilisant des cathéters
B06B 1/06 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique fonctionnant par effet piézo-électrique ou par électrostriction
49.
ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER DEVICES AND METHODS FOR FABRICATING ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER DEVICES
An ultrasound transducer device includes: a first insulating layer formed on a first integrated circuit substrate; a second insulating layer formed on the first insulating layer; a third insulating layer formed on the second insulating layer, and a second substrate bonded to the first integrated circuit. A first cavity is formed in the third insulating layer. The second substrate is bonded to the first integrated circuit such that the first cavity is sealed.
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
50.
System and method for graphical user interface with filter for ultrasound image presets
A graphical user interface displayed by a processing device in operative communication with an ultrasound device may include a preset filter option that provides an easy way to switch between different presets which belong to a preset family. The user uses the preset filter feature to cycle through the different presets in the family while remaining on the same screen that is showing ultrasound images collected in real time. The imaging depth remains the same while the user is using the preset filter feature to select the preset within a family. Other settings such as time-gain compensation may not remain the same when cycling between presets. The preset filter feature allows a user to continuously view and assess the ultrasound images being collected in real time while cycling through the presets in the family.
A method of forming an ultrasonic transducer device involves depositing a first layer on a substrate, depositing a second layer on the first layer, patterning the second layer at a region corresponding to a location of a transducer cavity, depositing a third layer that refills regions created by patterning the second layer, planarizing the third layer to a top surface of the second layer, removing the second layer, conformally depositing a fourth layer over the first layer and the third layer, defining the transducer cavity in a support layer formed over the fourth layer; and bonding a membrane to the support layer.
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
B81B 3/00 - Dispositifs comportant des éléments flexibles ou déformables, p. ex. comportant des membranes ou des lamelles élastiques
B81C 1/00 - Fabrication ou traitement de dispositifs ou de systèmes dans ou sur un substrat
52.
Adaptive cavity thickness control for micromachined ultrasonic transducer devices
An ultrasonic transducer device includes a patterned film stack disposed on first regions of a substrate, the patterned film stack including a metal electrode layer and a bottom cavity layer formed on the metal electrode layer. The ultrasonic transducer device further includes a planarized insulation layer disposed on second regions of the substrate layer, a cavity formed in a membrane support layer and a CMP stop layer, the CMP stop layer including a top layer of the patterned film stack and the membrane support layer formed over the patterned film stack and the planarized insulation layer. The ultrasonic transducer device also includes a membrane bonded to the membrane support layer. The CMP stop layer underlies portions of the membrane support layer but not the cavity.
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
B81B 3/00 - Dispositifs comportant des éléments flexibles ou déformables, p. ex. comportant des membranes ou des lamelles élastiques
B81C 1/00 - Fabrication ou traitement de dispositifs ou de systèmes dans ou sur un substrat
53.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ADJUSTING SCAN PATTERN FOR ULTRASOUND IMAGING
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for automatically updating scan patterns used during ultrasound imaging. A handheld ultrasound system may include an ultrasound device with a two-dimensional array of ultrasound transducers, and a smartphone or tablet that configures the ultrasound device to obtain a first ultrasound image frame using a scan pattern defining an acoustic beam. The system then updates the scan pattern to optimize a view of the desired anatomy. When the system is operating in cardiac imaging mode, the scan pattern may be updated by adjusting the azimuthal tilt and/or the elevational tilt of the acoustic beam. When the system is operating in lung imaging mode, the scan pattern may be updated by adjusting the elevational tilt and/or the translation of the aperture of the array of ultrasound transducers. The system then configures the ultrasound device to obtain a second ultrasound image frame using the updated scan pattern.
Aspects of the technology described herein relate to techniques for guiding an operator to use an ultrasound device. Thereby, operators with little or no experience operating ultrasound devices may capture medically relevant ultrasound images and/or interpret the contents of the obtained ultrasound images. For example, some of the techniques disclosed herein may be used to identify a particular anatomical view of a subject to image with an ultrasound device, guide an operator of the ultrasound device to capture an ultrasound image of the subject that contains the particular anatomical view, and/or analyze the captured ultrasound image to identify medical information about the subject.
