Digital processing method, device and equipment of ultrasonic signal and storage medium

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of imaging technology and discloses a digital processing method, apparatus, device, and storage medium for ultrasound signals. The method includes: acquiring line scan data, which includes scan line information and ultrasound echo data; separating the scan line information and ultrasound echo data from the line scan data to obtain separated ultrasound echo data and scan line information; performing logical digital processing on the ultrasound echo data to obtain target echo data; and combining the target echo data with the scan line information to generate target ultrasound data. By implementing this invention, it is unnecessary to upload large amounts of ultrasound scan data to a host computer for digital processing. Logically, real-time digital processing of ultrasound echo data is achieved, reducing the performance requirements of the host computer and facilitating the miniaturization or portability design of ultrasound imaging systems.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of imaging technology, and more specifically to a digital processing method, apparatus, device, and storage medium for ultrasonic signals. Background Technology

[0002] Ultrasound imaging uses an ultrasound beam to scan human organs, generating two-dimensional images through the reception of ultrasound echo signals, digital signal processing, and digital imaging processing. Currently, FPGAs are mostly used to control the scanning of the ultrasound beam and the reception of ultrasound echo signals, while a host computer performs digital signal processing and digital imaging processing, and a display system displays the ultrasound images.

[0003] However, when the large amount of data scanned by the Digital Scan Converter (DSC) system is uploaded to the host computer for backend digital processing, the host computer needs to have strong processing capabilities and be able to process the data in real time; otherwise, it will affect the processing of the next frame of scan data. This results in a large overall size for the ultrasound system. When miniaturizing the equipment or reducing resources, the ultrasound system needs to be simplified, but systems with limited resources or weak processing capabilities will experience lag or crashes, making it difficult to meet the requirements for real-time processing of ultrasound scan data and hindering miniaturization and portable design. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide a digital processing method, apparatus, device, and storage medium for ultrasonic signals to solve the problem of difficulty in real-time processing of ultrasonic scanning data when resources are scarce or processing capabilities are weak.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a digital processing method for ultrasound signals, the method comprising: acquiring line scan data, the line scan data including scan line information and ultrasound echo data; separating the scan line information and ultrasound echo data in the line scan data to obtain separated ultrasound echo data and scan line information; performing logical digital processing on the ultrasound echo data to obtain target echo data; and combining the target echo data with the scan line information to generate target ultrasound data.

[0006] The digital processing method for ultrasound signals provided in this invention divides the line scan data to obtain corresponding scan line information and ultrasound echo data. Logical digital processing is then performed on the ultrasound echo data to obtain corresponding target echo data. Finally, the target echo data is merged with the scan line information to obtain complete target ultrasound data. This method separates the line scan data and performs logical digital processing on the ultrasound echo data within each line scan. After the target ultrasound data corresponding to one frame of ultrasound image is cached, it is then uploaded to a host computer for display. Therefore, it eliminates the need to upload large amounts of ultrasound scan data to a host computer for digital processing, logically achieving real-time digital processing of ultrasound echo data. This reduces the performance requirements of the host computer and facilitates the miniaturization or portability design of the ultrasound imaging system.

[0007] In one optional implementation, the scan line information and ultrasound echo data in the line scan data are separated to obtain the separated ultrasound echo data and scan line information, including: acquiring an enable signal and a valid signal corresponding to the line scan data; determining the valid data of the line scan data based on the enable signal and the valid signal; and determining the ultrasound echo data and the scan line information from the line scan data based on the valid data.

[0008] The digital processing method for ultrasonic signals provided in this invention separates the ultrasonic echo data and scan line information in the line scan data by using the enable signal corresponding to the line scan data. This method can better resolve the effective ultrasonic echo data and ensure the accuracy of ultrasonic echo data separation.

[0009] In one optional implementation, the ultrasonic echo data is subjected to logical digital processing to obtain target echo data, including: filtering the ultrasonic echo data according to the data depth to obtain target filtered data; compressing the filtered data to obtain compressed data; adjusting the gain of the compressed data according to the data depth to obtain gain data; adjusting the contrast of the gain data to obtain contrast adjusted data; padding the contrast adjusted data based on the scanning attributes of the ultrasonic probe to obtain filled data; and denoising the filled data to generate target echo data.

[0010] The digital processing method for ultrasonic signals provided in this invention implements filtering, compression, gain adjustment, contrast adjustment, filling, and noise reduction of ultrasonic echo data through logic. This eliminates the need for a host computer with high digital processing capabilities, while also offering high real-time performance, enabling real-time digital processing of ultrasonic echo data obtained from ultrasonic scanning. After the digital processing is implemented through logic, a miniaturized device can be used to replace the host computer, thus achieving a miniaturized or portable design for the ultrasonic system.

[0011] In one optional implementation, the ultrasonic echo data is filtered according to its data depth to obtain target filtered data, including: performing bandpass filtering on the ultrasonic echo data according to its data depth to obtain bandpass filtered data; performing quadrature detection on the bandpass filtered data to obtain in-phase filtered data and quadrature filtered data; performing low-pass filtering on the in-phase filtered data and quadrature filtered data respectively to obtain in-phase filtered data and quadrature filtered data; and determining the target filtered data based on the in-phase filtered data and quadrature filtered data.

