Patents by Inventor Dalong Liu

Dalong Liu has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11826585
    Abstract: A dual-mode ultrasound system provides real-time imaging and therapy delivery using a transducer array. The system may use various imaging modes to provide image data that may be used to select control points within an imaging field of view. The control points along with the image data may be used to solve an optimization problem to achieve desired focusing gains at one or more of the control points. The optimized solution may be used to produce excitation waveforms to generate new image data. The focusing gains may be evaluated and the optimization problem may be iterated until desired focusing gains are achieved. Virtual arrays may be defined and cascaded to provide flexibility in solving the optimization problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Dalong Liu, Hasan Aldiabat, Parker O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20230346354
    Abstract: A dual-mode ultrasound system provides real-time imaging and therapy delivery using the same transducer elements of a transducer array. The system may use a multichannel driver to drive the elements of the array. The system uses a real-time monitoring and feedback image control of the therapy based on imaging data acquired using the dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) of transducer elements. Further, for example, multimodal coded excitation may be used in both imaging and therapy modes. Still further, for example, adaptive, real-time refocusing for improved imaging and therapy can be achieved using, for example, array directivity vectors obtained from DMUA pulse-echo data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Andrew J. Casper, Dalong Liu, John R. Ballard
  • Publication number: 20230118199
    Abstract: A dual-mode ultrasound system provides real-time imaging and therapy delivery using a transducer array. The system may use various imaging modes to provide image data that may be used to select control points within an imaging field of view. The control points along with the image data may be used to solve an optimization problem to achieve desired focusing gains at one or more of the control points. The optimized solution may be used to produce excitation waveforms to generate new image data. The focusing gains may be evaluated and the optimization problem may be iterated until desired focusing gains are achieved. Virtual arrays may be defined and cascaded to provide flexibility in solving the optimization problem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Dalong Liu, Hasan Aldiabat, Parker O'Brien
  • Patent number: 11547384
    Abstract: Ultrasound methods provide for the motion tracking of both vessel wall motion and blood flow (e.g., with use of high frame rate ultrasound pulse echo data and speckle tracking both wall motion and flow can be tracked simultaneously). Ultrasound systems provide for the motion tracking of both vessel wall motion and blood flow (e.g., with use of high frame rate ultrasound pulse echo data and speckle tracking both wall motion and flow can be tracked simultaneously).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Dalong Liu, Yayun Wan, Andrew J. Casper
  • Patent number: 11458337
    Abstract: A dual-mode ultrasound system provides real-time imaging and therapy delivery using a transducer array. The system may use various imaging modes to provide image data that may be used to select control points within an imaging field of view. The control points along with the image data may be used to solve an optimization problem to achieve desired focusing gains at one or more of the control points. The optimized solution may be used to produce excitation waveforms to generate new image data. The focusing gains may be evaluated and the optimization problem may be iterated until desired focusing gains are achieved. Virtual arrays may be defined and cascaded to provide flexibility in solving the optimization problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Dalong Liu, Hasan Aldiabat, Parker O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20220031287
    Abstract: A dual-mode ultrasound system provides real-time imaging and therapy delivery using the same transducer elements of a transducer array. The system may use a multi-channel driver to drive the elements of the array. The system uses a real-time monitoring and feedback image control of the therapy based on imaging data acquired using the dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) of transducer elements. Further, for example, multi-modal coded excitation may be used in both imaging and therapy modes. Still further, for example, adaptive, real-time refocusing for improved imaging and therapy can be achieved using, for example, array directivity vectors obtained from DMUA pulse-echo data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Andrew J. Casper, Dalong Liu, John R. Ballard
  • Patent number: 11116474
    Abstract: Ultrasound adaptive imaging methods and/or systems provide for modification of waveform generation to drive a plurality of transducer elements. The modification may be based on at least one of contrast ratio or signal to noise ratio as determined with respect to control points in a region of interest. Further, image reconstruction may be performed upon separating, from pulse echo data received, at least a portion thereof received at each ultrasound transducer element from the region of interest in response to the delivered ultrasound energy corresponding to a single frequency of one or more image frequencies within a transducer apparatus bandwidth. The image reconstructed from the separated pulse-echo data corresponding to the single frequency of the one or more image frequencies may be used alone or combined with like image data (e.g., to provide an image representative of one or more properties in the region of interest).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Dalong Liu, Andrew J. Casper
  • Patent number: 11076836
    Abstract: A dual-mode ultrasound system provides real-time imaging and therapy delivery using the same transducer elements of a transducer array. The system may use a multi-channel driver to drive the elements of the array. The system uses a real-time monitoring and feedback image control of the therapy based on imaging data acquired using the dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) of transducer elements. Further, for example, multi-modal coded excitation may be used in both imaging and therapy modes. Still further, for example, adaptive, real-time refocusing for improved imaging and therapy can be achieved using, for example, array directivity vectors obtained from DMUA pulse-echo data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Andrew J. Casper, Dalong Liu, John R. Ballard
