Electronic Array Scanning Patents (Class 600/447)
  • 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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
  • Patent number: 11534630
    Abstract: A system for delivering drugs or other molecules to the brain comprises an ultrasound imaging transducer configured to image structures such as the circle of Willis within a patient's head by way of a low attenuation acoustic window. The system includes a processor configured to register the ultrasound images to previously obtained images which also include the structures. The system includes ultrasound transducer elements operable to deliver ultrasound energy to a target region to cause the blood brain barrier to open. The system may include a drug delivery system that may be operated to deliver a drug to the patient in coordination with opening the blood brain barrier. Coordinates of the target region relative to the ultrasound imaging transducer are determined using registration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Cordance Medical Inc.
    Inventor: Bhaskar Ramamurthy
  • Patent number: 11538453
    Abstract: An ultrasound interface element (10) is for establishing interface with an incident tissue surface (32) for the purpose of transfer of ultrasound waves. An ultrasound-transmissive active layer (14) is provided comprising one or more responsive material elements (16) deformable in response to an electromagnetic stimulus. The one or more elements are controlled to deform in a manner such as to progressively establish with the tissue surface (32) an outwardly expanding interface, starting from an initial point or line of contact and spreading outwards to a wider area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Mark Thomas Johnson, Franciscus Johannes Gerardus Hakkens, Cornelis Petrus Hendriks, Daan Anton van den Ende
  • Patent number: 11529118
    Abstract: A method color Doppler imaging in accordance with some examples of the present disclosure includes transmitting with a probe of an ultrasound imaging system, ultrasound pulses towards a region of interest in a subject, receiving with the probe echoes responsive to the pulses, generating B-mode image data and Doppler signals based on the ultrasound echoes, filtering the Doppler signals, wherein the filtering includes rejecting lower intensity signals which have amplitudes below a threshold amplitude and passing higher intensity signals which have amplitudes above the threshold amplitude, generating color data based on the higher intensity signals, overlaying the color data with the B-mode image data to produce a color Doppler image, and displaying the color Doppler image in a kidney stone detection interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Wei Lu
  • Patent number: 11523799
    Abstract: An ultrasound fetal imaging system uses an acceleration sensor (16) for generating an acceleration signal relating to movement of the ultrasound transducer (10). A user is guided in how or where to move the ultrasound transducer based on the results of image processing of the ultrasound images. The user can thus be guided to move the transducer in a certain direction so as to achieve a complete scan of a fetus in a shortest possible time. This limits exposure of the expectant mother to the ultrasound energy. The fetal image obtained may be used to determine a fetal weight, for example using regression analysis based on some of the parameters derived from the obtained image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Yu Qi, Jian Gang Chen, Lin Li
  • Patent number: 11497477
    Abstract: Periodic displacement occurs in body tissue due to heartbeat. A peak level D of the movement distance of the body tissue is detected (Step 21), and a heartbeat cycle T is calculated from a frequency spectrum (Steps 22 and 23). By dividing twice the peak level D by the heartbeat cycle T, the moving velocity of the body tissue in a unit heartbeat cycle is calculated (Step 24). By dividing the moving velocity by a frame rate r, an average movement distance of the body tissue between frames is calculated (Step 25). In a case where the average movement distance is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, a time interval between the frames used for the calculation of the movement distance is extended (being Step 26 NO, Step 27).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiro Imai
  • Patent number: 11490195
    Abstract: Disclosed is a loudspeaker enclosure including: —at least two sources suitable for producing ultrasound signals, and—a supply designed to process and amplify at least one input signal so as to produce, for the sources, supply signals of the same frequency and of different phases, wherein the supply are configured to apply different gains and/or phase shifts to at least two different frequency components of at least one of the supply signals. Also disclosed is a method for signal modulation for such an ultrasonic loudspeaker enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: AKOUSTIC ARTS
    Inventors: Thibault Nowakowski, Ilan Kaddouch
  • Patent number: 11484295