[0012] The digital processing method for ultrasonic signals provided in this embodiment of the invention performs bandpass filtering, orthogonal detection, and low-pass filtering on ultrasonic echo data to filter out target filtered data within a specified frequency range, thus logically realizing the filtering processing of ultrasonic echo data.

[0013] In one optional implementation, the target filtered data is compressed to obtain compressed data, including: obtaining the logarithmic value corresponding to the target filtered data; and performing logarithmic compression on the target filtered data based on the logarithmic value to generate compressed data.

[0014] The digital processing method for ultrasound signals provided in this embodiment of the invention reduces the amount of data by compressing the target filtered data, thereby compressing the high dynamic range to a low dynamic range.

[0015] In one optional implementation, the gain data is subjected to contrast adjustment to obtain contrast adjustment data, including: normalizing the gain data to obtain normalized data; performing data transformation on the normalized data based on a preset transformation method to obtain transformed data; performing inverse normalization on the transformed data to obtain inverse normalized data; and performing grayscale linear adjustment on the inverse normalized data to obtain contrast adjustment data.

[0016] The digital processing method for ultrasound signals provided in this invention enhances the contrast of the generated ultrasound image by adjusting the contrast of the gain data, thereby improving the clarity of the generated ultrasound image.

[0017] In one optional implementation, the scanning attributes include scanning diameter, ultrasonic velocity, and sampling rate; based on the scanning attributes of the ultrasonic probe, the contrast adjustment data is subjected to data filling processing to obtain filled data, including: determining the number of data fillers based on the scanning diameter, ultrasonic velocity, and sampling rate; and filling the data before the contrast adjustment data according to the number of data fillers to obtain filled data.

[0018] The digital processing method for ultrasound signals provided in this embodiment of the invention performs data filling on the contrast adjustment data so that it can meet the scanning depth of the ultrasound probe.

[0019] In one optional implementation, the padding data is denoised to generate target echo data, including: denoising the padding data to obtain denoised data; smoothing the padding data to obtain smoothed data; and weightedly fusing the denoised data and the smoothed data to obtain target echo data.

[0020] The digital processing method for ultrasound signals provided in this embodiment of the invention reduces noise in the filler data through denoising and smoothing processes, thereby improving the visual effect of the subsequently generated ultrasound images and ensuring the subsequent ultrasound imaging effect.

[0021] In a second aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide an ultrasound imaging device, comprising: a memory and a processor, wherein the memory and the processor are communicatively connected to each other, the memory stores computer instructions, and the processor executes the computer instructions to perform the digital processing method for ultrasound signals described in the first aspect or any corresponding embodiment thereof.

[0022] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention provide a computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions for causing a computer to perform the digital processing method for ultrasonic signals described in the first aspect or any corresponding embodiment. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a digital processing method for ultrasonic signals according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the logic control timing according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of logical digital processing according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating another digital processing method for ultrasonic signals according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the assignment of scan line information according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6This is a schematic diagram illustrating the assignment of ultrasonic echo data according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the filtering process of ultrasonic echo data according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the loading of scan data according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the gain curve according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a structural block diagram of a digital processing device for ultrasonic signals according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of the ultrasound imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] Ultrasound imaging utilizes an FPGA-controlled ultrasound probe to emit an ultrasound beam that scans human organs, receiving the ultrasound echo signals generated by the scanned organs. A host computer then performs digital signal processing and digital imaging processing on the ultrasound echo signals to obtain a two-dimensional ultrasound image, which is displayed by a display system to achieve the DSC (Digital Scanning) function of ultrasound. Related technologies require the host computer to have strong processing capabilities and be able to process data in real time; otherwise, it will affect the processing of the next frame of scan data. This results in a relatively large overall ultrasound system size. When miniaturizing the device or reducing resources, the ultrasound system needs to be simplified. However, systems with limited resources or weak processing capabilities may experience lag or crashes, making it difficult to meet the real-time processing requirements of ultrasound scan data and hindering miniaturization and portable design.

[0027] Based on this, the technical solution logically realizes real-time digital processing of ultrasonic echo data, reduces the performance requirements of the host computer, and facilitates the miniaturization or portability design of the ultrasonic imaging system.

[0028] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a digital processing method for ultrasonic signals is provided. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart in the accompanying drawings can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer-executable instructions. Furthermore, although a logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described may be executed in a different order than that shown here.

[0029] This embodiment provides a digital processing method for ultrasound signals, which can be used in the aforementioned ultrasound imaging equipment. Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a digital processing method for ultrasound signals according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the process includes the following steps: Step S101: Acquire line scan data, which includes scan line information and ultrasound echo data.

[0030] Line scan data refers to the scan data corresponding to each scan line during the ultrasound scan process. Specifically, after the scanning function of the ultrasound imaging device is activated, the FPGA in the ultrasound imaging device controls the ultrasound probe to generate an ultrasonic beam according to the logic control scanning timing, while simultaneously receiving ultrasound echo data, and combining the scan line information with the ultrasound echo data to form line scan data.

[0031] Specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown, line scan data can be encapsulated in the format [cur_sc_mode, nxt_sc_mode, rxgate_width, ..., frame_sof, frame_eof, ..., sc_data]. Here, cur_sc_mode and nxt_sc_mode represent the scan modes of the current and next frames, respectively; rxgate_width represents the number of scan data points; frame_sof and frame_eof represent the start and end scan lines of the current frame, respectively; and sc_data is the echo data of the current scan. Of course, line scan data can also include other scan information, which can be set by those skilled in the art according to actual needs; no specific limitations are made here.

