Electronic Array Scanning Patents (Class 600/447)
  • Patent number: 11960035
    Abstract: Systems and methods for encoding radiofrequency, RF, data, e.g., electrical signals, by a microbeamformer are disclosed herein. The microbeamformer may use a pseudo-random sampling pattern (700) to sum samples of the RF data stored in a plurality of memory cells. The memory cells may be included in a delay line of the microbeamformer in some examples. The summed samples may form an encoded signal transmitted to a decoder which reconstructs the original RF data from the encoded signal. The decoder may use knowledge of the pseudo-random sampling pattern to reconstruct the original data in some examples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Gregory Tsiang Ely, Faik Can Meral, Jean-Luc Francois-Marie Robert
  • Patent number: 11950960
    Abstract: Ultrasound image devices, systems, and methods are provided. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising an array of acoustic elements configured to transmit ultrasound energy into an anatomy and to receive ultrasound echoes associated with the anatomy; and a processor circuit in communication with the array of acoustic elements and configured to receive, from the array, ultrasound channel data corresponding to the received ultrasound echoes; normalize the ultrasound channel data by applying a first scaling function to the ultrasound channel data; generate beamformed data by applying a predictive network to the normalized ultrasound channel data; de-normalize the beamformed data by applying a second scaling function to the beamformed data; generate an image of the anatomy from the beamformed data; and output, to a display in communication with the processor circuit, the image of the anatomy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Francois Guy Gerard Marie Vignon, Muhammad Usman Ghani, Jun Seob Shin, Faik Can Meral, Sheng-Wen Huang, Jean-Luc Francois-Marie Robert
  • Patent number: 11918420
    Abstract: Various approaches for focusing an ultrasound transducer having multiple transducer elements include causing the transducer elements to transmit ultrasound waves to a target region and measure reflections of the ultrasound waves off the target region; for each of at least some of the transducer elements, adjusting a parameter value associated with said each transducer element based at least in part on parameter values associated with multiple measuring transducer elements weighted by signal quality metrics associated with the reflections measured by the measuring transducer elements so as to improve an ultrasound focus at the target region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Insightec Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoav Levy, Oleg Prus
  • Patent number: 11911217
    Abstract: An imaging assembly for an intraluminal imaging device is provided. In one embodiment, the imaging assembly includes an imaging array positioned at a distal portion of the intraluminal imaging device. The imaging array may have a plurality of imaging elements arranged into subarrays. The imaging assembly also may include a micro-beam-former integrated circuit (IC) coupled to the imaging array at the distal portion of the intraluminal imaging device. The micro-beam-former IC includes a plurality of microchannels that may separately beam-form signals received from imaging elements of at least two subarrays. The imaging assembly further includes two or more signal lines that may couple to the micro beam-former IC. Each signal line may correspond to a specific subarray and may receive the beam-formed signals specific to corresponding subarray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: William Ossmann, Bernard Joseph Savord, Wojtek Sudol, Stephen Davies
  • Patent number: 11911222
    Abstract: A system includes a transducer array configured to produce a signal indicative of a received echo wave, receive circuitry configured to amplify and digitize the signal, sub-systems configured to process the digitized signal to generate an image including electronic noise from the system, and a system controller. The system controller is configured to retrieve a pre-determined noise level of an analog front end of the receive circuitry, configure the sub-systems, wherein each of sub-systems includes multiple processing blocks, and the configuring determines which of the processing blocks are employed and which of the processing blocks are bypassed for a scan, and determine a noise level for each of the employed sub-systems based on a corresponding noise model. The sub-systems include a processor configured to adaptively vary at least one of a gain and a dynamic range of the image as a function of depth based on the noise levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BK MEDICAL APS
    Inventors: Jens Mose Pedersen, Svetoslav Ivanov Nikolov
  • Patent number: 11903768
