Abstract: A handheld ultrasound instrument is disclosed having enhanced diagnostic modes including pulse/continuous wave Doppler, time-motion analysis, spectral analysis and tissue harmonic imaging. An external electrocardiograph (ECG) recording unit is also disclosed. The ECG unit is adaptable to be used with the handheld ultrasound instrument to provide for ECG monitoring while performing an ultrasound scan in B-mode, Doppler, color Doppler, M-mode, and CW/PW mode. The enhanced handheld ultrasound instrument further includes a security mechanism allowing any combination of the diagnostic modes to be enabled by the manufacturer, and later to enable or disable any one or group of the diagnostic modes. The invention also discloses a method for a manufacturer to maintain a database of handheld ultrasound instrument capabilities after the instruments enter the stream of commerce.

Abstract: A system and method that collects and converts raw data and other relevant information related to imaging procedures in order to provide medical personnel, patients, and other authorized parties with a comprehensive media rich report that can be accessed using a platform-independent interface. The invention facilitates the collection and conversion of audio, video, image, and textual data from various sources in order to produce a single comprehensive report that provides the user with maximum utility in evaluating the information derived from one or more the imaging procedures.

Abstract: Methods and systems for converting dissimilar raw data collected primarily from one or more imaging devices into standard formats, organizing the formatted data into a hierarchical arrangement to facilitate efficient memory storage and subsequent retrieval, generating an imaging presentation, and recording that presentation onto portable media are shown. The imaging presentation can be subsequently viewed by a user by accessing the portable media using a platform-independent interface.

Abstract: A handheld ultrasound instrument is disclosed having enhanced diagnostic modes including pulse/continuous wave Doppler, time-motion analysis, spectral analysis and tissue harmonic imaging. An external electrocardiograph (ECG) recording unit is also disclosed. The ECG unit is adaptable to be used with the handheld ultrasound instrument to provide for ECG monitoring while performing an ultrasound scan in B-mode, Doppler, color Doppler, M-mode, and CW/PW mode. The enhanced handheld ultrasound instrument further includes a security mechanism allowing any combination of the diagnostic modes to be enabled by the manufacturer, and later to enable or disable any one or group of the diagnostic modes. The invention also discloses a method for a manufacturer to maintain a database of handheld ultrasound instrument capabilities after the instruments enter the stream of commerce.

Abstract: A handheld ultrasound instrument is disclosed having enhanced diagnostic modes including pulse wave Doppler, time-motion analysis, and tissue harmonic imaging. An external electrocardiograph (ECG) recording unit is also disclosed. The ECG unit is adaptable to be used with the handheld ultrasound instrument to provide for ECG monitoring while performing an ultrasound scan in B-mode, Doppler, color Doppler, M-mode, and PW mode. The enhanced handheld ultrasound instrument further includes a security mechanism allowing any combination of the diagnostic modes to be enabled by the manufacturer, and later to enable or disable any one or group of the diagnostic modes. The invention also discloses a method for a manufacturer to maintain a database of handheld ultrasound instrument capabilities after the instruments enter the stream of commerce.

Abstract: A handheld ultrasound instrument is disclosed having enhanced diagnostic modes including pulse wave Doppler, time-motion analysis, and tissue harmonic imaging. An external electrocardiograph (ECG) recording unit is also disclosed. The ECG unit is adaptable to be used with the handheld ultrasound instrument to provide for ECG monitoring while performing an ultrasound scan in B-mode, Doppler, color Doppler, M-mode, and PW mode. The enhanced handheld ultrasound instrument further includes a security mechanism allowing any combination of the diagnostic modes to be enabled by the manufacturer, and later to enable or disable any one or group of the diagnostic modes. The invention also discloses a method for a manufacturer to maintain a database of handheld ultrasound instrument capabilities after the instruments enter the stream of commerce.

Abstract: A handheld ultrasound instrument is disclosed having enhanced diagnostic modes including pulse/continuous wave Doppler, time-motion analysis, spectral analysis and tissue harmonic imaging. An external electrocardiograph (ECG) recording unit is also disclosed. The ECG unit is adaptable to be used with the handheld ultrasound instrument to provide for ECG monitoring while performing an ultrasound scan in B-mode, Doppler, color Doppler, M-mode, and CW/PW mode. The enhanced handheld ultrasound instrument further includes a security mechanism allowing any combination of the diagnostic modes to be enabled by the manufacturer, and later to enable or disable any one or group of the diagnostic modes. The invention also discloses a method for a manufacturer to maintain a database of handheld ultrasound instrument capabilities after the instruments enter the stream of commerce.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic instrument includes a console having electronic circuitry for processing electrical signals for display including a digital processor and a memory for storing software for use with the processor, and a first connector coupled to the memory and processor. A transducer scanhead for generating ultrasound waves and receiving reflected ultrasound waves is connected through a cable and a second connector to the first connector and to the digital processor. A second memory external to the console is provided for communicating with the digital processor through the second connector, the second memory storing software and data necessary for use of the transducer scanhead in the ultrasound diagnostic instrument.

Abstract: A software security mechanism which restricts modification of software in a programmable diagnostic ultrasound instrument.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is provided with cordless scanheads which wirelessly transmit ultrasonic image signals to the imaging system. The transmitted image signals are received by a receiver in the mainframe ultrasound system where they undergo further image processing and are displayed. In a preferred embodiment the scanhead image signals are at least partially beamformed in the scanhead before being transmitted to the ultrasound system, thereby reducing the required transmission bandwidth. The cordless scanheads are battery powered, and are recharged by the ultrasound system when the scanheads are not being used for scanning.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is provided with cordless scanheads which wirelessly transmit ultrasonic image signals to the imaging system. The cordless scanheads are battery powered by rechargeable batteries which are recharged by the ultrasound system when the scanheads are not in use. In preferred embodiments the charging system is protected from contaminants such as ultrasonic gel.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is provided with cordless scanheads which wirelessly transmit ultrasonic image signals to the imaging system. The transmitted image signals are accompanied by header and trailer information which identify display characteristics of the image signals for accurate processing and display by the ultrasound system, and also delineates discrete units of information such as data for a complete scanline or image frame. Communication protocol headers and trailers are described which define the communication and coding protocols for the transmitted ultrasound information.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is provided with scanheads having a reduced size cable by virtue of the performance of at least some of the beamforming in the scanhead. The need to individually couple signals from all of the elements of the transducer array of the scanhead is eliminated, and the size of the scanhead cable correspondingly reduced, by the coupling of combined, beamformed signals through the cable to an ultrasound system.

Abstract: A speech recognition manager receives representations of one or more words from a speech decoding system and interprets the received words based upon the current context state so as to provide extremely accurate, flexible, extendable and scalable speech recognition and interpretation. The speech recognition manager limits the number of words that the speech decoding system can recognize in a given context state in order to increase the speed and accuracy of the speech recognition process. Whenever the context state changes, the manager loads a new list of words that can be recognized for the new context state into the speech decoding system so that while the speed and accuracy of the speech recognition process is increased, the total grammatical structure recognized can be easily increased as well.