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US5522393A
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Multi-dimensional real-time ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus and method
Assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
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Filing: 1994-05-24
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Granted: 1996-06-04
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Expires: 2014-05-24
Abstract
Abstract An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and method for real-time multi-dimensional blood flow imaging with enhanced sensitivity to lateral blood flow. The apparatus constitutes an improvement on the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the type wherein an ultrasonic pulse beam is repeatedly transmitted into the subject under examination at a fixed pulse rate and the reflected echoes are picked up, amplified and displayed. The improvement comprises an ultrasonic transducer means comprising a phased array transducer which is electronically and/or mechanically divided into two or more independently controlled sub-apertures and adapted for transmitting ultrasonic pulse beams from one of the two or more sub-apertures and for receiving the reflected echoes with at least two of the two or more sub-apertures. Optionally, the apparatus and method further comprises signal processing means including quadrature detection circuitry comprising sampling means for sampling the echo signals or a downward shifted version of echo signals and Hilbert transform means for filtering the signals so as to obviate the need for mixers, low-pass filters (LPF) and quadrature reference frequencies utilized in conventional ultrasonic blood flow imaging.
Inventors
- 👤 Patrick J. Phillips
- 👤 Olaf T. von Ramm
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 14:06
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/8909; G01S15/8915; G01S15/8927; A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/06; G01F; G01F1/00; G01F1/66; G01F1/667; G01S15/8979; G01S15/8984; G01S15/8913; G01S15/8993; G01S7/00; G01S7/52; G01S7/52017; G01S7/52023; G01S7/52034
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
In an improved ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus comprising ultrasonic transducer means adapted to repeatedly transmit ultrasonic pulse beams into a subject under examination and to receive reflected echoes of the ultrasonic pulse beams from within the subject and convert the reflected echoes into echo signals, signal processing means for converting said reflected echo signals via Doppler signal processing into image signals, and display means for visually outputting said image signals as an image, the improvement comprising: (a) ultrasonic transducer means comprising a phased array transducer divided into two or more independently controlled sub-apertures and adapted for transmitting ultrasonic pulse beams from at least one of said two or more sub-apertures and for receiving the reflected echoes with at least two of said two or more sub-apertures, such that at least one sub-aperture is receiving an echo from a pulse beam that the at least one sub-aperture did not transmit; whereby real time multi-dimensional blood flow imaging with enhanced sensitivity to lateral blood flow is achieved.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
In an improved ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus comprising ultrasonic transducer means adapted to repeatedly transmit ultrasonic pulse beams into a subject under examination and to receive reflected echoes of the ultrasonic pulse beams from within the subject and convert the reflected echoes into echo signals, signal processing means for converting said reflected echo signals via Doppler signal processing into image signals, and display means for visually outputting said image signals as an image, the improvement comprising: (a) ultrasonic transducer means comprising a phased array transducer divided into two or more independently controlled sub-apertures and adapted for transmitting ultrasonic pulse beams from at least one of said two or more sub-apertures and for receiving the reflected echoes with at least two of said two or more sub-apertures, such that at least one sub-aperture is receiving an echo from a pulse beam that the at least one sub-aperture did not transmit; whereby real time multi-dimensional blood flow imaging with enhanced sensitivity to lateral blood flow is achieved.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
An ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said phased array transducer is electronically divided into two sub-apertures and adapted for transmitting from one of said two sub-apertures and for receiving with both of said two sub-apertures.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
An ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said phased array transducer is electronically divided into three sub-apertures and adapted for transmitting from one sub-aperture and for receiving with two sub-apertures.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
An ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said phased array transducer is physically divided into two planar sub-apertures which define a non-planar phased array transducer, and adapted for transmitting from one of said two sub-apertures and for receiving with both of said two sub-apertures.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
An ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said phased array transducer is physically divided into a plurality of two dimensional planar sub-apertures which define a three dimensional non-planar phased array transducer, and adapted for transmitting from one or more of said plurality of sub-apertures and for receiving with two or more of said plurality of sub-apertures.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
An ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said phased array transducer is physically divided into two or more sub-apertures defining a non-planar phased array transducer comprising a plurality of sections, and wherein each of said sections is electronically addressed as two or more sub-apertures.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
An ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said phased array transducer comprises a plurality of piezoelectric crystals electronically divided into two or more sub-apertures.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sub-aperture receives by tracking the pulse beam that the at least one sub-aperture did not transmit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