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically adjusting beamformer parameters based on ultrasound image analysis to enhance ultrasound image acquisition is provided. The method includes acquiring, by an ultrasound system, an ultrasound image. The method includes segmenting, by at least one processor, the ultrasound image to identify anatomical structure(s) and/or image artifact(s) in the ultrasound image. The method includes detecting, by the at least one processor, a location of each of the identified anatomical structure(s) and/or image artifact(s). The method includes automatically adjusting, by the at least one processor, at least one beamformer parameter based on the detected location of one or more of the identified anatomical structure(s) and/or the image artifact(s). The method includes acquiring, by the ultrasound system, an enhanced ultrasound image based on the automatically adjusted at least one beamformer parameter. The method includes presenting, at a display system, the enhanced ultrasound image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
    Inventors: Abhijit Patil, Vikram Melapudi, Krishna Seetharam Shriram, Chandan Kumar Mallappa Aladahalli
  • Patent number: 11890132
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes transmitting a first set of ultrasound waves to determine whether there is fluid flow at a target area. The first set of ultrasound waves are transmitted at a first pulse repetition frequency. The method also includes determining whether there is fluid flow in a second area based on the first set of ultrasound waves. The second area is between the target area and an ultrasound probe. The method further includes transmitting a second set of ultrasound waves to detect fluid flow at the target area in response to determining that there is fluid flow in the second area between the target area and the ultrasound probe. The second set of ultrasound waves are directed towards the target area. The second set of ultrasound waves are transmitted at a second pulse repetition frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM SONOSITE, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas M. Duffy
  • Patent number: 11883240
    Abstract: A method including receiving from multiple transducers respective signals comprising reflections of a transmitted signal from a target; processing the received signals to derive a beamformed signal, based, at least in part, on: (i) computing a specified value associated with each of the received signals, (ii) performing a convolution on all of the specified values, (iii) calculating a weighted sum of the results of the convolution, to derive the beamformed signal; and reconstructing an image of the target, based on the beamformed signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Inventors: Yonina C. Eldar, Regev Cohen
  • Patent number: 11877720
    Abstract: A fluorescence imaging system is configured to generate a video image onto a display. The system includes a light source for emitting infrared light and white light, an infrared image sensor for capturing infrared image data, and a white light image sensor for capturing white light image data. Data processing hardware performs operations that include filtering the infrared image data with a first digital finite impulse response (FIR) filter configured to produce a magnitude response of zero at a horizontal Nyquist frequency and a vertical Nyquist frequency. The operations also include filtering the infrared image data with a second digital FIR filter configured with a phase response to spatially align the white light image data with the infrared image data. The operations also include combining the white light image data and the infrared image data into combined image data and transmitting the combined image data to the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: KARL STORZ Imaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryan Kennedy
  • Patent number: 11864949
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes transmitting a set of ultrasound waves to towards a target area. The set of ultrasound waves are transmitted by a set of ultrasound elements. The set of ultrasound elements are positioned at different locations in a transducer assembly. The method also includes receiving a set of reflections of the set of ultrasound waves. The set of reflections of the set of ultrasound waves are received by the set of ultrasound elements. The method further includes determining a set of correction values for the set of ultrasound elements. Each correction value of the set of correction values represents a refraction of one reflection of the set of reflections as the one reflection passes through a respective ultrasound element of the set of ultrasound elements. The method further includes generating imaging data based on the set of reflections of the set of ultrasound waves and the set of correction values for the set of ultrasound elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM SONOSITE, INC.
