Pulse Doppler Patents (Class 600/455)
  • Patent number: 12257108
    Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of an embodiment includes an ultrasonic probe and processing circuitry. The ultrasonic probe repeatedly performs scanning in which a plane wave or a diffused wave is continuously transmitted a plurality of times in the same direction in a plurality of directions. The processing circuitry performs processing of applying a moving target indicator (MTI) filter to an unequal interval data sequence in the same direction obtained by the scanning and extracting a blood flow signal in each of the plurality of directions, performs processing of generating an autocorrelation signal by performing an autocorrelation operation on a plurality of blood flow signals in the same direction for each of the directions, and estimates a velocity value of blood flow on the basis of a complex signal generated by performing complex addition of a plurality of autocorrelation signals generated for the plurality of directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 12257102
    Abstract: A wearable Doppler blood flowmeter can be used with an inflatable cuff to measure blood flow, such as for assessing peripheral artery disease (PAD). The present approach can include techniques such as providing or using a wearable acoustic Doppler blood flowmeter, without requiring the intricate manipulation of a handheld Doppler probe. The system can select a pair of acoustic transmitter and acoustic receiver from a set of more than two transducers, including one or more of different locations, orientations, or spacings, such as to vary a targeted region. The RF echo response signal can be translated to an audio response signal. An audio response signal injection circuit can adaptively inject a noise or other enhancement signal, such as to help improve perceptibility of an audible characteristic of pulsatile arterial blood flow. A trained machine learning model can be employed to select or adjust operating settings, to assess diagnostic information, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: CorRen Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: David Lerner, Raymond Paul Oberleitner, David J. Haskvitz
  • Patent number: 12259502
    Abstract: Examples relate to a method for processing beamformed data of a medium. The beamformed data includes a first set of beamformed data associated with a first spatial region and a second set of beamformed data associated with a second spatial region, and the method includes estimating the clutter caused by the second spatial region at the first set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: SUPERSONIC IMAGINE
    Inventors: Christophe Fraschini, William Lambert
  • Patent number: 12245885
    Abstract: A system for determining peripheral artery disease and method of use for determining the presence or absence of peripheral vascular disease and the severity of the disease in particular vascular segments. The System for determining peripheral artery disease and method of use includes a continuous wave Doppler transceiver which generates a digitized version of quadrature detected stereo audio and is coupleable to a waveform converter and processor. The waveform converter and processor provides filtering, time domain to frequency domain conversion, gain control, and statistical processing of the converted Doppler Stereo audio and is operationally coupled to a display for presenting results to a technician.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: BLUEDOP MEDICAL, LTD.
    Inventors: David King, Michael Graeme Taylor, Patrick Kelly, Mohammed Al-Qaisi
  • Patent number: 12174313
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a method of determining Doppler in a radar system comprising receiving a set of chirps, sampling in time the set of chirps to generate a set of non-uniform samples with one sample per chirp that is non-uniform in time in each chirp across the set of chirps, generating a first Doppler frequency from the set of non-uniform samples, generating a set of non-aliased Doppler frequencies for the first Doppler frequencies from a corresponding set of hypothesis, determining a first set of angles of arrival for every non-aliased Doppler frequency in the a set of non-aliased Doppler frequencies and selecting a first non-aliased Doppler frequency in the set of non-aliased Doppler frequencies that corresponds to the first angle of arrival with a minimum error in the a set of angles of arrival.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Inventors: Apu Sivadas, Gireesh Rajendran, Sai Gunaranjan Pelluri, Ankit Sharma
  • Patent number: 12165326
