EP0487339A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Acquisition and display of ultrasonic images from sequentially orientated image planes
Assignee: Advanced Technology Laboratories Inc
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Filing: 1991-11-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-11-21
Abstract
Abstract An ultrasonic imaging system is disclosed which produces a sequence of images of planes of a subject including both image and spatial positional information of the image plane. In one embodiment the positional information is developed from a plurality of accelerometers located within a scanhead. The second integrals of the acceleration signals are used to determine positional information of the image plane. In a second embodiment a tranmitter transmits a magnetic field and a receiver attached to the scanhead detects the position of the scanhead in relation to the transmitted magnetic field. Spatially related images are displayed by displaying one image plane in the plane of the display and a second image plane projected in relation thereto. Either of the displayed planes may be displayed in outline form, and the outline may be modulated to depict depth.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip Keller
- 👤 Larry J. Augustine
- 👤 Ronald E. Daigle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 23:12
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/8993; A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/13; A61B8/14; A61B8/42; A61B8/4245; A61B8/4254; A61B8/48; A61B8/483; G01S15/8934; G01S15/8936; G01S15/899; G01N; G01N2291/00; G01N2291/02; G01N2291/028; G01N2291/02827; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S128/00; Y10S128/916
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
73 words
An ultrasonic imaging system for providing planar image information, said system including means for providing spatially identified planar images comprising: a scanhead including means for ultrasonically scanning a plane of a subject; and means for determining the spatial location of said plane, including accelerometer means attached to said scanhead for sensing movement of said scanhead and means for processing acceleration signals produced by said accelerometer means to determine positional information of said plane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
26 words
The ultrasonic imaging system of Claim 1, wherein said acceleration signals are utilized by said processing means to calculate linear and angular accelerations of said scanhead.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The ultrasonic imaging system of Claim 2, wherein said accelerations are compensated for gravitational acceleration.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The ultrasonic imaging system of Claim 1, wherein said positional information is produced by the second integral of said acceleration signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The ultrasonic imaging system of Claim 1, wherein said accelerometer means includes a plurality of accelerometers located within the housing of said scanhead.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The ultrasonic imaging system of Claim 5, wherein said accelerometers are positioned to detect orthogonally orientated vectors of acceleration.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus for displaying a sequence of spatially identified two-dimensional ultrasonic images as a three-dimensional display, comprising: display means; and means for producing a display of said images on said display means, each image in the sequence being weighted according to the position of the image in the sequence.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
86 words
An ultrasonic imaging system for providing planar image information, said system including means for providing spatially identified planar images comprising: a scanhead including means for ultrasonically scanning a plane of a subject; and means for determining the spatial location of said plane, including a magnetic field transmitter, a receiver attached to said scanhead for sensing the position of said scanhead in relation to a transmitted magnetic field, and means for processing positional information signals produced by said receiver to determine the spatial orientation of said plane.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The ultrasonic imaging system of Claim 8, wherein said receiver includes magnetometer means for producing positional information signals of said scanhead in relation to the polarity of a transmitted magnetic field.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The ultrasonic imaging system of Claim 8, wherein said receiver is attached to the housing of said scanhead; and wherein said processing means determines the position of said scanhead and translates said scanhead position to determine the spatial orientation of said plane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
75 words
An ultrasonic imaging system for providing planar image information, said system including means for providing spatially identified planar images comprising: a scanhead including means for ultrasonically scanning a plane of a subject; means connected to said scanhead for determining the spatial location of said plane; and display means connected to said scanhead and said determining means for displaying reference plane information and real time image plane information in an orientationally relational projection to each other.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The ultrasonic imaging system of Claim 11, wherein said reference plane information is displayed in the plane of said display means and said real time image information is projected in relation thereto.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The ultrasonic imaging system of Claim 11, wherein the information of one of said planes contains information concerning the structure of said subject and the information of the other of said planes comprises the outline of an image plane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The ultrasonic imaging system of Claim 13, wherein said outline is displayed in a manner depicting depth.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The ultrasonic imaging system of Claim 13, wherein the brightness or the width of said outline is varied in said display as a function of depth.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The ultrasonic imaging system of Claim 13, wherein said image plane outline further includes a line indicating the intersection of said two planes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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