[0032] The number of bits required for scan line information and echo data can be set according to actual needs. For example, scan information can be set to 16 16-bit, and the number of scan data can be set to 7920 16-bit.

[0033] Step S102: Separate the scan line information and ultrasound echo data from the line scan data to obtain the separated ultrasound echo data and scan line information.

[0034] Scan line information is used to characterize the current scan mode, the number of scan data, the scan start line, and the scan end line; therefore, only the ultrasound echo data needs to undergo digital processing. Thus, after obtaining the line scan data, it can be separated according to the logically controlled scan timing to extract the corresponding ultrasound echo data and scan line information.

[0035] Step S103: Perform logical digital processing on the ultrasonic echo data to obtain the target echo data.

[0036] Digital processing of ultrasonic echo data is achieved through FPGA logic in ultrasonic imaging equipment. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the collected ultrasonic echo data is input into the logic digital processing module, where it undergoes filtering, compression, gain processing, contrast adjustment, filling, and noise reduction processes in sequence to obtain the target echo data after multiple processing steps.

[0037] Step S104: Combine the target echo data with the scan line information to generate target ultrasound data.

[0038] The target echo data and scan line information after digital processing are merged according to the format [cur_sc_mode, nxt_sc_mode, rxgate_width, ..., frame_sof, frame_eof, ..., sc_data], so that the scan line information is placed before the target echo data to form the target ultrasound data.

[0039] Subsequently, the target ultrasound data is output to the logic digital processing module and cached in the cache module DDR, such as... Figure 3 As shown. After one frame is satisfied, the upload of the target ultrasound data is triggered, and the host computer is notified to acquire the target ultrasound data.

[0040] The digital processing method for ultrasound signals provided in this embodiment divides the line scan data to obtain corresponding scan line information and ultrasound echo data. Logical digital processing is then performed on the ultrasound echo data to obtain the corresponding target echo data. Finally, the target echo data is merged with the scan line information to obtain complete target ultrasound data. This method separates the line scan data and performs logical digital processing on the ultrasound echo data within each line scan. After the target ultrasound data corresponding to one frame of ultrasound image is cached, it is then uploaded to the host computer for display. Therefore, it eliminates the need to upload large amounts of ultrasound scan data to the host computer for digital processing, logically achieving real-time digital processing of ultrasound echo data. This reduces the performance requirements of the host computer and facilitates the miniaturization or portability design of the ultrasound imaging system.

[0041] This embodiment provides a digital processing method for ultrasound signals, which can be used in the aforementioned ultrasound imaging equipment. Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a digital processing method for ultrasound signals according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the process includes the following steps: Step S201: Acquire line scan data, which includes scan line information and ultrasound echo data. For detailed explanation, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments; they will not be repeated here.

[0042] Step S202: Separate the scan line information and ultrasound echo data from the line scan data to obtain the separated ultrasound echo data and scan line information.

[0043] Specifically, step S202 above may include: Step S2021: Obtain the enable signal and valid signal corresponding to the line scan data.

[0044] The enable signal is used to characterize the valid state of the current line, and the valid signal is used to characterize the valid state of the current line data, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the enable signal is `rx_data_en`, and the valid signal is `rx_data_valid`; the valid signal is a data synchronization valid signal generated based on the enable signal. Line scan data is a combination of the current line's line scan information and ultrasound echo data. The line scan information is generated based on the current line's transmission scan time.

[0045] Step S2022: Based on the enable signal and the valid signal, determine the valid data of the line scan data.

[0046] When both the enable and valid signals are active, the valid line scan data is determined. The line scan data is a combination of the current line scan information and the ultrasound echo data; that is, the valid data volume is the sum of the number of line scan data points and the number of ultrasound echo data points. The line scan data and the ultrasound echo data are processed separately.

[0047] Taking rising edge valid as an example, when the enable signal rx_data_en is at a rising edge, the valid count rx_data_vld_cnt of the scan line information is cleared to 0, and when valid data is detected at the next rising edge of the clock, the valid count rx_data_vld_cnt is incremented by 1. That is, when the valid count rx_data_vld_cnt of the scan line information is less than a preset value (a preset number of scan lines, e.g., 16) and rx_data_vld_d1 is 1, the valid count rx_data_vld_cnt is incremented by 1, and the valid data is sequentially allocated to the registers of the scan line information, thus forming the scan line information for the current line. Here, rx_data_vld_d1 is the result of a one-clock delay from rx_data_valid (e.g., ...). Figure 2 As shown in clk_100M), rx_data_valid indicates valid data; rx_data_vld_cnt represents the valid count of scan line information. Taking 16 scan line information as an example, the valid data can be sequentially assigned to info_0, info_1...info_14, info_15, as follows: Figure 5 As shown.

[0048] Ultrasonic echo data is generated based on the current receiving time. Specifically, when both the enable signal `rx_data_en` and the valid signal are active, the ultrasonic echo data is counted and assigned values. The assignment stops when the calculated ultrasonic echo data reaches a preset value. For example, a count of 7920 ultrasonic echo data points means that the effective data volume is 7920 valid echo data points. This is just an example and not a specific limitation is made here.

