Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-31
2003-04-15
Lateef, Marvin M. (Department: 3737)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06547730
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of ultrasound information processing systems. In particular, the present invention relates to an architecture and protocol for providing flexible, high performance, reduced cost, and readily upgradable ultrasound information processing systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Medical imaging systems based on ultrasound technology are useful in that they are non-invasive and generally easy to use. An ultrasound imaging system transmits sound waves of very high frequency (e.g., 2 MHz to 10 MHz) into a patient and processes the echoes reflected from structures in the patient's body to form two dimensional or three-dimensional images. Depending on the system used and diagnostic needs of the patient, the ultrasound images are displayed in real-time or stored for archival or future diagnostics purposes.
Many ultrasound information processing algorithms are known in the art, e.g. echo mode (“B mode”) processing algorithms, Doppler shift echo processing algorithms, color flow mode processing algorithms, and others. A common characteristic among the various ultrasound algorithms is a high degree of computational intensity and the need for high power, high speed hardware systems for performing the computationally intensive algorithms. Generally speaking, the implementation of higher performance ultrasound information processing leads to the desirable results of greater image resolution and/or frame rate for given ultrasound algorithm.
FIG. 1
shows an ultrasound information processing system
100
in accordance with a prior art architecture. The ultrasound information processing system
100
is similar in several respects to a system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,209, “Ultrasound Signal Processing System,” the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure. Ultrasound information processing system
100
comprises a front end processing subsystem
102
, a back end processing subsystem
104
, a transducer
106
, a video controller
108
, a video display
110
, a system controller
114
, and a user input device
116
.
Transducer
106
sends acoustical signals toward a subject, the acoustical signals being formed in accordance with electrical scan signals. Front end processing subsystem
102
produces the electrical scan signals based on scan parameters, receives echo signals from the subject responsive to the acoustical signals, and produces multidimensional vector data associated with the echo signals. Back end processing subsystem
104
receives and processes the multidimensional vector data to produce image data and parameter information, and provides the parameter information back to the front end processing subsystem
102
. Processing of the multidimensional vector data by back end processing subsystem
104
includes, for example, echo signal processing, color flow processing, or Doppler processing. Video controller
108
and video display
110
are used to display the image data. Finally, system controller
114
and user input device
116
are used for controlling the overall functions of the system and for receiving user input, respectively.
The architecture of the ultrasound information processing system
100
contains limitations that reduce its flexibility, versatility, and upgradability. In particular, the architecture comprises a series of custom, dedicated communications links among the transducer
106
, the processing subsystems
102
and
104
, the system controller
114
, and the video units
108
and
110
. These include the links
112
,
118
,
120
,
122
,
124
, and
126
in FIG.
1
.
The link
118
, for example, is dedicated in that it represents a communications path only between the front end processor
102
and the back end processor
104
. If front end processor
102
requires communication with another component such as system controller
114
, as is the case in ultrasound information processing system
100
of
FIG. 1
, a different link
122
is used. Furthermore, the link
118
is custom in that the required terminal units, drivers, and physical layer protocols are specifically chosen or designed (number of bits, speed, timing signals, etc.) for the type of data traffic between the front end processor
102
and the back end processor
104
, in particular for high-speed interchange of large multidimensional ultrasound vector data therebetween.
In contrast to the link
118
, the link
122
is dedicated between the front end processor
102
and the system controller
114
and is customized for a different purpose. The link
122
is only required to carry control commands between the system controller
114
and the front end processor
102
, and therefore the required terminal units, drivers, and physical layer protocols may be chosen or designed for low-speed data throughput.
Disadvantageously, due to the use of custom, dedicated communication links among its components, the ultrasound information processing system
100
is not easily adaptable to different configurations, upgradable to newer, better, and/or less expensive hardware, or changeable to new software ultrasound information processing algorithms. In practice, the architecture of the ultrasound information processing system
100
is implemented by a single manufacturer, who designs a custom backplane into which custom hardware cards are inserted for performing specific functions, and who designs a custom programming environment into which new ultrasound information processing algorithms must be adapted. Any upgrades in hardware and/or software must correspond directly to the hardware specifications in the custom backplane system and/or the custom programming environment.
As an example, where the existing ultrasound information processing system
100
is made by established manufacturer “X”, if a new ultrasound hardware company “N” wishes to provide an upgrade to the video controller
108
, company “N” must create a communications interface specifically designed for the dedicated, custom link
120
. This communications interface will generally not work with systems made by other established manufacturers “Y” or “Z”. As another example, if company “N” creates a newer, faster matrix processor for performing the functions of back end processing subsystem
104
, company “N” must create a custom hardware board for plugging into the custom backplane of the system of company “X”, and again this custom hardware board will generally not work with systems made by manufacturers “Y” or “Z”. Thus, according to the prior art architecture of ultrasound information processing system
100
, costs of entry into the ultrasound hardware/software field are increased, choice in upgrading existing ultrasound equipment are reduced, and the spread of advances in the ultrasound arts are inhibited.
Accordingly, it would be desirable-to provide an ultrasound information processing architecture that allows for appropriate data communication, including high-speed data communications, among components thereof.
It would be further desirable to provide an ultrasound information processing architecture that allows for flexible, expandable, and adaptable implementation of components from any of a variety of manufacturers.
It would be even further desirable to provide an ultrasound information processing architecture that allows for ready implementation of new software ultrasound information processing algorithms into existing ultrasound hardware or new ultrasound hardware as the situation requires.
It would be even further desirable to provide an ultrasound information processing architecture that standardizes communications among ultrasound hardware and software components, to allow upgrades without substantial change to existing ultrasound equipment investments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, an architecture and protocol are provided for allowing a flexible, low cost, expandable, and upgradable ultrasound information processing system, wherein ultrasound information processing functions are perfor
Lin Shengtz
Yu Zengpin
Cooper & Dunham LLP
Imam Ali M.
Lateef Marvin M.
U-Systems Inc.
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