| SonoSite, Inc. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20110249878 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCED IMAGING OF OBJECTS WITHIN AN IMAGE - Systems and methods which implement a plurality of different imaging signatures in generating an image frame are shown. A first imaging signature may be configured for providing relatively high quality images with respect to subsurface regions of living tissue, for example, whereas a second imaging signature may be configured for providing relatively high quality images with respect to interventional instruments inserted into living tissue at a steep angle. Image sub-frames generated using each such different imaging signature are blended to form a frame of the final image providing a relatively high quality image of various objects within the volume being imaged. | 10-13-2011 |
| 20110245659 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO ASSIST WITH INTERNAL POSITIONING OF INSTRUMENTS - Systems and methods which facilitate the correct placement of an instrument internal to an object aided by an overlay superimposed on an image are disclosed. Exemplary embodiments facilitate placement of a needle tip within a patient's body using on overlay superimposed on a sonographic image. A superimposed overlay of embodiments is created by monitoring a fixed point of an external portion of the instrument in relation to an imaging transducer. Superimposed overlays provided according to embodiments provide one or more graphical target designator and one or more graphical instrument designator which, when controlled to be disposed in a predetermined position, indicate proper placement of the instrument. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20100274131 | Balance Body Ultrasound System - The present invention relates to a hand held ultrasound system having a balance body, a transducer assembly connected to said balance body via a communication means and a plurality of control elements arranged in an ergonomic fashion on said balance body, such that a user may hold said system and operate at least one of said control elements with the same hand. In particular a medical ultrasound system comprising a balance body incorporating system electronics, a power supply and a user interface wherein the user interface comprises a D-controller and a touch screen and a transducer assembly attached to the balanced body by a cable. The present invention relates to a hand held ultrasound system having a balance body, a transducer assembly connected to said balance body via a communication means and a plurality of control elements arranged in an ergonomic fashion on said balance body, such that a user may hold said system and operate at least one of said control elements with the same hand. In particular a medical ultrasound system comprising a balance body incorporating system electronics, a power supply and a user interface wherein the user interface comprises a D-controller and a touch screen and a transducer assembly attached to the balanced body by a cable. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100260398 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ADAPTIVE VOLUME IMAGING - Systems and methods which provide volume imaging by implementing survey and target imaging modes are shown. According to embodiments, a survey imaging mode is implemented to provide a volume image of a relatively large survey area. A target of interest is preferably identified within the survey area for use in a target imaging mode. Embodiments implement a target imaging mode to provide a volume image of a relatively small target area corresponding to the identified target of interest. The target imaging mode preferably adapts the beamforming, volume field of view, and/or other signal and image processing algorithms to the target area. In operation according to embodiments, the target imaging mode provides a volume image of a target area with improved volume rate and image quality. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100130855 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ACTIVE OPTIMIZED SPATIO-TEMPORAL SAMPLING - Systems and methods which provide active optimized spatio-temporal sampling (AOSTS) for image generation are shown. Embodiments actively select one or more regions of interest (ROIs) in a multi-beam ultrasound sampling mode, to minimize temporal image artifacts in the ROIs and thereby provide AOSTS. Such selection of ROIs according to embodiments results in various multi-beam sampling parameters, such as the number of rays that are used, the spacing between the rays that are used, the width of the rays that are used, the sequence of the rays that are used, the angle of the rays that are used, etc., being selected to provide optimized spatio-temporal sampling with respect to the selected ROIs. Selection of ROIs according to embodiments may include selecting parameters such as position, size, shape, orientation, direction, rate of change, etc. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100121196 | Ultrasonic Signal Processor for a Hand Held Ultrasonic Diagnostic Instrument - A hand held ultrasonic instrument is provided in a portable unit which performs both B mode and Doppler imaging. The instrument includes a transducer array mounted in a hand-held enclosure, with an integrated circuit transceiver connected to the elements of the array for the reception of echo signals. A digital signal processing circuit performs both B mode and Doppler signal processing such as filtering, detection and Doppler estimation, as well as advanced functions such as assembly of multiple zone focused scanlines, synthetic aperture formation, depth dependent filtering, speckle reduction, flash suppression, and frame averaging. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100121190 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO IDENTIFY INTERVENTIONAL INSTRUMENTS - Systems and methods which operate to identify interventional instruments and/or other objects in images are shown. Embodiments operate to extract relevant information regarding interventional instruments from a multi-dimensional volume for presenting the information to a user in near real-time with little or no user interaction. Objects may be identified by segmenting a multi-dimensional volume, identifying a putative object of interest in multiple multi-dimensional volume segments, and determining a position of the object of interest within the multi-dimensional volume using the putative object of interest segment identifications. Identification of objects of interest according to embodiments may be utilized to determine an image plane for use in displaying the objects within a generated image, to track the objects within the multi-dimensional volume, etc., such as for medical examination, interventional procedures, diagnosis treatment, and/or the like. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100121189 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMAGE PRESENTATION FOR MEDICAL EXAMINATION AND INTERVENTIONAL PROCEDURES - Systems and methods which provide image presentation for medical examination, interventional procedures, diagnosis treatment, etc. from multi-dimensional volume datasets are shown. Reference indicators, providing information with respect to the relationship of an image to the physical world, are preferably provided to aid a viewer in interpreting the image. Such reference indicators may be provided in the form of tool markers and corresponding image marker. Degrees of freedom provided with respect to image manipulation are preferably selectively constrained to facilitate interaction with an image or images. Embodiments of the invention may implement a relatively simple bidirectional control to facilitate a survey of an entire image volume. Image display conventions may be provided which present images in a particular orientation to facilitate user interpretation of the image. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100094132 | Ultrasound system having a simplified user interface - The present invention is directed to a system and method which allows for a simplified user interface tailored to specific procedures and which allows for mobility and easy sanitation. Advantage is taken of an understanding as to the critical functions that an operator is to perform for a specific range of procedures and tailoring the user input to accommodate only those functions. In one embodiment, the user interface consists of a touch screen and a rotatable knob having positional indents with the indents providing incremental increases or decreases in functionality specific to exams or procedures performed with the sonographic equipment. Using this approach, the complexity normally associated with operating sonographic devices is greatly reduced. The operational controls available from the touch screen are changeable to accommodate different function uses of the sonographic device. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100092131 | Optical transmission coupling - The present invention is directed to systems and methods that couple together optical devices in a manner that prevents damaging light from escaping the coupling except through the devices. In order to prevent damaging light from coming into contact with the user, the present invention obscures the source optical device by using at least one moveable gate to prevent damaging light from being transmitted outside of the coupling until such time as the target optical device is fully inserted into the coupling, thereby preventing light that could potentially damage a person from escaping the system except through the optical device. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100090877 | Remote control device - The present invention is directed to a system and method which allows a device user who is within a sterile environment to interact remotely with a device physically located outside of the sterile zone. In one embodiment, the remote link is wireless and allows the operator to adjust critical controls without breaking the sterile environment. The remote device is designed to be sheathed in sterile sheaths and further designed, in one embodiment, to keep the remote control element from physically interacting with the patient and in some cases with the device operator. In one embodiment, the remote device operator interacts with the remote device verbally. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100081930 | Systems and Methods for the Display of Ultrasound Images - A method of real time sonographing that includes concurrently displaying a real time ultrasound image and a patient record in a sonographer's paracentral vision. An ultrasound device including a display adapted to concurrently project a real time ultrasound image and a patient record. A method that includes displaying a non-real time ultrasound image and a patient record in a sonographer's paracentral vision. An ultrasound device including a display adapted to project a non real time ultrasound image and a patient record. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100053197 | System and Method for Enhancing Gray Scale Output on a Color Display - There is disclosed a system and method for enhancing gray scale output on a color display. Various gray intensities are mapped based on an image made of various shades of gray so that a viewer perceives a depth of gray levels beyond those available in gray scale from the color display. Pseudo shades of gray are displayed between the levels of true gray that typically are displayed in order to provide a smoother transition between the levels of true gray that are displayed. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20090275835 | MODULAR APPARATUS FOR DIAGNOSTIC ULTRASOUND - A modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus is provided comprising a core unit, system electronics and an I/O port. The core unit comprises a housing and a system electronics package within the housing. The system electronics has one or more concatenated filters, including a front end transmit/receive circuit, a processor, a back end circuit for scan conversion, a system clock and a programmable system memory device. There is at least one I/O port connected to the front end and the back end of the system electronics package and extending through the core unit housing wherein all system data processing information is transmitted or received through the I/O port. | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090270722 | DEVICE FOR ASSISTING THE POSITIONING OF MEDICAL DEVICES - In one embodiment, a needle guide is attached to the end of an ultrasonic probe in a manner such that the needle will follow a known trajectory under control of the needle guide. The surgeon then positions the needle guide by looking at the ultrasound image formed from the ultrasound radiated from the probe. In one embodiment, the needle guide has a release mechanism that allows the needle (or other medical device) that had been positioned in the guide to remain in the patient when the probe is removed. In one embodiment, the needle guide is designed to be releasably mounted to a bracket which, in turn, is releasably mounted to the end of the probe. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20090069725 | ENHANCED ULTRASOUND PLATFORM - An enhanced ultrasound housing and enhanced ultrasound platform facilitates a technician-friendly layout by providing a beneficial ergonomic layout. Control switches may also be configured to provide convenient implementation of ultrasound techniques. Further, an enhanced ultrasound housing and enhanced ultrasound platform provides physical protection to the device. Physical protection may come in the form of an exoskeletal member, or from a covering which inhibits liquid penetration. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090069681 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SPATIAL COMPOUNDING USING PHASED ARRAYS - The present invention is directed to a system and method which makes a phased array look like a curved array for purposes of performing spatial compounding calculations. In one embodiment, the phased array is treated as though it were a curved array by creating both a virtual apex and a virtual radius of curvature. Based on this transformation, standard spatial-compounding resampling tables can be used just as they are with curved arrays. In one embodiment, after the data is compounded to form the target image, certain data is removed prior to the actual display. This removed data represents data generated by virtual rays the prior to the physical skin line of the phased array. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20080287789 | Computed volume sonography - The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods which allow for ultrasound parameter estimation to occur at specific advantageous sets of points in a two- or three-dimensional field of view within re-configurable, massively parallel, programmable architectures that can accommodate the input/output streaming, data movement or storage, and computation requirements. In one embodiment, a power efficient system is used for processing the data thereby increasing the ability of the system to be used for hand carried or mobile ultrasound applications. One aspect of the concepts discussed herein is the architectural aspects which provide the ability to simultaneously accept a large number of channels of data characterized by a continuous, simultaneous flow at high sample rates. The input data is routed at high rates to a distributed and large number of processing elements, memory, and connections for simultaneous parameter estimation at multiple points in the field of view. The ability to route the same data to multiple places enables high frame rates and allows for the streaming of data through the architecture. | 11-20-2008 |
