# US 5,964,709 A · Portable ultrasound imaging system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,964,709 A - Document ID: US5964709A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/981,427 - Filed: 1998-10-09 - Granted: 1999-10-12 - Earliest claimed: 1995-06-29 - Assignees: TeraTech Corporation - Inventors: Alice M. Chiang; Steven R. Broadstone - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5964709A ## CPC - A61B 8/4427: {Device being portable or laptop-like} - A61B 8/4236: {characterised by adhesive patches} - A61B 8/463: {characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display} - G01S 7/003: {Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations} - G01S 7/52053: {Display arrangements} - G01S 7/52063: {Sector scan display} - G01S 7/52073: {Production of cursor lines, markers or indicia by electronic means} - G01S 7/5208: {with integration of processing functions inside probe or scanhead} - G01S 15/8915: {using a transducer array} - G01S 15/8934: {using a dynamic transducer configuration} - G01S 15/8979: {Combined Doppler and pulse-echo imaging systems} - A61B 7/04: Electric stethoscopes - A61B 8/00: Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves - A61B 8/12: in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters - A61B 8/4209: {by using holders, e.g. positioning frames} - A61B 8/4455: {Features of the external shape of the probe, e.g. ergonomic aspects} - A61B 8/4472: {Wireless probes} - A61B 8/4488: {the transducer being a phased array} - A61B 8/56: {Details of data transmission or power supply} - A61B 2560/045: with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication - G01S 7/52023: {Details of receivers} - G01S 7/52025: {for pulse systems (G01S7/52034 takes precedence)} - G01S 7/52026: {Extracting wanted echo signals (Doppler systems G01S15/50; Doppler short range imaging systems G01S15/8979)} - G01S 7/52046: {Techniques for image enhancement involving transmitter or receiver (image enhancement by image data processing G06T5/00)} - G01S 15/899: {Combination of imaging systems with ancillary equipment} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract A portable ultrasound imaging system (10) includes a scan head (12) coupled by a cable (16) to a portable battery-powered data processor (14) and display unit. The scan head enclosure (12) houses an array of ultrasonic transducers and the circuitry associated therewith, including pulse synchronizer circuitry used in the transmit mode for transmission of ultrasonic pulses and beam forming circuitry used in the receive mode to dynamically focus reflected ultrasonic signals returning from the region of interest being imaged. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of scanning a region of interest with ultrasound energy to image the region of interest comprising: providing a portable ultrasound imaging system including a transducer array and a beamforming circuit within a handheld probe, a data processing system, and a wireless interface that connects the handheld probe to the data processing system; delivering ultrasound energy to the region of interest; collecting ultrasound energy returning to the transducer array from the region of interest; and transmitting data from the probe to the data processing system with the wireless interface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising generating an image of an object within the region of interest. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 further comprising generating a colored image of the object. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a beamforming circuit including a plurality of programmable tapped delay lines. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a hand-held probe having a circuit board on which circuit elements are mounted, the circuit elements including a charged coupled device integrated circuit connected to an analog to digital converter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a data processing system further comprises providing a battery powered portable computer having a graphical user interface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the image in one of a plurality of windows of a display connected to the data processing system. ### Claim 8 A portable ultrasound system for scanning a region of interest with ultrasound energy to image the region of interest comprising: a hand-held probe housing in which a transducer array and a beamforming circuit are mounted; a data processing system that forms an electronic representation of the region of interest; and a wireless interface that connects the handheld probe to the processing system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 further comprising a flat panel display that displays an image of the region of interest. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 wherein the beamforming circuit comprises a plurality of programmable tapped delay lines. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 further comprising a circuit board within the probe housing, the circuit board having a beamforming integrated circuit mounted thereon. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 further comprising a display and a battery in the probe housing such that the battery provides power to the portable computer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 further comprising an interface unit between the probe housing and the processing system. ### Claim 14 A method of scanning a region of interest with ultrasound energy to image the region of interest comprising: providing a portable ultrasound imaging system including a transducer array and a beamforming circuit within a handheld probe, a data processing system, and a wireless interface that connects the handheld probe to the data processing system; delivering ultrasound energy to material within the region of interest; collecting ultrasound energy returning to the transducer array from the material; and generating an image of the material from the ultrasound energy detected by the transducer array. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising generating an image of an object moving within the region of interest. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising performing beamforming on an electronic representation of the region of interest; processing the electronic representation; and performing scan conversion on the doppler processed representation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising performing a beamforming operation using a plurality of programmable tapped delay lines. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising connecting the handheld probe to the data processing system, the data processing system comprising a portable computer with a flat panel display. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising performing a digital to analog conversion on the beamformed representation in the handheld probe. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising providing a control circuit formed on an integrated circuit with the beamforming circuit.