  • Publication number: 20190269385
    Abstract: A dual-mode ultrasound system provides real-time imaging and therapy delivery using the same transducer elements of a transducer array. The system may use a multi-channel driver to drive the elements of the array. The system uses a real-time monitoring and feedback image control of the therapy based on imaging data acquired using the dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) of transducer elements. Further, for example, multi-modal coded excitation may be used in both imaging and therapy modes. Still further, for example, adaptive, real-time refocusing for improved imaging and therapy can be achieved using, for example, array directivity vectors obtained from DMUA pulse-echo data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Andrew J. Casper, Dalong Liu, John R. Ballard
  • Publication number: 20190160309
    Abstract: A dual-mode ultrasound system provides real-time imaging and therapy delivery using a transducer array. The system may use various imaging modes to provide image data that may be used to select control points within an imaging field of view. The control points along with the image data may be used to solve an optimization problem to achieve desired focusing gains at one or more of the control points. The optimized solution may be used to produce excitation waveforms to generate new image data. The focusing gains may be evaluated and the optimization problem may be iterated until desired focusing gains are achieved. Virtual arrays may be defined and cascaded to provide flexibility in solving the optimization problem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Dalong Liu, Hasan Aldiabat, Parker O'Brien
  • Patent number: 10231712
    Abstract: A dual-mode ultrasound system provides real-time imaging and therapy delivery using the same transducer elements of a transducer array. The system may use a multichannel driver to drive the elements of the array. The system uses a real-time monitoring and feedback image control of the therapy based on imaging data acquired using the dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) of transducer elements. Further, for example, multimodal coded excitation may be used in both imaging and therapy modes. Still further, for example, adaptive, real-time refocusing for improved imaging and therapy can be achieved using, for example, array directivity vectors obtained from DMUA pulse-echo data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Andrew J. Casper, Dalong Liu, John R. Ballard
  • Patent number: 10092274
    Abstract: Sub-performing elements of an ultrasound transducer array are detected. The power, such as current, used by or provided to the transmit driver is measured. By driving each element or group of elements separately, defective elements or groups of elements are detected from the amount of power used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry D. Hopple, Dalong Liu, Stephen R. Barnes, David A. Petersen, Colin Brock, John C. Lazenby
  • Publication number: 20170296140
    Abstract: Ultrasound methods and/or systems provide for the motion tracking of both vessel wall motion and blood flow (e.g., with use of high frame rate ultrasound pulse echo data and speckle tracking both wall motion and flow can be tracked simultaneously).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Dalong Liu, Yayun Wan, Andrew J. Casper
  • Patent number: 9610061
    Abstract: Ultrasound methods and/or systems provide for the motion tracking of both vessel wall motion and blood flow (e.g., with use of high frame rate ultrasound pulse echo data and speckle tracking both wall motion and flow can be tracked simultaneously).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Dalong Liu, Yayun Wan, Andrew J. Casper
  • Publication number: 20160143617
    Abstract: Ultrasound adaptive imaging methods and/or systems provide for modification of waveform generation to drive a plurality of transducer elements. The modification may be based on at least one of contrast ratio or signal to noise ratio as determined with respect to control points in a region of interest. Further, image reconstruction may be performed upon separating, from pulse echo data received, at least a portion thereof received at each ultrasound transducer element from the region of interest in response to the delivered ultrasound energy corresponding to a single frequency of one or more image frequencies within a transducer apparatus bandwidth. The image reconstructed from the separated pulse-echo data corresponding to the single frequency of the one or more image frequencies may be used alone or combined with like image data (e.g., to provide an image representative of one or more properties in the region of interest).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Dalong Liu, Andrew J. Casper
  • Publication number: 20150157299
    Abstract: Sub-performing elements of an ultrasound transducer array are detected. The power, such as current, used by or provided to the transmit driver is measured. By driving each element or group of elements separately, defective elements or groups of elements are detected from the amount of power used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry D. Hopple, Dalong Liu, Stephen R. Barnes, David A. Petersen, Colin Brock, John C. Lazenby
  • Publication number: 20130144165
    Abstract: A dual-mode ultrasound system provides real-time imaging and therapy delivery using the same transducer elements of a transducer array. The system may use a multichannel driver to drive the elements of the array. The system uses a real-time monitoring and feedback image control of the therapy based on imaging data acquired using the dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) of transducer elements. Further, for example, multimodal coded excitation may be used in both imaging and therapy modes. Still further, for example, adaptive, real-time refocusing for improved imaging and therapy can be achieved using, for example, array directivity vectors obtained from DMUA pulse-echo data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Andrew J. Casper, Dalong Liu, John R. Ballard
  • Publication number: 20120283564
    Abstract: Ultrasound methods and/or systems provide for the motion tracking of both vessel wall motion and blood flow (e.g., with use of high frame rate ultrasound pulse echo data and speckle tracking both wall motion and flow can be tracked simultaneously).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Emad S. Ebbini, Dalong Liu, Yayun Wan, Andrew J. Casper