Cw Doppler Patents (Class 600/457)
  • Patent number: 11826495
    Abstract: A biodegradable and biocompatible piezoelectric nanofiber platform for medical implant applications, including a highly sensitive, wireless, biodegradable force sensor for the monitoring of physiological pressures, and a biodegradable ultrasonic transducer for the delivery of therapeutics or pharmaceuticals across the blood-brain barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: University of Connecticut
    Inventors: Thanh Duc Nguyen, Thinh Le, Eli Curry
  • Patent number: 11471050
    Abstract: An intraocular pressure measurement arrangement is disclosed for measuring pressure of an eye of a patient. The arrangement can include at least one source for producing mechanical waves of several frequencies from a distance to the eye of the patient to generate at least one surface wave to the eye, a detector for detecting at least one surface wave from a distance from the eye to extract surface wave information, and a device for determining pressure information of the eye based on the surface wave information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: PHOTONO OY
    Inventors: Antti Kontiola, Edward Hæggström, Ari Salmi, Heikki Nieminen
  • Patent number: 11090029
    Abstract: A non-imaging diagnostic ultrasound system for carotid artery diagnosis has a two dimensional array probe (10) with a low element count and relatively large element size which can cover an area of the carotid artery at its bifurcation. The elements are operated independently with no phasing, and detect Doppler flow spatially beneath each element. The system produces maps of carotid blood flow in two or three dimensions and can assemble an extended view of the flow by matching segments of the carotid flow as the probe is moved over the vessel. Once the carotid artery has been localized, the degree of stenosis is assessed by automated measurements of peak systolic velocity and blood flow turbulence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Rajendra Singh Sisodia, Shriram Sethuraman, John Petruzzello, Ajay Anand, Shiwei Zhou, Ramon Quido Erkamp, Nagaraju Bussa, Vikram Basawaraj Patil Okaly, Sushanth Govinahalli Sathyanarayana, Krishnamoorthy Palanisamy
  • Patent number: 10856774
    Abstract: An eye sensor, system and method for measuring fixational eye movements of an individual's eyeball (e.g., ocular microtremors and microsaccades) to provide a variable voltage biosignal for measuring the individual's brain stem activity. The eye sensor comprises a sensor mounted on the individual's closed or opened eyelid so as to be deflected by the fixational eye movements of the eyeball. A shielded flexible ribbon assembly supplies the biosignal generated by the sensor to an amplifier located on the individual's skin where the biosignal is amplified. The amplifier is interconnected with a signal processor and a display by which graphical and numerical representations of the biosignal are made accessible to an anesthesiologist, intensivist or clinician. A method for analyzing the biosignal to determine the brainstem activity of a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventors: Michael M Baltay, Clark B Foster, Ciaran Bolger, Martin Acquadro, Bruce A Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 10813791
    Abstract: A method for modifying a refractive property of ocular tissue in an eye by creating at least one optically-modified gradient index (GRIN) layer in the corneal stroma and/or the crystalline by continuously scanning a continuous stream of laser pulses having a focal volume from a laser having a known average power along a continuous line having a smoothly changing refractive index within the tissue, and varying either or both of the scan speed and the laser average power during the scan. The method may further involve determining a desired vision correction adjustment, and determining a position, number, and design parameters of gradient index (GRIN) layers to be created within the ocular tissue to provide the desired vision correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: University of Rochester
    Inventors: Wayne H. Knox, Krystel R. Huxlin
  • Patent number: 10729323
    Abstract: The invention concerns a system of measuring ocular pressure, consisting of at least one implant (30) including a pressure sensor (33) and an electronic circuit (32), implanted in the cornea of an eye and an antenna (31) connected to the said circuit and implanted in the sub-conjunctival space; and a unit (50) for processing the representative values of the pressure, received by a radio-frequency link from the said electronic circuit (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: CESACAR PARTICIPACIONS, S.L.
