University of Virginia Patent Foundation

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Hewlett-packard Company

Avago Technologies Ecbu IP (singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Analogic Corporation

Sound Technology, Inc.

Travis N Blalock

John Alexander Hossack

William F Walker

Thomas Hornak

Richard A Baumgartner

Neela B Gaddis

Ken A Nishimura

Richard Clayton Walker

Izhak Baharav

George Edward Smith

Akihiro Machida

Jin Kiong Ang

Michael I Fuller

Xuemei Zhang

Charles E Moore

Rajeev Badyal

Mark Taylor Smith

Thomas Allen Knotts

Michael L Reed

David Merlin Beard

Larry S Metz

Ran-Fun Chiu

Sui-hing Leung

Li Ching Tsai

Thomas M Walley

Richard A Baugh

Douglas Sojourner

Paul J Vande Voorde

Karthik Ranganathan

John J Corcoran

Robert A Zimmer

James S Ignowski

Drake A Guenther

Kenneth R Stafford

Jeanne M Hermsen

Harold F Christensen, Jr

Joey Doernberg

Michael Fuller

An ultrasound imaging system includes a plurality of processing chains () for a plurality of transducer element channels (). A processing chain of the plurality of processing chains, includes: a phase rotation processor () that focuses an N-bit digital representation, of an analog RF signal received on the corresponding transducer element channel, through phase rotation through phase additions or subtractions, and outputs a focused N-bit quantized value, where N is a predetermined positive integer.

Acoustic signal phase rotation processor

Pulse-echo imaging systems and methods are provided, including a transmit code sequencer and a pulse generation circuit, The transmit code sequencer is configured to input a transmit code sequence to the pulse generation circuit. A transducer is configured to receive electrical signals provided as pulses using coded excitation according to the transmit code sequence, and to transduce the electrical signals to pulses of energy other than electrical signals. The transducer is further configured to receive echoes of the pulses of energy other than electrical signals and convert the echoes to received electrical signals generate using coded excitation. A receive circuit is configured to receive the received electrical signals generate using coded excitation, perform analog sampling of the received electrical signals generate using coded excitation, and provide a weighted, summed digital signal by processing the analog samples. At least one example of a pulse imaging system described is configured for ultrasonic pulse-echoes. At least one example of a pulse imaging system described is a medical diagnostic imaging system.

Front end circuitry with analog sampling and decoding for ultrasound imaging systems and methods of use

A medical imaging apparatus, such as including a processor circuit, can be used to construct a first image of a plane parallel to the surface of an ultrasonic imaging transducer, the plane corresponding to a locus at a specified depth within a first region of tissue. The apparatus can obtain information about a location of a vessel in the first image, then obtain, from a second region of tissue, imaging information corresponding to loci in planes parallel to the surface of the transducer, the planes at depths automatically determined at least in part using the obtained information about the location of the vessel in the first image. In an example, the apparatus can automatically determine an adjusted depth corresponding to the location of the vessel in the second region, and construct a second image of a plane corresponding to the adjusted depth within the tissue.

Tracked ultrasound vessel imaging

In some illustrative embodiments, an incoming signal from a transducer in an ultrasound imaging beam-former apparatus is applied to an in-phase sample-and-hold and a quadrature sample-and-hold. The quadrature sample-and-hold may be clocked a quarter period behind the in-phase sample-and-hold. The output of the sample-and-holds are applied to in-phase and quadrature analog-to-digital converters. A magnitude calculator receives the in-phase and quadrature digital values, and outputs a magnitude. A phase calculator receives the in-phase and quadrature digital values, and outputs a phase. An apodizer applies a difference between an amplitude of the outgoing signal and the magnitude and applies a first illumination to a image point in substantial proportion to the difference, and a phase rotator applies a second illumination to the image point in substantial proportion to the phase.

Ultrasound imaging beam-former apparatus and method

A floating transducer drive configured to isolate relatively low voltage system electronics from a relatively high voltage transmit circuit in an ultrasound imaging system. A receive circuit is electrically connected to an isolated local ground. An isolation circuit is electrically connected between the receive circuit and a relatively low-voltage processing circuit. The isolation circuit is configured such that during a transmit event during which the relatively high voltage transmit circuit sends a relatively high voltage signal to a transducer, the isolated local ground is electrically connected to the transmit circuit, but when the transmit event is not occurring, the isolated local ground is electrically connected to a system ground.

Floating transducer drive, system employing the same and method of operating

In some illustrative embodiments, an ultrasonic transducer drive includes a signal generator for producing an outgoing signal and a transducer for converting the outgoing signal to outgoing ultrasound. The transducer may also convert at least a portion of ultrasound reflected by an object to an incoming signal. The transducer may have a transmit side connected conductably to the signal generator during at least a first predetermined period of time and a receive side connected conductably to a signal receiver during at least a second predetermined period of time. A shunt may be connectable between the receive side and a reference potential. The signal generator may generate the outgoing signal during at least substantially the first predetermined period of time while the shunt connects the receive side to the reference potential. The signal receiver may receive the incoming signal during substantially the second predetermined period of time while the shunt is substantially open.

