Ultrasound imaging system and method having automatically selected transmit focal positions
US6544179B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 14, 2001 |
| Grant date | Apr 8, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 14, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B8/4405
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An ultrasound imaging system includes an ultrasound scanhead coupled to an image processor that causes ultrasound images to be generated on the viewing screen of a display. The image processor includes a beamformer generating transmit and receive beams, a signal processor and a conventional scan converter. The signal processor receives signals from the beamformer to generate image data corresponding to an image, analyzes the image data and, based on the analysis, determines the number of transmit focal positions that should be used as well as the optimum location for each focal position. The signal processor then couples data to the beamformer to set the location of the focal position(s).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.