    Inventor: Alain Telandro
  • Patent number: 10627507
    Abstract: A system includes a controller that includes a processor and a memory. The processor executes computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to operate the controller. The instructions cause the controller to determine at least two beam patterns for separate transmit beams that operate within the field of regard to be scanned by a Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR) beam generator. The instructions also cause the controller to generate beam pattern commands to the RADAR beam generator to generate the beam patterns. The beam pattern commands specify a pointing direction for each of the separate transmit beams that operate within each portion of the field of regard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alan Dale Parker, Jeffrey M. Yang
  • Patent number: 10178959
    Abstract: Systems are provided for detecting the flow of blood in vasculature by illuminating the blood with a source of coherent illumination and detecting one or more time-varying properties of a light speckle pattern that results from the scattering of the coherent illumination by tissue and blood. The movement of blood cells and other light-scattering elements in the blood causes transient, short-duration changes in the speckle pattern. High-frequency sampling or other high-bandwidth processing of a detected intensity at one or more points in the speckle pattern could be used to determine the flow of blood in the vasculature. Such flow-measuring systems are also presented as wearable devices that can be operated to detect the flow in vasculature of a wearer. Systems and methods provided herein can additionally be applied to measure flow in other scattering fluid media, for example in a scattering industrial, medical, pharmaceutical, or environmental fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Verily Life Sciences LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Homyk, Russell Norman Mirov
  • Patent number: 10054567
    Abstract: Systems and methods for multi-layer ultrasonic imaging are provided. One embodiment is an apparatus that includes linear ultrasonic transducers that are each configured to conduct electricity across their length. The apparatus includes a first planar layer that comprises a first set of the transducers arranged in parallel. The apparatus also includes a second planar layer that comprises a second set of the transducers arranged in parallel, and that is oriented such that each transducer of the second set overlaps at least two transducers of the first set. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a third planar layer that comprises a third set of the transducers arranged in parallel, and that is oriented such that each transducer of the third set overlaps at least two transducers of the first set and at least two transducers of the second set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Gary E. Georgeson, Tyler Holmes, Jeffrey R. Kollgaard
  • Patent number: 10031172
    Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling an operation of a channel including at least one transducer, which includes comparing a voltage corresponding to current flowing into the channel to a threshold voltage and controlling the operation of the channel based on a result of the comparing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG MEDISON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae-ho Jeon, Jong-keun Song
  • Patent number: 9718098
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Keith G. Fife, Tyler S. Ralston, Gregory L. Charvat, Nevada J. Sanchez
  • Patent number: 9607606
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a capacitive micro-machined transducer (100), in particular a CMUT, the method comprising depositing a first electrode layer (10) on a substrate (1), depositing a first dielectric film (20) on the first electrode layer (10), depositing a sacrificial layer (30) on the first dielectric film (20), the sacrificial layer (30) being removable for forming a cavity (35) of the transducer, depositing a second dielectric film (40) on the sacrificial layer (30), depositing a second electrode layer (50) on the second dielectric film (40), and patterning at least one of the deposited layers and films (10, 20, 30, 40, 50), wherein the depositing steps are performed by Atomic Layer Deposition. The present invention further relates to a capacitive micro-machined transducer (100), in particular a CMUT, manufactured by such method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Johan Hendrik Klootwijk, Marcel Mulder, Nico Maris Adriaan De Wild, Koray Karakaya, Cornelius Antonius Van Den Huevel
  • Patent number: 9592010
    Abstract: A dual-mode closed-loop measurement system (100) for capturing a transit time, phase, or frequency of energy waves propagating through a medium (122) is disclosed. A first device comprises an inductor drive circuit (102), an inductor (104), a transducer (106), and a filter (110). A second circuit comprises an inductor (114) and a transducer (116). A parameter to be measured is applied to the medium (122). The medium (122) is coupled between the first device and the second device. The first device initiates the transmit inductor (104) to query via inductive coupling to a receive inductor (114) on the second device via a first path. The inductor (114) triggers a transducer (116) on the second device to emit an energy wave that is propagated in the medium (122) and detected by the first device. The transit time of energy waves is affected by the parameter by known relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: ORTHOSENSOR INC.
