Distributed portable ultrasound system

Abstract

A distributed ultrasound system includes a portable ultrasound system comprising: one or more transmitters configured to transmit ultrasound waves into a subject region; one or more receivers configured to receive ultrasound waves from the subject region in response to the ultrasound waves transmitted into the subject region; and a portable ultrasound processing unit configured to perform ultrasound image processing for generating one or more ultrasound images of the subject region using, at least in part, the ultrasound waves received from the subject region by the one or more receivers, wherein the portable ultrasound system is handheld and capable of being moved over a patient's body to an area proximate to the subject region; and an external ultrasound docking unit configured to receive and electrically couple with the portable ultrasound system and offload at least a portion of the ultrasound image processing from the portable ultrasound system when the portable ultrasound system is coupled to the external ultrasound docking unit, wherein the portable ultrasound system determines whether to offload the at least a portion of the ultrasound image processing based at least one of a temperature or a battery level of portable ultrasound system.