[0049] The combination of the current line scan information and the ultrasound echo data forms the valid data for the current line scan. Specifically, valid line scan data refers to the assignment of values ​​to both the current line scan information and the ultrasound echo data.

[0050] Here, `rx_data_en` represents the enable signal throughout the echo process. During the echo enable signal period, intervals are allowed in the ultrasound echo data, meaning `rx_data_valid` can be low or high. However, during the entire echo enable period, the number of valid `rx_data_valid` data points for the line scan data is equal to the sum of the number of scan line information points and the number of ultrasound echo data points. For example, if the number of scan line information points is 16 and the number of ultrasound data points is 7920, then the number of valid `rx_data_valid` data points for the line scan data is: 16 + 7920 = 7936.

[0051] Step S2023: Based on valid data, determine the ultrasound echo data and scan line information from the line scan data.

[0052] By combining the number of valid data points with the number of line scan information and ultrasound echo data points, the valid data points in the line scan data are separated and assigned to the scan line information and ultrasound echo data, laying the foundation for subsequent ultrasound echo data processing.

[0053] Based on the valid count of the line scan data rx_data_valid, the following values ​​are assigned to the enable output rx_data_en_o, the valid echo signal output rx_data_valid_o, and the valid ultrasound echo data rx_data_o respectively in subsequent data processing. The assignment is judged by the valid count rx_data_vld_cnt. If the valid count rx_data_vld_cnt is greater than or equal to a preset value (a pre-set number of scan lines, e.g., 16), then the valid enable signal rx_data_en_d1, the valid data signal rx_data_vld_d1, and the valid ultrasound echo data rx_data_d1, delayed by one clock cycle, are directly assigned to rx_data_en_o, rx_data_valid_o, and rx_data_o, respectively. Figure 6 As shown.

[0054] Step S203: Perform logical digital processing on the ultrasonic echo data to obtain the target echo data.

[0055] Specifically, step S203 above may include: Step S2031: Filter the ultrasonic echo data according to the data depth to obtain the target filtered data.

[0056] Data depth represents the number of scan data points in a single ultrasound scan. The ultrasound echo data is input into the filtering unit of the logic digital processing module. The filtering unit filters the ultrasound echo data according to the data depth to obtain the corresponding target filtered data.

[0057] In some specific implementation methods, such as Figure 7 As shown, step S2031 above may include: Step b1: According to the data depth of the ultrasonic echo data, bandpass filtering is performed on the ultrasonic echo data to obtain bandpass filtered data.

[0058] A sliding window convolution is performed along the data depth direction using an Nth-order FIR bandpass filter to obtain the corresponding bandpass filtered data. Taking a 64th-order bandpass filter as an example, the 65 bandpass filter parameters BandFilterCoeff are configured in real time by a host computer, and then a sliding window convolution with a length of 65 is performed along the data depth direction. The expression is as follows:

[0059] Where n represents the data depth, for example, if the data depth is 7920, then n represents 0-7919. Thus, the above expression can be expanded as follows: The first data point is as follows:

[0060] The second data point is as follows:

[0061] And so on, the 64th data point is as follows:

[0062] The 64th data point is as follows:

[0063] Therefore, after the above bandpass filtering method, the bandpass filtered data Filter_Data and its corresponding enable signal Filter_Data_en and valid signal Filter_Data_valid can be output.

[0064] Step b2 involves performing quadrature detection processing on the bandpass filtered data to obtain in-phase and quadrature data.

[0065] Orthogonal detection processing is performed on the bandpass filtered data Filter_Data to shift the detection center frequency to zero. The acquisition depth here is determined based on the number of scan data points; if the number of scan data points is 7920, then the acquisition depth is 7920. The 18-bit sintable / costable data generated by MATLAB quantization is loaded into the FPGA's internal RAM via PCIe when ultrasound scanning is initiated. Figure 8 As shown. During quadrature detection, the corresponding in-phase parameter cos_coeff and quadrature parameter sin_coeff are read from RAM using the effective count of bandpass filter data data_vld_cnt as the address, and then multiplied by the current bandpass filter data Filter_data(n) to obtain the in-phase data Demol and the quadrature data DemoQ.

[0066] Step b3: Perform low-pass filtering on the in-phase data and quadrature data respectively to obtain in-phase filtered data and quadrature filtered data.

[0067] Step b4: Determine the target filtering data based on the in-phase filtered data and the quadrature filtered data.

[0068] The in-phase data (Demol) and quadrature data (DemoQ) are input to a low-pass filter to filter out the harmonic signals generated by the quadrature detection process. Specifically, a 64th-order FIR low-pass filter is used here, and the 65 low-pass filter parameters (LowFilterCoeff) are configured in real time by the host computer. A sliding window convolution with a length of 65 is then performed along the data depth direction. The low-pass filtering operation is the same as the band-pass filtering method, and will not be described further here.

[0069] Therefore, by low-pass filtering, in-phase filtered data FilterI(n) and quadrature filtered data FilterQ(n) can be output.

[0070] The envelope value Data_Mode can be obtained by summing the squares of the in-phase filtered data FilterI(n) and the quadrature filtered data FilterQ(n) and then taking the square root. This envelope value Data_Mode is the target filtered data.

