EP0829735A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system with personal computer architecture
Assignee: ATL Ultrasound Inc
•
Filing: 1997-09-11
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2017-09-11
Abstract
Abstract An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is provided with a personal computer platform which processes digital echo signals and produces ultrasonic image signals for display. The expansion bus structure of the personal computer platform accommodates ancillary processors such as beamformer cards, digital signal processing cards, video cards, and network cards which may be necessary or desirable for the ultrasound system. In a preferred embodiment the digital signal samples produced by a beamformer connected to the expansion bus are processed for display by software executed by the CPU of the personal computer platform. A preferred software architecture for the personal computer based ultrasound system consists of multiple object oriented software tasks, executing under a realtime, multitasking operating system which is both efficient and robust. Performance upgrades of the entire ultrasound system are effected by simple replacement of the CPU with a higher performance CPU, thus providing continual ultrasound system performance improvements in consonance with the evolution of personal computer CPU technology.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald E. Daigle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 18:27
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/899; A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 72
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system
comprising: a beamformer to which ultrasonic probes may be
removably connected for acquiring ultrasonic echo
signals and producing digital rayline signals; a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to said
beamformer for both signal processing and display
processing of said digital rayline signals; and a display coupled to receive processed rayline
signals for display of an ultrasonic image.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
47 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 1, wherein said signal processing includes two
dimensional (2D) or Doppler ultrasonic image signal
processing and said display processing includes scan
conversion, wherein said signal processing and said display
processing are both performed by software under
control of said CPU.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 2, wherein said 2D ultrasonic image signal
processing includes the functions of filtering and
amplitude detection, and wherein said Doppler
ultrasonic image signal processing includes the
function of Doppler signal estimation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
79 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system with
a personal computer architecture comprising: a beamformer to which ultrasonic probes may be
removably connected for acquiring ultrasonic echo
signals and producing digital rayline signals; a personal computer platform coupled to receive
said digital rayline signals and including a central
processing unit (CPU) for executing software which
signal processes and display processes said digital
rayline signals for display; and a display coupled to receive processed rayline
signals for display of an ultrasonic image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 4, wherein said software performs two
dimensional (2D) or Doppler ultrasonic signal
processing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 5, wherein said 2D ultrasonic image signal
processing software performs the functions of
filtering and amplitude detection, and wherein said
Doppler ultrasonic image signal processing software
performs the function of Doppler signal estimation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 4, wherein said display processing software
performs scan conversion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
101 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system
comprising: an ultrasonic array probe; a personal computer platform having a central
processing unit (CPU) and including: beamformer means, coupled to said central
processing unit for producing digital rayline
signals in response to echo signals received by
said ultrasonic array probe; signal processing software for performing
two dimensional (2D) or Doppler processing of
said digital rayline signals; display processing software for performing
display processing of said digital rayline
signals; and means for producing raster display signals;
and a display coupled to said personal computer
platform to receive raster display signals for
display of an ultrasonic image.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 8, wherein said personal computer platform
includes a motherboard including said CPU and digital
memory.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 8, wherein said personal computer platform
includes an expansion bus, and wherein said
beamformer means is coupled to said expansion bus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 8, wherein said signal processing software and
said display processing software are executed by said
CPU.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 8, wherein said personal computer platform
includes an expansion bus, and wherein said signal
processing software is executed on a digital signal
processing expansion card coupled to said expansion
bus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 8, wherein said personal computer platform
includes an expansion bus, and wherein said means for
producing raster display signals includes a video
expansion card coupled to said expansion bus.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
95 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system
comprising: an ultrasonic array probe; a personal computer platform having a central
processing unit (CPU) and an expansion bus coupled to
said CPU and including: beamformer means, coupled to said expansion
bus, for producing digital rayline signals in
response to echo signals received by said
ultrasonic array probe; and software, executed under control of said
CPU, for performing signal processing and
display processing of said digital rayline
signals; and a display coupled to said personal computer
platform and responsive to processed digital rayline
signals for display of an ultrasonic image.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 14, further comprising a digital memory for
storing said digital rayline signals, wherein said
software accesses said digital rayline signals for
processing under control of said CPU.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 15, wherein said software comprises means for
accessing digital rayline signals from memory,
performing signal processing of said digital rayline
signals, and storing processed digital rayline
signals in memory.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 16, wherein said signal processing software
comprises two dimensional (2D) ultrasonic signal
processing software or ultrasonic Doppler signal
processing software.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
58 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 16, wherein said display processing software
comprises means for accessing said digital rayline
