Abstract: An ultrasound imaging method comprises: providing a probe that includes one or more transducer elements for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves; generating a sequence of spatially distinct transmit beams which differ in one or more of origin and angle; determining a transmit beam spacing substantially based upon a combination of actual and desired transmit beam characteristics, thereby achieving a faster echo acquisition rate compared to a transmit beam spacing based upon round-trip transmit-receive beam sampling requirements; storing coherent receive echo data, from two or more transmit beams of the spatially distinct transmit beams; combining coherent receive echo data from at least two or more transmit beams to achieve a substantially spatially invariant synthesized transmit focus at each echo location; and combining coherent receive echo data from each transmit firing to achieve dynamic receive focusing at each echo location.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an ultrasound scanner equipped with an image data processing unit that can perform adaptive parameter optimization during image formation and processing. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system comprises a channel data memory to store channel data obtained by digitizing ultrasound image data produced by an image scan; an image data processor configured to process the stored channel data in the memory to reconstruct an ultrasound image for each of a plurality of trial values of at least one parameter to be optimized; and a parameter optimization unit configured to evaluate an image quality of the reconstructed ultrasound image for each trial value of the at least one parameter, and to determine the optimized value of the at least one parameter based on the evaluated image quality.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an ultrasound imaging method comprises: providing a probe that includes one or more transducer elements for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves; generating a sequence of spatially distinct transmit beams which differ in one or more of origin and angle; determining a transmit beam spacing substantially based upon a combination of actual and desired transmit beam characteristics, thereby achieving a faster echo acquisition rate compared to a transmit beam spacing based upon round-trip transmit-receive beam sampling requirements; storing coherent receive echo data, from two or more transmit beams of the spatially distinct transmit beams; combining coherent receive echo data from at least two or more transmit beams to achieve a substantially spatially invariant synthesized transmit focus at each echo location; and combining coherent receive echo data from each transmit firing to achieve dynamic receive focusing at each echo location.

Abstract: An ultrasound scanner is equipped with one or more fuzzy control units that can perform adaptive system parameter optimization anywhere in the system. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system comprises a plurality of ultrasound image generating subsystems configured to generate an ultrasound image, the plurality of ultrasound image generating subsystems including a transmitter subsystem, a receiver subsystem, and an image processing subsystem; and a fuzzy logic controller communicatively coupled with at least one of the plurality of ultrasound imaging generating subsystems.

Abstract: An ultrasound scanner is equipped with one or more fuzzy control units that can perform adaptive system parameter optimization anywhere in the system. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system comprises a plurality of ultrasound image generating subsystems configured to generate an ultrasound image, the plurality of ultrasound image generating subsystems including a transmitter subsystem, a receiver subsystem, and an image processing subsystem; and a fuzzy logic controller communicatively coupled with at least one of the plurality of ultrasound imaging generating subsystems.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an ultrasound imaging method comprises: providing a probe that includes one or more transducer elements for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves; generating a sequence of spatially distinct transmit beams which differ in one or more of origin and angle; determining a transmit beam spacing substantially based upon a combination of actual and desired transmit beam characteristics, thereby achieving a faster echo acquisition rate compared to a transmit beam spacing based upon round-trip transmit-receive beam sampling requirements; storing coherent receive echo data, from two or more transmit beams of the spatially distinct transmit beams; combining coherent receive echo data from at least two or more transmit beams to achieve a substantially spatially invariant synthesized transmit focus at each echo location; and combining coherent receive echo data from each transmit firing to achieve dynamic receive focusing at each echo location.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an ultrasound imaging method comprises: providing a probe that includes one or more transducer elements for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves; generating a sequence of spatially distinct transmit beams which differ in one or more of origin and angle; determining a transmit beam spacing substantially based upon a combination of actual and desired transmit beam characteristics, thereby achieving a faster echo acquisition rate compared to a transmit beam spacing based upon round-trip transmit-receive beam sampling requirements; storing coherent receive echo data, from two or more transmit beams of the spatially distinct transmit beams; combining coherent receive echo data from at least two or more transmit beams to achieve a substantially spatially invariant synthesized transmit focus at each echo location; and combining coherent receive echo data from each transmit firing to achieve dynamic receive focusing at each echo location.