    Abstract: A medical image processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry acquires image data including image data of a blood vessel of a subject. The processing circuitry performs analysis related to the blood vessel by using the image data, and specifies a region of interest in the blood vessel based on a result of the analysis. The processing circuitry performs fluid analysis on a region other than the region of interest at a first accuracy, and performs fluid analysis on the region of interest at a second accuracy that is higher than the first accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yiemeng Hoi, Joseph Manak, Kazumasa Arakita, Jingwu Yao, James Begelman, Victor Gorin
  • Patent number: 12149606
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems to use p-adic numbers to permit a RSA cryptosystem to send rational numbers or to add randomness to the RSA cryptosystem. An embodiment may convert at the source device a rational number to an integer as p-adic based Hensel code representation of the rational number at the source device and then recover the rational number at the destination device by reversing the Hensel code back to the original rational number. Another embodiment may use a g-adic inverse of a message value together with a random number to obtain a different rational number to encrypt for each different random number resulting in different ciphertexts representing the same message value while still recovering the original message value despite having a different ciphertexts for the same message value. The various embodiments further retain the multiplicative homomorphism of the RSA cryptosystem since the p-adic Hensel codes are also multiplicative homomorphic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Algemetric, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Honorio Araujo da Silva, Carlos A. Paz de Araujo, Jordan Isabella Pattee
  • Patent number: 12123758
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of operating a flow sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which includes receiving an ultrasonic signal reflected from a particle, generating first and second digital, generating a first Doppler frequency based on the first and second digital signals, a predetermined number of samples, and a first time period, comparing the first Doppler frequency with a second reference frequency, when the first Doppler frequency is less than a first reference frequency, down-sampling the predetermined number of samples to a first sampling frequency or a second sampling frequency, generating a second Doppler frequency based on the first and second digital signals, the number of down-sampled samples, and a second time period determining an output frequency based on the second Doppler frequency when the first Doppler frequency is less than a first reference frequency, and obtaining flow information of the particle based on the output frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Sung Q Lee, Joho Yun, Chang Han Je, Gunn Hwang
  • Patent number: 12121392
    Abstract: A system includes a processing circuit configured to receive signals corresponding ultrasound data, extract a blood flow waveform from the signals, the blood flow waveform corresponds to a single pulse of the signals, determine a curvature characteristic of the blood flow waveform based on a plurality of local curvature parameters, and identify a medical condition for the blood flow waveform using the blood flow waveform. Each of the plurality of local curvature parameters indicates a degree to which the blood flow waveform deviates from a straight line at a location on the blood flow waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Neurasignal, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Hamilton, Corey Thibeault, Michael O'Brien, Mina Ranjbaran, Samuel Thorpe, Nicolas Canac
  • Patent number: 12115026
    Abstract: A method for estimating an ultrasonic attenuation parameter of a region in a medium includes a transmission step in which at least one pulse is transmitted in the medium by a transducer, and a reception step in which data is acquired by a transducer in response to the pulse. The method includes a processing step in which the data is processed by the processing unit for providing backscattered acquisition data of the region, and a function determination step in which an auto-correlation function of the backscattered acquisition data is determined which is a function of depth in the spatio-temporal domain, the autocorrelation function being determined at a lag of zero. The method includes an attenuation estimation step in which an ultrasonic attenuation parameter is estimated based on said auto-correlation function. The method is implemented by a processing unit associated to at least one ultrasound transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: SUPERSONIC IMAGINE
    Inventor: Christophe Fraschini
  • Patent number: 12038501