    Inventor: Michael Hansen
  • Patent number: 11857376
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for intraluminal ultrasound imaging are provided. An intraluminal ultrasound imaging system may include a patient interface module (PIM) in communication with an intraluminal device comprising an ultrasound imaging component and positioned within a body lumen of a patient. The PIM may receive ultrasound echo signals from the intraluminal device, transmit the ultrasound echo signals along a differential signal path, and digitize the ultrasound echo signals. The PIM may transmit the ultrasound wirelessly to a processing system. The PIM may be powered with a wireless charging system, such as an inductive charging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: PHILIPS IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cesar Perez, Samuel Sidney Rhodes
  • Patent number: 11860273
    Abstract: Techniques, systems, and devices are disclosed for spatial and temporal encoding of transmission in full synthetic transmit aperture imaging to achieve optimal spatial and contrast resolution and large signal-to-noise ratio for medical imaging applications with fewer signal transmissions, which can be equal to or less than the number of array elements within the aperture. In some aspects, a method of signal transmission is disclosed that includes a sequence of one or more sets of transmissions on a plurality of elements with unique, random, and/or optimized combinations of waveforms using amplitude and phase, and/or delay encoding. Sets of echoes corresponding to the sequence are beamformed such that fewer transmissions are needed than the number of array elements within the aperture, while maintaining complete spatial sampling of the aperture as if sampled according to a full set of synthetic transmit aperture transmissions on the same aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: DECISION SCIENCES MEDICAL COMPANY, LLC
    Inventor: Dustin E. Kruse
  • Patent number: 11852754
    Abstract: System and method of ultrasound imaging methodology are provided. The system and method can include directing an array to transmit sets of cascaded titled ultrasound waves towards a tissue sample, decoding reflected signals through summing, subtracting, and delay operations. The reflected signals can be reconstructed to provide a final decoded output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Versitech Limited
    Inventors: Yang Zhang, Yuexin Guo, Wei-Ning Lee
  • Patent number: 11846706
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing an analog waveform before it is sampled by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for the purpose of multiline beamforming in an ultrasound system are provided. The multiline beamforming is enabled by delaying the same waveform by two different time delays and by re-combining the delayed waveforms. This approach leverages an architecture that can also be used for temporal filtering, in which a single acoustic signal can be read out of the ARAM twice, separated by time, taking advantage of the fact that the ARAM allows for non-destructive read operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Steven Russell Freeman
  • Patent number: 11844646
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes: a display; a memory storing one or more instructions; and a processor configured to execute the one or more instructions stored in the memory to: generate a plurality of ultrasound images of an object including a plurality of entities, based on echo signals received from the object; detect first and second entities among the plurality of entities in each of the plurality of ultrasound images; acquire size information regarding the detected first entity and size information regarding the detected second entity from each of the plurality of ultrasound images; and control the display to display, based on the size information regarding the first entity and the size information regarding the second entity, a first ultrasound image showing a largest size of the first entity and a second ultrasound image showing a largest size of the second entity, from among the plurality of ultrasound images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG MEDISON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyunjae Jeon, Dongkuk Shin, Sungjin Choi
  • Patent number: 11841425
    Abstract: An ultrasound probe contains an array transducer and a microbeamformer coupled to elements of the array. The microbeamformer comprises analog to digital converters which convert received echo signals to digital echo signals, a plurality of digital delay circuits which produce a plurality of selectably delayed digital echo signals for a plurality of digital multiline echo signals, and a plurality of digital summers which combine the selectably delayed digital echo signals to produce a plurality of digital multiline echo signals in response to a single transmit event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Bernard Savord, Antonia van Rens, Sotir Ouzounov, McKee Poland, Nik Ledoux
  • Patent number: 11830351
    Abstract: A system providing various improved processing techniques for haptic feedback is described. An acoustic field is defined by one or more control points in a space within which the acoustic field may exist. Each control point is assigned an amplitude value equating to a desired amplitude of the acoustic field at the control point. Transducers are then controlled to create an acoustic field exhibiting the desired amplitude at each of the control points. When human skin interacts with the acoustic field, vibrations of the skin are interpreted by mechanoreceptors being excited and sending signals to the brain via the nervous system. Improved processing techniques allow for more efficient real-world operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: ULTRAHAPTICS IP LTD
    Inventors: Thomas Andrew Carter, Benjamin John Oliver Long, Sriram Subramanian
  • Patent number: 11821873
