US6045508A — Ultrasonic probe, system and method for two-dimen…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 123 words

An ultrasound probe system comprising a probe comprising: a body having a longitudinal axis, a circumference, and a distal end region; a first linear transducer array disposed in the distal end region of the body; a second transducer array disposed 360° around the circumference of the body said probe system further comprising: a transmit beamformer coupled to the first and second transducer arrays; a receive beamformer coupled to the first and second transducer arrays; and a processor coupled to the transmit and receive beamformer wherein the processor is programmed to (1) acquire two-dimensional image data with the first transducer array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer, and (2) acquire two-dimensional image data with the second transducer array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 123 words

An ultrasound probe system comprising a probe comprising: a body having a longitudinal axis, a circumference, and a distal end region; a first linear transducer array disposed in the distal end region of the body; a second transducer array disposed 360° around the circumference of the body said probe system further comprising: a transmit beamformer coupled to the first and second transducer arrays; a receive beamformer coupled to the first and second transducer arrays; and a processor coupled to the transmit and receive beamformer wherein the processor is programmed to (1) acquire two-dimensional image data with the first transducer array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer, and (2) acquire two-dimensional image data with the second transducer array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 17 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 1 wherein the probe is adapted to be an endorectal probe.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 17 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 1 wherein the probe is adapted to be an endovaginal probe.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 17 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 1 wherein the probe is adapted to be a transesophageal probe.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 29 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 1 wherein the first array is a linear phased array having an azimuth that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 30 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 1 wherein the first array is a linear phased array that is curved around a portion of the distal end region of the body.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 46 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 1 further comprising a third array disposed around at least a portion of the circumference of said distal end region of said body wherein the third array is separated from the second array along the longitudinal axis of the body.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 20 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 7 wherein the first array is disposed between the second and the third arrays.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 40 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 7 wherein the first array is disposed at a distal most point of the distal end region of the body and the second and the third arrays are disposed proximally of the first array.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 23 words

An ultrasonic probe according to claim 9 wherein the first array is disposed around only a portion of the circumference of the body.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 23 words

An ultrasonic probe according to claim 9 wherein the third array is disposed around only a portion of the circumference of the body.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 32 words

An ultrasonic probe according to claim 9 wherein the first array is a linear phased array and has a plurality of transducer elements sequentially disposed along the longitudinal axis of the body.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 18 words

An ultrasonic probe according to claim 7 wherein the third array is disposed proximal of the second array.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 17 words

An ultrasonic probe according to claim 13 wherein the second array and third array are annular arrays.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 26 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 7 wherein the first array is a linear phased array and the second and third arrays are radial phased arrays.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 17 words

A probe according to claim 1 wherein the first array is disposed distal of the second array.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 15 words

An ultrasonic probe according to claim 1 wherein the first array is a curved array.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 21 words

An ultrasonic probe according to claim 1 further comprising a position/orientation sensor disposed in the distal end region of the body.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 14 words

An ultrasonic probe according to claim 18 wherein the sensor is a magnetic sensor.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 25 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 1 wherein the first array is a linear phased array and the second array is a radial phased array.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 103 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 1 wherein the first and second arrays are each coupled to a transmit and receive beamformer, and a processor and a display are coupled to the transmit and receive beamformers, wherein the processor is programmed to (1) acquire two-dimensional image information in a first image plane generated by the first array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer, (2) acquire two-dimensional image information in a second image plane generated by the second array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer, and (3) selectively display the two-dimensional image information acquired from at least one of said first or second arrays.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 56 words

An ultrasound probe system according to claim 1 wherein the linear array extends in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the body and wherein the first transducer array defines a first image plane and the second transducer array defines a second image plane wherein said first and second image planes are non parallel with each other.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 21 words

An ultrasound probe system according to claim 22 wherein said first image plane is substantially orthogonal to said second image plane.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 26 words

An ultrasound probe system according to claim 22 wherein said first image plane is oriented at a nonzero angle with respect to said second image plane.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 63 words

An ultrasonic system comprising: an ultrasonic probe comprising a body having a longitudinal axis, a circumference, and a distal end region, a first linear array disposed in the distal end region of the body, and a second array disposed 360° around the circumference of the body; and a transmit beamformer and a receive beamformer coupled to each of the first and second arrays.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 63 words

An ultrasonic system comprising: an ultrasonic probe comprising a body having a longitudinal axis, a circumference, and a distal end region, a first linear array disposed in the distal end region of the body, and a second array disposed 360° around the circumference of the body; and a transmit beamformer and a receive beamformer coupled to each of the first and second arrays.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 32 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 25 wherein the first array is a linear phased array and has a plurality of transducer elements sequentially disposed along the longitudinal axis of the body.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 31 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 25 further comprising a display system coupled to the transmit and receive beamformers to display the acquired image frames from the first and second arrays.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 160 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 25 further comprising a computer coupled to the transmit and receive beamformers wherein the computer is programmed to (1) acquire a plurality of sets of two-dimensional image data in an image plane generated by the first array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer, the first array moved between acquisition of at least some of the sets of image data, (2) acquire two-dimensional tracking data in one tracking plane oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to the image plane with the second array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer, the second array moved between acquisition of at least some of the sets of tracking data, (3) automatically determine a component of motion based on a comparison of at least a portion of the tracking sets acquired in step (2) and (4) automatically use the component of motion determined in step (3) to register select ones of the image data sets acquired in step (1).