    Abstract: One or more aspects of this disclosure relate to the usage of an impulse radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) radar to reconstruct a cross-sectional image of subject in a noninvasive fashion. This image is reconstructed based on the pre- and post-processing of recorded waveforms that are collected by the IR-UWB radar, after getting reflected-off the subject. Furthermore, a novel process is proposed to approximate the different tissues' dielectric constants and, accordingly, reconstruct a subject's cross-sectional image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: One Health Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Raghed El Bardan, Albert Di Rienzo, Dhaval Malaviya
  • Patent number: 12023200
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for performing ultrasound imaging are provided to advantageously determine the viscosity of an anatomy. According to one embodiment, a system for determining a viscosity of an anatomy includes an ultrasound transducer, a vibration source, and a processing system in communication with the ultrasound transducer and the vibration source. The processing system is configured to activate the vibration source to induce in the anatomy a first shear wave at a first frequency and a second shear wave at a second frequency, activate the ultrasound transducer to obtain ultrasound data representative of the anatomy that exhibits the first shear wave and the second shear wave, determine a first wave speed of the first shear wave and a second wave speed of the second shear wave, and determine the viscosity of the anatomy by comparing the first wave speed and the second wave speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Man Nguyen, Hua Xiwe, Sheng-Wen Huang, Carolina Amador Carrascal, Jean-Luc Francois Marie Robert, Vijay Shamdasani
  • Patent number: 11963817
    Abstract: A tool for facilitating medical diagnosis is disclosed herein, including an ultrasound device configured to collect ultrasound data from a patient, a display device, and a processing circuit configured to generate a cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) waveform based on the ultrasound data, determine morphology indicators identifying attributes of the CBFV waveform, and configure the display device to display the CBFV waveform and the morphology indicators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Neurasignal, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Hamilton, Corey Thibeault, Michael O'Brien, Mina Ranjbaran, Samuel Thorpe, Nicolas Canac
  • Patent number: 11953591
    Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system produces images with enhanced resolution or contrast by extrapolation of two ultrasound images of different imaging characteristics, such as aperture size, imaging frequency, or degree of image compounding. In order to prevent the display of image artifacts, extrapolation is accompanied by artifact removal and image smoothing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Jun Seob Shin, Francois Guy Gerard Marie Vignon
  • Patent number: 11944497
    Abstract: An ultrasonic blood flow imaging display method and an ultrasonic imaging system. The system comprises: a probe (1); a transmitting circuit (2), configured to excite the probe (1) to transmit an ultrasonic beam to a scanning target; a receiving circuit (4) and a beam forming module (5), configured to receive an echo of the ultrasonic beam to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal; a data processing module (9), configured to obtain, according to the ultrasonic echo signal, blood flow velocity vector information and Doppler blood flow velocity information about a target point in the scanning target and at least part of ultrasonic images of the scanning target, and superposing the ultrasonic images and the Doppler blood flow velocity information to form a Doppler color blood flow graph; and a display (8), configured to contrastively display the blood flow velocity vector information and the Doppler color blood flow graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yigang Du, Rui Fan, Yong Li
  • Patent number: 11948688
    Abstract: The exemplified methods and systems provide a phase space volumetric object in which the dynamics of a complex, quasi-periodic system, such as the electrical conduction patterns of the heart, or other biophysical-acquired signals of other organs, are represented as an image of a three dimensional volume having both a volumetric structure (e.g., a three dimensional structure) and a color map to which features can be extracted that are indicative the presence and/or absence of pathologies, e.g., ischemia relating to significant coronary arterial disease (CAD). In some embodiments, the phase space volumetric object can be assessed to extract topographic and geometric parameters that are used in models that determine indications of presence or non-presence of significant coronary artery disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Analytics for Life Inc.
