Integrated portable ultrasound imaging system

Abstract

A multi-dimensional beamforming device that performs consecutive one-dimensional operations. For example, beamsteering for a two-dimensional array can be include a projection of a beam onto each of the respective axes of the array. In such a device, a first beamforming processing element is used to form multiple beams for each array output along a given row. In a preferred embodiment, sequential output vectors from the first processing element are then applied to a transposing or corner turning memory and the data are reformatted such that all elements on a given column of the array are applied to a second beam forming processing element.

1 . A method of imaging a region of interest with ultrasound energy comprising: 
 providing a portable ultrasound imaging system including a transducer array within a handheld probe, a cable interface that is connected to a data processor housing having a data processing system, a beamforming device and a system controller connected to the beamforming device, the beamforming device including a programmable charge domain delay device;    providing output signals from the data processor to the handheld probe to actuate the transducer array;    delivering ultrasound energy to the region of interest;    collecting ultrasound energy returning to the transducer array from the region of interest;    transmitting data from the handheld probe to the processor housing with the cable interface; and    performing a beamforming operation with the beamforming device in the processor housing such that the data processing system receives a beamformed electronic representation of the region of interest from the beamforming device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of providing a beamforming device including a programmable charge domain delay device comprises providing a plurality of charge coupled device delay lines, each delay line being connected to a memory and a system controller.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising performing a scan conversion operation with the data processing system.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising performing a down conversion operation on the electronic representation.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising performing a Doppler processing operation on the electronic representation.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising providing a Firewire connection between the data processor and the system controller.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising forming a color flow map.  
   
   
       8 . A portable ultrasound system for imaging a region of interest comprising: 
 a handheld probe in which a transducer array is mounted; and    a data processing system within a data processor housing that is connected to the handheld probe with a cable interface such that the data processing system receives a representation of the region of interest, the data processing system including a programmable beamforming charge domain delay device and a system controller connected to the delay device.    
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the charge domain delay device comprises a plurality of charge coupled device delay lines.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 8  further comprising a scan conversion program on the data processor.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 8  further comprising a down conversion processor.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 8  further comprising a Doppler processing program.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the transducer array comprises at least 128 transducers.  
   
   
       14 . A method of imaging a region of interest with ultrasound energy comprising: 
 providing a portable ultrasound imaging system including a transducer array within a handheld probe, a cable interface that is connected to a data processor housing having a data processing system, a programmable beamforming device and a system controller connected to the beamforming device, a memory and a data processor in the housing;    providing output signals from the data processor to the handheld probe to actuate the transducer array;    delivering ultrasound energy to the region of interest;    collecting ultrasound energy returning to the transducer array from the region of interest;    transmitting data from the handheld probe to the processor housing with the cable interface;    performing a beamforming operation with the beamforming device in the processor housing such that the data processing system receives a beamformed electronic representation of the region of interest; and    performing a scan conversion operation on the electronic representation with the data processor.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising providing a Firewire connection between the data processing system and the beamforming device.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising providing a down conversion processor to convert data to a baseband.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising scanning a plurality of subarrays.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising providing a Doppler processor.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising providing a beamforming device including a plurality of charge coupled device delay lines.  
   
   
       20 . A portable ultrasound system for imaging a region of interest comprising: 
 a handheld probe in which a transducer array is mounted; and    a data processing system within a data processor housing that is connected to the handheld probe with a cable interface such that the data processing system receives an electronic representation of the region of interest, the data processing system including a programmable beamforming device and a system controller connected to the beamforming device, a memory and a data processor, the data processor being programmed to perform a scan conversion operation.    
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20  further comprising a Firewire connection between the data processing system and the beamforming device.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the beamforming device comprises a plurality of charge coupled device delay links.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the transducer array comprises at least 128 transducers.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 20  further comprising a display device connected to the data processor.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 20  further comprising a down conversion program.