    Inventor: Marc Stein
  • Patent number: 9420997
    Abstract: Motion artifacts are suppressed for motion imaging in medical diagnostic ultrasound. Spatial correlation is used to detect motion, including any lateral motion. Some aspect of clutter filtering may be set based on the amount of spatial correlation or detected motion. The shift for frequency mixing, wall filter cutoff frequency, and/or velocity threshold may be set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventor: King Yuen Wong
  • Patent number: 9301729
    Abstract: Provided is an ultrasound fracture detection device capable of accurately irradiating an ultrasound pulse to a target object, the device being characterized by being provided with an ultrasound wave irradiating transducer, a signal receiving transducer which receives a reflected wave of an ultrasound wave irradiated from the ultrasound wave irradiating transducer, a signal, storage unit which stores a received signal, and a display unit which displays an analysis program that analyzes a stored signal, a determination program that performs determination from the result of the analysis and/or performs determination from the stored signal, and the result of the analysis and/or the result of the determination, wherein the determination program performs the determination using that information relating to the received signal varies depending on the reflector within a living organism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Teijin Pharma Limited
    Inventors: Naoko Sakamoto, Jun Takeda, Atsushi Asahina
  • Patent number: 9239337
    Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer for use in a fluid medium is proposed. The ultrasonic transducer includes at least one transducer core which has at least one acoustic/electric transducer element, in particular a piezoelectric transducer element. The ultrasonic transducer furthermore includes at least one housing, at least one housing opening being at least partially sealed against the fluid medium with the aid of a sealing film which is connected to the transducer core. The sealing film has at least one expansion deformation which is configured to permit a relative movement between the transducer core and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Roland Mueller, Gerhard Hueftle, Michael Horstbrink, Tobias Lang, Sami Radwan, Bernd Kuenzl, Roland Wanja
  • Patent number: 9136861
    Abstract: A system and method for enhancing a dynamic range of a beamforming multi-channel digital receiver are described. The receiver comprises a plurality of receiving channels, each including an analog-to-digital converter configured for converting an analog input signal generated by antenna elements into a digital signal. A “spatial” dither signal is used to decorrelate the quantization noise of the analog-to-digital converters. A dither signal is generated and split into a predetermined number of coherent dithering signals. The method includes providing predetermined time delays to the coherent dithering signals, and adding the delayed coherent dithering signals to the input signals in each receiving channel, correspondingly, thereby creating a dither signal equivalent to a signal arriving from a certain specific direction out-of-field-of-view of the antenna array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: ELTA SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventor: Baruch Fleishman
  • Patent number: 8992428
    Abstract: Operation of a patient's heart or lungs may be analyzed by transmitting ultrasound energy into the patient's lung, and detecting Doppler shifts of reflected ultrasound induced by moving borders between blood vessels/soft tissue in the lung and air filled alveoli that surround the blood vessels. Movement of the border is caused by pressure waves in the blood vessels that result in changes in diameter of those blood vessels. The detected Doppler shifts are processed with a noise reduction algorithm, and periodic features in the resulting data are then analyzed to determine the rate of the patient's heartbeat, the rate of the patient's breathing, and/or the appearance of anomalies in the patient's heartbeat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Echosense Inc.
    Inventor: Yoram Palti
  • Patent number: 8912709
    Abstract: An ultrasound transducer patch (100) comprises an array of ultrasound transducers (20) mounted to a flexi-PCB (10) containing multiple tracks (12). Each transducer (20), or a sub-group of the transducers is electrically connected to first and second of the multiple tracks. The flexi-PCB (10) is configured, such as by virtue of cut-out portions (114, 414) or by inherent elasticity, to be bendable a out non-parallel axes. The enables the patch (100) to readily conform to a complex 3D surface such as a portion of a patient's face to ensure efficient transmission of ultrasound energy to a desired area of treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Sonovia Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Neil Pollock, Paul Mark Galluzzo, Grant Corthorn
  • Patent number: 8876813
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for signal detection are described. In one example, a detection assembly includes a signal detector. The signal detector is configured to receive a sensor signal having a peak magnitude and a first frequency and generate an output signal having a magnitude proportional to the peak magnitude of the sensor signal and having a second frequency less than the first frequency of the sensor signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaoyi Min, Stuart Rosenberg, Gabriel Mouchawar
  • Patent number: 8684933