[0071] In the above embodiments, the ultrasonic echo data is filtered by performing bandpass filtering, orthogonal detection, and low-pass filtering on the ultrasonic echo data to filter out the target filtered data within a specified frequency range, thus logically realizing the filtering of ultrasonic echo data.

[0072] Step S2032: Compress the target filtered data to obtain compressed data.

[0073] The target filtered data is input into the compression unit in the logic digital processing module. The compression unit performs logarithmic compression on the target filtered data to obtain the corresponding compressed data.

[0074] Specifically, step S2032 above may include: Step c1: Obtain the logarithmic value corresponding to the target filtered data.

[0075] Step c2: Logarithmically compress the target filtered data based on the logarithmic value to generate compressed data.

[0076] The target filtered data, represented by the envelope value Data_Mode, is input to the compression unit to compress the N-bit ultrasonic echo data to N / 2 bits, thereby compressing the high dynamic range to a low dynamic range. Since logarithmic logic is difficult to implement, the logarithmic operation is converted into a lookup table and stored in ROM. The ROM value is read based on the envelope value Data_Mode as the address.

[0077] Specifically, the logarithm of (Data_Mode+1) divided by 2 is calculated to obtain the corresponding logarithmic value, which is then counted using MATLAB and cached in ROM. For example, if Data_Mode=1024, then the logarithm of (Data_Mode+1) divided by 2 is: log2((Data_Mode+1))= 10.0014. The value 10.0014 is then stored in ROM at address 1024. Therefore, after obtaining the envelope value of the target filtered data, this envelope value can be used as the address to read the corresponding logarithmic result from ROM.

[0078] Then, the logarithmic result is multiplied by the K value to obtain the compressed data. The K value is a parameter sent by the host computer, which can be optimized and confirmed according to the actual situation.

[0079] Step S2033: Adjust the gain of the compressed data according to the data depth to obtain the gain data.

[0080] The compressed data, after compression processing, undergoes gain adjustment along the data depth direction to obtain the corresponding gain data. Specifically, the corresponding gain value can be calculated along the data depth direction using an eight-segment slider method, such as... Figure 9 The image shows the gain curves generated along the data depth direction from 1 to 7920. The gain values ​​of the gain curves generated by the logic gain adjustment are cached in RAM. The eight slider values ​​(slider_point_0, slider_point_1...slider_point_7) are all issued by the host computer. The gain curve tgc_gain can be calculated according to the gain calculation formula, as follows: tgc_gain=slider_point_x+point_num((slider_point_x1-slider_point_x) / (point_step-1)) In this context, x in slider_point_x is 0~6, and x1 in slider_point_x1 is x+1; point_step is the step value, and point_step = rxgate_width / 8; point_num is the number of points, with a value of 1~point_step.

[0081] By counting the gain data corresponding to each line of ultrasound scan data, the depth count value of the gain data tgc_depth_cnt can be obtained. This value is used as the address to read the gain value in RAM and multiply it to obtain the gain data data_tgc.

[0082] Step S2034: Adjust the contrast of the gain data to obtain contrast adjustment data.

[0083] To ensure that the gain data can clearly distinguish between light and dark data, the contrast of the gain data is adjusted to obtain contrast adjustment data for light and dark contrast.

[0084] Specifically, step S2034 above may include: Step d1: Normalize the gain data to obtain normalized data.

[0085] Step d2: Perform data transformation on the normalized data based on the preset transformation method to obtain transformed data.

[0086] Step d3: Perform inverse normalization on the transformed data to obtain inverse normalized data.

[0087] Step d4: Perform linear grayscale adjustment on the denormalized data to obtain contrast-adjusted data.

[0088] The preset transformation method is a pre-defined data transformation method, such as Gamma transformation.

[0089] The gain-processed data is normalized to obtain normalized data norm_data = data_tgc / 255. A Gamma transform is then applied to the normalized data to obtain transformed data pre_data, specifically, pre_data = norm_data. gammavalue The gamamvalue is configured via a host computer according to actual needs.

[0090] The transformed data pre_data is denormalized to obtain the denormalized data gamma_data. Specifically, gamma_data = pre_data * 255.

[0091] The inverse normalized data gamma_data is linearly adjusted in grayscale to obtain the corresponding contrast adjustment data data_contrast. Specifically, data_contrast = (gamma_data - x) * k + y. Here, x and y are preset adjustment thresholds, and k is the contrast intensity. All three parameters are controlled by the host computer.

[0092] In the above embodiments, by adjusting the contrast of the gain data, the brightness contrast of the subsequently generated ultrasound image is enhanced, which facilitates the improvement of the clarity of the subsequently generated ultrasound image.

[0093] Step S2035: Based on the scanning attributes of the ultrasound probe, perform data filling processing on the contrast adjustment data to obtain filled data.

[0094] Scanning attributes are used to characterize the scanning range and data acquisition method during ultrasound scanning. An ultrasound probe has a specific scanning range and corresponding data acquisition method. Based on the ultrasound probe's scanning range and the corresponding data acquisition method, the number of data points required for contrast adjustment is determined. Then, the contrast adjustment data is filled according to the required number of data points to obtain filled data that meets the ultrasound probe's scanning depth.

[0095] The scanning attributes include the scanning diameter, ultrasonic velocity, and sampling rate. In some specific implementations, step S2035 may include: Step e1: Determine the number of data fillers based on the scanning diameter, ultrasonic velocity, and sampling rate.

[0096] Step e2: Fill the data before adjusting the contrast according to the number of data to be filled, and obtain the filled data.

[0097] The scanning diameter is the diameter of the ultrasonic probe; the ultrasonic velocity is the propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the probe; the sampling rate is the data sampling rate. Based on the scanning diameter, ultrasonic velocity, and sampling rate, the number of data entries is determined as follows:

[0098] in, The number of data entries is indicated; Diameter indicates the scanning diameter; SoundSpeed ​​indicates the ultrasonic speed, with a value of 1540 m / s; SampleRate indicates the sampling rate.

[0099] Add zero values ​​at the beginning of the contrast adjustment data for each line, with the number of zero values ​​being [number missing]. This is used to replace the radius and depth values ​​of the ultrasonic probe (transducer), resulting in the filled data data_ext. During the process of filling the contrast adjustment data with 0 values, the contrast adjustment data will be shifted backward, and the number of data points in the filled data will eventually remain at rxgate_width. Data points that exceed rxgate_width will be discarded.

[0100] For example, if the contrast adjustment data is data_contrast_0, data_contrast_1, ..., data_contrast_7918, data_contrast_7919, and the number of data padding EleToCorePoint is 3, then the padding data data_ext will be: 0, 0, 0, data_contrast_0, data_contrast_1, ..., data_contrast_7914, data_contrast_7915, data_contrast_7916.

[0101] In the above embodiments, the contrast adjustment data is filled to meet the scanning depth of the ultrasound probe.

[0102] Step S2036: Denoise the padding data to generate target echo data.

[0103] Noise is inevitably introduced when acquiring echo data. Therefore, after obtaining the fill data, it is necessary to denoise the noise in it in order to obtain clean target echo data.

[0104] In some specific embodiments, step S2036 may further include: Step f1 involves denoising the filled data to obtain denoised data.

[0105] Step f2: Smooth the filled data to obtain smoothed data.

[0106] Step f3 involves weighted fusion of the denoised and smoothed data to obtain the target echo data.

[0107] Denoising is used to suppress noise in the filled data, filtering out noise while maintaining valid data; smoothing is used to eliminate random noise in the filled data and reduce interference.

[0108] The filled data is subjected to noise suppression and Gaussian smoothing filtering respectively to obtain denoised data Img_out and smoothed data Img_gauss. The two are then weighted and fused to obtain the target echo data Img_enhence. Specifically, Img_enhence = α*Img_out + (1-α)*Img_gauss. Where α is the fusion coefficient, the value of which can be determined according to actual needs.

[0109] After obtaining the target echo data, the scan line information is sequentially placed before the Img_enhence data to form the target ultrasound data, and then output to the logic digital processing module, cached in DDR, until a frame is satisfied before uploading to the host computer.

[0110] In the above embodiments, noise reduction and smoothing processes are used to reduce noise in the padding data, improve the visual effect of the subsequently generated ultrasound images, and ensure the subsequent ultrasound imaging effect.

[0111] Step S204: Combine the target echo data with the scan line information to generate target ultrasound data. For detailed explanation, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments; they will not be repeated here.

[0112] The digital processing method for ultrasonic signals provided in this embodiment separates the ultrasonic echo data and scan line information in the line scan data using the enable signal corresponding to the line scan data. This allows for better parsing of effective ultrasonic echo data and ensures the accuracy of ultrasonic echo data separation. The method implements filtering, compression, gain adjustment, contrast adjustment, filling, and noise reduction of the ultrasonic echo data through logic, eliminating the need for a host computer with high digital processing capabilities. Furthermore, the logic implementation offers high real-time performance, enabling real-time digital processing of the ultrasonic echo data obtained from ultrasonic scanning. After the logic-based digital processing is implemented, a miniaturized device can be used to replace the host computer, thereby achieving a miniaturized or portable design of the ultrasonic system.

[0113] This embodiment also provides a digital processing device for ultrasonic signals, which is used to implement the above embodiments and preferred embodiments; details already described will not be repeated. As used below, the term "module" can refer to a combination of software and / or hardware that performs a predetermined function. Although the device described in the following embodiments is preferably implemented in software, hardware implementation, or a combination of software and hardware, is also possible and contemplated.

[0114] This embodiment provides a digital processing device for ultrasonic signals, such as... Figure 10 As shown, it includes: The acquisition module 301 is used to acquire line scan data, which includes scan line information and ultrasound echo data.

[0115] The separation module 302 is used to separate the scan line information and ultrasound echo data in the line scan data to obtain the separated ultrasound echo data and scan line information.

[0116] The logic processing module 303 is used to perform logical digital processing on the ultrasonic echo data to obtain the target echo data.

[0117] The combination module 304 is used to combine the target echo data with the scan line information to generate target ultrasound data.

[0118] In some alternative embodiments, the separation module 302 described above may include: The signal acquisition unit is used to acquire the enable signal and valid signal corresponding to the line scan data.

[0119] The valid data determination unit is used to determine the valid data of the line scan data based on the enable signal and the valid signal.

[0120] The data extraction unit is used to determine the ultrasound echo data and scan line information from the line scan data based on valid data.

[0121] In some alternative embodiments, the logic processing module 303 described above may include: The filtering unit is used to filter the ultrasonic echo data according to the data depth of the ultrasonic echo data to obtain the target filtered data.