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 34 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 28 further comprising a display system coupled to the transmit and receive beamformers to display the two-dimensional image information and the component of motion determined in step (3).

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 53 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 28 wherein the computer is further programmed to repeat steps (1) and (2) and, accumulate the component of motion determined in step (3) to generate a composite detected motion wherein the composite detected motion indicates the motion of the probe with respect to a predetermined reference point.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 38 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 30 wherein the computer is further programmed to display the composite detected motion as a circular icon with an arrow indicating the degree of rotation from a reference point on a display.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 17 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 31 further comprising a numerical display of the composite detected motion.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 52 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 31 wherein the computer is further programmed to acquire two-dimensional image data in an image plane generated by the second array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer and the display system displays at least a portion of the two-dimensional image data generated by the second array.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 28 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 30 wherein the computer is further programmed to change the position of the two-dimensional image data according to the composite detected motion.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 22 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 34 wherein the position of the two-dimensional image data changes according to the composite detected motion.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 35 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 30 wherein the computer is further programmed to display the composite detected motion as a ruler icon with an arrow indicating the degree of translation from a reference point.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 17 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 36 further comprising a numerical display of the composite detected motion.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 52 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 36 wherein the computer is further programmed to acquire two-dimensional image data in an image plane generated by the first array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer and the display system displays at least a portion of the two-dimensional image data generated by the first array.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 32 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 38 wherein the computer is further programmed to display on the display system the ruler icon over the two-dimensional image data generated by the second array.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 28 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 39 wherein the computer is further programmed to change the position of the two-dimensional image data according to the composite detected motion.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 24 words

An ultrasonic system according to claim 25 further comprising a display system coupled to the transmit and receive beamformers to display a three-dimensional image.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 54 words

An ultrasound system according to claim 25 wherein the first linear array extends in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the body and the first transducer array defines a first image plane and the second array defines a second image plane wherein said first and second image planes are non parallel with each other.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 21 words

An ultrasound probe system according to claim 42 wherein said first image plane is substantially orthogonal to said second image plane.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 26 words

An ultrasound probe system according to claim 42 wherein said first image plane is oriented at a nonzero angle with respect to said second image plane.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 153 words

An ultrasound probe comprising: a body having a longitudinal axis, a circumference, and a distal end region; a first phased array disposed in the distal end region of the body; and a second phased array disposed in the distal end region at a non-zero angle to the first phased array, wherein the first and second phased arrays are coupled to a transmit beamformer and a receive beamformer and a processor is coupled to the transmit and receive beamformers wherein the processor is programmed to (1) acquire two-dimensional image data with the first phased array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer, (2) acquire two-dimensional tracking data with the second phased array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer, (3) automatically determine a component of motion based on the tracking data acquired in step (2) and (4) automatically use the component of motion determined in step (3) to register two-dimensional image data acquired in step (1).

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 153 words

An ultrasound probe comprising: a body having a longitudinal axis, a circumference, and a distal end region; a first phased array disposed in the distal end region of the body; and a second phased array disposed in the distal end region at a non-zero angle to the first phased array, wherein the first and second phased arrays are coupled to a transmit beamformer and a receive beamformer and a processor is coupled to the transmit and receive beamformers wherein the processor is programmed to (1) acquire two-dimensional image data with the first phased array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer, (2) acquire two-dimensional tracking data with the second phased array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer, (3) automatically determine a component of motion based on the tracking data acquired in step (2) and (4) automatically use the component of motion determined in step (3) to register two-dimensional image data acquired in step (1).

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 28 words

An ultrasound probe of claim 45 wherein the probe is adapted to be an endocavity probe such as an endorectal probe, an endovaginal probe, or a transesophageal probe.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 30 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 45 wherein the first phased array is a linear phased array having an azimuth that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 29 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 45 wherein the first phased array is a linear phased array curved around a portion of the distal end region of the body.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 17 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 45 wherein the second phased array is a radial phased array.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 39 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 45 wherein the processor is coupled to a display wherein the two-dimensional image data acquired in step (1) and the component of motion determined in step (3) can be displayed on the display.

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 60 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 45 wherein the processor is programmed to acquire two-dimensional image data with the second phased array upon excitation by the transmit beamformer and wherein the first and second phased arrays are coupled to a display wherein two-dimensional image information acquired from at least one of the first or second phased arrays can be displayed.

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 32 words

An ultrasound probe according to claim 45 wherein the processor is coupled to a display and the processor is programmed to form a three-dimensional reconstruction and wherein the three-dimensional reconstruction is displayed.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-04-04	2003-10-04	2004-04-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-04-04	2007-10-04	2008-04-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-04-04	2011-10-04	2012-04-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Ultrasonic probe, system and method for two-dimensional imaging or three-dimensional reconstruction

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