Abstract: An ultrasound scanner is equipped with one or more fuzzy control units that can perform adaptive system parameter optimization anywhere in the system. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system comprises a plurality of ultrasound image generating subsystems configured to generate an ultrasound image, the plurality of ultrasound image generating subsystems including a transmitter subsystem, a receiver subsystem, and an image processing subsystem; and a fuzzy logic controller communicatively coupled with at least one of the plurality of ultrasound imaging generating subsystems.

Abstract: An ultrasound scanner is equipped with one or more fuzzy control units that can perform adaptive system parameter optimization anywhere in the system. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system comprises a plurality of ultrasound image generating subsystems configured to generate an ultrasound image, the plurality of ultrasound image generating subsystems including a transmitter subsystem, a receiver subsystem, and an image processing subsystem; and a fuzzy logic controller communicatively coupled with at least one of the plurality of ultrasound imaging generating subsystems.

Abstract: An ultrasound reconstruction unit is provided. In one embodiment, a receive aperture control engine for the unit adaptively determines a set of reconstruction signals based on at least a series of selected echo signals and compares the size of a receive aperture with a predetermined number of reconstruction channels at each imaging point. The unit passes the selected echo signals from selected receive channels of one or more transducer elements to a reconstruction processor if the size of the receive aperture is not greater than the number of reconstruction channels. In another embodiment, the control engine compares the size of the receive aperture with a predetermined number of reconstruction channels at each imaging point and preprocess the selected echo signals to produce reconstructions signals that are equal in number to the number of reconstruction channels if the size of the receive aperture is greater than the number of reconstruction channels.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide ways for controlling a plurality of visual displays and a plurality of user interfaces for a portable ultrasound device which can be mounted to different docking stations or carts to provide and enhance different functionalities and features. In one embodiment, a portable ultrasound device comprises a portable housing; a display control module configured to control a plurality of visual displays, at least one of the visual displays being selectively configurable to provide a user interface display on the visual display for user interface control, at least one of the visual displays being selectively configurable to view an ultrasound image; and a plurality of user interfaces, at least one of the plurality of user interfaces being a separate user interface which is not integrally formed with the portable housing.

Abstract: Methods for processing ultrasound signals are provided. Processing of ultrasound signals comprises identifying qualified reconstruction channels in a receive aperture, grouping qualified reconstruction channels in the aperture, and preprocessing of selected echo signals using the grouped qualified reconstruction channels to produce reconstruction signals. Additional methodologies comprise comparing a number of channels in a receive aperture with a number of reconstruction channels to determine a number of reconstruction signals and grouping qualified channels in the receive aperture such that the number of reconstruction data signals is not less than the number of reconstruction channels. An ultrasound reconstruction unit comprising a receive aperture control engine configured to use selected echo signals to adaptively determine a set of reconstruction signals is also provided.

Abstract: A Graphical User Interface (GUI) for an ultrasound system. The ultrasound system has operational modes and the GUI has corresponding icons, tabs, and menu items image and information fields. The User Interface (UI) provides several types of graphical elements with intelligent behavior, such as being context sensitive and adaptive, called active objects, for example, tabs, menus, icons, windows of user interaction and data display and an alphanumeric keyboard. In addition the UI may also be voice activated. The UI further provides for a touchscreen for direct selection of displayed active objects. In an embodiment, the UI is for a medical ultrasound handheld imaging instrument. The UI provides a limited set of hard and soft keys with adaptive functionality that can be used with only one hand and potentially with only one thumb.

Abstract: A system and method for ultrasound clutter filtering is provided. A processor is configured to iteratively select an optimal high pass filter for the progressive, ordered filtering of clutter from ultrasound color flow imaging data. The high pass filter input for each iterative selection and ordered set of high pass filters is the same original ultrasound color flow imaging data. The high pass filters have different cutoff frequencies whereby each high pass filter can be implemented using different structures. The system and method allow for filtering of clutter from ultrasound color flow imaging data until the clutter is substantially removed.