signals from memory, performing scan conversion of
said digital rayline signals, and storing scan
converted digital rayline signals in memory, wherein said display is responsive to said scan
converted digital rayline signals for display of an
ultrasonic image.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 16, further comprising a digital signal
processing expansion card coupled to said expansion
bus, and wherein said software further comprises means
for performing signal processing of said digital
rayline signals on said digital signal processing
expansion card.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
100 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system
with a personal computer based architecture which
produces ultrasonic diagnostic images at a maximum
frame rate of display, comprising: an ultrasonic imaging probe; a personal computer platform, connectable to
said ultrasonic imaging probe, and including: memory means for storing ultrasonic
diagnostic image signal processing software; and a replaceable central processing unit (CPU)
which executes software for ultrasonic
diagnostic image signal processing; and a display coupled to said personal computer
platform for displaying ultrasonic diagnostic images
at said maximum frame rate of display, wherein said maximum frame rate of display is
changed by replacing said CPU.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 20, wherein said software comprises means for
performing two dimensional (2D) ultrasonic signal
processing or ultrasonic Doppler signal processing,
and means for performing scan conversion.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
65 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system,
comprising: an ultrasonic imaging probe; an ultrasonic image signal processor,
connectable to said ultrasonic imaging probe, and
including: memory means for storing object oriented
ultrasonic diagnostic image processing software;
and a central processing unit (CPU) which
executes said object oriented ultrasonic
diagnostic image processing software; and a display coupled to said ultrasonic image
signal processor for displaying ultrasonic diagnostic
images.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 22, wherein said ultrasonic image signal
processor comprises a personal computer platform.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
46 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 22, wherein said object oriented ultrasonic
diagnostic image processing software comprises: acquisition objects associated with acquired
ultrasonic image data; estimate objects associated with signal
processed ultrasonic image data; and raster image objects associated with scan
converted ultrasonic image data.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 24, wherein said acquisition objects are
associated with beamformed RF ultrasonic image data.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 24, wherein said estimate objects are
associated with two dimensional (2D) or Doppler
processed ultrasonic image data.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 24, wherein said object oriented software
includes 2D objects associated with two dimensional
(2D) ultrasonic data, and Doppler objects associated
with Doppler ultrasonic data.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
43 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 22, wherein said object oriented ultrasonic
diagnostic image processing software comprises a
plurality of data objects which are associated with
ultrasonic data sets, said data objects including
attributes defining characteristics of said
associated ultrasonic data sets.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 24, wherein said objects further include
attributes defining characteristics of the ultrasonic
image data with which they are associated.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
71 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 29, wherein said software further comprises: an acquisition task for processing acquired
ultrasonic image data in accordance with the
attributes of an associated acquisition object; a signal processing task for processing
ultrasonic image data in accordance with the
attributes of an associated estimate object; and a display task for processing ultrasonic image
data in accordance with the attributes of an
associated raster image object.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
83 words
A personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system, comprising: an ultrasonic imaging probe; a beamformer coupled to said probe and producing
digital rayline signals in response to echo signals
received from said probe; a dual port memory coupled to said beamformer
for storing said digital rayline signals; a personal computer platform, coupled to said
dual port memory, for processing said digital rayline
signals to produce ultrasonic diagnostic image
signals; and a display coupled to said personal computer
platform for displaying ultrasonic diagnostic images.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
30 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 31, further comprising a dual port memory,
coupled to said personal computer platform and said
display, for storing said ultrasonic diagnostic image
signals.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
70 words
A personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system, comprising: an ultrasonic imaging probe; means coupled to said probe for producing
digital echo signals in response to echo signals
received from said probe; a personal computer platform, coupled to said
digital echo signal producing means, for processing
said digital echo signals to produce ultrasonic
diagnostic image signals; and a display coupled to said personal computer
platform for displaying ultrasonic diagnostic images.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
43 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 33, wherein said
personal computer platform includes a central
processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor,
and a dual port memory which is accessed by both said
CPU and said digital signal processor.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
31 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 33, wherein said
personal computer platform includes a multiple image
memory which stores a sequence of digital ultrasonic
image data sets.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
43 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 35, wherein said
means for producing digital echo signals comprises a
beamformer, and wherein said multiple image memory is
coupled to store sequences of digital ultrasonic
image data sets produced by said beamformer.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
54 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 35, wherein said
personal computer platform further comprises digital
echo signal processing software, and wherein said
multiple image memory is coupled to store sequences
of digital ultrasonic image data sets which have been
processed by said personal computer platform under
control of said software.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
43 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 33, wherein said