198 words
An improved ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus comprising ultrasonic transducer means adapted to repeatedly transmit ultrasonic pulse beams into a subject under examination and to receive reflected echoes of the ultrasonic pulse beams from within the subject and convert the reflected echoes into echo signals, signal processing means for converting said reflected echo signals via Doppler signal processing into image signals, and display means for visually outputting said image signals as an image, the improvement comprising: (a) ultrasonic transducer means comprising a phased array transducer divided into two or more independently controlled sub-apertures and adapted for transmitting ultrasonic pulse beams from at least one of said two or more sub-apertures and for receiving the reflected echoes with at least two of said two or more sub-apertures, such that at least one sub-aperture is receiving an echo from a pulse beam that the at least one sub-aperture did not transmit; and (b) signal processing means including quadrature detection circuitry comprising sampling means for sampling said echo signals or a downward shifted version of said echo signals and Hilbert transform means for filtering said signals; whereby real time multi-dimensional blood flow imaging with enhanced sensitivity to lateral flow is achieved.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
198 words
An improved ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus comprising ultrasonic transducer means adapted to repeatedly transmit ultrasonic pulse beams into a subject under examination and to receive reflected echoes of the ultrasonic pulse beams from within the subject and convert the reflected echoes into echo signals, signal processing means for converting said reflected echo signals via Doppler signal processing into image signals, and display means for visually outputting said image signals as an image, the improvement comprising: (a) ultrasonic transducer means comprising a phased array transducer divided into two or more independently controlled sub-apertures and adapted for transmitting ultrasonic pulse beams from at least one of said two or more sub-apertures and for receiving the reflected echoes with at least two of said two or more sub-apertures, such that at least one sub-aperture is receiving an echo from a pulse beam that the at least one sub-aperture did not transmit; and (b) signal processing means including quadrature detection circuitry comprising sampling means for sampling said echo signals or a downward shifted version of said echo signals and Hilbert transform means for filtering said signals; whereby real time multi-dimensional blood flow imaging with enhanced sensitivity to lateral flow is achieved.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
An ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said phased array transducer is electronically divided into two sub-apertures and adapted for transmitting from one of said two sub-apertures and for receiving with both of said two sub-apertures.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
An ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said phased array transducer is electronically divided into three sub-apertures and adapted for transmitting from one sub-aperture and for receiving with two sub-apertures.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 9 comprising physically dividing said phased array transducer into two planar sub-apertures which define a non-planar phased array transducer and transmitting from one of said two sub-apertures and receiving with both of said sub-apertures.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 9 comprising physically dividing said phased array transducer into a plurality of two dimensional planar sub-apertures which define a three dimensional non-planar phased array transducer and transmitting from one or more of said plurality of sub-apertures and receiving with two or more of said plurality of sub-apertures.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 9 comprising physically dividing said phased array transducer into two or more sub-apertures defining a non-planar phased array transducer comprising a plurality of sections, and electronically addressing each of said sections as two or more sub-apertures.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
An ultrasonic blood flow imaging apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said linear array transducer comprises a plurality of piezoelectric crystals electronically divided into two or more sub-apertures.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one sub-aperture receives by tracking the pulse beam that the at least one sub-aperture did not transmit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
163 words
In a method for improved ultrasonic blood flow imaging comprising utilizing a phased array transducer for repeatedly transmitting ultrasonic pulse beams into a subject under examination, receiving reflected echoes of the ultrasonic pulse beams from within the subject and converting the reflected echoes into echo signals; utilizing signal processing means for converting said reflected echo signals via Doppler signal processing into image signals; and utilizing display means for visually outputting said image signals as an image, the improvement comprising: (a) electronically dividing said phased array transducer into two or more independently controlled sub-apertures; and (b) transmitting ultrasonic pulse beams from at least one of said two or more sub-apertures and receiving the reflected echoes with at least two of said two or more sub-apertures, such that at least one sub-aperture is receiving an echo from a pulse beam that the at least one sub-aperture did not transmit; whereby real time multi-dimensional blood flow imaging with enhanced sensitivity to lateral blood flow is achieved.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
163 words
