Patents by Inventor Zuhua Mao
Zuhua Mao 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).
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Patent number: 10426441Abstract: Method and device for performing ultrasonic imaging on a region of interest are disclosed. The method comprises: emitting a first ultrasonic pulse and receiving a first ultrasonic echo signal; emitting a second ultrasonic pulse and receiving a second ultrasonic echo signal; emitting a third ultrasonic pulse and receiving a third ultrasonic echo signal; extracting echo signal components from the first ultrasonic echo signal, the second ultrasonic echo signal and the third ultrasonic echo signal; and producing an ultrasonic image of the region of interest according to the echo signal component; wherein, amplitude weighting of the third ultrasonic pulse is equal to the sum of amplitude weightings of the first ultrasonic pulse and the second ultrasonic pulse in magnitude. The method processes and modulates the plurality of ultrasonic echo signals, so as to separate nonlinear components and linear components in the ultrasonic echo signals.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2014Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Maodong Sang, Zuhua Mao, Tinglan Ji
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Publication number: 20140336513Abstract: Method and device for performing ultrasonic imaging on a region of interest are disclosed. The method comprises: emitting a first ultrasonic pulse and receiving a first ultrasonic echo signal; emitting a second ultrasonic pulse and receiving a second ultrasonic echo signal; emitting a third ultrasonic pulse and receiving a third ultrasonic echo signal; extracting echo signal components from the first ultrasonic echo signal, the second ultrasonic echo signal and the third ultrasonic echo signal; and producing an ultrasonic image of the region of interest according to the echo signal component; wherein, amplitude weighting of the third ultrasonic pulse is equal to the sum of amplitude weightings of the first ultrasonic pulse and the second ultrasonic pulse in magnitude. The method processes and modulates the plurality of ultrasonic echo signals, so as to separate nonlinear components and linear components in the ultrasonic echo signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2014Publication date: November 13, 2014Inventors: Maodong Sang, Zuhua Mao, Tinglan Ji
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Patent number: 8137278Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method which makes a phased array look like a curved array for purposes of performing spatial compounding calculations. In one embodiment, the phased array is treated as though it were a curved array by creating both a virtual apex and a virtual radius of curvature. Based on this transformation, standard spatial-compounding resampling tables can be used just as they are with curved arrays. In one embodiment, after the data is compounded to form the target image, certain data is removed prior to the actual display. This removed data represents data generated by virtual rays the prior to the physical skin line of the phased array.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2007Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Sonosite, Inc.Inventors: Andrew K. Lundberg, Mitchell Kaplan, Robert E. Stone, Ramachandra Pailoor, Clinton T. Siedenburg, Zuhua Mao
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Publication number: 20090069681Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method which makes a phased array look like a curved array for purposes of performing spatial compounding calculations. In one embodiment, the phased array is treated as though it were a curved array by creating both a virtual apex and a virtual radius of curvature. Based on this transformation, standard spatial-compounding resampling tables can be used just as they are with curved arrays. In one embodiment, after the data is compounded to form the target image, certain data is removed prior to the actual display. This removed data represents data generated by virtual rays the prior to the physical skin line of the phased array.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2007Publication date: March 12, 2009Applicant: Sonosite, Inc.Inventors: Andrew K. Lundberg, Mitchell Kaplan, Robert E. Stone, Ramachandra Pailoor, Clinton T. Siedenburg, Zuhua Mao
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Patent number: 7356172Abstract: Systems and methods are described for tracking motion in a medical imaging system. The methods use landmark sets including hard landmarks and soft landmarks. The systems can include means for generating a landmark set, means for constructing a landmark set spatial relationship, means for computing a context similarity measurement, means for cost function construction, and means for cost function minimization and motion estimation. The invention provides advantages because, among other reasons, the use of a cost function of two or more variables, where the cost function is defined over members of the landmark set collection, and the cost function subject to at least two constraints and the landmark set stability in terms of context similarity measurements and spatial relationship provide effective and robust motion tracking.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2002Date of Patent: April 8, 2008Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.Inventors: Liexiang Fan, Patrick L. Von Behren, Arun P. Tirumalai, Zuhua Mao
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Patent number: 6960169Abstract: Contrast agent imaging uses spread spectrum coding. The contrast-to-tissue ratio and signal-to-noise ratio for contrast agent imaging is improved by transmitting a waveform with pulses at two or more frequencies. In one embodiment, signals received at an intermodulation frequency responsive to the two transmitted frequencies are isolated and used for imaging. As a result of the differences in responses of contrast agent and tissue to the frequency transitions between pulses, information from contrast agent with minimal influence from tissue is identified. In another embodiment, two waveforms with pulses at two or more frequencies are sequentially transmitted.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2003Date of Patent: November 1, 2005Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.Inventors: Zuhua Mao, Hui Jiang, Patrick Von Behren
