Ultrasound system, method and computer program product

US11744553B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KONINIKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. · NL

Inventors

• Thomas Heiko Stehle · Hamburg, DE
• Frank Michael Weber · Hamburg, DE
• Christian Buerger · Hamburg, DE
• Irina Waechter-Stehle · Hamburg, DE
• Jörg Sabczynski · Norderstedt, DE
• Michael Grass · Hanstedt, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 29, 2017
• Grant date: Sep 5, 2023
• Expiry date: Jun 5, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S15/8979
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An ultrasound system is disclosed comprising an ultrasound transducer array (100) comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducer cells (130), each of said cell having an independently adjustable position and/or orientation such as to conform an ultrasound transmitting surface of the cell to a region of a body and a controller (140). The controller is configured to register the respective ultrasound transducer cells by simultaneously operating at least two ultrasound transducer cells in a transmit mode in which the cells transmit distinguishable ultrasound signals and operating the remaining ultrasound transducer cells in a receive mode. The controller extracts time-of-flight information of the respective ultrasound signals between transmitter and receiver and by systematically selecting different ultrasound transducer cells as transmitters, the controller collects sufficient time-of-flight information from which the respective position and/or relative orientation of the ultrasound transducer cells within the ultrasound transducer array may be derived. A method for operating the ultrasound system in this manner as well as a computer program product is also disclosed.