Portable Electronic Devices With Integrated Imaging Capabilities

Abstract

A portable electronic device (e.g., smart phone or tablet computer) is provided for generating and displaying images (e.g., 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional images) of an imaging target such as a human body. The portable electronic device may include imaging elements configured to receive radiation signals transmitted through and/or reflected by the imaging target, an imaging interface, and one or more processors. The portable electronic device may display what appears to be a window into the imaging target (e.g., a human body), and/or an exploded view (e.g., 3-dimensional, upwardly projected image) of the target. The generated image may be a real-time continuous image of the internal features of the target (e.g., a human body) that is updated to track movements of the target (e.g., breathing patterns) and the relative position of the portable electronic device as the portable electronic device moves relative to a surface of the target.

1 - 66 . (canceled) 
     
     
         67 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 generating, using a portable imaging device, at least one multi-dimensional image of at least a portion of an object while the portable imaging device is directed at the object;   enhancing the at least one generated multi-dimensional image using a first data provided by the portable imaging device;   rendering, by the portable imaging device, at least one enhanced multi-dimensional image; and   updating the at least one enhanced multi-dimensional image based on an updated position of the portable imaging device in relation to the object.   
     
     
         68 . The method according to  claim 67 , wherein the generating includes
 receiving, by at least one sensor of the portable imaging device, at least one image signal, wherein the at least one image signal is received by the at least one sensor using at least one of the following: a reflection from the object, a transmission through the object, and any combination thereof; and   generating, based on the at least one received image signal, a virtual window for displaying the at least one multi-dimensional image.   
     
     
         69 . The method according to  claim 68 , wherein the rendering includes
 displaying, using the portable imaging device, the at least one enhanced multi-dimensional image within the generated virtual window.   
     
     
         70 . The method according to  claim 67 , wherein the first data includes at least one of the following: a graphic, a topography, a text, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         71 . The method according to  claim 67 , wherein the first data includes an identification of at least one characteristic of the portion of the object. 
     
     
         72 . The method according to  claim 71 , wherein the at least one characteristic includes at least one of the following: a shape, a color, a texture, a cellular characteristic, a tissue characteristic, and any combination thereof of at least one of the following: the portion of the object, another portion of the object, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         73 . The method according to  claim 67 , wherein the enhancing includes at least one of the following:
 adjusting at least one of the following: a zoom level, a centering position, a level of detail, a depth, a resolution, a brightness, a color, and any combination thereof of the at least one generated multi-dimensional image;   traversing at least one layer of the at least one generated multi-dimensional image;   traversing at least one imaging depth of the at least one generated multi-dimensional image; and   any combination thereof.   
     
     
         74 . The method according to  claim 67 , wherein the at least one multi-dimensional image includes at least one of the following: a real-time image, a continuous image, a two-dimensional image, a three-dimensional image, a polarized image, an exploded image, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         75 . The method according to  claim 67 , wherein the object includes at least one of the following: a human body and a portion of a human body. 
     
     
         76 . The method according to  claim 67 , wherein the portable imaging device is positioned remotely from the object. 
     
     
         77 . The method according to  claim 67 , wherein at portable imaging device includes at least one of the following: a cellular telephone; a personal digital assistant; a smartphone; a tablet device; a digital camera; a laptop computer; an ultrasound device; an ultrasound transducer; an array of ultrasound transducers; an ultrasound imaging element; a device including at least one of the following: at least one ultrasound transducer, at least one array of ultrasound transducers, at least one ultrasound source, at least one an ultrasound imaging element, at least one ultrasound sensor, at least one radiation element, and any combination thereof; and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         78 . The method according to  claim 67 , wherein the first data is stored by the portable imaging device. 
     
     
         79 . A system comprising:
 at least one programmable processor; and   a machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
 generating, using a portable imaging device, at least one multi-dimensional image of at least a portion of an object while the portable imaging device is directed at the object; 
 enhancing the at least one generated multi-dimensional image using a first data provided by the portable imaging device; 
 rendering, by the portable imaging device, at least one enhanced multi-dimensional image; and 
 updating the at least one enhanced multi-dimensional image based on an updated position of the portable imaging device in relation to the object. 
   
     
     
         80 . The system according to  claim 79 , wherein the generating includes
 receiving, by at least one sensor of the portable imaging device, at least one image signal, wherein the at least one image signal is received by the at least one sensor using at least one of the following: a reflection from the object, a transmission through the object, and any combination thereof; and   generating, based on the at least one received image signal, a virtual window for displaying the at least one multi-dimensional image.   
     
     
         81 . The system according to  claim 80 , wherein the rendering includes
 displaying, using the portable imaging device, the at least one enhanced multi-dimensional image within the generated virtual window.   
     
