Ultrasonic Patents (Class 600/437)
  • Patent number: 11527329
    Abstract: Automatically determining a medical recommendation for a patient based on multiple medical images from multiple different medical imaging modalities. In some embodiments, a method may include receiving a first and second medical images of a patient from first and second medical imaging modalities, mapping a first region of interest (ROI) on the first medical image to a second ROI on the second medical image, generating first annotation data related to the first ROI and second annotation data related to the second ROI, generating first medical clinical data related to the first ROI and second medical clinical data related to the second ROI, inputting, into a machine learning classifier, the first and second annotation data and the first and second medical clinical data, and automatically determining, by the machine learning classifier, a medical recommendation for the patient related to a medical condition of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: XIFIN, Inc.
    Inventors: Patricia Anne Goede, Martin Jonathan Barrack
  • Patent number: 11526708
    Abstract: An information processing device includes a processor. The processor obtains an input image, inputs the input image to a machine learning model that executes classification likelihood calculation processing to obtain, for each of candidate objects in the input image, likelihoods of belonging to the plurality of classes, executes first determination on whether or not each of the candidate objects is classified as a first class of the plurality of classes using a likelihood of belonging to the first class that is a likelihood having a negative correlation with likelihoods of belonging to other classes, executes second determination on whether or not each of the candidate objects that have been determined in the first determination as a non-first class is classified as the other classes, and outputting a result of classifying the candidate objects included in the input image using a result of the second determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventor: Yohei Nakata
  • Patent number: 11517284
    Abstract: The medical imaging apparatus of the present invention includes a bath tank for accommodating a test subject, the test subject being at least a portion of a body of a human subject; a measurement device movable in a predetermined direction, the measurement device including ab group of elements to emit a radiation wave into the bath tank and receive a scattered radiation wave; and a control unit for measuring by the measurement device when at least one of a location of the test subject within a plane orthogonal to the predetermined direction, a location of the test subject in the predetermined direction, and continuity of data measured by the measurement device satisfies a predetermined condition. Because of this configuration, the medical imaging apparatus is able to acquire data covering the entire measurement target site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Lily MedTech Inc.
    Inventors: Mika Seki, Kazuo Yuge, Yu Takamura
  • Patent number: 11520874
    Abstract: A method of authorizing a limited use intravascular device can include determining if the intravascular device is in communication with a clinical system; determining if the intravascular device is authorized for clinical operation without providing the clinical system access to intravascular device data stored on the intravascular device; and providing an authorization signal to the clinical system. An intravascular device can include a flexible elongate member including a sensing component at a distal portion and a connector at a proximal portion, the connector including: a memory component configured to store a parameter value; a processing component; and a charge storage component configured to power the memory component and/or the processing component; wherein the processing component is configured to determine if the flexible elongate member is authorized for clinical operation using the parameter value without providing the parameter value to a clinical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: PHILIPS IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy J. Kennedy, David Sprague, Jason Y. Sproul, Andreas Johansson, Francis Harrington, Derek Bruce Eldridge, Todd Bitner
  • Patent number: 11517290
    Abstract: A system and method for acquiring standard ultrasound scan plane views is provided. The method includes acquiring a scan plane by an ultrasound probe positioned at a scan position over a region of interest. The method includes identifying the scan plane as a first standard view. The method includes automatically adjusting a scan acquisition angle until a second standard view is determined. The adjusting the scan acquisition angle includes rotating and/or tilting the scan acquisition angle. The method includes acquiring, by the ultrasound probe positioned at the scan position, an additional scan plane at the adjusted scan acquisition angle until the second standard view is determined. The method includes automatically determining whether the additional scan plane is the second standard view. The method includes presenting the additional scan plane having the second standard view at a display system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC
    Inventors: Svein Arne Aase, Kristin McLeod, Anders Sornes
  • Patent number: 11510655
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for motion corrected wide-band pulse inversion ultrasonic imaging. A first pulse is transmitted, a second pulse is then transmitted after a delay, with the second pulse having different polarity. Echoes of the first pulse and the second pulse are received, using a reception bandwidth that enables capturing at least a portion of a fundamental portion of each pulse. The echoes are processed, and corresponding ultrasound images are generated based on processing. The processing includes determining displacement data between the first pulse echo and the echo of the second pulse for at least one structure in an imaged area; determining one or more displacement corrections based on the displacement data; applying at least one displacement correction to at least one of the first pulse echo and the echo of the second pulse; and combining the first pulse echo and the echo of the second pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC
    Inventor: Anders R. Sornes
  • Patent number: 11504097
    Abstract: The present embodiments relate generally to systems and methods for acquiring raw ultrasound data from an ultrasound machine using a wirelessly connected device. The systems can be configured to display ultrasound images on a display device and receive input to select the ultrasound images for which to retrieve corresponding raw ultrasound data from the ultrasound machine. A raw data buffer provided at the ultrasound machine may be capable of storing a first time duration of raw ultrasound data. An image display buffer provided at the wireless device may store: processed ultrasound image data corresponding to the raw ultrasound data stored in the raw data buffer; and previously-received processed ultrasound image data that has no corresponding raw ultrasound data stored in the raw data buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Clarius Mobile Health Corp.