    Inventors: Sunny Gupta, Timothy William Fawcett Burton, Shyamlal Ramchandani
  • Patent number: 11944485
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for automated, fast lung pulse detection are provided. In an embodiment, a system for detecting pneumothorax (PTX) includes an ultrasound probe in communication with a processor. The processor is configured to generate, using the ultrasound imaging data received from the ultrasound probe, an M-mode image including a pleural line of the lung. Using the M-mode image, the processor generates a difference image comprising a plurality of difference lines generated by subtracting adjacent samples of the M-mode image. The processor analyzes the difference image to determine whether the difference image includes a periodic signal corresponding to the heartbeat of the patient and outputs a graphical representation of detecting the lung pulse based on determining that the difference image includes the periodic signal corresponding to the heartbeat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Jingping Xu, Balasundar Iyyavu Raju, Shougang Wang
  • Patent number: 11931180
    Abstract: Intravascular imaging catheters are provided that include a distal sheath portion having a lumen that is configured to optionally receive a guidewire or an imaging assembly. The distal sheath portion may be configured to have dimensions such that when a guidewire is inserted through the lumen and extends through a distal exit port, the distal sheath portion may be employed as a microcatheter. External tissue may be imaged at a location at or near the distal end of the catheter, enabling, for example, the controlled imaging of a total occlusion, and the positioning of the distal end (and guidewire) within a true lumen associated with a total occlusion. A structural stop may be provided at or near the distal end of the distal sheath portion to prohibit extension of the imaging assembly out of the distal exit port, while permitting the extension of the guidewire through the distal exit port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: SUNNYBROOK RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Brian Courtney, Isaac Jourard, Deniz Jafari
  • Patent number: 11911221
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus including a hardware processor that: calculates a plurality of eigenvectors by performing principal component analysis on a time-series reflection wave data group; calculates a principal frequency component of a time direction represented by the plurality of eigenvectors; determines a reduction rate of each of the plurality of eigenvectors on a basis of the principal frequency component of each of the plurality of eigenvectors and a clutter component reduction condition that defines a reference frequency for reduction of a clutter component; calculates a filter coefficient for reduction of the clutter component on a basis of the plurality of eigenvectors, and the reduction rate corresponding to each of the plurality of eigenvectors; and generates blood flow image data by applying the filter coefficient to the time-series reflection wave data group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Takeda
  • Patent number: 11896435
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry forms a first transmission beam in a plurality of directions belonging to a first group, forms at least one first reception beam, forms a second transmission beam in a plurality of directions belonging to a second group, after an elapse of a time from performing a scan for the first group, forms at least one second reception beam, applies a wall filter to reception signals obtained by the first and the second reception beams, calculates bloodstream information based on the filtered reception signals, and generates image data based on the calculated bloodstream information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Takahashi, Tomohisa Imamura
  • Patent number: 11899095
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for Doppler processing for frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar systems. Range-gate data representing the position of an object within a region of interest is generated at a radar sensor. A first Doppler Fast Fourier Transform (Doppler-FFT) is performed on the range-gate data to provide a first set of Doppler-FFT data. A velocity associated with a signal amplitude that exceeds a noise floor is identified in the first set of Doppler-FFT data. A correction value for the range-gate data is determined from the identified velocity. The range-gate data is modified using the determined correction value to provide modified range-gate data. A second Doppler-FFT is performed on the modified range-gate data to provide a second set of Doppler-FFT data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Sandeep Rao
  • Patent number: 11890141
    Abstract: An ultrasonic blood flow parameter displaying method, comprises: acquiring, by means of a probe, an ultrasonic signal from an object to be scanned; acquiring, according to the ultrasonic signal, a plurality of velocities and directions of blood flow within the object to be scanned; extracting the plurality of velocities and directions of blood flow; quantifying the dispersion of the plurality of velocities and directions of the blood flow extracted; and displaying the quantization result of the dispersion. The present invention provides a method for quantifying and evaluating the direction of the motion of blood flow, and provides a better perspective of observation for a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yigang Du
  • Patent number: 11870159
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a digital beamformed phased array feed. The system may include a radome configured to allow electromagnetic waves to propagate; a multi-band software defined antenna array tile; a power and clock management subsystem configured to manage power and time of operation; a thermal management subsystem configured to dissipate heat generated by the multi-band software defined antenna array tile; and an enclosure assembly. The multi-band software defined antenna array tile may include a plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements; a plurality of frequency converters; and a plurality of digital beamformers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: BlueHalo, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Thomas Pace, David Gregory Baur, Theodore Lyman Schuler-Sandy, William Kennedy, Jeffrey Gerard Micono, William Louis Walker, Garrett James Newell