     
         82 . The system according to  claim 79 , wherein the first data includes at least one of the following: a graphic, a topography, a text, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         83 . The system according to  claim 79 , wherein the first data includes an identification of at least one characteristic of the portion of the object. 
     
     
         84 . The system according to  claim 83 , wherein the at least one characteristic includes at least one of the following: a shape, a color, a texture, a cellular characteristic, a tissue characteristic, and any combination thereof of at least one of the following: the portion of the object, another portion of the object, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         85 . The system according to  claim 79 , wherein the enhancing includes at least one of the following:
 adjusting at least one of the following: a zoom level, a centering position, a level of detail, a depth, a resolution, a brightness, a color, and any combination thereof of the at least one generated multi-dimensional image;   traversing at least one layer of the at least one generated multi-dimensional image;   traversing at least one imaging depth of the at least one generated multi-dimensional image; and   any combination thereof.   
     
     
         86 . The system according to  claim 79 , wherein the at least one multi-dimensional image includes at least one of the following: a real-time image, a continuous image, a two-dimensional image, a three-dimensional image, a polarized image, an exploded image, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         87 . The system according to  claim 79 , wherein the object includes at least one of the following: a human body and a portion of a human body. 
     
     
         88 . The system according to  claim 79 , wherein the portable imaging device is positioned remotely from the object. 
     
     
         89 . The system according to  claim 79 , wherein at portable imaging device includes at least one of the following: a cellular telephone; a personal digital assistant; a smartphone; a tablet device; a digital camera; a laptop computer; an ultrasound device; an ultrasound transducer; an array of ultrasound transducers; an ultrasound imaging element; a device including at least one of the following: at least one ultrasound transducer, at least one array of ultrasound transducers, at least one ultrasound source, at least one an ultrasound imaging element, at least one ultrasound sensor, at least one radiation element, and any combination thereof; and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         90 . The system according to  claim 79 , wherein the first data is stored by the portable imaging device. 
     
     
         91 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
 generating, using a portable imaging device, at least one multi-dimensional image of at least a portion of an object while the portable imaging device is directed at the object;   enhancing the at least one generated multi-dimensional image using a first data provided by the portable imaging device;   rendering, by the portable imaging device, at least one enhanced multi-dimensional image; and   updating the at least one enhanced multi-dimensional image based on an updated position of the portable imaging device in relation to the object.   
     
     
         92 . The computer program product according to  claim 91 , wherein the generating includes
 receiving, by at least one sensor of the portable imaging device, at least one image signal, wherein the at least one image signal is received by the at least one sensor using at least one of the following: a reflection from the object, a transmission through the object, and any combination thereof; and   generating, based on the at least one received image signal, a virtual window for displaying the at least one multi-dimensional image.   
     
     
         93 . The computer program product according to  claim 92 , wherein the rendering includes
 displaying, using the portable imaging device, the at least one enhanced multi-dimensional image within the generated virtual window.   
     
     
         94 . The computer program product according to  claim 91 , wherein the first data includes at least one of the following: a graphic, a topography, a text, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         95 . The computer program product according to  claim 91 , wherein the first data includes an identification of at least one characteristic of the portion of the object. 
     
     
         96 . The computer program product according to  claim 95 , wherein the at least one characteristic includes at least one of the following: a shape, a color, a texture, a cellular characteristic, a tissue characteristic, and any combination thereof of at least one of the following: the portion of the object, another portion of the object, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         97 . The computer program product according to  claim 91 , wherein the enhancing includes at least one of the following:
 adjusting at least one of the following: a zoom level, a centering position, a level of detail, a depth, a resolution, a brightness, a color, and any combination thereof of the at least one generated multi-dimensional image;   traversing at least one layer of the at least one generated multi-dimensional image;   traversing at least one imaging depth of the at least one generated multi-dimensional image; and   any combination thereof.   
     
     
         98 . The computer program product according to  claim 91 , wherein the at least one multi-dimensional image includes at least one of the following: a real-time image, a continuous image, a two-dimensional image, a three-dimensional image, a polarized image, an exploded image, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         99 . The computer program product according to  claim 91 , wherein the object includes at least one of the following: a human body and a portion of a human body. 
     
     
         100 . The computer program product according to  claim 91 , wherein the portable imaging device is positioned remotely from the object. 
     
     
         101 . The computer program product according to  claim 91 , wherein at portable imaging device includes at least one of the following: a cellular telephone; a personal digital assistant; a smartphone; a tablet device; a digital camera; a laptop computer; an ultrasound device; an ultrasound transducer; an array of ultrasound transducers; an ultrasound imaging element; a device including at least one of the following: at least one ultrasound transducer, at least one array of ultrasound transducers, at least one ultrasound source, at least one an ultrasound imaging element, at least one ultrasound sensor, at least one radiation element, and any combination thereof; and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         102 . The computer program product according to  claim 91 , wherein the first data is stored by the portable imaging device.