    Abstract: An ultrasound flaw detector includes: an ultrasound probe that is provided with a plurality of transducers and that is held so that a direction in which the transducers are arrayed is parallel to a surface of the test object in a state where the plurality of transducers is located in the liquid; a hardware processor that, using the plurality of transducers, transmits an ultrasound beam in a first direction with a predetermined angle with respect to a normal direction of the surface of the test object and receives a reflected ultrasound wave reflected by the test object; and an ultrasound signal processor that specifies a flaw of the test object on the basis of a reception signal that has been generated by the hardware processor on the basis of the reflected ultrasound wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Yasuhito Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11768540
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and apparatus for the modulation of an acoustic field for providing tactile sensations. A method of creating haptic feedback using ultrasound is provided. The method comprises the steps of generating a plurality of ultrasound waves with a common focal point using a phased array of ultrasound transducers, the common focal point being a haptic feedback point, and modulating the generation of the ultrasound waves using a waveform selected to produce little or no audible sound at the haptic feedback point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Ultrahaptics IP Ltd
    Inventors: Benjamin John Oliver Long, Thomas Andrew Carter, Sriram Subramanian
  • Patent number: 11744558
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for controlling against artifacts in medical imaging. The system includes an array of ultrasound sensors, each ultrasound sensor in the array of ultrasound sensors located at a variety of different spatial locations on a subject being imaged by an imaging system configured to generate medical imaging data and each ultrasound sensor configured to receive ultrasound sensor data. The system also includes a processor configured to receive the ultrasound sensor data from the array of ultrasound sensors, multiplex the ultrasound sensor data, generate anatomical information from the multiplexed ultrasound sensor data and correlated to the imaging system, and deliver the anatomical information to the imaging system in a form for use by the imaging system to either acquire the imaging data using the anatomical information or reconstruct the imaging data using the anatomical information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: THE BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
    Inventors: Bruno Madore, Frank R. Preiswerk
  • Patent number: 11744556
    Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasonic probe that transmits/receives ultrasonic waves; a camera that captures a subject; an ultrasonic image generator that generates an ultrasonic image of the subject based on a reception signal acquired from the ultrasonic probe; a first hardware processor that generates a display image including a camera image acquired from the camera and the ultrasonic image acquired from the ultrasonic image generator, and reproducibly saves the display image in a storage; and a second hardware processor that decides a display style of the camera image to be arranged in the display image in accordance with a usage when reading the display image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshio Oka, Takashi Sakai
  • Patent number: 11723624
    Abstract: Ultrasound imaging systems for automatically adjusting settings according to an position and/or orientation of one or more interfaces. The ultrasound imaging systems can include a probe configured to send and receive ultrasound signals for performing a medical exam, a medical procedure, or both; and a processor configured to: select a diagnostics mode or a procedural mode based on an operating orientation of the ultrasound imaging system or a portion thereof, and adjust one or more settings of the imaging system according to the selected diagnostics mode or the selected procedural mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM SONOSITE, INC.
    Inventors: Craig Chamberlain, Patrick Nally, Ben Dekock, Gina Kelly, Roger Swezey
  • Patent number: 11727712
    Abstract: Ping-based imaging systems may be used for tracking motion of hard or soft objects within an imaged medium. Motion detection and motion tracking may be performed by defining fingerprint points and tracking the position of each fingerprint point based on the echoes of multiple transmitted pings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Maui Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Josef R. Call, Henry A. Davis, Donald F. Specht
  • Patent number: 11726172
    Abstract: A radar sensing system includes a plurality of transmitters configured to transmit radio signals and a plurality of receivers configured to receive radio signals. First and second transmitters of the plurality of transmitters are configured to generate radio signals defined by first and second spreading code chip sequences, respectively. A first receiver of the plurality of receivers processes received radio signals as defined by a plurality of spreading code chip sequences that includes at least the first and second spreading code chip sequences. The radar sensing system also includes a code generator for generating the spreading code chip sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Uhnder, Inc
    Inventors: Monier Maher, Jean Pierre Bordes, Wayne E. Stark, Raghunath Krishna Rao, Frederick Rush, Curtis Davis, Srikanth Gollapudi, Steve Borho, Murtaza Ali
  • Patent number: 11726196
    Abstract: Sonar systems and related methods are provided. A sonar system includes a transducer array having a transverse axis and a longitudinal axis disposed perpendicularly thereto. A processor is operative to associate signals with a plurality of transducers in the transducer array so as to form a first acoustic beam, which propagates in a beam first direction and has a first beam width in a first transverse plane. The first transverse plane extends along the beam first direction and contains the transverse axis of the transducer array. A beam spreading device having a curved surface is positioned relative to the transducer array such that the first acoustic beam impinges on the curved surface. Following impingement on the curved surface, the first acoustic beam propagates in a beam second direction and has a second beam width in a second transverse plane. The second beam width is greater than the first beam width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Navico, Inc.