  • Patent number: 11813117
    Abstract: Ultrasound imaging methods and ultrasound imaging devices are provided, in which an inter-frame processing may be performed on elasticity echo data or the elasticity images to obtain new elasticity images, thereby improving the display frame rate of the elasticity images. The elasticity echo data comprises an ultrasound echo of an ultrasound wave returned from an object, and the elasticity images comprises at least two frames and obtained according to the elasticity echo data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuangshuang Li, Zebing Wang
  • Patent number: 11759152
    Abstract: A medical system according to embodiments of the present invention includes at least one sensor configured to monitor physiological status of a patient and to generate sensor data based on the physiological status, a user interface device, a processor communicably coupled to the user interface device, the processor configured to: present via the user interface device an array of two or more possible input elements, the input elements each comprising a class of patients or a diagnosis and treatment pathway, receive a selected input element based on a user selection among the two or more possible input elements, acquire the sensor data and process the sensor data to generate physiological data, and present via the user interface screen the physiological data according to a template that is customized for the selected input element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: ZOLL Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Gary A Freeman, Guy R Johnson
  • Patent number: 11717269
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to sequentially obtain eigenvalues of a correlation matrix of a scan range, the correlation matrix being obtained from a data sequence of reflected-wave data in mutually the same position acquired by performing an ultrasound scan on the scan range formed with a plurality of scanning lines. The processing circuitry is configured to determine a filter coefficient to be applied to a Moving Target Indicator (MTI) filter, on a basis of the plurality of eigenvalues obtained at mutually-different points in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 11707261
    Abstract: A two-dimensional array ultrasound probe, which is enabled for ultrasonic reception operation of a continuous wave Doppler mode (C mode) and an imaging mode (B mode). The probe includes a reception circuit provided for each transducer and a first multiplexer; a plurality of first wires connected to the first multiplexer; a second wire connected to a plurality of first wires outside the array; switches that are provided to the second wire and that can be turned off to adapt to phasing addition units; a plurality of second multiplexers connected to the second wire and a plurality of first output ports for the first mode; and a plurality of second output ports that are connected to each region between the switches on the second wire and that are used in the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Healthcare Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Kajiyama, Yoshihiro Hayashi, Shinta Takano
  • Patent number: 11690590
    Abstract: The invention is a device, system, and method for providing an initial assessment of potential heart valve disease and recommending and/or providing follow-up assessments for heart valve disease. The invention includes a simple ECHO device which uses ultrasonic signals to detect and determine maximum blood flow velocities, and compares the maximum blood flow velocities to set thresholds to determine if it is appropriate for the patient to be subjected to additional and more detailed assessments for heart valve disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yaron Keidar
  • Patent number: 11684346
    Abstract: Ultrasound beamformer-based channel data compression allows for software-based image formation. To increase the amount of data transferred, ultrasound beamformer-based channel data compression is provided. A beamformer is used to compress instead of or in addition to traditional beamformation. The compression reduces the data bandwidth while allowing reconstruction of the original channel data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventor: David P. Duncan
  • Patent number: 11678808
    Abstract: A system and method for deriving information on disease in vascular segments for example mean pressure, drop in mean pressure and/or hydraulic resistance, from such measured waveforms is described. The waveforms can, for example, be measured non-invasively using Doppler ultrasound or magnetic resonance techniques. Form Factors (Vff, Pff) for the velocity waveform and the central arterial pressure are determined. Lesions may be detected and located using the estimated non-invasive hemodynamic information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Bluedop Medical, Ltd.
    Inventors: David H King, Mohammed Al-Qaisi
  • Patent number: 11666303
    Abstract: A first region of interest and a second region of interest are set respectively including a first end and a second end of a blood vessel of interest running in an umbilical cord. A template representing a fluctuation of a pulse at the first end is produced from a change of brightness information in the first region of interest. A graph representing a fluctuation of a pulse at the second end is produced from a change of brightness information in the second region of interest. A propagation time of blood is calculated by identifying a portion, in the graph, which matches the template. A length of the umbilical cord is estimated based on the propagation time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eiji Kasahara
  • Patent number: 11660063
    Abstract: A system for determining peripheral artery disease and method of use for determining the presence or absence of peripheral vascular disease and the severity of the disease in particular vascular segments. The System for determining peripheral artery disease and method of use includes a continuous wave Doppler transceiver which generates a digitized version of quadrature detected stereo audio and is coupleable to a waveform converter and processor. The waveform converter and processor provides filtering, time domain to frequency domain conversion, gain control, and statistical processing of the converted Doppler Stereo audio and is operationally coupled to a display for presenting results to a technician.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: BLUEDOP MEDICAL, LTD.