    Inventors: Kris Dickie, Nishant Uniyal, Benjamin Eric Kerby
  • Patent number: 11497478
    Abstract: Machine learning trains to tune settings. For training, the user interactions with the image parameters (i.e., settings) as part of ongoing examination of patients are used to establish the ground truth positive and negative examples of settings instead of relying on an expert review of collected samples. Patient information, location information, and/or user information may also be included in the training data so that the network is trained to provide settings for different situations based on the included information. During application, the patient is imaged. The initial or subsequent image is input with other information (e.g., patient, user, and/or location information) to the machine-trained network to output settings to be used for improved imaging in the situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Miroslav Gajdos, Bimba Rao
  • Patent number: 11493616
    Abstract: The method includes excitation during which an internal mechanical stress is generated in an excitation zone, and imaging by acquiring signals during movements generated by the mechanical stress in the visco-elastic medium in response to the internal mechanical stress in an. imaging zone that includes the excitation zone. The method further includes calculating a quantitative index associated with the rheological properties of the visco-elastic medium at least at one point of the imaging zone situated at a given depth outside the excitation zone. The quantitative index is representative of a comparison between signals acquired during the movements generated in response to the mechanical stress at least at one point of the excitation zone situated at the given depth, and signals acquired during the movements generated in response to the mechanical stress at at least the point of the imaging zone situated outside the excitation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SuperSonic Imagine
    Inventors: Jeremy Bercoff, David Savery, Claude Cohen-Bacrie, Jacques Souquet
  • Patent number: 11491351
    Abstract: Methods of treating the skin and in particular removing pigment from a tattoo are provided. In preferred embodiments, a piezoelectric transducer is placed at a plurality of locations above the skin and focused acoustic waves at 7 MHz or more are transmitted into the skin. The focal point of the focused acoustic waves is between 0.1 mm and 5 mm below the surface of the skin. The design of the piezoelectric transducer along with the frequency of operation are carefully chosen to create points of treatment with a desired size and shape. The correct amount of energy is supplied to the points of treatment to produce a lesion of a desired size and shape. The lesions are spaced and located to effect the treatment of the skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOOSONIX A/S
    Inventors: Tomasz Zawada, Torsten Bove
  • Patent number: 11490876
    Abstract: Provided is a technique for evaluating properties of a membranous tissue or a surface of the tissue in a biological body by ultrasonic waves. A method of the invention includes setting one or more measurement points on a surface of the biological tissue to be inspected; measuring, in a state in which an elastic wave propagates to the biological tissue, at least a surface wave of the elastic wave by measuring a displacement of the biological tissue at the measurement point by using an ultrasonic wave; and calculating an index value indicating physical properties of the biological tissue by using the measured displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideki Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 11484248
    Abstract: Parametric model based computer implemented methods for determining the stiffness of a bone and systems for estimating the stiffness of a bone in vivo. The computer implemented methods include determining a complex compliance frequency response function Y(f) and an associated complex stiffness frequency response function H(f) and independently fitting a parametric mathematical model to Y(f) and to H(f). The systems include a device for measuring the stiffness of the bone in vivo and a data analyzer to determine a complex compliance frequency response function Y(f) and an associated complex stiffness frequency response function H(f).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Ohio University
    Inventors: Lyn Bowman, Joseph Oberhauser
  • Patent number: 11484219
    Abstract: Markers and related systems and methods are provided for localizing lesions within a patient's body, e.g., within a breast. The marker includes one or more photosensitive diodes for transforming light pulses striking the marker into electrical energy, one or more antennas, and a switch coupled to the photodiodes and antennas such that the light pulses cause the switch to open and close and modulate radar signals reflected by the marker back to a source of the signals. The antenna(s) may include one or more wire elements extending from a housing, one or more antenna elements printed on a substrate, or one or more chip antennas. Optionally, the marker may include a processor coupled to the photodiodes for identifying signals in the light pulses or one or more coatings or filters to allow selective activation of the marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Cianna Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Greene, Nikolai Rulkov, Jonathan White
  • Patent number: 11484290
