Abstract: An ultrasound transducer that allows transmission of pressure waves at a first frequency and reception of pressure waves at a second frequency. Each transducer element is formed by multiple layers of transducer material. A transceiver provides an excitation signal to the transducer and receives energy from the transducer. All of the layers are coupled to the transceiver during transmission so that all of the layers are activated. Some of the layers are decoupled from the transceiver during reception so that not all of the layers contribute to the received signal. A filter circuit is also responsive to the coupling, providing additional low, high or band pass filtering appropriate for one of transmit or receive. The pressure waves at the second frequency are responsive to tissue and/or contrast agents.

Abstract: A transducer system and method for harmonic imaging is provided. At least one transducer element is provided. The transducer element comprises two stacked piezoelectric layers. Information from each of the layers is independently processed during one of a transmit event, a receive event, and both transmit and receive events. Information from the transducer element is provided to a filter. The filter isolates harmonic information for imaging. By providing a multi-layer transducer element with independent processing for each layer, a wide bandwidth transducer for harmonic imaging is provided. The null associated with most transducers at the second harmonic of a fundamental frequency is removed or lessened.

Abstract: A medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system aligns substantially co-planar two-dimensional images to form an extended field of view using improved compounding methods. Compounding with a finite impulse response is used for more versatile compositing. The compounding is adaptive, such as through adapting the image regions, weighting, or type of compounding as a function of correlation, location within the image, estimated motion or combinations thereof. A user warning is provided as a function of the correlation between images.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing ultrasound data is provided. The apparatus includes an interface operatively connected to a memory, a programmable single instruction multiple data processor (or two symmetric processors), a source of acoustic data (such as a data bus) and a system bus. The memory stores data from the processor, ultrasound data from the source, and data from the system bus. The processor has direct access to the memory. Alternatively, the system bus has direct access to the memory. The interface device translates logically addressed ultrasound data to physically addressed ultrasound data for storage in a memory. The translation is the same for data from both the processor and the source for at least a portion of a range of addresses. The memory stores both ultrasound data and various of: beamformer control data, instruction data for the processor, display text plane information, control plane data, and a table of memory addresses. One peripheral connects to the ultrasound apparatus.

Abstract: Spiral, sparse spiral, substantially spiral or substantially sparse spiral transducer arrays comprising capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer elements disposed on a silicon substrate, and ultrasound imaging systems employing same. The transducer elements are respectively coupled to a plurality of amplifiers. Imager electronics are coupled to each of the amplifiers and drives the transducer elements and/or generates an output of the spiral transducer array. The amplifiers may be located in the silicon substrate containing the transducer elements, or on a separate substrate that is interconnected to the substrate containing the transducer elements using bumps, for example. Electrical interconnection to the transducer elements may readily be achieved without interfering with the acoustic output of the transducer elements.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasonic transducer having an image data array and a tracking array at each end of the image data array. The tracking arrays are oriented transversely to the image data array. Images from the image data array are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the target. The relative movement between respective frames of the image data is automatically estimated by a motion estimator, based on frames of data from the tracking arrays. As the transducer is rotated about the azimuthal axis of the image data array, features of the target remain within the image planes of the tracking arrays. Movements of these features in the image planes of the tracking arrays are used to estimate motion as required for the three-dimensional reconstruction. Similar techniques estimate motion within the plane of an image to create an extended field of view.

Abstract: A method and system for acquiring data in an ultrasound system are provided. A transducer is operatively connected to a transmit beamformer and a receive beamformer. The receive beamformer is configured to obtain a first value associated with a fundamental frequency interleaved with a second value associated with a harmonic frequency. A first transmit signal is transmitted at a first frequency. A first echo signal is received in response to the first transmit signal. At least the first value associated with the first frequency is obtained from the first echo signal. An interleaved second transmit signal is transmitted at the first frequency or a second frequency. A second echo signal is received in response to the second transmit signal. At least the second value associated with a third frequency is obtained from the second echo signal. Images are generated and displayed based on the at least one first value and the at least one second value.

Abstract: Ultrasound data is generated by a receive beamformer. Ultrasound image processing is applied to the ultrasound data for presentation of an image. Various ones of the ultrasound image processing steps may be reversed. For example, persistence processing may be reversed in order to obtain ultrasound data associated with data prior to persistence processing. This recovered data may be used to generate an image or for application of a different amount of persistence. Other processes that may be reversed to recover ultrasound data include focal and depth gain compensation, dynamic range compression, intensity or color mapping, and various filtering, such as persistence or spatial filtering.

Abstract: A passenger detection system is provided. The passenger detection system utilizes an oscillation circuit that causes an antenna electrode to emit an electric field that is disrupted by the electrical characteristics of an object placed on the seat. This disruption alters the current and phase of the signal in the antenna electrode. By comparing the current flowing in the antenna electrode and/or the difference between the phase of the signal in the antenna electrode and the oscillation circuit output signal with predetermined threshold values, it is possible to detect the presence of a passenger in a reliable and inexpensive manner. The determination is made with a two layer electrode arrangement, including smaller and larger electrodes. The two layers allow calculation of an amount of compression on the seat. The amount of compression is used to characterize the passenger.