    Inventor: Jayme Caspall
  • Patent number: 11719794
    Abstract: An ultrasound probe in which there is local amplification, time gain compensation and digitization of each transducer element output. Inverting arrangements surround the time gain compensation and digitization units, and a synchronous inversion function enables deterministic distortion to be cancelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Antonia Cornelia van Rens, Bernard Joseph Savord, Man Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11712221
    Abstract: A system comprising a multi-modal ultrasound probe configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes associated with a respective plurality of configuration profiles; and a computing device coupled to the handheld multi-modal ultrasound probe and configured to, in response to receiving input indicating an operating mode selected by a user, cause the multi-modal ultrasound probe to operate in the selected operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    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: 11715454
    Abstract: A beamforming device includes a sampler configured to sample a signal reflected from a focal point and received to a transducer array; a mixer configured to separate the sampled signal into an in-phase component signal and a quadrature component signal; a low pass filter configured to perform filtering on the in-phase component signal and the quadrature component signal; a decimator configured to perform decimation on the filtered in-phase component signal and quadrature component signal; a sampling delay compensator configured to compensate a sampling time delay based on a preset time delay resolution for the decimated in-phase component signal and quadrature component signal; a phase rotator configured to compensate a phase delay based on a preset phase resolution for the in-phase component signal and the quadrature component signal for which the sampling time delay is compensated; and a delay calculator configured to calculate a time delay resolution and the phase resolution, and to apply each to the sampl
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignees: SAMSUNG MEDISON CO. LTD., INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION SOGANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kang Sik Kim, Tai-Kyong Song, Sung Ho Kim, Sua Bae, Hyun Woo Song, Jin Tae Jang
  • Patent number: 11710244
    Abstract: A system for physiological motion measurement is provided. The system may acquire a reference image corresponding to a reference motion phase of an ROI and a target image of the ROI corresponding to a target motion phase, wherein the reference motion phase may be different from the target motion phase. The system may identify one or more feature points relating to the ROI from the reference image, and determine a motion field of the feature points from the reference motion phase to the target motion phase using a motion prediction model. An input of the motion prediction model may include at least the reference image and the target image. The system may further determine a physiological condition of the ROI based on the motion field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING INTELLIGENCE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shanhui Sun, Zhang Chen, Terrence Chen, Ziyan Wu
  • Patent number: 11687161
    Abstract: A system for producing tactile stimulation includes a processing subsystem. Additionally or alternatively, the system can include a tactile device, input devices, and/or any other suitable components. A method for providing tactile stimulation includes receiving a set of waveform signals associated with a set of transducers; assigning a set of waveform parameters to the set of transducers based on the set of waveform signals; and controlling the set of transducers based on the set of waveform parameters. Additionally or alternatively, the method can include organizing the waveform signals into a set of groupings and/or any other suitable processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Emerge Now Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan E. Brummel, James D. Hamilton
  • Patent number: 11678861
    Abstract: A multiple aperture ultrasound imaging system may be configured to store raw, un-beamformed echo data. Stored echo data may be retrieved and re-beamformed using modified parameters in order to enhance the image or to reveal information that was not visible or not discernible in an original image. Raw echo data may also be transmitted over a network and beamformed by a remote device that is not physically proximate to the probe performing imaging. Such systems may allow physicians or other practitioners to manipulate echo data as though they were imaging the patient directly, even without the patient being present. Many unique diagnostic opportunities are made possible by such systems and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Maui Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Josef R. Call, Kenneth D. Brewer, Viet Nam Le, Matthew Ouellette, Mathias Blake