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for remotely controlling a main processing console of an ultrasound system. In various embodiments, an ultrasound remote controller can be used to remotely control a main processing console of an ultrasound system. The ultrasound remote controller can include a user interface controller configured to provide one or more ultrasound control functions to a user remote from the main processing console. The control functions can be used to remotely control operation of the main console. Further, the user interface controller can be configured to receive input for the one or more ultrasound control functions from the user. The ultrasound remote controller can include a communication interface configured to transmit operational instructions to the main processing console for remotely controlling the operation of the main processing console through the ultrasound remote controller based on the user input for the one or more ultrasound control functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Glen W. McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 11482327
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for estimating the status of a bladder, especially with respect to the likelihood of an imminent voiding of the bladder. The apparatuses carry out computer-implemented methods of estimating a bladder status employing a bladder monitor which collects bladder data (e.g. using ultrasound) and transmits the bladder data to a data processor for algorithmic conversion to a bladder status. Such algorithms may be trained and tuned to a particular person's bladder. Having established a bladder status based on otherwise esoteric bladder data, the data processor may then trigger an alert signal where the bladder status meets particular criteria indicating an imminent voiding event. Such a trigger signal may be used to alert a nocturnal enuresis patient to an impending void so that they can be awoken before any bedwetting occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE
    Inventors: Darren William Ansell, Caroline Sanders, Peter Leather, Mahdi Amina, Kaya Kuru
  • Patent number: 11481894
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for calculating stress parameters is provided. The method comprises establishing a first image pyramid according to an image of a sample before deformation, and establishing a second image pyramid corresponding to the first image pyramid according to an image of the sample after deformation; starting from a top level in the first image pyramid, iteratively calculating displacement information on each level in the first image pyramid relative to a corresponding level in the second image pyramid based on a center point of each sub-region at each level in the first image pyramid and other positions in the sub-region; calculating strain information on the sample according to displacement information on a bottom level of the first image pyramid; and calculating stress parameters of the sample based on the strain information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: CHINA UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM-BEIJING
    Inventors: Linlin Wang, Zhilei Luo, Kaikai Jia, Yanchang Deng
  • Patent number: 11478218
    Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to instructing an operator to move an ultrasound device along a predetermined path relative to an anatomical area in order to collect first ultrasound data and second ultrasound data, the first ultrasound data capable of being transformed into an ultrasound image of a target anatomical view, and the second ultrasound data not capable of being transformed into the ultrasound image of the target anatomical view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: BFLY Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Alex Rothberg
  • Patent number: 11464488
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for graphical grading of medical findings during a diagnostic imaging exam. In one example, a method includes displaying an acquired medical image on a display area of a display device, displaying a virtual anatomical diagram on the display area adjacent to the ultrasound medical image, responsive to selection of an anatomical region from the anatomical diagram, displaying a plurality of icons representing graded diagnostic findings associated with the anatomical region, and responsive to selection of an icon of the plurality of icons, storing the ultrasound medical image in permanent memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Carmit Shiran, Mor Vardi
  • Patent number: 11464486
    Abstract: A wireless handheld ultrasound system an ultrasound front end to transmit ultrasonic waves into a subject and convert received ultrasonic echoes into digital data; an image processor coupled to the ultrasound front end to convert the digital data into an image; and a power section coupled to the ultrasound front end and the image processor. The power section may include a battery; a charging circuit to charge the battery; and a wireless power transducer coupled to the charging circuit to convert wireless power received from an external source into electrical energy for the charging circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Glen W. McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 11464482
    Abstract: A system and method for efficiently transmitting and receiving focused ultrasound through a medium, such as bone, is provided. The focal region of the focused ultrasound is iteratively updated to provide an improved focus through the medium. This method may be carried out using a transducer assembly that includes two or more transmit arrays each operating at a different frequency. An initial focus is set and updated by delivering focused ultrasound with a lower frequency transmit array. The phase corrections determined in the first iteration are applied to subsequently higher frequency transmit arrays and received signals, and the process repeated until a desired focus or image resolution is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Sunnybrook Research Institute