Abstract: A passenger detection system is provided. The passenger detection system utilizes an oscillation circuit that causes an antenna electrode to emit an electric field that is disrupted by the electrical characteristics of an object placed on the seat. This disruption alters the current and phase of the signal in the antenna electrode. By comparing the current flowing in the antenna electrode and/or the difference between the phase of the signal in the antenna electrode and the oscillation circuit output signal with predetermined threshold values, it is possible to detect the presence of a passenger in a reliable and inexpensive manner.

Abstract: Ultrasound data is generated by a receive beamformer. Ultrasound image processing is applied to the ultrasound data for presentation of an image. Various ones of the ultrasound image processing steps may be reversed. For example, persistence processing may be reversed in order to obtain ultrasound data associated with data prior to persistence processing. This recovered data may be used to generate an image or for application of a different amount of persistence. Other processes that may be reversed to recover ultrasound data include focal and depth gain compensation, dynamic range compression, intensity or color mapping, and various filtering, such as persistence or spatial filtering.

Abstract: The invention provides a non-invasive method and apparatus for improved ultrasonic imaging and for measurement of ambient pressure, temperature or gas concentration using non-invasive ultrasound contrast imaging techniques.

Abstract: A method and system for flow or movement detection is provided. More than one clutter filter is used. Each clutter filter's magnitude versus frequency response is optimized differently. Estimates of the flow or movement are generated from the data output by each of the clutter filters. Using selection or combination of the resulting estimates, the best attributes of each filter are used for imaging.

Abstract: A method and system for generating data for a spectral Doppler strip in an ultrasound system includes a beamformer that provides Doppler data to a signal processor. The signal processor applies an autoregressive model and determines autoregressive parameters responsive to the Doppler data. Information responsive to the autoregressive parameters is generated, and a window function is applied to the information. At least one spectrum responsive to the auto-regressive parameter is estimated with a Fourier transform.

Abstract: A system and methods for measuring the volume flow of fluid in an enclosed structure with an ultrasound system is provided. Manual designation of flow angles and areas may not be necessary. Velocities along two or more different scan lines in a first scan plane are obtained to determine an angle of flow within the enclosed structure. A Doppler spectrum parameter is measured from a transmission in a second scan plane substantially perpendicular to the first scan plane. Volume flow is calculated from the flow angle and the parameter. The scan planes are associated with rotating a linear array transducer or holding a multi-dimensional transducer in place. A C-scan method with a linear transducer may also be used.

Abstract: The invention is directed to improvement in diagnostic medical ultrasound contrast agent imaging. Subharmonic and harmonic imaging are combined by generating a subharmonic frequency intensity value, generating a harmonic frequency intensity value, and generating display indicia as a function of both the subharmonic and harmonic intensity values. A first embodiment of the invention is directed to using predominantly harmonic information in one mode and predominantly subharmonic information in a second mode. A second embodiment of the invention is directed to combining harmonic and subharmonic information in the same mode.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system that reduces image flashes by selectively replacing imaging parameters with corresponding imaging parameters from prior time sequences. Imaging parameters include filtered energy, unfiltered energy, variance, acceleration, velocity, and detected echo magnitude. Imaging parameters in several consecutive time sequences can be replaced with the same prior imaging parameter value until the flash is no longer detected. Spatial averaging can be used to improve detection and suppression of image flashes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for quantifying and displaying ultrasound signals in an ultrasonic system are provided. A first signal value for each of at least one spatial location in a region of interest is acquired at a first time, and the signal values are summed to obtain a first surface integral value. A second signal value for each of said at least one spatial location in said region of interest is acquired at a second time, and the second signal values are summed to obtain a second surface integral value. The first surface integral value is summed with the second surface integral value to obtain a time based integral. The time based integral is displayed. Other quantities based on any of various ultrasound parameters, such as Doppler energy, Doppler velocity and B-mode intensity, are calculated and displayed as quantities or as waveforms as a function of time. Furthermore, various comparisons of quantities and waveforms are provided. Image plane data or other ultrasound data are used in the calculations.

Abstract: A framework removal tool method is provided. The tool comprises a first side of a stake contact element including first and second notches with first and second dimensions, respectively. A lever arm connects to the stake contact element. One of the first or second notches is selected based on a dimension of a stake. The selected notch is placed adjacent the stake. The lever arm is rotated to remove the stake. In another embodiment, a second tool for removing stakes is provided. The tool includes a bar with a nail removal notch on a first end, and a stake contact element connected to the bar near the first end. The stake contact element includes at least a first stake notch on a first side. A rounded extension rigidly connects to the bar near the first end.

Abstract: A method and system for Doppler processing of information at two or more different frequency bands for improved accuracy is provided. Signals from two or more unique frequency bands are processed separately to detect motion. Using signals at different frequency bands allows for more effective use of unused bandwidth to increase information content and improve estimation accuracy. One of or more of the two or more receive frequency bands may be within the transmitted fundamental frequency band or within harmonic frequency bands of the transmitted fundamental frequency band. The increased information content generated by using two separate narrow receive frequency bands is used to improve many aspects of motion detection. The resulting Doppler values of each parameter, such as velocity, energy, and variance parameters, are averaged or otherwise combined. One of the average, the Doppler values at each frequency band and a null value are selected for further processing and display.