    Abstract: A portable ultrasound imaging system employs a mechanically focused multi-element circular annular transducer that is mechanically scanned using a motor. Received echoes are processed to form two dimensional gray scale B mode images or two dimensional color tissue flow images which are displayed on a display unit. In case of color flow imaging, a high pulse repetition frequency imaging sequence is employed for a reasonable frame rate and special down-sampling techniques are applied to achieve an effective low pulse repetition frequency for flow estimation with enough signal to noise ratio. The system also includes a docking subsystem which charges a system battery and transfers patient and image data between a PACS system, workstation or other information system and the portable ultrasound imaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: ImSonic Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaohui Hao, Donald J. Nisler
  • Patent number: 8679021
    Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a data acquisition unit, a correction unit and a display unit. The data acquisition unit acquires phase signals as Doppler data from a moving object in an object by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from the object. The correction unit performs global aliasing correction processing of the phase signals based on a continuity in a two-dimensionally phase change. The display unit displays phase signals after the aliasing correction processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 8579820
    Abstract: A transmit amplifier (12) drives an ultrasound transducer (11) to emit a pulse, and a receive amplifier (13) amplifies the echo signal detected by the transducer. The receive amplifier's gate opens a fixed delay after the end of the transmit pulse, and a demodulator (14) multiplies the received signal by the local oscillator signal. A low-pass filter removes the sum of the frequencies and passes the difference of the frequencies (the received signal's Doppler frequency) to be digitized by an ADC. ADC readings are made for each of several range bins in intervals during the receive gate-open interval. One or two of the Doppler audio signals will contain the signal from the fetal heart. When a periodic signal is found, its rate is tested to see if it lies within or outside the typical range of a fetal heart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Huntleigh Technology Limited
    Inventor: Roy Jackson
  • Patent number: 8523776
    Abstract: Transmitting and receiving ultrasound with repetition frequency that corresponds to velocity range indicating the measurable velocity to and from a diagnostic site that contains moving fluid within a body to be examined. Generating Doppler spectrum image showing velocity of moving fluid based on signals obtained from transmission and reception of ultrasound. Storing modeled value based on model correlating standard blood velocity waveform with an ECG waveform. Calculating measured blood velocity waveform based on spectrum image of a specified patient. Acquiring ECG waveform at timing corresponding to measured blood velocity waveform. Estimating blood velocity waveform excluding effects of valve signals of patient based on measured blood velocity waveform, ECG waveform, and modeled value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuro Baba, Muneki Kataguchi, Kazuya Akaki, Shuichi Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 8506489
    Abstract: Provided is an ultrasonograph that can automatically optimize the sweep rate of Doppler images and M-mode images according to the heart rate of a test subject, without the need for an operator to perform a troublesome operation. The ultrasonograph is provided with a means for sending an ultrasonic beam into body tissue, a means for receiving an ultrasonic signal that has been reflected off the body tissue and a blood flow, a means for constructing a cross-sectional image of the body tissue from the received ultrasonic signal, a means for performing phase detection on an ultrasonic Doppler blood flow signal that has been reflected off the body tissue by the blood flow, a means for calculating a frequency component of the Doppler blood flow signal on which phase detection has been performed, and a means for performing a sweeping display of the calculated frequency component as Doppler images in a time series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Yushi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 8480590
    Abstract: Some embodiments include acquisition of color Doppler data, and detection of one or more transitions of the color Doppler data, each of the one or more transitions being between a first area representing flow velocity in a first direction and a second area representing flow velocity not in the first direction. A normalized energy function across one or more of the one or more transitions is calculated, a configuration of flow areas within the color Doppler data is determined, and aliasing corrections for the color Doppler data are determined based on the normalized energy functions and the configuration of flow areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadashi Tamura
  • Patent number: 8475380
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present technology provide systems and methods that provide reduction of multiline artifacts in Doppler imaging. Certain embodiments provide for various ensembles of transmit beams at different spatial locations and overlapping receive beams between the locations. Certain embodiments provide for calculating various auto-correlation estimates based on the received beams and then combining the auto-correlation estimates to create an image. In certain embodiments, combining the auto-correlation estimates comprises applying a linear interpolation filter that decreases the weight applied for receive beams that are spatially located further away from the transmit beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kjell Kristoffersen, Hans Torp, Tore Gruner Bjastad, Lasse Lovstakken, Torbjorn Hergum, Johan Kirkhorn
  • Patent number: 8451158