    Inventors: Kullervo Henrik Hynynen, Meaghan Anne O'Reilly
  • Patent number: 11461900
    Abstract: A dynamic image analysis system includes a modality and a hardware processor. The modality generates first and second dynamic images each composed of frame images indicating dynamics of a subject. The processor detects a first signal value of a pixel in a first region in each of the frame images of the first dynamic image. The hardware processor detects a second signal value of a pixel in a second region in which an identical site to that of the first region is imaged, the second region being in each of the frame images of the second dynamic image. The processor determines an image processing condition for making the first signal value close to the second signal value based on the first and second signal values detected. The hardware processor performs image processing on the first dynamic image under the determined image processing condition to generate a processed dynamic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Sumiya Nagatsuka, Naoki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11452493
    Abstract: A bimodal three-dimensional mammary gland imaging quality detecting phantom and method, which includes: a three-dimensional breast appearance phantom structure made of agarose gel containing polyethylene, which is a radiation equivalent material of adipose tissues under X-rays, the relaxation time of hydrogen protons in the agarose gel under a 3T magnetic field is equivalent to that of human adipose tissues, and mammary gland tissue duct phantoms and phantoms of lobules of mammary gland are distributed in the breast appearance phantom structure. The phantom can be used for the image quality detection and analysis of mammary gland imaging by the systems of magnetic resonance and mammography, the material is elastic and can be compressed on a mammography platform for imaging, and the phantom can also be vertically placed in the magnetic resonance mammary gland coil for tomography, so two imaging modes of one phantom are achieved, and the application range is expanded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: TAISHAN MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jianfeng Qiu, Guozhu Wang, Kun Hou, Minghui Li, Xueqian Yang, Liting Shi, Weizhao Lu
  • Patent number: 11452494
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for projection profile enabled computer aided detection (CAD). Volumetric ultrasound dataset may be generated, based on echo ultrasound signals, and based on the volumetric ultrasound dataset, a three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound volume may generated. Selective structure detection may be applied to the three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC
    Inventors: Krishna Seetharam Shriram, Arathi Sreekumari, Rakesh Mullick
  • Patent number: 11446001
    Abstract: A universal ultrasound device having an ultrasound probe includes a semiconductor die; a plurality of ultrasonic transducers integrated on the semiconductor die, the plurality of ultrasonic transducers configured to operate a first mode associated with a first frequency range and a second mode associated with a second frequency range, wherein the first frequency range is at least partially non-overlapping with the second frequency range; and control circuitry configured to: control the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to generate and/or detect ultrasound signals having frequencies in the first frequency range, in response to receiving an indication to operate the ultrasound probe in the first mode; and control the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to generate and/or detect ultrasound signals having frequencies in the second frequency range, in response to receiving an indication to operate the ultrasound probe in the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: BFLY Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston, Christopher Thomas McNulty, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Paul Francis Cristman, Matthew de Jonge, Keith G. Fife
  • Patent number: 11442157
    Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system scans a plurality of planar slices in a volumetric region which are parallel to each other. Following detection of the image data of the slices the slice data is combined by projecting the data in the elevation dimension to produce a “thick slice” image. Combining may be by means of an averaging or maximum intensity detection or weighting process or by raycasting in the elevation dimension in a volumetric rendering process. Thick slice images are displayed at a high frame rate of display by combining a newly acquired slice with slices previously acquired from different elevational planes which were used in a previous combination. A new thick slice image may be produced each time at least one of the slice images is updated by a newly acquired slice. Frame rate is further improved by multiline acquisition of the slices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Karl Thiele
  • Patent number: 11435461