In a method for improved ultrasonic blood flow imaging comprising utilizing a phased array transducer for repeatedly transmitting ultrasonic pulse beams into a subject under examination, receiving reflected echoes of the ultrasonic pulse beams from within the subject and converting the reflected echoes into echo signals; utilizing signal processing means for converting said reflected echo signals via Doppler signal processing into image signals; and utilizing display means for visually outputting said image signals as an image, the improvement comprising: (a) electronically dividing said phased array transducer into two or more independently controlled sub-apertures; and (b) transmitting ultrasonic pulse beams from at least one of said two or more sub-apertures and receiving the reflected echoes with at least two of said two or more sub-apertures, such that at least one sub-aperture is receiving an echo from a pulse beam that the at least one sub-aperture did not transmit; whereby real time multi-dimensional blood flow imaging with enhanced sensitivity to lateral blood flow is achieved.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 17 comprising dividing said phased array transducer into two sub-apertures and transmitting from one of said two sub-apertures and receiving with both of said sub-apertures.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 17 comprising dividing said phased array transducer into three sub-apertures and transmitting from one sub-aperture and receiving with two sub-apertures.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 17 comprising physically dividing said phased array transducer into two planar sub-apertures which define a non-planar phased array transducer and transmitting from one of said two sub-apertures and receiving with both of said sub-apertures.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 17 comprising physically dividing said phased array transducer into a plurality of two dimensional planar sub-apertures which define a three dimensional non-planar phased array transducer and transmitting from one or more of said plurality of sub-apertures and receiving with two or more of said plurality of sub-apertures.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 17 comprising physically dividing said phased array transducer into two or more sub-apertures defining a non-planar phased array transducer comprising a plurality of sections, and electronically addressing each of said sections as two or more sub-apertures.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one sub-aperture receives by tracking the pulse beam that the at least one sub-aperture did not transmit.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
197 words
In a method for improved ultrasonic blood flow imaging comprising utilizing a phased array transducer for repeatedly transmitting ultrasonic pulse beams into a subject under examination, receiving reflected echoes of the ultrasonic pulse beams from within the subject and converting the reflected echoes into echo signals; utilizing signal processing means for converting said reflected echo signals via Doppler signal processing into image signals; and utilizing display means for visually outputting said image signals as an image, the improvement comprising: (a) electronically dividing said phased array transducer into two or more independently controlled sub-apertures; (b) transmitting ultrasonic pulse beams from at least one of said two or more sub-apertures and receiving the reflected echoes with at least two of said two or more sub-apertures, such that at least one sub-aperture is receiving an echo from a pulse beam that the at least one sub-aperture did not transmit; and (c) providing quadrature detection circuitry within said signal processing means for sampling said echo signals or a downward shifted version of said echo signals and filtering the samples of said signals with Hilbert transformations; whereby real time multi-dimensional blood flow imaging with enhanced sensitivity to lateral blood flow is achieved.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
197 words
In a method for improved ultrasonic blood flow imaging comprising utilizing a phased array transducer for repeatedly transmitting ultrasonic pulse beams into a subject under examination, receiving reflected echoes of the ultrasonic pulse beams from within the subject and converting the reflected echoes into echo signals; utilizing signal processing means for converting said reflected echo signals via Doppler signal processing into image signals; and utilizing display means for visually outputting said image signals as an image, the improvement comprising: (a) electronically dividing said phased array transducer into two or more independently controlled sub-apertures; (b) transmitting ultrasonic pulse beams from at least one of said two or more sub-apertures and receiving the reflected echoes with at least two of said two or more sub-apertures, such that at least one sub-aperture is receiving an echo from a pulse beam that the at least one sub-aperture did not transmit; and (c) providing quadrature detection circuitry within said signal processing means for sampling said echo signals or a downward shifted version of said echo signals and filtering the samples of said signals with Hilbert transformations; whereby real time multi-dimensional blood flow imaging with enhanced sensitivity to lateral blood flow is achieved.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 24 comprising dividing said phased array transducer into two sub-apertures and transmitting from one of said two sub-apertures and receiving with both of said sub-apertures.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 24 comprising dividing said phased array transducer into three sub-apertures and transmitting from one sub-aperture on one end of the linear array transducer and receiving with the remaining two sub-apertures.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 24 comprising physically dividing said phased array transducer into two planar sub-apertures which define a non-planar phased array transducer and transmitting from one of said two sub-apertures and receiving with both of said sub-apertures.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 24 comprising physically dividing said phased array transducer into a plurality of two dimensional planar sub-apertures which define a three dimensional non-planar phased array transducer and transmitting from one or more of said plurality of sub-apertures and receiving with two or more of said plurality of sub-apertures.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 24 comprising physically dividing said phased array transducer into two or more sub-apertures defining a non-planar phased array transducer comprising a plurality of sections, and electronically addressing each of said sections as two or more sub-apertures.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one sub-aperture receives by tracking the pulse beam that the at least one sub-aperture did not transmit.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-06-04 | 1999-12-04 | 2000-06-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-06-04 | 2003-12-04 | 2004-06-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-06-04 | 2007-12-04 | 2008-06-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |