Image compounding for mixed transducer arrays
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Publication Number
US-12376832-B2
Publication Date
2025-08-05
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method of imaging may include receiving a first signal from one or more array elements of a first type in a mixed transducer array, receiving a second signal from one or more array elements of a second type in the mixed transducer array where at least one of the first type and the second type is an optical sensor, generating a first image from the first signal and a second image from the second signal, and combining the first image and the second image to generate a compound image.
Core Innovation
The disclosure describes imaging using a mixed transducer array in which imaging signals are received from array elements of different types, including non-optical transducer elements and optical sensor elements. A broad bandwidth optical sensor is used as a transducer type, and an additional optical sensor type is used to generate corresponding images. Images are generated from the separate signals and then combined to form a compound image.
The disclosed imaging further generates multiple images from the mixed transducer array and combines them to produce compound images. Different image types include harmonic image, sub-harmonic, and super-harmonic, and compound images can be generated using multiple sensor types and/or optical resonator Q modes. Optical resonators are described including broad-bandwidth and ultra-sensitive variants, including high Q optical resonator, low Q optical resonator, and tunable optical resonator.
To combine images, the disclosure describes an image compounding framework that computes one or more compounding coefficients and applies weighted average combining. Compounding coefficients are determined using image quality factor maps and local entropy per pixel, and combining may include saturation masking to reduce weight of portions exceeding a predetermined saturation threshold. The disclosure also describes transform-domain compounding in which images are transformed to transform domain images, transform domain compounding coefficients are determined, and inverse transforming provides compounding coefficients for the images.
Claims Coverage
The document contains five independent claims that cover imaging methods and apparatus using a mixed transducer array with multiple transducer types, at least one being an optical sensor including a broad bandwidth optical sensor, and compound image generation by combining corresponding images using compounding coefficients, including weighted average, IQF-map based coefficients, local entropy based coefficients, saturation masking, or transform-domain coefficient determination.
Mixed transducer array image compound generation
A method of imaging comprising receiving a first signal from one or more array elements of a first type in a mixed transducer array; receiving a second signal from one or more array elements of a second type in the mixed transducer array, wherein at least one of the first type and the second type is an optical sensor, wherein the second type is a broad bandwidth optical sensor; receiving a third signal from one or more array elements of a third type in the mixed transducer array; generating a first image from the first signal, a second image from the second signal, a third image from the third signal; and combining the first image, the second image, and the third image to generate a compound image.
Transform-domain compounding coefficients for weighted combining
A method of imaging comprising receiving a first signal from one or more array elements of a first type in a mixed transducer array; receiving a second signal from one or more array elements of a second type in the mixed transducer array, wherein at least one of the first type and the second type is an optical sensor; generating a first image from the first signal and a second image from the second signal; determining one or more compounding coefficients for the first image and the second image, comprising transforming the first and second images to first and second transform domain images using at least one transformation operator; determining one or more transform domain compounding coefficients for the first and second transform domain images; and inverse transforming the one or more transform domain compounding coefficients to determine the one or more compounding coefficients for the first and second images; and combining the first image and the second image based on the one or more compounding coefficients to generate a compound image, combining the first image and the second image comprising determining a weighted average of the first image and the second image.
Image quality factor map based compounding coefficients
A method of imaging comprising receiving a first signal from one or more array elements of a first type in a mixed transducer array; receiving a second signal from one or more array elements of a second type in the mixed transducer array, wherein at least one of the first type and the second type is an optical sensor; generating a first image from the first signal and a second image from the second signal; determining one or more compounding coefficients for the first image and the second image, comprising determining a first image quality factor map for the first image and a second image quality factor map for the second image; and determining a first compounding coefficient for the first image based on the first image quality factor map, and a second compounding coefficient for the second image based on the second image quality factor map; and combining the first image and the second image based on the one or more compounding coefficients to generate a compound image, combining the first image and the second image comprising determining a weighted average of the first image and the second image.
Saturation mask weight reduction in weighted average combining
A method of imaging, comprising receiving a first signal from one or more array elements of a first type in a mixed transducer array; receiving a second signal from one or more array elements of a second type in the mixed transducer array, wherein at least one of the first type and the second type is an optical sensor; generating a first image from the first signal and a second image from the second signal; and combining the first image and the second image to generated a compound image, combining the first image and the second image comprising determining a weighted average of the first image and the second image, determining the weighted average comprising applying a saturation mask that reduces weight of at least a portion of the first image and/or the second image that has exceeded a predetermined saturation threshold.
Ultra-sensitive and optical sensor mixed-array imaging apparatus
An apparatus for imaging a target, comprising a mixed transducer array comprising: one or more array elements of a first type configured to receive a first signal, the one or more array elements of the first type comprising a non-optical transducer; one or more array elements of a second type configured to receive a second signal, the one or more array elements of the second type comprising a broad bandwidth optical sensor; and one or more array elements of a third type configured to receive a third signal, the one or more array elements of the third type comprising an ultra-sensitive optical sensor; and one or more processors configured to generate a first image from the first signal, a second image from the second signal, and a third image from the third image; and combine the first image, the second image, and the third image to generate a compound image.
Across the independent claims, the main coverage centers on mixed transducer array imaging with optical sensor types including a broad bandwidth optical sensor and an ultra-sensitive optical sensor, generating corresponding images from different signal types, and generating compound images by combining images using compounding coefficients. The independent claims particularly emphasize transform-domain compounding coefficients, image quality factor map based compounding coefficients, and weighted average combining with saturation mask weight reduction.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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