Ultrasound imaging systems and methods for detecting object motion
Inventors
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Assignees
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MAUI ImagingMAUI Imaging develops ultrasound-based medical imaging solutions designed to overcome the limitations of traditional ultrasound, particularly in visualizing anatomy beyond bone, air, and metal barriers. Founded in 2006, the company has pioneered Computed Echo Tomography (CET) to enable diagnostic imaging in settings where conventional CT or MRI are impractical. With over 160 patents granted and FDA clearance for its K3900 system, MAUI Imaging targets applications in trauma medicine, critical care, neurosurgery, and interventional radiology, aiming to enhance timely diagnostics and interventions in both civilian and military environments.
MAUI Imaging develops ultrasound-based medical imaging solutions designed to overcome the limitations of traditional ultrasound, particularly in visualizing anatomy beyond bone, air, and metal barriers. Founded in 2006, the company has pioneered Computed Echo Tomography (CET) to enable diagnostic imaging in settings where conventional CT or MRI are impractical. With over 160 patents granted and FDA clearance for its K3900 system, MAUI Imaging targets applications in trauma medicine, critical care, neurosurgery, and interventional radiology, aiming to enhance timely diagnostics and interventions in both civilian and military environments.
Publication Number
US-11727712-B2
Publication Date
2023-08-15
Expiration Date
Abstract
Ping-based imaging systems may be used for tracking motion of hard or soft objects within an imaged medium. Motion detection and motion tracking may be performed by defining fingerprint points and tracking the position of each fingerprint point based on the echoes of multiple transmitted pings.
Core Innovation
The invention tracks motion of a fluid using an imaging system by defining a region of interest containing fluid in motion with a controller. The controller transmits a series of unfocused ultrasound pings into the region of interest from a transducer array and receives echoes from the series with a plurality of transducer elements, with echo data stored in separate memory strings for each transducer element.
Within a fiducial region, the controller identifies a fingerprint comprising a pattern of data in the received echoes that is identifiable as a data string. The controller detects movement of the fingerprint and monitors movement associated with the position of the identified fingerprint for as long as the pattern associated with the identified fingerprint is identifiable, and communicates a signal indicating that movement of an object relative to the transducer array has occurred.
The motion tracking further updates the fingerprint position over successive pings by using pre-movement fingerprint/search regions and post-movement search regions to find updated fingerprint positions. The invention also handles fingerprint degradation by recognizing excessive degradation at a time t and defining a new fingerprint to replace a degraded fingerprint, with replacement fingerprints projected based on their position during previous transmitted unfocused ultrasound pings.
Stored echo data can be analyzed across multiple trials and aggregated to provide a more complete representation of motion of various portions of the imaged fluid.
Claims Coverage
Independent claim clm-00001 defines a motion-tracking method with 7 core inventive features, and dependent claims add fingerprint degradation/replacement and multi-trial aggregation processing.
Region of interest definition for fluid motion tracking
Defining a region of interest containing fluid in motion with a controller of the imaging system.
Unfocused ultrasound ping transmission into the region of interest
Transmitting a series of unfocused ultrasound pings into the region of interest from a transducer array of the imaging system.
Receiving echoes per transducer element
Receiving echoes from the series of unfocused ultrasound pings with a plurality of transducer elements of the transducer array.
Fingerprint identification as a data-string pattern in a fiducial region
Identifying a fingerprint within the fiducial region, wherein the fingerprint comprises a pattern of data in the received echoes that is identifiable as a data string.
Separate memory string storage of echo data for each transducer element
Storing echo data received by each of the plurality of transducer elements in a separate memory string.
Fingerprint movement detection and position monitoring while identifiable
Detecting movement of the fingerprint with the controller and monitoring movement associated with a position of the identified fingerprint for as long as the pattern associated with the identified fingerprint is identifiable.
Communicating detected movement relative to the transducer array
Communicating a signal with the controller indicating that movement of an object relative to the transducer array has occurred.
Fingerprint degradation handling with replacement at time t
Recognizing that an identified fingerprint degrades too much at a time t and defining a new fingerprint to replace the degraded fingerprint.
Projecting a new fingerprint based on prior ping-position information
Projecting a new fingerprint based on its position during previous transmitted unfocused ultrasound pings.
Multi-trial analysis with varying sets of fingerprint points
Analyzing stored echo data across multiple trials by defining different sets of fingerprint points within the fluid for each trial.
Aggregating multiple trials to form a more complete motion representation
Aggregating the results of multiple trials to provide a more complete representation of the motion of various portions of the imaged fluid.
The claims cover motion tracking of a fluid by sending a series of unfocused ultrasound pings, receiving echoes per transducer element, identifying a fingerprint as a data-string pattern within a fiducial region, storing echoes in separate memory strings, and monitoring the fingerprint’s position while identifiable, followed by communicating detected movement. Dependent claims add fingerprint degradation/replacement at time t, projecting replacement fingerprints from prior ping-position information, and analyzing and aggregating multiple trials for a more complete motion representation of various portions.
Stated Advantages
Very high frame rates.
Low latency.
Sub-wavelength precision.
Enabling higher ping repetition rates by defining a free depth range.
Documented Applications
Tracking motion of a fluid using an imaging system with ping-based (point-source) unfocused ultrasound motion detection and tracking.
Detecting and monitoring movement of an object relative to the transducer array in a region of interest containing fluid in motion.
Providing a more complete representation of motion of various portions of the imaged fluid via multiple trials and aggregation.
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