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus transmits ultrasound toward a subject by driving an ultrasound probe in which multiple transducers are arranged in an array, receives a reception signal that is based on waves reflected within the subject from the ultrasound probe, and generates an ultrasound image. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: a scan control section that sets scan conditions so that trapezoidal scanning is performed by the ultrasound probe; and a transmission section that controls driving of the ultrasound probe based on the scan conditions. The scan control section sets the scan conditions so that the inter-acoustic line angles in or around the center of the ultrasound probe are smaller than the inter-acoustic line angles near the edges when viewed along the scan direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tomohito Sakai, Akihiro Kawabata
  • Patent number: 11474080
    Abstract: An automatic ultrasonic imaging inspection method and system based on a six-axis manipulator. The method includes: controlling, by a motion control card, a six-axis manipulator to perform scanning and an external axis motor to move; when scanning, feeding back, by a probe, an echo signal; when the probe moves to another scanning line, sending, by a controller, a displacement information of the probe along a stepping direction to an ultrasonic imaging device; when the external axis motor works, feeding back, by an encoder, a displacement information of the probe along a scanning direction to the ultrasonic imaging device; allowing the external axis motor to work when the probe moves along a scanning line; and generating, by the ultrasonic imaging device, a two-dimensional scanning image according to the echo signal, and the displacement information of the probe along the stepping direction and the scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: HEFEI JUNENG ELECTRO PHYSICS HIGH-TECH DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhihong Liu, Rui Wang, Haibiao Ji
  • Patent number: 11473911
    Abstract: A heading determination device comprises data input circuitry configured to obtain magnetic field sensor data sensed by a magnetic field sensor in sensor coordinates, position input circuitry configured to obtain a position estimate of the magnetic field sensor, and estimation circuitry configured to derive, from a magnetic map, a local azimuth distortion value in a reference coordinate system at the current position of the magnetic field sensor indicated by the obtained position estimate and to estimate the heading of the magnetic field sensor in the reference coordinate system based on the obtained magnetic field sensor data and the derived local azimuth distortion value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ben Eitel, Daniel Schneider, Mark Veltman
  • Patent number: 11466983
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an ultrasound-based method for calculating wall thickness, or a change thereof, in points within a monitored area of a wall, said method being based on measurement results from a process in which acoustic, guided waves are transmitted from transmitting transducers, propagated in the wall, received by receiving transducers and then recorded. Each recorded signal is interpreted as carrying information about the wall thickness, or change thereof since a previous measurement, throughout a measured section comprising a two-dimensional area of the wall. The wall thickness, or change thereof, is at least in part calculated for each segment of the monitored area, wherein a segment is a subset of the monitored area contained in a distinct combination of the measured sections. The disclosure further relates to an apparatus for acoustic, guided-wave measurement or monitoring of wall thickness, or a change thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: CLAMPON AS
    Inventors: Audun Oppedal Pedersen, Geir Instanes
  • Patent number: 11461938
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a user with information that serves as a material for determining whether an image generated by processing including a neural network is valid. A reception signal output by an ultrasonic probe that has received an ultrasonic wave from a subject is received, and an ultrasonic image is generated based on the reception signal. A trained neural network receives the reception signal or the ultrasonic image, and outputs an estimated reception signal or an estimated ultrasonic image. A validity information generation unit generates information indicating validity of the estimated reception signal or the estimated ultrasonic image by using one or more of the reception signal, the ultrasonic image, the estimated reception signal, the estimated ultrasonic image, and output of an intermediate layer of the neural network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Yamanaka, Hiroki Tanaka, Junichi Shiokawa, Tomofumi Nishiura
  • Patent number: 11439365