    Abstract: An ultrasound system, probe and method are provided. The ultrasound system includes a transducer with piezoelectric transducer elements polarized in a poling direction. A bipolar transmit circuit is configured to generate a transmit signal having first and second polarity segments. The first and second polarity segments have corresponding first and second peak amplitudes. A bias generator is configured to generate a bias signal in a direction of the poling direction. The bias signal is combined with the transmit signal to form a biased transmit signal that is shifted in the direction of the poling direction and still includes both of positive and negative voltages over a transmit cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC
    Inventors: Harald Weichenberger, Anton Hörl, Reinhold Brüstle, Bruno Hans Haider
  • Patent number: 11435459
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for generating a filtered ultrasound image. The method begins by obtaining channel data. First and second apodization functions are applied to the channel data to generate first (610) and second (620) image data, respectively. A minimization function is then applied to the first (610) and second (620) image data, which may then be used to generate third (630) image data. The filtered ultrasound image may then be generated based on the first (610) and third (630) image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Jun Soeb Shin, Seungsoo Kim, Francois Guy Gerard Marie Vignon, Sheng-Wen Huang, Jean-Luc Francois-Marie Robert
  • Patent number: 11438695
    Abstract: The present application relates to a system and method for receiving, via a microphone array, an incoming acoustic signal including a desired signal and an undesired signal, performing a first minimum variance distortionless response beamforming operation on the incoming acoustic signal to isolate the desired signal, performing a second minimum variance distortionless response beamforming operation, by the signal processor, on the incoming acoust signal to isolate the undesired signal, filtering the desired signal to generate a filtered desired signal, combining an inverse of the filtered desired signal with the undesired signal to generate a combined undesired signal, filtering the combined undesired signal to generate a filtered combined undesired signal, combining an inverse of the combined undesired signal and the desired signal to generate an output signal, and generating a data signal in response to the output signal for transmission via a wireless network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Amos Schreibman, Anna Barnov
  • Patent number: 11432882
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a system for medical object tracking is provided. The system includes a plurality of radio frequency transceivers where each of the plurality of radio frequency transceivers are configured to emit a radio frequency signal at a respective frequency. The system includes a radio frequency beacon removably attachable to a medical object where the radio frequency beacon configured to: reflect the radio frequency signals from the plurality of radio frequency transceivers, and emit vibration-based signals. The system includes a control device in communication with the plurality of radio frequency transceivers where the control device includes processing circuitry configured to determine a location of the medical object in three-dimensional space based at least in part on the reflected radio frequency signals and vibration-based signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: CAIRA SURGICAL
    Inventor: Morteza Meftah
  • Patent number: 11426080
    Abstract: Methods and systems of monitoring and controlling thermal therapy treatments. One method includes determining, with an electronic processor, a propagation constant for a plurality of waveports. The method also includes modeling an object within an imaging cavity using a sparse mesh model. The method also includes determining a simulated impedance of the object based on the model of the object. The method also includes calibrating the simulated impedance with a theoretical impedance numerically calculated for the object. The method also includes determining a distribution of an electric field and a distribution of a magnetic field for a mode in a conformal modeled waveport based on the calibrated impedance and the model of the object. The method also includes exciting the plurality of waveports to generate the determined distribution of the electric field and the distribution of the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: University of Southern California
    Inventors: John P. Stang, Mark S. Haynes, Mahta Moghaddam, Guanbo Chen
  • Patent number: 11419582
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes ultrasound imaging systems and methods for operating an ultrasound system with a multi-mode touch screen interface. An ultrasound system according to the present disclosure may include a movable base and a control panel supported by the movable base. The control panel may include a plurality of manual controls provided on a support surface and a touch control panel movably coupled to the support surface. The touch control panel may include a touch display configured to provide a touch-sensitive user interface. The touch control panel may be movable between a plurality of positions at which the touch display is at different angles relative to the support surface. The touch display may be configured to automatically change a user interface provided on the touch display responsive to movement of the touch display to any of the plurality of positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Wendy Mei Yee
  • Patent number: 11419577
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes ultrasound imaging systems and methods that may be used to image, for example, breast tissue. An ultrasound imaging system according to one embodiment may include a probe, a sensor attached to the probe and operatively associated with a position tracking system, a processor configured to receive probe position data from the position tracking system. The user interface may be configured to provide instructions for placement of the probe at a plurality of anatomical landmarks of a selected breast of the subject and receive user input to record the spatial location of the probe at each of the plurality of anatomical landmarks. The processor may be configured to determine a scan area based on the spatial location of the probe at each of the plurality of anatomical landmarks and generate a scan pattern for the selected breast. The processor may be further configured to monitor movement of the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: James Robertson Jago, Julia Dmitrieva, Gary Cheng-How Ng, Thomas Shu Yin Tang
  • Patent number: 11410348
    Abstract: An imaging method. The method comprises the following steps: determining a target by identifying target-related position information or characteristic information (S101); implementing a two-dimensional scan of the target to collect image data of the target in a three-dimensional space (S102); processing, during the scanning, and on a real-time basis, the image data and relevant spatial information to obtain a plurality of image contents of the target, and displaying the image content on a real-time basis (S103); and arranging the plurality of image contents in an incremental sequence to form an image of the target (S104). The imaging method prevents collection of unusable image information, shortens image data collection time, and increases the speed of an imaging process. The application further provides an imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Telefield Medical Imaging Limited
    Inventor: Yongping Zheng
  • Patent number: 11410753
    Abstract: Methods for associating medical images to a patient using a mobile image-capturing device and transmitting the medical images to a storage location are disclosed. One example method includes accessing by a user identifying information associated with a patient through an electronic health record (EHR) application installed in the mobile device, launching a second application on the mobile device from the EHR application, and upon the launching of the application from the EHR application, transmitting the patient identifying information accessed by the user from the EHR application to the second application. The second application may then retrieve one or more medical images stored in the mobile device, associate the one or more retrieved medical images with the patient using the identifying information, and transmit the one or more retrieved medical images with the associated patient identifying information from the mobile device to a storage location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Hyland Switzerland SARL
    Inventors: Abdul Rahim Khatri, Jacob Michael Hargus
  • Patent number: 11400319
    Abstract: Methods for treating skin and subcutaneous tissue with energy such as ultrasound energy are disclosed. In various embodiments, ultrasound energy is applied at a region of interest to affect tissue by cutting, ablating, micro-ablating, coagulating, or otherwise affecting the subcutaneous tissue to conduct numerous procedures that are traditionally done invasively in a non-invasive manner. Methods of lifting sagging tissue are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Peter G. Barthe, Michael H. Slayton, Inder Raj S. Makin
  • Patent number: 11399789
    Abstract: A compression unit for a combined x-ray and ultrasound examination device and an examination device. The handling of the combined x-ray and ultrasound examination device is simplified by providing a compression unit with a compression surface which is permeable to x-rays and ultrasound and which is, or can be, coupled to a support element of the examination device irrespective of the existence of a mechanical and/or electrical connection between the ultrasound unit and the examination device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Mathias Hoernig
  • Patent number: 11394983
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a merge candidate list for encoding or decoding of a video sequence includes determining a first candidate block that includes a vertical position above a top edge of a current block, and that includes a horizontal position adjacent to a horizontal center of the current block. A second candidate block is determined that includes a horizontal position that is located to a left side of a left edge of the current block and a vertical position adjacent to a vertical center of the current block. The merge candidate list is generated using the first candidate block and the second candidate block to permit the encoding or the decoding of the video sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: TENCENT AMERICA LLC
    Inventors: Jing Ye, Shan Liu, Guichun Li, Xiaozhong Xu, Xiang Li
  • Patent number: 11382554
    Abstract: A personal monitoring device has a sensor assembly configured to sense physiological signals upon contact with a user's skin. The sensor assembly produces electrical signals representing the sensed physiological signals. A converter assembly, integrated with, and electrically connected to the sensor assembly, converts the electrical signals generated by the sensor assembly to a frequency modulated physiological audio signal having a carrier frequency in the range of from about 6 kHz to about 20 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: AliveCor, Inc.
    Inventors: David Albert, Bruce Richard Satchwell, Kim Norman Barnett
  • Patent number: 11373745
    Abstract: An automatic medication dispenser is disclosed herein. The automated prescription medication dispensing machine includes a container for housing multiple medication pills. The container has a programmable dispensing system, an audible reminder alert, a biometric sensor and a proximity alarm. Additionally, the dispenser can be programmed to dispense a prescribed dosage at a prescribed time or interval and can only be activated using a biometric fingerprint scanner. Furthermore, the system has an audible reminder alarm for a patient. If the machine is moved from a set location an audible alert is activated to prevent the dispenser from being stolen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventor: Richard Heaps
  • Patent number: 11364011
    Abstract: An apparatus can be used to generate acoustic imaging pulse sequences and receive corresponding echoes elicited by the acoustic imaging pulse sequences. An acoustic radiation force (ARF) pulse sequence can be generated to agitate a contrast medium in a tissue region between the acoustic imaging pulse sequences. A decorrelation between images corresponding to the received echoes can be determined. A weighting map can be applied to an image to weight a region of the image corresponding to a spatial location of the contrast medium using the determined decorrelation. In an example, the receiving of corresponding echoes elicited by the acoustic imaging pulse sequences can include receiving acoustic energy having a range of frequencies offset from a fundamental frequency associated with the acoustic imaging pulse sequences. An acoustic imaging pulse sequence can include a pulse having an inverted amplitude envelope with respect to another pulse included in the sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: University of Virginia Patent Foundation
    Inventors: Elizabeth Bronwyn Herbst, John A. Hossack, Shiying Wang, F. William Mauldin, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11364015
    Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging for analyzing shear wave characteristics utilizes a background motion compensation subsystem which acts as a spatial filter of pulse-to-pulse autocorrelation phases over the ROI of tracking pulse vectors to compensate for background motion. The subsystem is configured to compute the sum of all lag-1 autocorrelations of tracking line ensemble data over the tracking ROI, for each PRI. The inventive technique does not significantly reduce sensitivity to shear waves, because the shear wave is spatially smaller than the ROI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: David Wesley Clark
  • Patent number: 11366223
    Abstract: An image with the sound speed in reception beamforming being changed is generated with a small amount of calculation. A conversion unit 41 converts first real space image data into first wave number space data in a wave number space. A remapping processing unit 42 processes the first wave number space data to generate data equivalent to second wave number space data. A reconversion unit 43 generates a second real space image by inversely converting data equivalent to the second wave number space data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Misaki Hiroshima, Hiroshi Kuribara
  • Patent number: 11357477
    Abstract: By identifying locations of contrast agent response, an intensity-based metric of contrast agent signal is used to control a duration of microbubble destruction with a medical ultrasound scanner. Feedback from motion of the transducer may be used to indicate when a user perceives enough destruction. A combination of both an intensity-based metric and transducer motion may be used to control the duration of bursting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Duncan, Gilles D. Guenette, Ismayil M. Guracar
  • Patent number: 11354802
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are described for providing patient anatomy models with indications of model accuracy included with the model. Accuracy is determined, for example, by analyzing gradients at tissue boundaries or by analyzing tissue surface curvature in a three-dimensional anatomy model. The determined accuracy is graphically provided to an operator along with the patient model. The overlaid accuracy indications facilitate the operator's understanding of the model, for example by showing areas of the model that may deviate from the modeled patient's actual anatomy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Smith & Nephew, Inc.
    Inventor: Yangqiu Hu
  • Patent number: 11344278
    Abstract: Disclosed is a computer-implemented method for determining an ovarian follicle count and size (diameter) from a pair of 2-D transvaginal ultrasound scans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Ganesan Ramachandran, Sindhu Priyadarshini Nellur Prakash, Celine Firtion, Cecile Dufour, Stéphane Allaire
  • Patent number: 11337768
    Abstract: A method comprises displaying an image of a field of view of a surgical environment. A first medical instrument in the field of view may be coupled to a first manipulator in a teleoperational assembly. The method may comprise displaying a menu proximate to an image of the first medical instrument in the image of the field of view. The menu may include a plurality of icons wherein each icon is associated with a function for the first medical instrument. The method may also comprise identifying a selected icon from the plurality of icons based upon a movement of an operator control device of a teleoperational operator control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Tabish Mustufa, Heath Feather, Daniel H. Gomez, Brian D. Hoffman, Paul W. Mohr, Huan L. Phan
  • Patent number: 11341633
    Abstract: An ultrasound system (100) includes an ultrasound transducer, a processing circuit (210, 300), and a display. The ultrasound transducer is configured to detect ultrasound information regarding a patient and output the ultrasound information as an ultrasound data sample. The processing circuit (210, 300) is configured to segment the ultrasound data sample into a binary image including at least one first region and at least one second region, obtain a first location of a first vascular feature of the binary image based on a boundary between the at least one first region and the at least one second region, and modify the binary image based on the first location of the first vascular feature. The first vascular feature is associated with an intima media thickness. The display is configured to display the modified image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: EDAN INSTRUMENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Jinghui Ma, Seshadri Srinivasan, Feng Ling
  • Patent number: 11337674
    Abstract: An ultrasonography apparatus includes transmitting circuitry, and processing circuitry. The transmitting circuitry configured to cause an ultrasound probe to transmit a displacement-generation ultrasonic wave to cause a displacement in a tissue of a living body, and cause the probe to transmit an observation ultrasonic wave to observe a displacement of a tissue of a living body in a predetermined scan region, the displacement caused based on the displacement-generation ultrasonic wave. The processing circuitry configured to accept a setting instruction that corresponds to the region, and that is related to an acquisition frequency of an image based on a reflected wave signal that is acquired by the probe by transmission and reception of the observation ultrasonic wave, determine a transmission condition for at least one of the displacement-generation ultrasonic wave and the observation ultrasonic wave, according to the setting instruction, and control the transmission circuitry based on the condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuko Kanayama, Akihiro Kakee, Masaki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11337661
    Abstract: A medical system comprises an instrument, a position acquisition apparatus, a data processing and image generating apparatus and an image display and control unit. The position acquisition apparatus is configured to acquire a position and orientation of the instrument in relation to a reference coordinate system. The data processing and image generating apparatus is configured to generate an image of a body part from currently recorded or stored data representing a body part, which image reproduces a view of the body part together with a representation of the position, and preferably also the orientation of the instrument so that an observer can gather the position and orientation of the instrument in the body part from the image of the body part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Intersect ENT GmbH
    Inventors: Timo Krüger, Dirk Mucha, Andreas Rose, Hannes Braun
  • Patent number: 11341640
    Abstract: A probability map of prostate tumor location is generated and displayed in response to receiving anatomic diagnostic medical imaging, such as from magnetic resonance (MR) scanning. A registration process is performed on the images in relation to a model built of prostate anatomy across different subjects in an enhanced prostate template. A probability map is created of tumor locations followed by transforming the imaging to incorporate the probability map and output a resultant image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Dieter Enzmann, Matthew S. Brown, Corey W. Arnold, Mahesh B. Nagarajan, Hyun J. Kim