G06F 18/2413 - Techniques de classification relatives au modèle de classification, p. ex. approches paramétriques ou non paramétriques basées sur les distances des motifs d'entraînement ou de référence
G06T 7/70 - Détermination de la position ou de l'orientation des objets ou des caméras
G06T 11/60 - Édition de figures et de texteCombinaison de figures ou de texte
G06T 19/00 - Transformation de modèles ou d'images tridimensionnels [3D] pour infographie
G06V 10/44 - Extraction de caractéristiques locales par analyse des parties du motif, p. ex. par détection d’arêtes, de contours, de boucles, d’angles, de barres ou d’intersectionsAnalyse de connectivité, p. ex. de composantes connectées
G06V 10/82 - Dispositions pour la reconnaissance ou la compréhension d’images ou de vidéos utilisant la reconnaissance de formes ou l’apprentissage automatique utilisant les réseaux neuronaux
G06V 30/19 - Reconnaissance utilisant des moyens électroniques
G06V 30/194 - Références réglables par une méthode adaptative, p. ex. par apprentissage
G06V 40/60 - Moyens statiques ou dynamiques permettant d’aider l’utilisateur à positionner une partie du corps pour l’acquisition de données biométriques
A61B 34/20 - Systèmes de navigation chirurgicaleDispositifs pour le suivi ou le guidage d'instruments chirurgicaux, p. ex. pour la stéréotaxie sans cadre
A61B 90/00 - Instruments, outillage ou accessoires spécialement adaptés à la chirurgie ou au diagnostic non couverts par l'un des groupes , p. ex. pour le traitement de la luxation ou pour la protection de bords de blessures
55.
Methods and apparatuses for monitoring fetal heartbeat and uterine contraction signals
An ultrasound system includes: an ultrasound device having a two-dimensional array of ultrasound transducers; and a smartphone or tablet in operative communication with the ultrasound device. The ultrasound system is configured to: collect multiple sets of ultrasound data from multiple regions within the subject; detect fetal heartbeat signals and uterine contraction signals; monitor a fetal heartbeat signal among the fetal heartbeat signals by automatically steering an ultrasound beam to a first region among the multiple regions within the subject to collect first further ultrasound data from the first region based on a quality of the fetal heartbeat signal; and monitor a uterine contraction signal among the uterine contraction signals by automatically steering the ultrasound beam to a second region among the multiple regions within the subject to collect second further ultrasound data from the second region based on a quality of the uterine contraction signal.
A universal ultrasound device having an ultrasound probe includes a semiconductor die; a plurality of ultrasonic transducers integrated on the semiconductor die, the plurality of ultrasonic transducers configured to operate a first mode associated with a first frequency range and a second mode associated with a second frequency range, wherein the first frequency range is at least partially non-overlapping with the second frequency range; and control circuitry configured to: control the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to generate and/or detect ultrasound signals having frequencies in the first frequency range, in response to receiving an indication to operate the ultrasound probe in the first mode; and control the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to generate and/or detect ultrasound signals having frequencies in the second frequency range, in response to receiving an indication to operate the ultrasound probe in the second mode.
A61B 8/12 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores dans des cavités ou des conduits du corps, p. ex. en utilisant des cathéters
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
57.
Architecture of single substrate ultrasonic imaging devices, related apparatuses, and methods
Aspects of the technology described herein relate to ultrasound device circuitry as may form part of a single substrate ultrasound device having integrated ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasound device circuitry may facilitate the generation of ultrasound waveforms in a manner that is power- and data-efficient.
G01S 7/52 - Détails des systèmes correspondant aux groupes , , de systèmes selon le groupe
B06B 1/06 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique fonctionnant par effet piézo-électrique ou par électrostriction
G10K 11/34 - Procédés ou dispositifs pour transmettre, conduire ou diriger le son pour focaliser ou pour diriger le son, p. ex. balayage par commande électrique de systèmes de transducteurs, p. ex. en dirigeant un faisceau acoustique
H03K 5/13 - Dispositions ayant une sortie unique et transformant les signaux d'entrée en impulsions délivrées à des intervalles de temps désirés
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
H03K 5/00 - Transformation d'impulsions non couvertes par l'un des autres groupes principaux de la présente sous-classe
A hand-held ultrasound device, for placement on a subject, includes a semiconductor device and a housing to support the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements; a plurality of pulsers coupled to the plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements; a plurality of waveform generators configured to drive the plurality of pulsers; receive processing circuitry configured to process ultrasound signals received by the plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements; and a plurality of independently controllable registers configured to store a plurality of different parameters for the waveform generators.
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
B81C 1/00 - Fabrication ou traitement de dispositifs ou de systèmes dans ou sur un substrat
G01S 7/52 - Détails des systèmes correspondant aux groupes , , de systèmes selon le groupe
G01S 15/02 - Systèmes utilisant la réflexion ou la reradiation d'ondes acoustiques, p. ex. systèmes sonar utilisant la réflexion d'ondes acoustiques
G01S 15/89 - Systèmes sonar, spécialement adaptés à des applications spécifiques pour la cartographie ou la représentation
Ultrasound devices are disclosed. The ultrasound devices have an elevational dimension. Different percentages of the aperture of the ultrasound device corresponding to different percentages of the elevational dimension are utilized in different applications. The resolution of imagine may be adjusted in connection with usage of different percentages of the aperture.
An ultrasound transducer device includes an electrode, a membrane, and vias. The membrane is separated from the electrode by a cavity between the membrane and the electrode. The vias electrically connect the electrode to a substrate disposed on an opposite side of the electrode from a side facing the membrane. The vias are disposed in the ultrasound transducer device such that greater than 50% of the vias overlap with the cavity in a plan view.
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
B81B 3/00 - Dispositifs comportant des éléments flexibles ou déformables, p. ex. comportant des membranes ou des lamelles élastiques
B81C 1/00 - Fabrication ou traitement de dispositifs ou de systèmes dans ou sur un substrat
61.
Display panel or portion thereof with graphical user interface
Technology for guiding a user to collect clinically usable ultrasound images is described. In some embodiments, an ultrasound device may automatically change the elevational steering angle of its ultrasound beam (e.g., using beamforming) in order to collect ultrasound data from different imaging planes within the subject. A processing device in operative communication with the ultrasound device may select one of the collected ultrasound images based on its quality (e.g., select the ultrasound image having the highest quality), and then continue to collect ultrasound images using the elevational steering angle at which the selected ultrasound image was collected.
To implement a single-chip ultrasonic imaging solution, on-chip signal processing may be employed in the receive signal path to reduce data bandwidth and an output data module may be used to move data for all received channels off-chip as a digital data stream. The digitization of received signals on-chip allows advanced digital signal processing to be performed on-chip, and thus permits the full integration of an entire ultrasonic imaging system on a single semiconductor substrate. The on-chip digitization of received signals also enables the on-chip integration of ultrasound processing and/or pre-processing to reduce the burden on off-chip computing. Data compression architectures are disclosed to facilitate the transfer of data off-chip as a digital data stream in accordance with the bandwidth requirements of standard commercially-available output interfaces.
Aspects of the present application provide methods and apparatus for directing operation of an ultrasound device. Some aspects provide various instructions to a user of the ultrasound device, automatically detect when the user has completed a step based on ultrasound images collected by the ultrasound device, and automatically transitioning to providing an instruction for a following step. The instructions may relate to positioning of the ultrasound device and application of an ultrasound coupling medium, in some embodiments.
Aspects of the disclosure described herein related to packaging an ultrasound-on-a-chip. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an ultrasound-on-a-chip that has through-silicon vias (TSVs) and an interposer coupled to the ultrasound-on-a-chip and including vias, where the ultrasound-on-a-chip is coupled to the interposer such that the TSVs in the ultrasound-on-a-chip are electrically connected to the vias in the interposer. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an ultrasound-on-a-chip having bond pads, an interposer that has bond pads and that is coupled to the ultrasound-on-a-chip, and wirebonds extending from the bond pads on the ultrasound-on-a-chip to the bond pads on the interposer.
B06B 1/06 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique fonctionnant par effet piézo-électrique ou par électrostriction
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
A method includes: determining, by a host device, a predetermined path including a first tilt from which a target anatomical view is available and a second tilt from which the target anatomical view is not available, where the predetermined path has a pivot of fewer than 180 degrees about an anatomical area; instructing, by the host device, an operator to pivot an ultrasound device along the predetermined path by displaying a display on the host device; receiving a first ultrasound image depicting the target anatomical view and a second ultrasound image not depicting the target anatomical view based on ultrasound data collected by the ultrasound device while pivoting along the predetermined path; and identifying that the first ultrasound image depicts the target anatomical view. The predetermined path is determined prior to collecting the first ultrasound image and the second ultrasound image.
Aspects of the technology described herein relate to techniques for calculating, during imaging, a quality of a sequence of images collected during the imaging. Calculating the quality of the sequence of images may include calculating a probability that a medical professional would use a given image for clinical evaluation and a confidence that an automated analysis segmentation performed on the given image is correct. Techniques described herein also include receiving a trigger to perform an automatic measurement on a sequence of images, calculating a quality of the sequence of images, determining whether the quality of the sequence of images exceeds a threshold quality, and performing the automatic measurement on the sequence of images based on determining that the quality of the sequence of images exceeds the threshold quality.
A system comprising a multi-modal ultrasound probe configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes associated with a respective plurality of configuration profiles; and a computing device coupled to the handheld multi-modal ultrasound probe and configured to, in response to receiving input indicating an operating mode selected by a user, cause the multi-modal ultrasound probe to operate in the selected operating mode.
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
A61B 8/12 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores dans des cavités ou des conduits du corps, p. ex. en utilisant des cathéters
B06B 1/06 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique fonctionnant par effet piézo-électrique ou par électrostriction
71.
Methods and systems for coherence imaging in obtaining ultrasound images
A system for coherence imaging may receive ultrasound signals each having a respective delay associated with a respective ultrasonic transducer element in an ultrasonic transducer array. The system may obtain an approximation of the auto-correlation of ultrasound signals without any auto-correlation calculation, and determine the output image based on the approximation. In approximating the auto-correlation, the system may group the ultrasound signals into multiple portions, each corresponding to a respective sub-aperture of a plurality of sub-apertures of the ultrasonic transducer array. The system may determine a coherent sum of signals for each sub-aperture, perform a square operation or magnitude square operation over the coherent sum to obtain resulting data, normalize the resulting data, and sum the resulting data for all of the sub-apertures to generate the output image. A sub-aperture in the plurality of sub-apertures may overlap with another sub-aperture.
Aspects of the technology described herein relate to an ultrasound device including a first die that includes an ultrasonic transducer, a first application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that is bonded to the first die and includes a pulser, and a second ASIC in communication with the second ASIC that includes integrated digital receive circuitry. In some embodiments, the first ASIC may be bonded to the second ASIC and the second ASIC may include analog processing circuitry and an analog-to-digital converter. In such embodiments, the second ASIC may include a through-silicon via (TSV) facilitating communication between the first ASIC and the second ASIC. In some embodiments, SERDES circuitry facilitates communication between the first ASIC and the second ASIC and the first ASIC includes analog processing circuitry and an analog-to-digital converter. In some embodiments, the technology node of the first ASIC is different from the technology node of the second ASIC.
Ultrasound devices are described. The ultrasound devices may be flexibly configured to output a certain number of multilines per channel of ultrasound data and to process certain channels of ultrasound data per processing cycle. The ultrasound device may then be configured to either output more multilines per channel and process fewer channels per processing cycle, or output fewer multilines per channel and process more channels per processing cycle. In other words, the circuitry may be configured to change to a configuration with increased resolution and increased processing time or to a configuration with decreased resolution and decreased processing time.
A61B 8/12 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores dans des cavités ou des conduits du corps, p. ex. en utilisant des cathéters
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
An ultrasonic transducer is described. The ultrasonic transducer comprises a membrane and a substrate disposed opposite the membrane such that a cavity is formed therebetween. The substrate comprises an electrode region and pedestals protruding from a surface of the substrate and having a height greater than a height of the electrode region, the pedestals being electrically isolated from the electrode region.
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
B81B 3/00 - Dispositifs comportant des éléments flexibles ou déformables, p. ex. comportant des membranes ou des lamelles élastiques
76.
Capacitive Micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) having non-uniform pedestals
An ultrasound device is described. The ultrasound device comprises a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT). The CMUT comprises a membrane, a substrate, a cavity disposed between the membrane and the substrate, wherein the cavity comprises a bottom surface adjacent to the substrate, and non-uniform pedestals protruding from the bottom surface of the cavity into the cavity and towards the membrane.
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
A foldable processing device coupled to an ultrasound device is disclosed. In some embodiments, the foldable processing device may include a first panel having a first display screen, a second panel having a second display screen, and one or more hinges. The first panel and the second panel may be rotatably coupled by the one or more hinges. The foldable processing device may be in operative communication with an ultrasound device and configured to present different particular displays on the first and second display screens. In some embodiments, the foldable processing device may include a first panel, a second panel, a display screen, and one or more hinges. The first panel and the second panel may be rotatably coupled by the one or more hinges such that the display screen folds upon itself. The foldable processing device may be in operative communication with an ultrasound device and configured to present different particular displays on first and second portions of the display screen.
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
G09F 9/30 - Dispositifs d'affichage d'information variable, dans lesquels l'information est formée sur un support, par sélection ou combinaison d'éléments individuels dans lesquels le ou les caractères désirés sont formés par une combinaison d'éléments individuels
Circuitry for ultrasound devices is described. A multilevel pulser is described, which can provide bipolar pulses of multiple levels. The multilevel pulser includes a pulsing circuit and pulser and feedback circuit. Symmetric switches are also described. The symmetric switches can be positioned as inputs to ultrasound receiving circuitry to block signals from the receiving circuitry.
Aspects of the technology described herein relate to techniques for guiding an operator to use an ultrasound device. Thereby, operators with little or no experience operating ultrasound devices may capture medically relevant ultrasound images and/or interpret the contents of the obtained ultrasound images. For example, some of the techniques disclosed herein may be used to identify a particular anatomical view of a subject to image with an ultrasound device, guide an operator of the ultrasound device to capture an ultrasound image of the subject that contains the particular anatomical view, and/or analyze the captured ultrasound image to identify medical information about the subject.
G06V 10/82 - Dispositions pour la reconnaissance ou la compréhension d’images ou de vidéos utilisant la reconnaissance de formes ou l’apprentissage automatique utilisant les réseaux neuronaux
G06V 10/44 - Extraction de caractéristiques locales par analyse des parties du motif, p. ex. par détection d’arêtes, de contours, de boucles, d’angles, de barres ou d’intersectionsAnalyse de connectivité, p. ex. de composantes connectées
G06V 40/60 - Moyens statiques ou dynamiques permettant d’aider l’utilisateur à positionner une partie du corps pour l’acquisition de données biométriques
G06F 18/2413 - Techniques de classification relatives au modèle de classification, p. ex. approches paramétriques ou non paramétriques basées sur les distances des motifs d'entraînement ou de référence
G06V 30/19 - Reconnaissance utilisant des moyens électroniques
G06V 30/194 - Références réglables par une méthode adaptative, p. ex. par apprentissage
G06T 11/60 - Édition de figures et de texteCombinaison de figures ou de texte
A61B 90/00 - Instruments, outillage ou accessoires spécialement adaptés à la chirurgie ou au diagnostic non couverts par l'un des groupes , p. ex. pour le traitement de la luxation ou pour la protection de bords de blessures
A61B 34/20 - Systèmes de navigation chirurgicaleDispositifs pour le suivi ou le guidage d'instruments chirurgicaux, p. ex. pour la stéréotaxie sans cadre
84.
Time gain compensation circuit and related apparatus and methods
An ultrasound device, including a profile generator, an encoder configured to receive a profile signal from the profile generator, and an attenuator configured to receive a signal representing an output of an ultrasound sensor and coupled to the encoder to receive a control signal from the encoder, the attenuator including a plurality of attenuator stages, the attenuator configured to produce an output signal that is an attenuated version of the input signal.
Methods and apparatus are described for implementing a coding scheme on ultrasound signals received by a plurality of ultrasonic transducers. The coding, and subsequent decoding, may allow for multiple ultrasonic transducers to be operated in a receive mode simultaneously while still differentiating the contribution of the individual ultrasonic transducers. Improved signal characteristics may result, including improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
G01S 7/52 - Détails des systèmes correspondant aux groupes , , de systèmes selon le groupe
G01S 7/527 - Extraction des signaux d'écho désirés
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
G01S 15/89 - Systèmes sonar, spécialement adaptés à des applications spécifiques pour la cartographie ou la représentation
To implement a single-chip ultrasonic imaging solution, on-chip signal processing may be employed in the receive signal path to reduce data bandwidth and a high-speed serial data module may be used to move data for all received channels off-chip as digital data stream. The digitization of received signals on-chip allows advanced digital signal processing to be performed on-chip, and thus permits the full integration of an entire ultrasonic imaging system on a single semiconductor substrate. Various novel waveform generation techniques, transducer configuration and biasing methodologies, etc., are likewise disclosed. HIFU methods may additionally or alternatively be employed as a component of the “ultrasound-on-a-chip” solution disclosed herein.