[0122] The compression unit is used to compress the target filtered data to obtain compressed data.

[0123] The gain adjustment unit is used to adjust the gain of compressed data according to the data depth to obtain gain data.

[0124] The contrast adjustment unit is used to adjust the contrast of the gain data to obtain contrast adjustment data.

[0125] The data filling unit is used to fill the contrast adjustment data based on the scanning attributes of the ultrasound probe to obtain filled data.

[0126] The denoising unit is used to denoise the padding data and generate the target echo data.

[0127] In some alternative embodiments, the filtering unit may include: The bandpass filtering subunit is used to perform bandpass filtering on the ultrasonic echo data according to the data depth of the ultrasonic echo data to obtain bandpass filtered data.

[0128] The quadrature detection subunit is used to perform quadrature detection processing on bandpass filtered data to obtain in-phase and quadrature data.

[0129] The low-pass filter subunit is used to perform low-pass filtering on in-phase data and quadrature data respectively to obtain in-phase filtered data and quadrature filtered data.

[0130] The filter data determination subunit is used to determine the target filter data based on in-phase filter data and quadrature filter data.

[0131] In some alternative embodiments, the compression unit described above may include: The logarithm acquisition subunit is used to acquire the logarithm value corresponding to the target filtered data; The logarithmic compression subunit is used to perform logarithmic compression on the target filtered data based on the logarithmic value to generate compressed data.

[0132] In some alternative embodiments, the contrast adjustment unit described above may include: The normalization subunit is used to normalize the gain data to obtain normalized data.

[0133] The data transformation subunit is used to transform normalized data based on a preset transformation method to obtain transformed data.

[0134] The denormalization subunit is used to denormalize the transformed data to obtain denormalized data.

[0135] The grayscale adjustment subunit is used to perform linear grayscale adjustment on the inverse normalized data to obtain contrast adjustment data.

[0136] In some alternative embodiments, the data filling unit described above may include: The fill number determination sub-unit is used to determine the number of data fills based on the scanning diameter, ultrasonic velocity, and sampling rate.

[0137] The fill sub-unit is used to fill data before contrast adjustment data according to the number of data fills, so as to obtain fill data.

[0138] In some alternative embodiments, the denoising unit described above may include: The denoising sub-unit is used to denoise the padding data to obtain denoised data.

[0139] The smoothing sub-unit is used to smooth the filled data to obtain smoothed data.

[0140] The weighted fusion subunit is used to weight and fuse the denoised data and the smoothed data to obtain the target echo data.

[0141] The further functional descriptions of each module and unit are the same as those in the corresponding embodiments described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0142] In this embodiment, the digital processing device for ultrasonic signals is presented in the form of a functional unit. Here, a unit refers to an ASIC circuit, a processor and memory that execute one or more software or fixed programs, and / or other devices that can provide the above-mentioned functions.

[0143] The ultrasonic signal digital processing device provided in this embodiment separates the line scan data and performs logical digital processing on the ultrasonic echo data in each line scan data. After the target ultrasonic data corresponding to a frame of ultrasonic image is cached, it is then uploaded to the host computer for display. Therefore, it eliminates the need to upload large amounts of ultrasonic scan data to the host computer for digital processing, logically achieving real-time digital processing of ultrasonic echo data. This reduces the performance requirements of the host computer and facilitates the miniaturization or portability design of the ultrasonic imaging system.

[0144] This invention also provides an ultrasound imaging device, having Figure 10 The ultrasound imaging device shown.

[0145] Please see Figure 11 , Figure 11This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ultrasound imaging device provided in an optional embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 11 As shown, the ultrasound imaging device includes one or more processors 10, a memory 20, and interfaces for connecting the various components, including high-speed interfaces and low-speed interfaces. The various components communicate with each other via different buses and can be mounted on a common motherboard or otherwise installed as needed. The processors can process instructions executed within the ultrasound imaging device, including instructions stored in or on memory to display graphical information of a GUI on external input / output devices (such as display devices coupled to the interfaces). In some alternative embodiments, multiple processors and / or multiple buses can be used with multiple memories and multiple memory modules, if desired. Similarly, multiple computer devices can be connected, each providing some of the necessary operations (e.g., as a server array, a set of blade servers, or a multiprocessor system). Figure 11 Take a processor 10 as an example.

[0146] Processor 10 may be a central processing unit, a network processor, or a combination thereof. Processor 10 may further include a hardware chip. The hardware chip may be an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), or a combination thereof. The programmable logic device may be a complex programmable logic device (CAMP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a general-purpose array logic (GDA), or any combination thereof.

[0147] The memory 20 stores instructions executable by at least one processor 10 to cause at least one processor 10 to perform the method shown in the above embodiments.

[0148] The memory 20 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating system and applications required for at least one function; the data storage area may store data created based on the use of the ultrasound imaging device. Furthermore, the memory 20 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-transitory memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-transitory solid-state storage device. In some alternative embodiments, the memory 20 may optionally include memory remotely located relative to the processor 10, which can be connected to the computer device via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0149] The memory 20 may include volatile memory, such as random access memory; the memory may also include non-volatile memory, such as flash memory, hard disk or solid-state drive; the memory 20 may also include a combination of the above types of memory.