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, apparatuses and methods for performing analog to digital conversion. For example, an analog to digital converter circuit is discussed that includes an analog input, a number of analog to digital converters and a generalized beamformer. The analog to digital converters are operable to receive the analog input and to yield a number of digital streams. Each of the analog to digital converters samples the analog input with different phase offsets. The generalized beamformer is operable to weight and combine the digital streams to yield a digital output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Yu Liao, Hongwei Song
  • Patent number: 8357096
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultrasound system and a method of forming a Doppler mode image. The ultrasound system comprises a transmission/reception unit operable to transmit/receive ultrasound signals at a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) to form an n number of Doppler signals. The ultrasound system further comprises a signal processing unit. The signal processing unit computes a first mean frequency based on an nth Doppler signal and an (n?1)th Doppler signal and a second mean frequency based on an nth Doppler signal and an (n?k)th Doppler signal, wherein k is a positive integer equal to or greater than 2. The signal processing unit estimates a Doppler frequency and compensate for aliasing of the Doppler signal based on the first and second mean frequencies to produce Doppler signal with the aliasing compensated. An image processing unit operable to form a Doppler mode image based on the Doppler signals produced by the signal processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Medison Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mok Kun Jeong, Sung Jae Kwon
  • Patent number: 8343055
    Abstract: An FSK modulator 20 applies FSK modulation processing to an RF wave supplied from an RF wave oscillator 22, by means of frequency shift keying (FSK) based on a periodical signal sequence supplied from a pattern generator 24, to thereby generate an FSK continuous wave. The continuous wave output from the FSK modulator 20 is delayed in delay circuits 26I and 26Q and is then supplied, as a reference signal, to each of mixers of a receiving mixer 30. Each of the delay circuits 26I and 26Q delays the continuous wave by a delay amount in accordance with a depth of a target position and outputs a delayed reference signal. Thus, demodulation processing is performed with a correlation between a reception signal from the target position and the reference signal being enhanced, and Doppler information from the target position is selectively extracted by a Doppler information analyzing unit 44.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Kunita
  • Patent number: 8323200
    Abstract: A PSK modulator 20 applies digital modulation processing to an RF wave supplied from an RF wave oscillator 22, by means of phase shift keying (PSK) based on a periodical signal sequence supplied from a pattern generator 24, to thereby generate a continuous wave. The continuous wave output from the PSK modulator 20 is delayed in delay circuits 26I and 26Q and is then supplied, as a reference signal, to each of mixers of a receiving mixer 30. Each of the delay circuits 26I and 26Q delays the continuous wave by a delay amount in accordance with a depth of a target position and outputs a delayed reference signal. Thus, demodulation processing is performed with a correlation between a reception signal from the target position and the reference signal being enhanced, and Doppler information from the target position is selectively extracted by a Doppler information analyzing unit 44.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Kunita
  • Patent number: 8246544
    Abstract: There is provided a first storage for storing digital reception beam data converted from a reception beam formed from an ultrasonic received signal; a first control component for controlling reading and writing of data from/in the first storage; a filter coefficient calculation portion for calculating a filter coefficient based on information on the reception beam, the information including a positional relationship between the reception beam and a transmission beam; and a first spatial filter operation portion for subjecting each of a plurality of the reception beam data including data of beams received in parallel from a single transmission beam to filtering processing for reducing a difference in image quality between adjacent beams based on the filter coefficient. Image data output from the first spatial filter operation portion are converted into scanning of a display monitor so as to display an image on the display monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akiko Uchikawa, Yoshihiko Ito, Yasuhiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8211023
    Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is described which utilizes one or more transducer arrays affixed to the head of a patient to diagnose and treat stroke victims. The transducer headset produces a two or three dimensional image of the vasculature inside the cranium, preferably assisted by a microbubble contrast agent. A vascular flow map is produced by the system which may be diagnosed for signs of a blood clot. If a blood clot is detected, a therapeutic beam is transmitted while the contrast agent is present to break up the blood clot by the disruption of microbubbles. The headset may also be used in a monitoring application to detect the recurrence of blood clots in a stroke victim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Wendy Swan, Jeffry Powers
  • Patent number: 8142361
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for automatic optimization of Doppler imaging parameters. The method includes obtaining and storing at least two characteristic spectral lines at a predetermined pulse repetition frequency. The method further includes optimizing at least one of the Doppler imaging parameters based on the stored at least two characteristic spectral lines and a predetermined mean noise power. In one embodiment, the characteristic spectral lines are obtained by collecting in real time the Doppler spectral lines generated at the predetermined pulse repetition frequency within a predetermined time period, and processing the collected Doppler spectral lines in real time without storing them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu Zhang, Guanxi Zhang
