Surface compliant ultrasound transducer array
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips N.V.
InventorsRamon Quido Erkamp, Shyam Bharat, Man Nguyen, Jun Seob Shin, Jean-Luc Francois Robert
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ultrasound transducer array includes an array of elongate support members that are displaceable and/or deformable relative to each other in the elongation direction of the elongate support members, each elongate support member having a patient facing surface carrying an ultrasound transducer tile; and multiple sensors, each adapted to detect the relative displacement and/or deformation of one of the elongate support members. The ultrasound transducer array may be included in an ultrasound system.
Claims20
An ultrasound transducer array comprising:
- a plurality of elongate support members displaceable and/or deformable relative to each other in an elongation direction of the plurality of elongate support members, to establish conformal contact between end surfaces of the plurality of elongate support members and a surface of a subject;
- a plurality of ultrasound transducer tiles mounted to the end surfaces of the plurality of elongate support transducer tile members, respectively;
- and
- a plurality of sensors mounted to the plurality of elongate support members, respectively, wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to detect relative displacement and/or deformation of the elongate support member to which the sensor is mounted in relation to an adjacent elongate support member of the plurality of elongate support members.
An ultrasound system, comprising:
- an ultrasound transducer array, comprising:
- a plurality of clongate support members displaceable and/or deformable relative to each other in an elongation direction of the plurality of elongate support members to establish conformal contact between end surfaces of the plurality of elongate support members and a surface of a subject;
- a plurality of ultrasound transducer tiles mounted to the end surfaces of the plurality of elongate support members, respectively;
- and
- a plurality of sensors mounted to the plurality of elongate support members. respectively, wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to detect relative displacement and/or deformation of the elongate support member to which the sensor is mounted in relation to an adjacent elongate support member of the plurality of elongate support members;
- and
- a control unit configured to operate the plurality of ultrasound transducer tiles in response to sensor data provided by the plurality of sensors.
A method of operating an ultrasound system comprising an ultrasound transducer array that includes a plurality of elongate support members displaceable and/or deformable relative to each other in an elongation direction of the plurality of elongate support members, a plurality of ultrasound transducer tiles mounted to end surfaces of the plurality of elongate support members, respectively;
- and a plurality of sensors mounted to the plurality of elongate support members, respectively, the method comprising:
- positioning the ultrasound transducer array on a surface of a subject;
- receiving sensor data from the plurality of sensors indicative of respective relative displacements and/or deformations of the plurality of elongate support members caused by the positioning in relation to adjacent elongate support members of the plurality of clongate support members, respectively;
- and
- determining the respective relative displacements and/or deformations of the elongate support members from the received sensor data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.