B81C 1/00 - Fabrication ou traitement de dispositifs ou de systèmes dans ou sur un substrat
G01S 7/52 - Détails des systèmes correspondant aux groupes , , de systèmes selon le groupe
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
Described herein are arrays of piezoelectric ultrasound elements. The piezoelectric ultrasound elements may be arranged in a checkerboard pattern. The piezoelectric ultrasound elements in one column may be shifted along the vertical dimension of the array with respect to piezoelectric ultrasound elements in an adjacent column. A piezoelectric ultrasound element in one column may be coupled to a different circuit than all other piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the column. The circuit may be, for example, an analog-to-digital converter or a circuit configured to transmit ultrasound signals from the array. Each piezoelectric ultrasound element in a column may be configured so that it can operate at a different frequency from each of the other piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the column. There array may include at least 1,000 piezoelectric ultrasound elements. The array may be monolithically integrated with a substrate comprising different circuits for each piezoelectric ultrasound element in the array.
Aspects of the technology described herein related to controlling, using control circuitry, modulation circuitry to modulate and delay first ultrasound data generated by first ultrasound transducers positioned at a first azimuthal position of an ultrasound transducer array of an ultrasound device and second ultrasound data generated by second ultrasound transducers positioned at a second azimuthal position of the ultrasound transducer array of the ultrasound device, such that the first ultrasound data is delayed by a first delay amount and the second ultrasound data is delayed by a second delay amount that is different from the first delay amount. The first and second ultrasound data received from the modulation circuitry may be filtered and summed. The ultrasound transducer array, the control circuitry, the modulation circuitry, the filtering circuitry, and the summing circuitry may be integrated onto a semiconductor chip or one or more semiconductor chips packaged together.
Apparatus and methods are provided directed to a device, including at least one ultrasonic transducer, a multi-level pulser coupled to the at least one ultrasonic transducer; the multi-level pulser including a plurality of input terminals configured to receive respective input voltages, an output terminal configured to provide an output voltage, and a signal path between a first input terminal and the output terminal including a first transistor having a first conductivity type coupled to a first diode and, in parallel, a second transistor having a second conductivity type coupled to a second diode.
Circuitry for ultrasound devices is described. A multi-level pulser is described, which can support time-domain and spatial apodization. The multi-level pulser may be controlled through a software-defined waveform generator. In response to the execution of a computer code, the waveform generator may access master segments from a memory, and generate a stream of packets directed to pulsing circuits. The stream of packets may be serialized. A plurality of decoding circuits may modulate the streams of packets to obtain spatial apodization.
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
G01S 7/52 - Détails des systèmes correspondant aux groupes , , de systèmes selon le groupe
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
G01S 15/89 - Systèmes sonar, spécialement adaptés à des applications spécifiques pour la cartographie ou la représentation
G10K 11/34 - Procédés ou dispositifs pour transmettre, conduire ou diriger le son pour focaliser ou pour diriger le son, p. ex. balayage par commande électrique de systèmes de transducteurs, p. ex. en dirigeant un faisceau acoustique
93.
Parameter loader for ultrasound probe and related apparatus and methods
Programmable ultrasound probes and methods of operation are described. The ultrasound probe may include memory storing parameter data and may also include a parameter loader which loads the parameter data into programmable circuitry of the ultrasound probe. In some instances, the ultrasound probe may include circuitry grouped into modules which may be repeatable and which may be coupled together to allow data to be exchanged between the modules.
H04L 69/324 - Protocoles de communication intra-couche entre entités paires ou définitions d'unité de données de protocole [PDU] dans la couche liaison de données [couche OSI 2], p. ex. HDLC
A removable cable connector engages with an electronic device such that the removable cable connector removably yet securely attaches to the electronic device. In some embodiments, the electronic device includes a plate configured to guide an electronic plug of the removable cable connector toward an electronic receptacle of the electronic device. The plate may be further configured to include one or more locators for holding the electronic receptacle of the electronic device in place. The removable cable connector may include a molded housing formed using a two-shot overmolding process to form a first overmolded strain relief portion and a second overmolded strain relief portion which cover fasteners that fasten a face plate to the connector.