Abstract: A system and method for adaptive clutter filtering in ultrasound color flow imaging is provided including an iterative algorithm that is used to select the best clutter filter for each packet of color flow data. If significant clutter motion is present, a high pass filter cutoff frequency is automatically set to suppress the clutter and associated flash artifacts. The cutoff frequency is chosen according to the frequency of the clutter - the lower the clutter frequency, the lower the cutoff frequency can be. If clutter frequencies are low, lower filter cutoffs allow for maximum low flow detection. In this manner, the filter cutoff frequency can be optimized based on the data for each pixel in the color flow image.

Abstract: A Graphical User Interface (GUI) for an ultrasound system. The ultrasound system has operational modes and the GUI has corresponding icons, tabs, and menu items image and information fields. The User Interface (UI) provides several types of graphical elements with intelligent behavior, such as being context sensitive and adaptive, called active objects, for example, tabs, menus, icons, windows of user interaction and data display and an alphanumeric keyboard. In addition the UI may also be voice activated. The UI further provides for a touchscreen for direct selection of displayed active objects. In an embodiment, the UI is for a medical ultrasound handheld imaging instrument. The UI provides a limited set of hard and soft keys with adaptive functionality that can be used with only one hand and potentially with only one thumb.

Abstract: An adaptive clutter filtering for ultrasound color flow imaging is provided including an iterative algorithm that is used to select the best clutter filter for each packet of color flow data. If significant clutter motion is present, a high pass filter cutoff frequency is automatically set to suppress the clutter and associated flash artifacts. The cutoff frequency is chosen according to the frequency of the clutter—the lower the clutter frequency, the lower the cutoff frequency can be. If clutter frequencies are low, lower filter cutoffs allow for maximum low flow detection. In this manner, the filter cutoff frequency can be optimized based on the data for each pixel in the color flow image.

Abstract: Ultrasound apparatus for examining tissue in a region of interest in a body comprising a housing having a viewing aperture. An ultrasonic transducer is provided comprised of an array of ultrasonic elements disposed in the viewing aperture. Electrical pulses are supplied to the transducer for transducer excitation to introduce ultrasonic signals into the body for reflection from the tissue in the region of interest. The transducer is capable of converting ultrasonic signals reflected from the tissue within the body to the transducer to provide electrical signals. The electrical signals are gain corrected in accordance with time. In-phase and out-of-phase components of the electrical signals are provided and then digitized. The digitized electrical signals are collected to form one image for a single frame of the tissue in the region of interest in the body from transducer excitations less than thirty-three in number which is then displayed.

Abstract: Ultrasound apparatus for examining tissue in a region of interest in a body comprising a housing having a viewing aperture. An ultrasonic transducer is provided comprised of an array of ultrasonic elements disposed in the viewing aperture. Electrical pulses are supplied to the transducer for transducer excitation to introduce ultrasonic signals into the body for reflection from the tissue in the region of interest. The transducer is capable of converting ultrasonic signals reflected from the tissue within the body to the transducer to provide electrical signals. The electrical signals are gain corrected in accordance with time. In-phase and out-of-phase components of the electrical signals are provided and then digitized. The digitized electrical signals are collected to form one image for a single frame of the tissue in the region of interest in the body from transducer excitations less than thirty-three in number which is then displayed.

Abstract: A Graphical User Interface (GUI) for an ultrasound system. The ultrasound system has operational modes, and the GUI has corresponding icons, tabs, and menu items Image and information fields. The User Interface (UI) provides several types of graphical elements with intelligent behavior, such as being context sensitive and adaptive, called active objects, for example, tabs, menus, icons, windows of user interaction and data display, and an alphanumeric keyboard. In addition the UI may also be voice activated. The UI further provides for a touchscreen for direct selection of displayed active objects. In an embodiment, the UI is for a medical ultrasound handheld imaging instrument. The UI provides a limited set of hard and soft keys with adaptive functionality that can be used with only one hand and potentially with only one thumb.