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Publication number: 20040236222Abstract: Contrast agent imaging uses spread spectrum coding. The contrast-to-tissue ratio and signal-to-noise ratio for contrast agent imaging is improved by transmitting a waveform with pulses at two or more frequencies. In one embodiment, signals received at an intermodulation frequency responsive to the two transmitted frequencies are isolated and used for imaging. As a result of the differences in responses of contrast agent and tissue to the frequency transitions between pulses, information from contrast agent with minimal influence from tissue is identified. In another embodiment, two waveforms with pulses at two or more frequencies are sequentially transmitted.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2003Publication date: November 25, 2004Inventors: Zuhua Mao, Hui Jiang, Patrick Von Behren
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Publication number: 20040064036Abstract: Systems and methods are described for tracking motion in a medical imaging system. The methods use landmark sets including hard landmarks and soft landmarks. The systems can include means for generating a landmark set, means for constructing a landmark set spatial relationship, means for computing a context similarity measurement, means for cost function construction, and means for cost function minimization and motion estimation. The invention provides advantages because, among other reasons, the use of a cost function of two or more variables, where the cost function is defined over members of the landmark set collection, and the cost function subject to at least two constraints and the landmark set stability in terms of context similarity measurements and spatial relationship provide effective and robust motion tracking.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2002Publication date: April 1, 2004Inventors: Zuhua Mao, Arun P. Tirumalai, Liexiang Fan, Patrick L. Von Behren
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Patent number: 6626836Abstract: An ultrasound system includes a transmit/receive switch (502), at least one frequency band selection circuit (512), and a selection unit (511). The selection unit (511) is used to determine if the data being received are from tissue or contrast agent regions. Depending on which type of region the data are from, different signal processing techniques are applied to the data. For example for tissue regions, a harmonic filter can be applied to the signal. If the signals are from contrast agent flow regions, both the harmonic filter and a fundamental filter can be used.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2001Date of Patent: September 30, 2003Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.Inventors: Zuhua Mao, Hui Jiang, Patrick L. Von Behren
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Publication number: 20030069504Abstract: Receive information for multiple pulse sequences are aligned as a function of phase shifts, amplitude weightings or other differences to account at least in part for inaccuracies in the transmit pulses, noise, focusing or other differences. Separate receive filters for each of the echo signals responsive to different transmit pulses provide frequency dependent amplitude weightings or phase shifts. The frequency dependent amplitude weightings or phase shifts compensate for imperfections in the transmit pulse prior to combining the echo signals. The filter may include a various number of taps or inputs, such as two or more taps, providing different spectral characteristics for different echo signals responses to the different transmit pulses. For example, N different linear receive filters are provided for echo signals responsive to each of N different transmit pulses, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2002Publication date: April 10, 2003Applicant: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.Inventors: Wilko G. Wilkening, Helmut Ermert, Bernhard J. Brendel, Zuhua Mao, Hui Jiang
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Publication number: 20020147399Abstract: An ultrasound system includes a transmit/receive switch (502), at least one frequency band selection circuit (512), and a selection unit (511). The selection unit (511) is used to determine if the data being received are from tissue or contrast agent regions. Depending on which type of region the data are from, different signal processing techniques are applied to the data. For example for tissue regions, a harmonic filter can be applied to the signal. If the signals are from contrast agent flow regions, both the harmonic filter and a fundamental filter can be used.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2001Publication date: October 10, 2002Applicant: Siemens Medical Systems, Inc.Inventors: Zuhua Mao, Hui Jiang, Patrick L. Von Behren
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Patent number: 6368277Abstract: A method of dynamically measuring parameters within a series of images using image processing is disclosed. A sequence of ultrasound images is generated by means of an ultrasound system. A user determines at least one region of interest within a first image. Then, at least one parameter for each region of interest is evaluated, e.g. the number of pixels exceeding a pre-defined intensity are counted. A new region of interest within a sequential image is searched within a search area around the predefined region of interest which best matches the region of interest. This is done for all images of a sequence whereby the new region of interest which best matches the region of interest of the previous image is used as a region of interest for the following image.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2000Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.Inventors: Zuhua Mao, Peng Jiang, Patrick L. Von Behren, David E. Gustafson
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Patent number: 5876341Abstract: A BcD mode ultrasound imaging system including a Doppler processor which is configured to receive a Doppler signal having components that are corrupted by residue from color mode interleaving. The Doppler processor is configured to analyze the residue effect and compensate for the residue by filtering the received Doppler signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1997Date of Patent: March 2, 1999Assignee: Siemens Medical Systems, Inc.Inventors: Hong Wang, John Klepper, Lin-Xin Yao, Tai-Kyong Song, Zuhua Mao