personal computer platform includes a central
processing unit (CPU) and a digital signal processor
operated under control of said CPU for simultaneously
performing two dimensional (2D) and Doppler signal
processing.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
44 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 38, wherein said personal computer platform
further includes an expansion bus, said digital
signal processor is coupled to said expansion bus,
and said digital signal processor performs Doppler
signal processing while said CPU performs 2D signal
processing.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
52 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 39, wherein said means for producing digital
echo signals comprises a beamformer which produces 2D
and Doppler digital echo data sets, and wherein said
personal computer platform further includes software
for preferentially signal processing Doppler digital
echo data sets before 2D digital echo data sets.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
55 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 40, wherein said personal computer platform
further includes software for scan converting Doppler
and 2D digital echo data set, wherein said scan
converting software preferentially scan converts 2D
digital echo data for a given ultrasonic image before
scan converting Doppler digital echo data for said
given ultrasonic image.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
26 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 33, further
comprising: a user interface coupled to the keyboard input
of said personal computer platform.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
36 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 33, further
comprising: a user interface coupled to said personal
computer platform, including a trackball control
coupled to the mouse input of said personal computer
platform.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
53 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 33, further
comprising: a user interface coupled to said personal
computer platform, including a plurality of controls
for controlling parameters of said displayed
ultrasonic diagnostic images, wherein said controls are increment/decrement
controls for incrementing or decrementing said
parameters in predetermined units of change.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
14 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 44, wherein said controls comprise paddle
switches.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
13 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 44, wherein said controls comprise softkeys.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
72 words
A personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system, comprising: an ultrasonic imaging probe; a beamformer coupled to said probe and producing
digital ultrasonic Doppler signals in response to
quadrature sampling of echo signals received from
said probe; a personal computer platform, coupled to said
beamformer, for processing said digital ultrasonic
Doppler signals to produce ultrasonic diagnostic
image signals; and a display coupled to said personal computer
platform for displaying ultrasonic diagnostic images.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
152 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system
with a personal computer architecture comprising: a beamformer to which ultrasonic probes may be
removably connected for acquiring ultrasonic two
dimensional (2D) or Doppler echo signals and
producing groups of digital 2D or Doppler rayline
signals which together comprise one image data set; a personal computer platform coupled to receive
said groups of digital rayline signals and including
a central processing unit (CPU) for executing
software which signal processes and display processes
said digital rayline signals for display; and a display coupled to receive processed rayline
signals for display of a 2D or Doppler ultrasonic
image, wherein the number of rayline signals of a group
is chosen to effect a correspondence between the time
required by the beamformer to acquire and produce
said group of 2D or Doppler rayline signals and the
time utilized by said software to process said group
of 2D or Doppler rayline signals.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
119 words
A personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system, comprising: an ultrasonic imaging probe; a beamformer coupled to said probe for
controlling said probe to transmit periodic
ultrasonic pulses and producing digital rayline
signals in response to echo signals received from
said probe; a personal computer platform, coupled to said
beamformer, and including a central processing unit
(CPU) which executes software to process said digital
rayline signals to produce ultrasonic diagnostic
image signals; and a display coupled to said personal computer
platform for displaying ultrasonic diagnostic images, wherein said personal computer platform further
includes a monitor which monitors the time to process
said digital rayline signals, wherein said periodic transmission of ultrasonic
pulses is adjusted in response to said monitoring.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
104 words
A personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system, comprising: an ultrasonic imaging probe; means coupled to said probe for producing
temporally separated digital echo signals in response
to echo signals received from said probe; a personal computer platform, coupled to said
means for producing digital echo signals, for
processing said digital echo signals to produce
temporally discrete ultrasonic diagnostic image
signals; a display coupled to said personal computer
platform for displaying an ultrasonic diagnostic
image of temporally discrete ultrasonic information, wherein said ultrasonic diagnostic image of
temporally discrete ultrasonic information is a
sweeping display in which older information is
sequentially replaced with new information.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
16 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 50, wherein said sweeping display is an M-mode
display.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
17 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 50, wherein said sweeping display is a spectral
Doppler display.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
75 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 50, wherein said means for producing temporally
separated digital echo signals further comprises
means for producing time interleaved digital 2D echo
signals; wherein said personal computer platform further
includes software for processing said 2D echo signals
to produce 2D ultrasonic diagnostic image data; and wherein said display further comprises means for
simultaneously displaying a 2D ultrasonic diagnostic
image and a sweeping display of temporally discrete
ultrasonic diagnostic information.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
99 words
A personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system, comprising: an ultrasonic imaging probe; means coupled to said probe for producing, at a
first rate, sets of digital echo signals, each set of
digital echo signals comprising acquisition data for