    Inventors: David King, Michael Graeme Taylor, Patrick Kelly, Mohammed Al-Qaisi
  • Patent number: 11619730
    Abstract: A method that includes transmitting coded waveforms simultaneously on multiple elements for several frames, constructing a first multi-input, single output (MISO) system from the codes to model transmit-receive paths, solving system and RF data observation by linear model theory, giving an IR set for the medium, and applying the estimates to a secondary MISO system, constructed by analogy to the first, but with pulses convenient for beamforming in the form of a focused set of single-cycle pulses for ideal focused reconstruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Verasonics, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Flynn, Lauren S. Pflugrath
  • Patent number: 11602333
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: a transmitter; a receiver; a Doppler processor that detects a Doppler shift frequency resulting from a blood flow in a subject, based on a reception signal corresponding to a reflected wave from a sample gate position in the subject; and a velocity scale adjuster that adjusts a velocity scale determining a pulse repetition frequency, based on a Doppler waveform corresponding to the Doppler shift frequency during an observation target period. In a case where a recommendation value of the velocity scale calculated based on the Doppler waveform is larger than a critical value of the velocity scale at which a measurement state calculated based on the sample gate position transitions from a non-high-pulse-repetition-frequency state to a high-pulse-repetition-frequency state, the velocity scale adjuster sets the critical value as the velocity scale to be used in measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kazushi Ota, Akihiro Kawabata, Masumi Osugi
  • Patent number: 11564662
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to speculate saturation of reflected-wave signals observed before a phased addition process performed by using the reflected-wave signals, in accordance with an intensity of reflected-wave data generated through the phased addition process, the reflected-wave signals being generated by transmitting an ultrasound wave with respect to mutually the same scanning line, and the processing circuitry is configured to output a result of the speculation. The processing circuitry is configured to cause a display to display data based on the result of the speculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 11553878
    Abstract: A blood-vessel recognizing method for recognizing blood vessels present in biological tissue, the method including: obtaining real-time Doppler spectra on the basis of time waveforms data of intensities of scattered light generated in the biological tissue due to irradiation with laser light; calculating average frequencies of the real-time Doppler spectra; correcting the calculated average frequencies on the basis of peak intensities of the real-time Doppler spectra; and determining whether or not blood vessels are present in regions of the biological tissue irradiated with the laser light on the basis of the corrected average frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11534131
    Abstract: A system for visualization and quantification of ultrasound imaging data according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include a display unit, and a processor communicatively coupled to the display unit and to an ultrasound imaging apparatus for generating an image from ultrasound data representative of a bodily structure and fluid flowing within the bodily structure. The processor may be configured to estimate axial and lateral velocity components of the fluid flowing within the bodily structure, determine a plurality of flow directions within the image based on the axial and lateral velocity components, differentially encode the flow directions based on flow direction angle to generate a flow direction map, and cause the display unit to concurrently display the image including the bodily structure overlaid with the flow direction map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Hua Xie, Shiying Wang, Sheng-Wen Huang, Francois Guy Gerard Marie Vignon, Keith William Johnson, Liang Zhang, David Hope Simpson
  • Patent number: 11506771
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for color flow ultrasound imaging. In one embodiment, a method comprises acquiring color flow data, detecting, with a neural network, a flash artifact in the color flow data, adjusting an adaptive filter cutoff of a clutter filter based on a classification result of the neural network, filtering, with the clutter filter, the flash artifact from the color flow data, and displaying a color flow image generated from the filtered color flow data. In this way, strong flash artifacts caused by strong tissue movement or probe movement may be dynamically suppressed during color flow ultrasound imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
    Inventor: Seongho Yang
  • Patent number: 11497473
