Flexible ultrasound transducer
AssigneeKatholieke Universiteit Leuven
InventorsJan D'Hooge, Marcus Ingram
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An actual shape estimation method for a flexible ultrasound device and to an ultrasound imaging system includes an actual shape estimation module. The module, when executed, performs the steps of the method, including determining a series of shape metrics based on a predetermined series of assumed shapes of the flexible ultrasound device, and selecting an optimal shape metric, corresponding with the smallest or largest shape metric—depending on how the shape metric is defined, of the determined series of shape metrics, wherein the assumed shape of the predetermined series of assumed shapes of the flexible ultrasound device corresponding to the optimal shape metric provides an estimation of the actual shape of the flexible ultrasound device.
Claims15
A method for estimating an actual shape of a flexible ultrasound device, wherein the flexible ultrasound device comprises a flexible supporting platform and a plurality of transducer elements disposed in an array configuration on the flexible supporting platform, the flexible supporting platform being a re-shapeable platform adapted to bend at least partly around an object following a curvature of an outer surface of the object, the method comprising:
- a) determining a series of shape metrics based on a predetermined series of shapes of the flexible ultrasound device, wherein, for each shape of the predetermined series of shapes of the flexible ultrasound device, a corresponding shape metric is determined by executing the following steps:
- a1) transmitting, based on a shape of the predetermined series of shapes of the flexible ultrasound device and on a first predetermined transmit focus position, a transmit beam focused on the first predetermined transmit focus position by driving a first portion of the plurality of transducer elements based on a transmit delay time;
- a2) receiving, by a second portion of the plurality of transducer elements, an echo signal in response to the transmit beam, wherein each transducer element of the second portion of the plurality of transducer elements is electronically connected to a respective receive channel;
- a3) calculating, in receive mode, an echo signal phase variation across the respective receive channels by converting the received echo signal into a time delayed echo signal per respective receive channel and quantifying, based on said time delayed echo signal, the echo signal phase variation of the received echo signal across the respective receive channels;
- and
- a4) determining a shape metric based on the calculated echo signal phase variation across the respective receive channels for the shape of the predetermined series of shapes of the flexible ultrasound device and the predetermined transmit focus position;
- and
- b) selecting an optimal shape metric corresponding with the smallest or largest shape metric of the determined series of shape metrics, wherein the shape of the predetermined series of shapes of the flexible ultrasound device corresponding to the optimal shape metric provides an estimation of the actual shape of the flexible ultrasound device.
An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:
- a flexible ultrasound device, wherein the flexible ultrasound device comprises a flexible supporting platform and a plurality of transducer elements disposed in an array configuration on the flexible supporting platform, the flexible supporting platform being a re-shapeable platform adapted to bend at least partly around an object following a curvature of an outer surface of the object;
- a data storage unit storing a shape estimation module and configured to store data from the shape estimation module;
- and
- a data processing unit connected to the flexible ultrasound device and the data storage unit, and adapted to receive data from the flexible ultrasound device and to process the received data;
- wherein, when executed, the shape estimation module performs the steps of:
- a) determining a series of shape metrics based on a predetermined series of shapes of the flexible ultrasound device, wherein, for each shape of the predetermined series of shapes of the flexible ultrasound device, a corresponding shape metric is determined by executing the following steps:
- a1) transmitting, based on a shape of the predetermined series of shapes of the flexible ultrasound device and on a first predetermined transmit focus position, a transmit beam focused on the first predetermined transmit focus position by driving a first portion of the plurality of transducer elements based on a transmit delay time;
- a2) receiving, by a second portion of the plurality of transducer elements, an echo signal in response to the transmit beam, wherein each transducer element of the second portion of the plurality of transducer elements is electronically connected to a respective receive channel;
- a3) calculating, in receive mode, an echo signal phase variation across the respective receive channels by converting the received echo signal into a time delayed echo signal per respective receive channel and quantifying, based on said time delayed echo signal, the echo signal phase variation of the received echo signal across the respective receive channels;
- and
- a4) determining a shape metric based on the calculated echo signal phase variation across the respective receive channels for the shape of the predetermined series of shapes of the flexible ultrasound device and the predetermined transmit focus position;
- and
- b) selecting an optimal shape metric corresponding with the smallest or largest shape metric of the determined series of shape metrics, wherein the shape of the predetermined series of shapes of the flexible ultrasound device corresponding to the optimal shape metric provides an estimation of the actual shape of the flexible ultrasound device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.