  • Patent number: 11651485
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a medical image processing apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry acquires an input image based on reception data collected by transmitting/receiving ultrasound by using an ultrasound probe including a plurality of vibration elements driven in accordance with a delay profile, stores a plurality of trained models for generating, based on an input image, an output image in which noise is reduced according to a wavefront shape of when the ultrasound is transmitted in an input image, selects a trained model corresponding to a type of the ultrasound probe or the delay profile from the plurality of trained models, and generates an output image by inputting an input image to the selected trained model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori Honjo, Keita Yonemori, Masaki Watanabe, Yuko Takada
  • Patent number: 11648312
    Abstract: System for inducing sonoporation of a drug into cancer cells in a tumor and method thereof, the system comprising a generator configured to provide electrical energy at an ultrasound frequency; an ultrasound probe electrically connected to the generator and configured to convert the electrical energy into low intensity pulsed ultrasonic waves defined by operation parameters, said operation parameters comprising the frequency, the duty cycle, the operation time of the ultrasonic waves; an input device enabling an operator to enter configuration data comprising: type of tumor, type of drug, localization of secondary tumor, anthropometric measurements and grade of tumor, and a processor configured to determine the values of the operation parameters on the basis of the entered configuration data and control the generator and the ultrasound probe to operate according to said determined values, wherein the value of the frequency is determined on the basis of the type of tumor, the localization of the tumor, the gra
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Inventors: Pierangela Giustetto, Daniele Faletto
  • Patent number: 11639959
    Abstract: A system and method for defect localization in embedded memory are provided. Embodiments include a system including automated testing equipment (ATE) interfaced with a wafer probe including a diagnostic laser for stimulating a DUT with the diagnostic laser at a ROI. The ATE is configured to simultaneously perform a test run at a test location of the DUT with a test pattern during stimulation of the DUT. Failing compare vectors of a reference failure log of a defective device are stored. A first profile module is configured to generate a first 3D profile from each pixel of a reference image of the defective device. A second profile module is configured to generate a second 3D profile from each pixel of the ROI of the DUT. A cross-correlation module is configured to execute a pixel-by-pixel cross-correlation from the first and second 3D profiles and generate an intensity map corresponding to a level of correlation between the DUT and defective device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Szu Huat (Wu Shifa) Goh, Yin Hong Chan, Boon Lian Yeoh, Lin Zhao, Man Hon Thor
  • Patent number: 11638569
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting placement of an object in a digital image are provided. The system receives a digital image and processes the digital image to generate one or more candidate regions within the digital image using a first neural network. The system then selects a proposed region from the one or more candidate regions using the first neural network and assigns a score to the proposed region using the first neural network. Lastly, the system processes the proposed region using a second neural network to detect an object in the proposed region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
    Inventors: Cosmas Mwikirize, John L. Nosher, Ilker Hacihaliloglu
  • Patent number: 11637371
    Abstract: A phased array system has a plurality of beam-forming elements, and a plurality of beam-forming integrated circuits in communication with the beam-forming elements. Each beam-forming integrated circuit has a corresponding register bank with a plurality of addressable and programmable register sets. In addition, each beam-forming integrated circuit has at least two different types of beam-forming ports. Specifically, each beam-forming element has a serial data port for receiving serial messages, and a parallel mode data port for receiving broadcast messages. Both the serial and broadcast messages manage the data in its register bank. The beam-forming integrated circuits receive the broadcast messages in parallel with the other beam-forming integrated circuits, while the beam-forming integrated circuits receive the serial messages serially—sequentially with regard to other beam-forming integrated circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Anokiwave, Inc.