    Abstract: A method of processing cardiac ultrasound data for determining information about a mechanical wave in the heart. The method comprises receiving data representative of a time series of three-dimensional data frames, generated from ultrasound signals from a human or animal heart, each frame comprising a set of voxels, each voxel value representing an acceleration component of a respective location in the heart at a common time. The method also comprises identifying, for each voxel, a frame of the series in which the voxel value is at a maximum. A three-dimensional time-propagation data set is generated by assigning each voxel a value representative of the time of the respective frame in the time series for which the corresponding voxel is at a maximum. The method then comprises generating data representative of a three-dimensional velocity vector field by calculating time derivatives from the three-dimensional time-propagation data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
    Inventors: Sebastien Salles, Lasse Lovstakken, Hans Torp
  • Patent number: 11482808
    Abstract: A medical imaging device connector assembly for connecting a medical imaging device to a terminal of a medical imaging system is provided. The medical imaging device connector assembly includes a top housing having a first base cutout; a bottom housing configured to couple to the top housing, the bottom housing including a second base cutout; a base housing positioned within the first and second base cutouts; a plurality of printed circuit boards (PCBs) disposed between the top housing and the bottom housing; an electrical connector positioned within the base housing; and an elastic seal member surrounding a circumference of the base housing. When the top housing is coupled to the bottom housing, the elastic seal member is compressed by the plurality of PCBs in a first direction and by the top and bottom housings in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to prevent fluid ingress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Eugenijus Jagminas, Sujith Kanakasabhapathi, Oliver Naumovski, Satish Sanjay Singh, Michael J Wight
  • Patent number: 11375981
    Abstract: A method includes receiving ultrasound echo signals produced in response to a pulsed ultrasound field interacting with anatomical tissue and flow of structure therein. The method further includes generating electrical signals indicative thereof. The method further includes beamforming the electrical signals producing beamformed data. The method further includes constructing a real-time image of the anatomical tissue with the beamformed data. The method further includes constructing a de-aliased color images of the flow with the beamformed data. The method further includes visually presenting the real-time image of the anatomical tissue with the de-aliased color images of the flow superimposed thereover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: B-K MEDICAL APS
    Inventor: Bo Martins
  • Patent number: 11369424
    Abstract: An ultrasound apparatus of a body cavity insertable type includes: a handpiece; a supporting rod which is elongated from the handpiece; an ultrasound probe which is connected to the supporting rod and is configured to be able to be inserted in the body cavity; and a sealing cover which is separably coupled to the ultrasound probe to at least partially surround the ultrasound probe in a longitudinal direction from a distal end thereof. The ultrasound probe includes: a piezoelectric element; and a housing to which the piezoelectric element is mounted. An end of the housing is connected to the supporting, and the housing is provided with an ultrasound passing hole which is disposed outside the supporting rod. The sealing cover has an ultrasound passing window which is formed at a position corresponding to the ultrasound passing hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: KORUST CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sung-Chan Cho
  • Patent number: 11317875
    Abstract: Described herein are technologies for facilitating reconstruction of flow data. In accordance with one aspect, the framework receives a four-dimensional projection image dataset and registers one or more pairs of temporally adjacent projection images in the image dataset. Two-dimensional flow maps may be determined based on the registered pairs. The framework may then sort the two-dimensional flow maps according to heart phases, and reconstruct a three-dimensional flow map based on the sorted two-dimensional flow maps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Schafer, Sonja Gehrisch, Markus Kowarschik, Christopher Rohkohl, Kevin Royalty
  • Patent number: 11313962
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a sensor processing system including an acquisition unit, a time series analysis unit, and a decision unit. The acquisition unit acquires measurement data from a measuring unit. The measuring unit measures a physical quantity, of which a value varies depending on whether a human is present in, or absent from, an object space. The time series analysis unit obtains an analysis model for a time series analysis in which the measurement data acquired at a predetermined timing is represented by multiple items, acquired before the predetermined timing, of the measurement data. The decision unit decides, depending on a decision condition including a condition concerning a coefficient of the analysis model, whether the human is present or absent at the predetermined timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTV CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Masaru Yamaoka, Toshiaki Tanaka, Kenji Masuda, Atsushi Takahashi, Hidehiko Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 11291429
