A medical system includes an ultrasound probe and a processor. The ultrasound probe is configured for insertion into an organ of a body and includes (i) a two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound transducer array, and (ii) a sensor configured to output signals indicative of a position and orientation of the 2D ultrasound transducer array inside the organ. The processor is configured to (a) using the signals output by the sensor, register multiple ultrasound image sections, acquired by the 2D ultrasound transducer array, with one another, (b) produce a union of the multiple registered ultrasound image sections, to form a rendering of at least a portion of the organ, and (c) present the rendering to a user.

Aspects of the technology described herein related to an ultrasound processing unit (UPU) including gray-coding circuitry configured to convert standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals to gray-coded digital ultrasound signals and gray-decoding circuitry coupled to the gray-coding circuitry and configured to convert the gray-coded digital ultrasound signals to standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals. The UPU may include an analog portion, a digital portion, and a data bus configured to route the gray-coded digital ultrasound signals from the analog portion to the digital portion subsequent to converting the standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals to the gray-coded digital ultrasound signals. The analog portion may include multiple analog front-ends (AFEs), the gray-coding circuitry, and an analog-to-digital converter. The digital portion may include the gray-decoding circuitry. A data bus from one AFE may pass over another AFE.

Ultrasound apparatus and methods of processing signals are described. The ultrasound apparatus may include multiple channels. In some embodiments, signal processing techniques are described, which in some embodiments are performed on a per-channel basis. The signal processing techniques may involve using down-conversion and filtering of signals on multiple channels. The down-conversion and filtering may be done prior to beamforming.

A deep finger ultrasonic sensor device includes an array of ultrasonic transducers and an array controller configured to control activation of ultrasonic transducers of the array of ultrasonic transducers during an imaging operation for capturing a depth image of a finger, where the depth image includes a plurality of features inside the finger. The array controller is configured to control transmission of ultrasonic signals and receipt of reflected ultrasonic signals during the imaging operation, where the reflected ultrasonic signals are utilized in generating the depth image of the finger.

A system and method for presenting rotation previews of an object depicted in a volume rendering of 3D and/or 4D image data is provided. The method includes presenting a volume rendering of an object having an initial view at a display system. The method includes presenting volume rendering previews at the display system. Each of the volume rendering previews provides a different rotational view of the object and is located on the display system in relation to the volume rendering at a position associated with a directional directive of a user input device. The method includes receiving a directional directive from the user input device. The method includes presenting an updated volume rendering of the object at the display system. The updated volume rendering includes an updated view of the object rotated from the initial view based on the directional directive from the user input device.

The disclosure provides for a method for generating an ultrasound image that includes transmitting, by a plurality of transmitters in a transducer, at least two transmit beams at different angles, where at least parts of the transmit beams cover an overlapping region, and receiving, by a plurality of sensors of the transducer, reflected signals of the transmit beams. The method further comprises calculating channel coherence for the received signals to produce one or more channel coherence images, and calculating transmit coherence for the received signals to produce one or more transmit coherence images. The information from at least one of the channel coherence images and at least one of the transmit coherence images are combined to identify moving objects. The received signals from different transmits in overlapping regions are then processed to produce a final image that is compensated for the moving objects.

A piezoelectric micro-machined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) is provided, comprising a dedicated ultrasonic transmitter and at least one separate dedicated ultrasonic receiver on a single common semiconductor die. A plurality of PMUTs may be arranged in a tessellated array. Also disclosed is a system comprising at least one PMUT on a single common semiconductor die, a dedicated ultrasonic transmitter arranged to transmit a first ultrasonic signal and at least one separate dedicated ultrasonic receiver arranged to receive a second ultrasonic signal is also provided. The system further comprises a signal processing subsystem which comprises an analogue domain; a digital domain; a digital to analogue converter; and an analogue to digital converter. The signal processing subsystem is arranged to generate an estimated direct path signal in said digital domain, convert said estimated direct path signal to an analogue estimated direct path signal using said digital to analogue converter, subtract said analogue estimated direct path signal from said second signal to produce a modified received signal and convert said modified received signal to a digital modified received signal using said analogue to digital converter.

According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe and control circuitry. The ultrasonic probe includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers two-dimensionally arranged along a first arrangement direction and a second arrangement direction. The control circuitry transmits first line delay data and second line delay data to the ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe further comprises setting circuitry configured to set a delay amount for each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers, by using the transmitted first line delay data and second line delay data.

The invention relates to the field of ultrasonic imaging detection, and more particularly, to an ultrasonic system of a contact type flexible conformal ultrasonic probe and a method for the same. The ultrasonic system comprises: a flexible probe, comprising a flexible detection surface, a plurality of probe units, and a soft film sensing surface; a switch module; a control module, comprising: a transmitting control unit for sequentially controlling the probe units in the probe array to transmit the ultrasonic signal; a receiving control unit for sequentially controlling the probe units in the probe array to receive the ultrasonic signal, and for processing the ultrasonic signal to obtain a ultrasonic image. The present invention has the following beneficial effects: the use of a flexible probe for acquiring an ultrasonic image allows to solve the problem that the operation process and imaging steps are complicated when using a rigid probe.

An ultrasound imaging catheter comprises an ultrasound transducer array provided at a distal end of an ultrasound imaging catheter. The ultrasound transducer array comprises a plurality of ultrasound transducers and is adapted to transmit and receive ultrasound signals. The ultrasound imaging catheter includes a local memory provided at the distal end of the ultrasound imaging catheter. The local memory is adapted to store a plurality of activation patterns, each activation pattern corresponding to a number of transducer elements of the plurality of transducer elements to be activated and a number of transducer elements of the plurality of transducer elements to be deactivated. The ultrasound imaging catheter includes a control unit provided at the distal end of the ultrasound imaging catheter adapted to: access the local memory; select any one of the plurality of activation patterns; and generate a control signal to activate or deactivate the plurality of transducer elements of the transducer array according to the selected activation pattern during an imaging phase of the ultrasound imaging catheter.