an image frame; a personal computer platform, coupled to said
means for producing digital echo signals, for display
processing sets of said digital echo signals to
produce ultrasonic diagnostic image data sets at a
second rate; and a display coupled to said personal computer
platform for displaying ultrasonic diagnostic images, wherein said first rate is greater than said
second rate.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
46 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 54, wherein the
disparity between said first rate and said second
rate is a function of the time said personal computer
platform utilizes to perform said display processing
of a set of said digital echo signals.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
56 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 54, further
comprising an image data memory for storing a
sequence of said sets of digital echo signals
produced by said means for producing sets of digital
echo signals; and further comprising means for display processing
said stored sequence for display as an ultrasonic
image sequence.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
34 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 56, wherein said
image data memory is coupled to store acquisition
data sets produced by said means for producing sets
of digital echo signals.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
55 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 56, wherein said
personal computer platform further includes software
for ultrasonic signal processing sets of said
acquisition data to produce processed data sets, each
corresponding to an ultrasonic image, wherein said image data memory is coupled to
store a sequence of said processed data sets.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
28 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 58, wherein said
processed data sets are produced at a rate which is
greater than said second rate.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
107 words
A personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system, comprising: an ultrasonic imaging probe; means coupled to said probe for producing
digital echo signals in response to echo signals
received from said probe; a personal computer platform, coupled to said
means for producing digital echo signals, and
including software for display processing digital
echo signals to produce ultrasonic diagnostic image
signals; a display coupled to said personal computer
platform for displaying ultrasonic diagnostic images, wherein said display processing software
includes means for scan converting said digital echo
signals to a desired image format, and means for
mapping said digital echo signals to a desired range
of display values.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
88 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system
with a personal computer based architecture
comprising: an ultrasonic imaging probe; a personal computer platform, connectable to
said ultrasonic imaging probe, and including: memory means for storing ultrasonic
diagnostic image signal processing software; a central processing unit (CPU) which
executes software tasks which perform ultrasonic
diagnostic image signal processing; and a multitasking scheduler which schedules
the execution of said software tasks by said CPU
in a time interleaved manner; and a display coupled to said personal computer
platform for displaying ultrasonic diagnostic images.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
30 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 61, wherein said multitasking scheduler is
responsive to the occurrence of events for scheduling
the execution of said software tasks by said CPU.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
23 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 62, wherein said events include the readiness
of ultrasound data for processing by a software task.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
41 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 62, wherein said multitasking scheduler is
further responsive to the occurrence of an event for
interrupting the execution of a currently executing
software task and executing a software task which
responds to said event.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
26 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 61, wherein said multitasking scheduler
interrupts the execution of an executing software
task after a predetermined quantum of time.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
32 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 62, wherein said events are assigned
predetermined priorities for response, and wherein
said multitasking scheduler schedules software tasks
for execution in consideration of said priorities.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
37 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 66, wherein a plurality of events are assigned
a common priority, and wherein said multitasking
scheduler executes tasks responding to events of a
common priority in a time interleaved manner.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
47 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 67, wherein said multitasking scheduler
interrupts the execution of a software task after a
predetermined quantum of execution time to execute
another software task responding to an event of a
common priority and which is awaiting execution by
said CPU.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
27 words
The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system of
Claim 68, wherein said software tasks which perform
ultrasonic diagnostic image signal processing include
software tasks which perform ultrasonic display
processing.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
61 words
A personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system, comprising: an ultrasonic imaging probe; a personal computer platform, coupled to receive
echo signal from said imaging probe, for digitally
processing said echo signals to produce ultrasonic
diagnostic image signals, said personal computer
platform including a native display processor; and a display coupled to said personal computer
platform for displaying ultrasonic diagnostic images.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
58 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 70, wherein said
personal computer platform further includes software
for processing graphic or alphanumeric display
information; wherein said native display processor is
responsive to said software for generating a graphic
or alphanumeric display; and wherein said display displays said graphic or
alphanumeric display together with ultrasonic
diagnostic images.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
51 words
The personal computer based ultrasonic
diagnostic imaging system of Claim 70, wherein said
personal computer platform further includes software
for processing graphic or alphanumeric display
information; and wherein said native display processor is
responsive to said software for generating a graphic
or alphanumeric display in combination with an
ultrasonic diagnostic image.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0702247A2
Cited
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