  • Patent number: 8128565
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus having a continuous wave Doppler mode. A line switching section is provided between an array transducer and a unit which has a CW transmission section and a CW reception section, for changing a transmitting and receiving aperture pattern. When a first transmitting and receiving aperture pattern is set on the array transducer, a first aperture functions as a transmitting aperture and a second aperture functions as a receiving aperture. When a second transmitting and receiving aperture pattern is set on the array transducer, the second aperture functions as a transmitting aperture and a first aperture functions as a receiving aperture. The patterns are switched whenever predetermined amount of time has elapsed after a prescribed event such as a pattern change, resumption of continuous wave reception, and so on. As such, localized heat generation or deterioration on the array transducer can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Aloka Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akifumi Ohtake, Katsufumi Motokawa
  • Patent number: 8100832
    Abstract: A transmission wave corresponding to an FM continuous wave having been subjected to an FM modulation processing is transmitted from a transmitting transducer. A pre-amplifier generates a reception RF signal and outputs the reception RF signal to a receiving mixer. The receiving mixer applies orthogonal detection to the reception RF signal to generate a complex signal. A reference signal supplied to each mixer in the receiving mixer is generated based on an FM continuous wave output from an FM modulator. The FM continuous wave output from the FM modulator is delayed by a delay circuit, and one signal is directly supplied to a mixer whereas the other signal is supplied to a mixer via a ?/2 shift circuit. The delay circuit applies a delay processing in accordance with a depth of a target position within a living organism to the FM continuous wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Kunita
  • Patent number: 8092388
    Abstract: A view represented by echocardiographic data is classified. A probabilistic boosting network is used to classify the view. The probabilistic boosting network may include multiple levels where each level has a multi-class local structure classifier and a plurality of local-structure detectors corresponding to the respective multiple classes. In each level, the local structure is classified as a particular view and then the local structure is detected to determine whether the currently selected local structure corresponds to the class. The view classification may be used to determine gate locations, such as a gate for spectral Doppler analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Hyeong Park, Shaohua Kevin Zhou, Constantine Simopoulos, Joanne Otsuki, Dorin Comaniciu
  • Patent number: 8088069
    Abstract: An ultrasonic Doppler diagnosis device having a velocity data interpolating section for generating interpolated velocity data for interpolating velocity data between two sound lines and two scanning lines, using the velocity data at the intersections. The velocity data interpolating section converts two scalar arrays of unsigned numeric data corresponding to a first and second numeric values to signed arrays of numeric data using a data converting section and generates the interpolated velocity data based on the converted signed array of numeric data, when a result of identification obtained from an identifying section indicates that one of the first and second numeric values has a positive velocity smaller than a first threshold value corresponding to a positive velocity, and the other of the first and second numeric values has a negative velocity greater than a second threshold value corresponding to a negative velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Sabata
  • Patent number: 8075485
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of automatically setting the gain of an echo signal in a Doppler ultrasound haemodynamic monitor. In essence the invention comprises monitoring the strength of velocity components measured by the apparatus, and identifying a group of such components occupying a particular band within the overall velocity spectrum. The signal gain is then adjusted so that the perceived width of the band falls within predetermined limits. The monitoring or assessment of the velocity components is preferably undertaken when the overall flow velocity is high e.g. during systole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Deltex Medical Limited
    Inventor: Leonard Smith
  • Patent number: 8062223
    Abstract: Using pulsed-wave (PW) ultrasonography for determining an aliasing-free radial velocity spectrum of matter moving in a region. Includes: transmitting into the region a plurality of pulse trains of sound waves at two or more different pulse repetition frequencies; spectrally analyzing each pulse train, for evaluating a Doppler frequency spectrum associated with each pulse train; combining frequency components of Doppler frequency spectrum of each pulse train, for obtaining aliasing-free instantaneous Doppler frequency spectrum for the region; using Doppler effect for translating aliasing-free frequency spectrum to aliasing-free radial velocity spectrum. Implementable using pulsed-wave Doppler (PWD), color flow Doppler (CFD), tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), or pulsed-wave (PW) ultrasonography. Applicable to liquid or/and solid forms of matter, moving in a two- or three-dimensional region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ramot at Tel-Aviv University Ltd.
