Medical diagnostic ultrasonic transducer probe and imaging system for use with a position and orientation sensor

US6338716B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• ACUSON · US

Inventors

• John A. Hossack · Palo Alto, US
• Douglas J. Gallinat · San Jose, US
• Timothy E. Petersen · Mountain View, US
• Joseph Molinari · Redwood City, US
• SEAN LITTLE · Murray, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 24, 1999
• Grant date: Jan 15, 2002
• Expiry date: Nov 24, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S15/899
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The preferred embodiments described herein provide a medical diagnostic ultrasonic transducer probe and imaging system for use with a position and orientation sensor. In one preferred embodiment, an ultrasonic transducer probe comprises a position and orientation sensor and a memory device comprising calibration data for the position and orientation sensor. The memory device is adapted to provide the calibration data to a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system coupled with the ultrasonic transducer probe. In another preferred embodiment, a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system comprises a memory device comprising a plurality of position and orientation sensor calibration data. Each of the plurality of position and orientation sensor calibration data is associated with a respective ultrasonic transducer probe family. In operation, identification of a probe family of an ultrasonic transducer probe is provided to the ultrasound system. The ultrasound system then selects the position and orientation sensor calibration data corresponding to the identified probe family.