    Inventors: Vipul Jain, Scott Humphreys, David W. Corman, Robert Ian Gresham, Kristian N. Madsen, Robert J. McMorrow, Jonathan P. Comeau, Nitin Jain, Gaurav Menon
  • Patent number: 11627932
    Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to ultrasound imaging of lungs. An ultrasound device may be configured with a set of parameter values associated with a shallow lung imaging mode. A selection of a change in imaging depth may be received. If the selected imaging depth is greater than or equal to a threshold imaging depth, the ultrasound device may be configured with a set of parameter values associated with a deep lung imaging mode. The set of parameter values associated with the shallow lung imaging mode may be optimized for imaging lung sliding and the set of parameter values associated with the deep lung imaging mode may be optimized for imaging A lines and B lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Abraham Neben, Karl Thiele, Brenda Gonyeau
  • Patent number: 11622747
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an ultrasonic CT device in which a reflected signal or the like from an object disposed close to transducers is received, and a reception signal thereof can be received by a receiver while transceivers whose number is smaller than the number of the transducers are used. The ultrasonic CT device includes: a transducer array in which a plurality of transducers are arranged; transceivers whose number is smaller than the number of the transducers; and a transmission transducer selector and a reception transducer selector disposed for each of the transceivers. While a transmitter included in the transceiver is selectively connected to any of the transducers in the transducer array by the transmission transducer selector, a receiver included in the transceiver is selectively connected to any of the transducers in the transducer array by the reception transducer selector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahide Terada, Yushi Tsubota, Atsurou Suzuki, Kenichi Kawabata, Kazuhiro Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 11624816
    Abstract: Performing retrospective dynamic transmit focusing beamforming for ultrasound signals by a) transmitting plural transmit beams, each transmit beam centered at a different position along array, having width or aperture encompassing plural laterally spaced line positions, each transmit beam width or aperture overlapping width or aperture of adjacent transmit beam or more laterally spaced transmit beams; b) receiving echo signals; c) processing echo signals to produce plural receive lines of echo signals at laterally spaced line positions within width or aperture of transmit beam; d) repeating steps b), (c) for additional transmit beams of plural transmitted transmit beams; e) equalizing phase shift variance among receive lines at common line position resulting from transmit beams of different transmit beam positions concurrently with steps c), d); f) combining echo signals of receive lines from different transmit beams spatially related to common line position to produce image data; g) produces an image using i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Esaote S.p.A.
    Inventors: Paolo Pellegretti, Marco Crocco
  • Patent number: 11617565
    Abstract: Ultrasound devices and methods are described for collecting ultrasound data. An ultrasound device may include an ultrasound transducer array. The ultrasound device may collect ultrasound data along multiple elevational steering angles with respective apertures of different sizes. The ultrasound data may be used to perform a measurement or generate a visualization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Abraham Neben, Nevada J. Sanchez, Karl Thiele
  • Patent number: 11609082
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a position sensor calibration and linearization system for position sensors is provided. A method of calibrating and linearization of a position sensor includes reading Spatial Angle data from a position sensor at a set of positions of a target swept over receive coils in the position sensor; calculating calibration parameters from the Spatial Angle data; determining an initial position values from the Spatial Angle data and the calibration parameters; determining linearization parameters from the initial position values; and writing the calibration parameters and the linearization parameters into the position sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: INTEGRATED DEVICE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Gentjan Qama, Peter Kiesel
  • Patent number: 11607194
    Abstract: An ultrasound system includes a transducer array having three or more rows of transducer elements extending in the azimuth dimension and located adjacent to each other in the elevation dimension. The rows have different mechanical foci in the elevation dimension, with an inner row elevationally focused in the near field and outer rows elevationally focused in the far field. When the user is imaging a subject in the near field, the system beamformer transmits with the inner row with a near field elevation focus. When imaging in the far field a plurality of rows elevationally focused in the far field are used for transmission. When the user is imaging in the mid-range, the beamformer uses both the inner row and the plurality of outer rows to provide an extended mid-range elevation focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Neil Owen, Changhong Hu
  • Patent number: 11596386
    Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system according to the present disclosure may include an ultrasound transducer assembly comprising a plurality of apertures that are configured to transmit signals toward and receive signals from a region of interest (ROI) of a subject, a tracking sensor disposed within the subject and configured to move within the ROI, the sensor being responsive to signals transmitted by the apertures, and at least one processor in communication with the ultrasound transducer assembly and the tracking sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Shyam Bharat, Man Nguyen, Ameet Kumar Jain, Jean-Luc Francois-Marie Robert, Vijay Parthasarathy, Atul Gupta, Kunal Vaidya, Ramon Quido Erkamp
  • Patent number: 11589839