Ultrasound devices and methods are described, including a repeatable ultrasound transducer probe having ultrasonic transducers and corresponding circuitry. The repeatable ultrasound transducer probe may be used individually or coupled with other instances of the repeatable ultrasound transducer probe to create a desired ultrasound device. The ultrasound devices may optionally be connected to various types of external devices to provide additional processing and image rendering functionality.
G03B 27/42 - Appareils de tirage par projection, p. ex. agrandisseur, appareil photographique de reproduction pour la reproduction automatique répétée d'un même original
G03B 27/52 - Appareils de tirage par projection, p. ex. agrandisseur, appareil photographique de reproduction Détails
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
G01S 7/00 - Détails des systèmes correspondant aux groupes , ,
G01S 7/52 - Détails des systèmes correspondant aux groupes , , de systèmes selon le groupe
G01S 15/89 - Systèmes sonar, spécialement adaptés à des applications spécifiques pour la cartographie ou la représentation
A variable current trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) for an ultrasound device is described. The TIA may be coupled to an ultrasonic transducer to amplify an output signal of the ultrasonic transducer representing an ultrasound signal received by the ultrasonic transducer. During acquisition of the ultrasound signal by the ultrasonic transducer, one or more current sources in the TIA may be varied.
H03F 3/16 - Amplificateurs comportant comme éléments d'amplification uniquement des tubes à décharge ou uniquement des dispositifs à semi-conducteurs comportant uniquement des dispositifs à semi-conducteurs avec dispositifs à effet de champ
H03F 1/08 - Modifications des amplificateurs pour réduire l'influence défavorable de l'impédance interne des éléments amplificateurs
Beamforming circuitry for an ultrasound device is disclosed, that may directly calculate the position in receive line space for an incoming ultrasound data sample given the time of flight (ToF) of that ultrasound data sample. In some embodiments, this may be done without initially buffering the ultrasound data sample received from the particular receive datapath multiplexed to the beamforming circuitry. The beamforming circuitry may then associate the ultrasound data sample with that position in receive line space, and in particular, with a memory address corresponding to that location. Thus, when the beamforming circuitry multiplexes between different receive datapaths, it may not need to buffer ultrasound data samples from different receive datapaths prior to saving the data to memory.
Aspects of the technology described herein relate to built-in self-testing (BIST) of circuitry (e.g., a pulser or receive circuitry) and/or transducers in an ultrasound device. A BIST circuit may include a transconductance amplifier coupled between a pulser and receive circuitry, a capacitor network coupled between a pulser and receive circuitry, and/or a current source couplable to the input terminal of receive circuitry to which a transducer is also couplable. The collapse voltages of transducers may be characterized using BIST circuitry, and a bias voltage may be applied to the membranes of the transducers based at least in part on their collapse voltages. The capacitances of transducers may also be measured using BIST circuitry and a notification may be generated based on the sets of measurements.
A61B 8/00 - Diagnostic utilisant des ondes ultrasonores, sonores ou infrasonores
H03F 1/32 - Modifications des amplificateurs pour réduire la distorsion non linéaire
H03K 5/24 - Circuits présentant plusieurs entrées et une sortie pour comparer des impulsions ou des trains d'impulsions entre eux en ce qui concerne certaines caractéristiques du signal d'entrée, p. ex. la pente, l'intégrale la caractéristique étant l'amplitude
H03M 3/00 - Conversion de valeurs analogiques en, ou à partir d'une modulation différentielle
G01N 29/30 - Dispositions pour l'étalonnage ou la comparaison, p. ex. avec des objets standard
G01S 7/52 - Détails des systèmes correspondant aux groupes , , de systèmes selon le groupe
B06B 1/02 - Procédés ou appareils pour produire des vibrations mécaniques de fréquence infrasonore, sonore ou ultrasonore utilisant l'énergie électrique
G01S 15/89 - Systèmes sonar, spécialement adaptés à des applications spécifiques pour la cartographie ou la représentation
brevets