[0150] The ultrasound imaging device also includes an input device 30 and an output device 40. The processor 10, memory 20, input device 30, and output device 40 can be connected via a bus or other means. Figure 11 Taking the example of a connection between China and Israel via a bus.

[0151] Input device 30 can receive input digital or character information, and generate key signal inputs related to user settings and function control of the ultrasound imaging equipment, such as a touch screen, keypad, mouse, trackpad, touchpad, pointer, one or more mouse buttons, trackball, joystick, etc. Output device 40 may include display devices, auxiliary lighting devices (e.g., LEDs), and haptic feedback devices (e.g., vibration motors). The aforementioned display devices include, but are not limited to, liquid crystal displays, light-emitting diodes, displays, and plasma displays. In some alternative embodiments, the display device may be a touch screen.

[0152] The ultrasound imaging device also includes a communication interface for data communication between the ultrasound imaging device and other devices or communication networks.

[0153] This invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium. The methods described above according to embodiments of the invention can be implemented in hardware or firmware, or implemented as computer code that can be recorded on a storage medium, or implemented as computer code downloaded via a network and originally stored on a remote storage medium or a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and then stored on a local storage medium. Thus, the methods described herein can be processed by software stored on a storage medium using a general-purpose computer, a dedicated processor, or programmable or dedicated hardware. The storage medium can be a magnetic disk, optical disk, read-only memory, random access memory, flash memory, hard disk, or solid-state drive, etc.; further, the storage medium can also include combinations of the above types of memory. It is understood that computers, processors, microprocessor controllers, or programmable hardware include storage components capable of storing or receiving software or computer code, which, when accessed and executed by the computer, processor, or hardware, implements the methods shown in the above embodiments.

[0154] Although embodiments of the invention have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and such modifications and variations all fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A digital processing method for ultrasonic signals, characterized in that, include: Acquire line scan data, which includes scan line information and ultrasound echo data. The scan line information is used to characterize the current scan mode, the number of scan data, the scan start line, and the scan end line. The scan line information and the ultrasound echo data in the line scan data are separated to obtain the separated ultrasound echo data and the scan line information; The ultrasonic echo data is processed using logical digital processing to obtain target echo data, including: filtering the ultrasonic echo data according to its data depth to obtain target filtered data, where the data depth represents the number of scan data points in a single-line ultrasound scan; compressing the target filtered data to obtain compressed data; adjusting the gain of the compressed data based on the data depth to obtain gain data; adjusting the contrast of the gain data to obtain contrast adjusted data; filling the contrast adjusted data based on the scanning attributes of the ultrasound probe to obtain filled data, where the scanning attributes characterize the scanning range and data acquisition method during the ultrasound scan; and denoising the filled data to generate the target echo data. The target echo data is combined with the scan line information to generate target ultrasound data; The target ultrasound data is output to the logic digital processing module of the ultrasound imaging device and cached in the cache module. After one frame is satisfied, the upload of the target ultrasound data is triggered, and the host computer is notified to acquire the target ultrasound data.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of separating the scan line information and the ultrasound echo data from the line scan data to obtain the separated ultrasound echo data and scan line information includes: Obtain the enable signal and valid signal corresponding to the line scan data; Based on the enable signal and the valid signal, the valid data of the line scan data is determined; Based on the valid data, the ultrasonic echo data and the scan line information are determined from the line scan data.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of filtering the ultrasonic echo data according to the data depth to obtain target filtered data includes: According to the data depth of the ultrasonic echo data, the ultrasonic echo data is bandpass filtered to obtain bandpass filtered data; The bandpass filtered data is subjected to orthogonal detection processing to obtain in-phase data and quadrature data; The in-phase data and the quadrature data are respectively subjected to low-pass filtering to obtain in-phase filtered data and quadrature filtered data; The target filtered data is determined based on the in-phase filtered data and the quadrature filtered data.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of compressing the target filtered data to obtain compressed data includes: Obtain the logarithm value corresponding to the target filtered data; Logarithmically compress the target filtered data based on the logarithmic value to generate the compressed data.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the contrast of the gain data to obtain contrast adjustment data includes: The gain data is normalized to obtain normalized data; The normalized data is transformed based on a preset transformation method to obtain transformed data. The preset transformation method is a pre-defined data transformation method, which includes Gamma transformation. The transformed data is then subjected to inverse normalization to obtain inverse normalized data; The contrast-adjusted data is obtained by linearly adjusting the grayscale of the inverse normalized data.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The scanning attributes include scanning diameter, ultrasonic velocity, and sampling rate; based on the scanning attributes of the ultrasonic probe, the contrast adjustment data is filled to obtain filled data, including: The number of data fillers is determined based on the scanning diameter, the ultrasonic velocity, and the sampling rate. The data is filled in before the contrast adjustment data according to the number of data fillers mentioned above, to obtain the filled data.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of denoising the filled data to generate the target echo data includes: The filled data is then denoised to obtain denoised data. The filled data is processed by Gaussian smoothing filter to obtain smoothed data; The denoised data and the smoothed data are weighted and fused to obtain the target echo data.

8. An ultrasonic imaging device, characterized in that, include: A memory and a processor are communicatively connected, the memory storing computer instructions, and the processor executing the computer instructions to perform the digital processing method for ultrasonic signals according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions for causing the computer to perform the digital processing method for the ultrasonic signal according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

Images