# US 2014/0155738 A1 · Apparatus and method for ultrasound imaging > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0155738 A1 - Document ID: US20140155738A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/092,234 - Filed: 2013-11-27 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Gang Cheny; Xiaodong Han; Jing Ye; Michael Charles Macdonald; Christopher Robert Hazard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155738A1 ## CPC - A61B 8/0841: {for locating instruments} - A61B 8/4483: {characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer} - A61B 8/5246: {combining images from the same or different imaging techniques, e.g. color Doppler and B-mode} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An apparatus comprising a convex probe, a receiver and an image generating device. The convex probe includes a number of transducer elements configured to transmit a number of sets of ultrasound signals. Each set of the ultrasound signals includes a non-steered frame and at least one steered frame angled toward the non-steered frame. The receiver is coupled to the probe and configured to receive a non-steered echo frame for the non-steered fame and at least one steered echo frame for the at least one steered frame. The image generating device is coupled to the receiver and configured to generate a non-steered image using the non-steered echo frame and a needle-enhancement image using the steered echo frame and combine the non-steered image and the needle-enhancement image into a compound image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: a convex probe comprising a plurality of transducer elements configured to transmit a plurality of sets of ultrasound signals, each of the plurality of sets of ultrasound signals comprising a non-steered frame and at least one steered frame angled toward the non-steered frame; a receiver coupled to the convex probe and configured to receive a non-steered echo frame for the non-steered fame and at least a steered echo frame for the at least one steered frame; and an image generating device coupled to the receiver and configured to generate a non-steered image using the non-steered echo frame and at least one needle-enhancement image using the at least one steered echo frame, and further configured to combine the non-steered image and the at least one needle-enhancement image into a compound image. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one steered frame comprises left steered beams steered leftward with respect to an axis of the convex probe and right steered beams steered rightward with respect to the axis of the convex probe. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one steered frame comprises vertical steered beams parallel with an axis of the convex probe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one steered frame comprises steered beams steered in parallel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one steered frame comprises steered beams steered at different angles with respect to an axis of the convex probe. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the number of steered beams of the at least one steered frame is less than the number of non-steered beams of the non-steered frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one steered frame comprises a left steered frame steered leftward with respect to an axis of the convex probe and a right steered frame steered rightward with respect to the axis of the convex probe. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the non-steered frame comprises non-steered beams transmitted at different angles with respect to an axis of the convex probe. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image generating device comprises a steered image processor configured to generate at least one steered image using the at least one steered echo frame and a needle detection processor coupled to the steered image processor and configured to filter the at least one steered image to remove a non-needle image from the at least one steered image. ### Claim 10 An apparatus, comprising: a convex probe comprising a plurality of transducer elements configured to transmit a plurality of sets of ultrasound signals, each of the plurality of sets of ultrasound signals comprising a non-steered frame and at least one steered frame angled to the non-steered frame; and a processing unit coupled to the convex probe and configured to: receive ultrasound echo signals for each of the plurality of sets of ultrasound signals, generate a non-steered image and at least one needle-enhancement image using the ultrasound echo signals, and combine the non-steered image and the at least one needle-enhancement image into a compound image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one steered frame comprises left steered beams steered leftward with respect to an axis of the convex probe and right steered beams steered rightward with respect to the axis of the convex probe. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one steered frame comprises vertical steered beams parallel with an axis of the convex probe. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one steered frame comprises steered beams steered in parallel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one steered frame comprises steered beams steered at different angles with respect to an axis of the convex probe. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the number of steered beams of the at least a steered frame is less than the number of non-steered beams of the non-steered frame. ### Claim 16 A method, comprising: transmitting a plurality of sets of ultrasound signals from a plurality of transducer elements of a convex probe, each of the plurality of sets of ultrasound signals comprising a non-steered frame and at least one steered frame angled to the non-steered frame; receiving a non-steered echo frame for the non-steered fame and at least one steered echo frame for the at least one steered frame; generating a non-steered image using the non-steered echo frame and at least one needle-enhancement image using the at least one steered echo frame; and combining the non-steered image and the at least one needle-enhancement image into a compound image. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one steered frame comprises left steered beams steered leftward with respect to an axis of the convex probe and right steered beams steered rightward with respect to the axis of the convex probe. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one steered frame comprises vertical steered beams parallel with an axis of the convex probe. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the number of steered beams of the at least a steered frame is less than the number of non-steered beams of the non-steered frame. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein generating the at least one needle-enhancement image comprises generating at least one steered image using the at least one steered echo frame and selecting the at least one needle-enhancement image from the at least one steered image.