    Inventors: Gil Zwirn, Solange Akselrod
  • Patent number: 8057392
    Abstract: An improved device and method for collecting data used for ultrasonic imaging. The data is gathered over numerous transmit and echo receive cycles, or iterations and combined into a synthetic acquisition representing a complete echo characteristic acquisition. At each iteration, only a portion, or subset, of the echo characteristic is sampled and stored. During the iterations, the portion of the echo characteristic that is measured and sampled is varied by changing the relative sampling instants. That is, the time offset from the transmission to the respective sampling instant is varied. The sample sets representative of the entire echo characteristic are then compiled from the multiple subsets of the ultrasonic transmissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: University of Virgina Patent Foundation
    Inventors: John A. Hossack, Travis N. Blalock, William F. Walker
  • Patent number: 7946991
    Abstract: A technology for performing the filter processing of blood flow velocity data having aliasing by only common filter processing means and common addition and subtraction means and actualizing image display of smooth blood flow velocity is disclosed. According to this technology, when performing image display of the blood flow velocity of blood within a subject biological body using an ultrasonic wave Doppler method, the difference values of data D33 of an arbitrary focus point and data D32 and D34 of points spatially prior and subsequent to this focus point are calculated in the pre-processing unit (difference calculating unit) 41. Then, in the filtering unit 42, after filter processing is performed on these difference values, data D39 after filter processing and data D33 of the arbitrary focus point are added in the post-processing unit (addition processing unit) 43.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Hisashi Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 7946992
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a velocity measuring method and a velocity measuring device for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichiro Umemura, Takashi Azuma, Tetsuya Hayashi, Naoyuki Murayama
  • Patent number: 7942821
    Abstract: The present invention realizes a Doppler velocity detecting technique capable of performing velocity detection and analysis with a suppressed error while excellently distinguishing a clutter signal, and provides an ultrasonographic device using the technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Shin-ichiro Umemura, Takashi Azuma, Tetsuya Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7887487
    Abstract: Diagnostic ultrasound flow imaging is performed with coded excitation pulses. Due to the use of frequency coded excitation pulses, flow information may suffer from spatial misregistration and estimate errors. Spatial position shift in flow data is offset for alignment with B-mode or other imaging. The flow estimates are compensated for the imaging center frequency variation with depth. The wide bandwidth information available due to coded excitation may allow anti-aliasing by estimating velocities from two frequency bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaohui Hao, Kutay F. Ustuner, Gregory L. Holley, Seshadri Srinivasan, Albert Gee
  • Patent number: 7888847
    Abstract: An improved acoustic lens and an improved ultrasonic transducer system comprising an improved acoustic lens and related methods are provided. The improved acoustic lens may have a uniform loss along an elevation axis or may have a loss along the elevation axis that provides for an apodization of an acoustic signal. The improved acoustic lens may be a multi-component lens. In a two-component lens embodiment, the inner lens component, for interfacing with a transducer, may have a concave outer surface and the outer lens component may have a flat or convex outer surface. In a three-component lens embodiment, the inner lens component, for interfacing with a transducer, may have a concave outer surface, the middle lens component may have a concave outer surface and the outer lens component may have a flat or convex outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Inventors: Dennis Raymond Dietz, Clyde Gerald Oakley, Duane Morgan, Daidipya Patwa
  • Patent number: 7828738
    Abstract: Methods and systems for acquiring spectral and velocity information with a multi-dimensional array are provided. For example, a dedicated receive aperture is formed at a multi-dimensional array for steered continuous wave imaging. Other elements not within the dedicated receive aperture are used for transmitting continuous waves or transmitting and receiving pulsed waveforms in other modes of imaging. As another example, switches or other structures are provided for selecting between a plurality of possible apertures for a steered continuous wave aperture. The selection is performed in response to a configuration of an ultrasound system, such as selection of a focal location or steer direction. The aperture is then used for either transmit or receive operations of steered continuous wave imaging. As yet another example, at least part of the steered continuous wave beamformer is provided within a transducer assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Donald Freiburger
  • Publication number: 20100280387
    Abstract: A delay line circuit is provided for aggregating a plurality of CW ultrasound echo signals. The circuit comprises a plurality of series coupled active component delay stages each having a respective tap input configured to receive a respective CW ultrasound echo signal of the plurality of ultrasound echo signals and provide an aggregated ultrasound echo signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventor: Rea Richard Schmid
  • Patent number: RE46049
    Abstract: A medical diagnostic method, system and related equipment particularly adapted to diagnose disorders of the blood circulation serving the head and neck, and especially the brain. A preferred use of the system is early, rapid, accurate, diagnosis of stroke, especially whether the stroke is due to blockage of a blood vessel or leakage from the blood vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: David Lipson, Peter Forrest
  • Patent number: RE46614
    Abstract: A medical diagnostic method, system and related equipment particularly adapted to diagnose disorders of the blood circulation serving the head and neck, and especially the brain. A preferred use of the system is early, rapid, accurate, diagnosis of stroke, especially whether the stroke is due to blockage of a blood vessel or leakage from the blood vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: David Lipson, Peter Forrest