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus including: an ultrasound probe; a processor configured to perform transmission of ultrasound beam from the ultrasound probe to a subject to acquire an ultrasound image; a camera configured to acquire a digital image of a state of the ultrasound probe being in contact with the subject; a touch panel including a display screen displaying the ultrasound image and the digital image; an interface to receive instruction to acquire the ultrasound image and/or the digital image from a user; and a memory configured to store the ultrasound image and the digital image, wherein the processor is further configured to: exclusively control between the acquisition of the ultrasound image and the acquisition of the digital image according to instruction received by the interface; and save the ultrasound image and the digital image of the same inspection in the memory in association with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yukiya Miyachi
  • Patent number: 11583247
    Abstract: There are provided an acoustic wave image generating apparatus for generating a B-mode image having a fixed brightness and a control method thereof. First brightness information (81) indicating the brightness of a first B-mode image in the depth direction of the subject is generated. Positional deviation correction is performed on an acoustic wave echo signal having a positional deviation between the focusing position of acoustic waves and the observation target position, and second brightness information (82) indicating the brightness in the depth direction of the subject is generated from a superposition signal obtained by superimposing an acoustic wave echo signal for which the positional deviation has been corrected and an acoustic wave echo signal without positional deviation. The brightness of the first B-mode image is corrected based on the first brightness information and the second brightness information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11583254
    Abstract: A method for ultrasound imaging a target region including: (a) transmitting a tracking beam from at least a subset of the elements of the array to the region, each of the subset of the elements emitting a signal of the tracking beam with a respective transmission time shift; (b) receiving echo signals at at least some of the subset of the elements of the array, each echo signal being responsive to the tracking beam; (c) applying the time shift to at least some of the subset of the respective elements to the echo signals received at corresponding elements; (d) modifying the time shift and repeating (a)-(c) to provide an ultrasound dataset representing a recovered source element domain; (e) focusing and beamforming the dataset to map time signals of the dataset and combine channel signals to provide spatial pixel data; and (f) forming an ultrasound image from the spatial pixel data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Duke University
    Inventors: Nicholas Bottenus, Gregg Trahey
  • Patent number: 11564660
    Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an intracavitary ultrasonic probe, a memory circuit and a generation circuit. The probe includes first piezoelectric transducers performing ultrasonic transmission/reception along a first scan plane, and second piezoelectric transducers performing ultrasonic transmission/reception along a second scan plane. The memory circuit stores first information relating to a positional relationship between a sensor position and a position of the first scan plane, and second information relating to a positional relationship between a sensor position and a position of the second scan plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 11564665
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an ultrasonic probe, an ultrasonic diagnostic device, and a manufacturing method of the ultrasonic probe, which are capable of reducing a product defect rate. An ultrasonic probe according to one embodiment includes a plurality of channels. Each of the plurality of channels includes a vibrator that outputs an ultrasonic wave, and a transmission circuit unit that changes an output in response to an input transmission signal and causes the vibrator to output the ultrasonic wave by driving the vibrator with the output. Here, the transmission circuit unit includes a stop signal holding circuit that holds a stop signal when the stop signal is input in advance, and selects whether to change the output in response to the transmission signal based on whether the stop signal is held.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Healthcare Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Yazaki, Yutaka Igarashi, Yoshihiro Hayashi, Tsuneo Kawamata
  • Patent number: 11559207
    Abstract: Imaging devices, systems, and methods are provided. Some embodiments of the present disclosure are particularly directed to imaging a region of interest in tissue with photoacoustic and ultrasound modalities. In some embodiments, a medical sensing system (100) includes a measurement apparatus (102) configured to be placed within a vascular pathway. The measurement apparatus may include a sensor array (106) comprising two or more sensor modalities. The sensor array may be configured to receive sound waves created by the interaction between emitted optical pulses and tissue, transmit and receive ultrasound signals, and rotate around a longitudinal axis of the measurement device. The medical sensing system may also include a processing engine operable to produce images of the region of interest and a display configured to visually display the image of the region of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: PHILIPS IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeremy Stigall, Princeton Saroha
  • Patent number: 11540815
    Abstract: Ultrasound imaging systems are provided. An ultrasound system according to some embodiments includes a console configured to selectively communicate with a first ultrasound imaging device and a second ultrasound imaging device. The console includes a housing, a computing device disposed within the housing, and a connector receptacle assembly coupled to the housing. The connector receptacle assembly includes a first connector bank including a first plurality of electrical connections; and a second connector bank including a second plurality of electrical connections. The connector receptacle assembly is selectively matable to a first connector of the first ultrasound imaging device via only the first connector bank and to a second connector of the second ultrasound imaging device via the first and second connector banks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Andrew Lee Robinson, Timothy Fred Nordgren, Scott Owen Schweizer, Dennis Dean Clark