    Abstract: Various methods and systems for displaying cine loops during a periodic imaging session are disclosed. In one example, a method includes acquiring, with an ultrasound probe, a first set of images of an imaging subject during a first imaging period, displaying the first set of images as a first cine loop at a first display area of a display, acquiring, with the ultrasound probe, a second set of images of the imaging subject during a second imaging period different than the first imaging period, and displaying the second set of images as a second cine loop at a second display area of the display, different than the first area, while maintaining display of the first cine loop at the first display area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
    Inventors: Carmit Shiran, Antonio Fabian Fermoso, Cynthia Owen, Menachem Halmann, Mor Vardi
  • Patent number: 11432804
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and systems for generating an ultrasound image. In a method, the generation of an ultrasound image comprises: obtaining channel data, the channel data defining a set of imaged points; for each imaged point: isolating the channel data; performing a spectral estimation on the isolated channel data; and selectively attenuating the spectral estimation channel data, thereby generating filtered channel data; and summing the filtered channel data, thereby forming a filtered ultrasound image. In some examples, the method comprises aperture extrapolation. The aperture extrapolation improves the lateral resolution of the ultrasound image. In other examples, the method comprises transmit extrapolation. The transmit extrapolation improves the contrast of the image. In addition, the transmit extrapolation improves the frame rate and reduces the motion artifacts in the ultrasound image. In further examples, the aperture and transmit extrapolations may be combined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Jun Seob Shin, Francois Guy Gerard Marie Vignon, Man Nguyen, Jean-Luc Francois-Marie Robert
  • Patent number: 11419583
    Abstract: Image co-registration (S390) entails: emitting energy, and responsively and dynamically acquiring images (216), the acquired images having a given dimensionality; selecting, repeatedly, and dynamically with the acquiring, from among the acquired images and, as a result of the selecting, changing, repeatedly, and dynamically, membership in a set (226) of images of the given dimensionality; and, synchronously with the change (S376), dynamically and iteratively registering the set to an image having a dimensionality higher than the given dimensionality. The co-registration is realizable with an imaging probe (140) for the acquiring, and a tracking system for tracking a location, and orientation, of the probe, the registering being specialized for the acquiring with the probe being dynamically, during the acquiring, any one or more of angulated, rotated and translated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Jochen Kruecker, Amir Mohammad Tahmasebi Maraghoosh
  • Patent number: 11403732
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and a display. The processor includes a combiner configured to combine contrast data acquired with a same sub-aperture, for each of a plurality of sub-apertures, to create a contrast frame for each of the sub-apertures. The processor includes a microbubble detector configured to determine positions of microbubbles in the contrast frames. The processor includes a motion estimator configured to estimate a motion field based on frames of B-mode data for each of the plurality of sub-apertures. The processor includes a motion corrector configured to motion correct the positions of the microbubbles in the contrast frames based on the motion field and time delays between emissions for the sets of contrast data and the emission for B-mode data, for each of the plurality of sub-apertures, to produce motion corrected contrast frames. The display is configured to display the motion corrected contrast frames as super resolution images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: B-K Medical APS
    Inventors: Jorgen Arendt Jensen, Iman Taghavi
  • Patent number: 11399809
    Abstract: Disclosed is a patient monitor control unit (10) comprising a processor arrangement (11, 13) adapted to receive a series of ultrasound measurements received from a sensor (30) comprising at least one configurable ultrasound transducer; process said series of ultrasound measurements to obtain haemodynamic data of a patient coupled to the sensor; control a patient monitor (20) to display the obtained haemodynamic data; evaluate the obtained haemodynamic data to detect a variance in said data; and generate a reconfiguration signal for the at least one configurable ultrasound transducer, wherein the timing of said generation is a function of said evaluation. Also disclosed are a patient monitoring system, a method of operating a patient monitor control unit and a computer program product for implementing such a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Nico Maris Adriaan De Wild, Igor Wilhelmus Franciscus Paulussen, Rick Bezemer, Sabina Manzari, Denny Mathew, Franciscus Hendrikus Van Heesch, Christianus Martinus Van Heesch, Ronaldus Maria Aarts