Ultrasonic transducer drive

An improved device and method for collecting data used for ultrasonic imaging. The data is gathered over numerous transmit and echo receive cycles, or iterations and combined into a synthetic acquisition representing a complete echo characteristic acquisition. At each iteration, only a portion, or subset, of the echo characteristic is sampled and stored. During the iterations, the portion of the echo characteristic that is measured and sampled is varied by changing the relative sampling instants. That is, the time offset from the transmission to the respective sampling instant is varied. The sample sets representative of the entire echo characteristic are then compiled from the multiple subsets of the ultrasonic transmissions.

Efficient architecture for 3D and planar ultrasonic imaging&#x2014;synthetic axial acquisition and method thereof

An ultrasound transducer array having a transmit transducer element comprising a transmit transducer material interposed between a transmit electrode and a reference electrode, wherein voltages applied across the transmit electrode and reference electrode induce an acoustic wave to emanate from the transmit transducer material; and a plurality of receive transducer elements positioned in an array on the transmit transducer element, each of the plurality of the receive transducer elements comprising a receive electrode and a receive transducer material interposed between the receive electrode and the reference electrode, and wherein acoustic waves applied to the plurality of receive transducer elements induces receive voltage signals on the receive electrodes with respect to the reference electrode.

Hybrid dual layer diagnostic ultrasound transducer array

A hand held ultrasonic instrument () is provided in a portable unit that performs C-Mode imaging and collects 3D image data. In a preferred embodiment a transducer array (), display unit (), beamformer (), power system, and image processor are integrated in one enclosure weighing less than three pounds. In operation, the portable unit is scanned across a target and the displayed image is conveniently presented to the operator whereby the displayed image corresponds exactly to the target, or a scaled fashion if desired.

Intuitive ultrasonic imaging system and related method thereof

An ultrasound system and related method for forming 2D C-scan images and/or collecting 3D image data from 2D transducer arrays. The system including in part a 2D transducer array of elements, transmit voltage generation means for each element, a memory buffer with or part of channels for each element, and a receive beamformer. On a time serial or sequential basis, several times for each line of firing, the contents of the per element memory buffer are read into the beamformer with different focusing values for each buffer reading cycle. In this way, the beamformer can calculate beamformed image values for multiple points per line firing cycle&#x2014;or per each line of signals between the transducer array and receive beamformer.

Efficient ultrasound system for two-dimensional C-scan imaging and related method thereof

An imaging system for imaging a fingerprint operates in at least two different modes to provide both finger recognition and finger navigation applications. A light source illuminates a swipe interface having an elongated sensing area upon which a user swipes a finger. Light reflected from the finger is captured by an optical image sensor as image data representing a sequence of images resulting from motion of the digit over the sensing area of the swipe interface. The captured image data is output by the optical image sensor for processing of the data in one of the at least two different modes.

Imaging system and apparatus for combining finger recognition and finger navigation

An apparatus for imaging a fingerprint operates in a selected mode to provide a finger recognition and/or a finger navigation application. At least one light source illuminates at least one partition of a finger interface upon which a user places a finger (or thumb). Light reflected from the finger is captured by at least one image sensing region aligned to receive reflected light emitted from the illuminating light source(s). The illuminating light sources are selected depending on the selected mode of operation to illuminate only those partitions of the finger interface necessary for operation of the selected mode.

System and method for multiplexing illumination in combined finger recognition and finger navigation module

The infrared (IR) sensing apparatus () and related method achieves improvement over traditional infrared sensors by levitating or suspending the IR platform () to reduce the loss of IR energy, which normally dissipates in the form of heat. The levitating IR sensitive platform () of the present invention has no contact with the substrate () during energy absorption, thus eliminating a substantial disadvantage existing in the conventional systems proposed heretofore.

High sensitivity infrared sensing apparatus and related method thereof

A grey scale is generated by modulating light in response to an information signal using an electro-optical material. An analog sample is derived from the information signal, a drive signal is generated in response to the analog sample and the drive signal is applied to the electro-optical material. The drive signal has a sequence of a first temporal portion and a second temporal portion. The first temporal portion has a temporal duration that has a pre-determined relationship to the analog sample, and the second temporal portion is the temporal complement of the first temporal portion.

Electro-optical material-based grey scale generating method

A system and method for using gamma correction in a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) display uses a reduced number of different increment values for generating a Vramp signal for the FLC display without noticeably increasing error. The increment values are based upon an inverse gamma curve having a selected gamma value. Using linear interpolation, the increment values are calculated with more increment values being calculated for the beginning of the curve than the flatter end portion of the curve. In addition, an illumination period and a balance period are used so that each pixel of the FLC display is on and off for the same amount of time. As a result, the average voltage across the FLC material is 0V.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Travis N Blalock