US2023165566A9PendingUtilityA9

Ultrasound system and signal processor configured for time gain and lateral gain compensation

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Assignee: SAMSUNG MEDISON CO LTDPriority: Dec 7, 2006Filed: Apr 4, 2018Published: Jun 1, 2023
Est. expiryDec 7, 2026(~0.4 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Doo Sik LeeMi Jeoung Ahn
G01S 7/52033A61B 8/4444G01N 29/24G01S 5/18G06F 3/04845G06F 3/01G06T 7/0012A61B 8/465A61B 8/5269A61B 8/00G01S 7/52084G06F 3/04847A61B 8/461A61B 8/54A61B 8/463A61B 8/467A61B 8/5207A61B 6/467A61B 8/462A61B 8/14A61B 8/4254A61B 8/46G06F 3/0484G06F 3/048
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Claims

Abstract

The present invention provides an ultrasound system, which comprises: a signal acquiring unit to transmit an ultrasound signal to an object and acquire an echo signal reflected from the object; a signal processing unit to control TGC (Time Gain Compensation) and LGC (Lateral Gain Compensation) of the echo signal; a TGC/LGC setup unit adapted to set TGC and LGC values based on TGC and LGC curves inputted by a user; and an image producing unit adapted to produce an ultrasound image of the object based on the echo signal. The signal processing unit is further adapted to control the TGC and the LGC of the echo signal based on the TGC and LGC values set by the TGC/LGC setup unit.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . An ultrasound system, comprising:
 a probe configured for transmitting an ultrasound signal to an object and receiving echo signals reflected from the object;   a touch panel; and   a processor configured to:   generate an ultrasound image based on the echo signals;   display a lateral reference line which is independent from current lateral gain compensation (LGC) values, via a first area of the touch panel;   receive a user's single touch input generating a curve via the first area of the touch panel, wherein the user's single touch input comprises a first touch input point and a second touch input point, and each of the first touch input point and the second touch input point corresponds to different lateral positions of the ultrasound image from each other; and   adjust a plurality of LGC values each of which corresponds to different lateral positions of the ultrasound image from each other,   wherein the plurality of LGC values comprises a first LGC value and a second LGC value, and the processor is further configured to adjust the first LGC value of a first lateral position corresponded to the first touch input point based on a vertical position of the first touch input point in the first area, and the second LGC value of a second lateral position corresponded to the second touch input point based on a vertical position of the second touch input point in the first area.   
     
     
         15 . The ultrasound system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to display the curve generated by the user's single touch input via the touch panel. 
     
     
         16 . The ultrasound system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to update the displayed curve in response to receiving the user's single touch input via the touch panel. 
     
     
         17 . The ultrasound system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to display the ultrasound image via the touch panel. 
     
     
         18 . The ultrasound system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to display the ultrasound image via a second area of the touch panel which overlaps the first area. 
     
     
         19 . The ultrasound system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform an LGC on the echo signals based on the current LGC values, and update the displayed ultrasound image based on the adjusted plurality of LGC values. 
     
     
         20 . The ultrasound system of  claim 14 , wherein the lateral reference line is displayed in a form of a dotted line. 
     
     
         21 . The ultrasound system of  claim 14 , wherein the lateral reference line is displayed in a form of a solid line. 
     
     
         22 . A method of controlling an ultrasound system, comprising:
 transmitting an ultrasound signal to an object and receiving echo signals reflected from the object;   generating an ultrasound image based on the echo signals;   displaying a lateral reference line which is independent from current lateral gain compensation (LGC) values, via a first area of a touch panel;   receiving a user's single touch input generating a curve via the first area of the touch panel, wherein the user's single touch input comprises a first touch input point and a second touch input point, and each of the first touch input point and the second touch input point corresponds to different lateral positions of the ultrasound image from each other; and   adjusting a plurality of LGC values each of which corresponds to different lateral positions of the ultrasound image from each other,   wherein the plurality of LGC values comprises a first LGC value and a second LGC value, and the adjusting the plurality of LGC values comprises adjusting the first LGC value of a first lateral position corresponded to the first touch input point based on a vertical position of the first touch input point in the first area, and the second LGC value of a second lateral position corresponded to the second touch input point based on a vertical position of the second touch input point in the first area.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising displaying the curve generated by the user's single touch input via the touch panel. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising updating the displayed curve in response to receiving the user's single touch input via the touch panel. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising displaying the ultrasound image via the touch panel. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising displaying the ultrasound image via a second area of the touch panel which overlaps the first area. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising performing an LGC on the echo signals based on the current LGC values, and updating the displayed ultrasound image based on the adjusted plurality of LGC values. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the lateral reference line is displayed in a form of a dotted line. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the lateral reference line is displayed in a form of a solid line. 
     
     
         30 . An ultrasound system, comprising:
 a probe configured for transmitting an ultrasound signal to an object and receiving echo signals reflected from the object;   a touch panel; and   a processor configured to:
 generate an ultrasound image based on the echo signals; 
 display a lateral reference line, each positions on which corresponds to lateral positions of the ultrasound image; 
 receive a user's touch input generating a curve via the touch panel; and 
 adjust a plurality of LGC values based on a distance between the generated curve and the lateral reference line in a direction perpendicular to the lateral reference line. 
   
     
     
         31 . The ultrasound system of  claim 30 , wherein the processor is further configured to display the curve generated by the user's touch input via the touch panel. 
     
     
         32 . The ultrasound system of  claim 31 , wherein the processor is further configured to update the displayed curve in response to receiving the user's touch input via the touch panel. 
     
     
         33 . The ultrasound system of  claim 30 , wherein the processor is further configured to display the ultrasound image via the touch panel. 
     
     
         34 . The ultrasound system of  claim 30 , wherein the processor is further configured to display the ultrasound image via a second area of the touch panel which overlaps the first area. 
     
     
         35 . The ultrasound system of  claim 30 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform an LGC on the echo signals based on the current LGC values, and update the displayed ultrasound image based on the adjusted plurality of LGC values. 
     
     
         36 . The ultrasound system of  claim 30 , wherein the lateral reference line is displayed in a form of a dotted line. 
     
     
         37 . The ultrasound system of  claim 30 , wherein the lateral reference line is displayed in a form of a solid line. 
     
     
         38 . A method of controlling an ultrasound system, comprising:
 transmitting an ultrasound signal to an object and receiving echo signals reflected from the object;   generating an ultrasound image based on the echo signals;   displaying a lateral reference line, each positions on which corresponds to lateral positions of the ultrasound image;   receiving a user's touch input generating a curve via the touch panel; and   adjusting a plurality of LGC values based on a distance between the generated curve and the lateral reference line in a direction perpendicular to the lateral reference line.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising displaying the curve generated by the user's touch input via the touch panel. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising updating the displayed curve in response to receiving the user's touch input via the touch panel. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising displaying the ultrasound image via the touch panel. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising displaying the ultrasound image via a second area of the touch panel which overlaps the first area. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising performing an LGC on the echo signals based on the current LGC values, and updating the displayed ultrasound image based on the adjusted plurality of LGC values. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the lateral reference line is displayed in a form of a dotted line. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the lateral reference line is displayed in a form of a solid line.

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