    Abstract: Provided are a medical imaging apparatus and a method of generating a medical image that are capable of generating a Doppler image by using a Doppler effect as well as an ultrasound image. The method of generating a medical image includes: acquiring received signals; acquiring an ultrasound image and displaying the acquired ultrasound image; acquiring a Doppler signal corresponding to a sample volume set on the ultrasound image; generating a Doppler image based on the Doppler signal and displaying the generated Doppler image; calculating at least one selected from an average magnitude, a maximum value, and a minimum value of the Doppler signal; and changing image displaying mode by suspending the displaying of the Doppler image and updating the ultrasound image, in response to the at least one selected from the average magnitude, the maximum value, and the minimum value is less than or equal to a threshold value thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG MEDISON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Su-myeong Lee, Yong-ho Lee
  • Patent number: 11273329
    Abstract: Systems and methods for cavitation-guided opening of a targeted region of tissue within a primate skull are provided. In one example, a method includes delivering one or more microbubbles to proximate the targeted region, applying an ultrasound beam, using a transducer, through the skull of the primate to the targeted region to open the tissue, transcranially acquiring acoustic emissions produced from an interaction between the one or more microbubbles and the tissue, and determining a cavitation spectrum from the acquired acoustic emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
    Inventors: Elisa E. Konofagou, Fabrice Marquet, Yao-Sheng Tung
  • Patent number: 11272901
    Abstract: A system for monitoring blood flow in a patient comprises a first unit having an ultrasound transducer and a fastener for fastening the unit to the patient. A controller subsystem comprises the first unit and a separate second unit. The controller subsystem is configured to: control the ultrasound transducer to transmit plane-wave pulses into the patient in a propagation direction; sample reflections of the plane-wave pulses, received at the ultrasound transducer, from a region within the patient, to generate pulse-Doppler response signals; and process the pulse-Doppler response signals to estimate a series of values, over time, of a measure proportional, but not equal, to the total blood volume flow passing through the region. A monitoring subsystem is configured to monitor the series of values over time and to generate a signal if a set of one or more of the values satisfies a predetermined criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Cimon Medical AS
    Inventors: Hans Torp, Torbjorn Hergum
  • Patent number: 11241219
    Abstract: An ultrasound system and method for generating an elastic image are disclosed. The ultrasound system includes an ultrasound probe and a processor. The ultrasound probe is configured to transmit ultrasound signals into a target object and receive ultrasound echo signals from the target object while the ultrasound probe applies a variable compression force on the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Jihwan Kim, Hanju Moon, Jangkun Kim
  • Patent number: 11229420
    Abstract: A system and method for tracking an anatomical structure over time based on Pulsed-Wave (PW) Doppler signals of a Multi-Gated Doppler (MGD) signal is provided. The method may include identifying a gate corresponding with a selected anatomical structure. The method may include analyzing an MGD signal to track the selected anatomical structure over an extended period of time by selecting, at a plurality of sample times during the extended period of time, a PW Doppler signal from a plurality of PW Doppler signals of the MGD signal. Each of the selected PW Doppler corresponds with the selected anatomical structure at the particular sample time. The method may include presenting a continuous PW Doppler signal generated from each of the PW Doppler signals selected at each of the sample times during the extended period of time at a display system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Menachem Halmann, Alexander Sokulin, Peter Lysyansky, Cynthia A. Owen, Dani Pinkovich
  • Patent number: 11185651
    Abstract: A positive pressure therapy device for congestive heart failure includes: a pressure raising unit configured to raise a pressure of an air or a gas mixture of the air and other gases to a positive pressure; an introducing unit configured to introduce the air or the gas mixture that is set to a positive pressure into the airway of a patient; and a blood oxygen level measuring unit configured to measure a value of a blood oxygen level of the patient. A control unit monit is configured to control the pressure raising unit based on the value of the blood oxygen level that is measured by the blood oxygen level measuring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Teijin Pharma Limited
    Inventor: Sadayoshi Matsumoto