Ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate, ultrasound device, and storage medium

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of ultrasonic imaging, and discloses an ultrasonic probe control method based on an imaging frame rate, ultrasonic equipment and a storage medium. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring imaging parameters corresponding to an ultrasonic probe and an imaging range of an ultrasonic image; determining a first imaging frame rate matched with the ultrasonic image based on the imaging range; determining a second imaging frame rate matched with the ultrasonic image based on the imaging parameters; comparing the first imaging frame rate with the second imaging frame rate, and determining a target imaging frame rate of the ultrasonic image based on a comparison result; and controlling the ultrasonic probe to perform scanning imaging according to the target imaging frame rate. Through implementation of the technical scheme, the imaging frame rate of the ultrasonic image is effectively improved, the time interval of the first line and the last line of each frame of image is reduced, the splicing line phenomenon at the connection position of the first line and the last line of the ultrasonic image is improved, and more ultrasonic images can be obtained in the same time to provide the user with subsequent selection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ultrasound imaging technology, specifically to an ultrasound probe control method, ultrasound equipment, and storage medium based on imaging frame rate. Background Technology

[0002] The B-mode ultrasound image produced by the small ultrasound probe is a linear scanning mode. After imaging one ultrasound line, the probe is slightly deflected by a motor to emit ultrasound waves again, which are then received. This allows the acquisition of ultrasound information from another adjacent location, i.e., the spatial information of the corresponding body tissue. This emission and reception process is repeated, combined with a 360-degree high-speed rotation, to produce a complete B-mode ultrasound image with each rotation.

[0003] When generating B-mode ultrasound images using ultrasound scanning, the first scan line data is typically acquired at the start and the last scan line data is acquired at the end, resulting in a time interval between the two scan lines. Ideally, the first and last scan lines should be close in physical position at the junction of the beginning and end of each ultrasound image. However, in reality, ultrasound probe jitter can occur, causing this imaging time interval to result in a noticeable stitching line at the junction of the beginning and end of the ultrasound image, thus affecting the ultrasound imaging quality. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides an ultrasound probe control method, ultrasound equipment and storage medium based on imaging frame rate to solve the problem of obvious splicing dividing lines at the beginning and end of ultrasound images.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate, comprising: acquiring imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe and the imaging range of the ultrasound image; determining a first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging range; determining a second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging parameters; determining a target imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image based on the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate; and controlling the ultrasound probe to perform scanning imaging according to the target imaging frame rate.

[0006] The ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this invention, after acquiring the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe and the imaging range of the ultrasound image, determines a first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging range of the ultrasound image, and determines a second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe. A target imaging frame rate for the ultrasound image is determined based on the first and second imaging frame rates, and the ultrasound probe is controlled to perform scanning imaging according to the target imaging frame rate. Therefore, the imaging frame rate can be dynamically adjusted according to the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe and the imaging range of the ultrasound image. When the imaging range is large, or when all relevant real-time function algorithms corresponding to the ultrasound probe are enabled, the frame rate set by the device can still be maintained; when the imaging range is small, or when some relevant real-time function algorithms are disabled, the imaging frame rate can be adaptively increased, thereby reducing the time interval between the first and last lines of each frame, improving the splicing phenomenon at the connection between the first and last lines of the image caused by ultrasound probe jitter and long time intervals. Simultaneously, with the increased frame rate imaging, more ultrasound images can be obtained within the same time period for the user to select from.

[0007] In one alternative implementation, acquiring the imaging range of an ultrasound image includes: acquiring the target region to be imaged; and determining an imaging range that matches the target region based on the characteristic attributes of the target region.

[0008] The ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this invention determines the imaging range matching the target area based on the characteristic attributes of the target area after acquiring the target area, thereby improving the accuracy of the imaging range and helping to determine the imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging range.

[0009] In one optional implementation, determining a first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging range includes: acquiring the sampling rate corresponding to the ultrasound probe; determining the number of adapted sampling points for the ultrasound image based on the imaging range and the sampling rate; and determining the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the number of adapted sampling points.

[0010] The ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this embodiment of the invention, after obtaining the sampling rate corresponding to the ultrasound probe, determines the number of adaptive sampling points of the ultrasound image according to the imaging range and the sampling rate, and determines the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image according to the number of adaptive sampling points. Thus, while keeping the number of scan lines per frame unchanged, the number of sampling points is reduced according to the characteristic attributes of the target part, thereby improving the imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image.

[0011] In one optional implementation, determining a first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the number of adaptive sampling points includes: acquiring the initial imaging range and initial imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image; determining the initial number of sampling points of the ultrasound image based on the initial imaging range and sampling rate; and determining the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the initial number of sampling points, the initial imaging frame rate, and the number of adaptive sampling points.

[0012] The ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this invention, after acquiring the initial imaging range and initial imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image, determines the initial number of sampling points of the ultrasound image based on the acquired initial imaging range and sampling rate, and determines the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the initial number of sampling points, the initial imaging frame rate, and the number of adapted sampling points. This improves the acquisition efficiency by reducing the number of sampling points per line, matches the corresponding ultrasound probe motor speed, increases the imaging frame rate, and reduces the acquisition time of the ultrasound image, thereby improving the splicing phenomenon at the beginning and end of the image.

[0013] In one optional implementation, determining a second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on imaging parameters includes: determining the imaging time and reserved imaging time of the ultrasound image based on the imaging parameters; and determining the second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging time and reserved imaging time.

[0014] The ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this invention determines the imaging time and reserved imaging time of the ultrasound image according to the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe, and determines a second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging time and reserved imaging time. Thus, when the number of sampling points to be processed is reduced, the processing complexity of the relevant real-time function algorithm corresponding to the ultrasound probe can be reduced, and the algorithm time is reduced accordingly, so that the ultrasound device can process more image frames per unit time.

[0015] In one optional implementation, determining the target imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image based on a first imaging frame rate and a second imaging frame rate includes: comparing the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate to determine the minimum imaging frame rate between the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate; and determining the minimum imaging frame rate as the target imaging frame rate.

[0016] The ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this invention determines the minimum imaging frame rate by comparing a first imaging frame rate and a second imaging frame rate, and sets the minimum imaging frame rate as the target imaging frame rate. This ensures that when the imaging range is large, or when all relevant real-time function algorithms corresponding to the ultrasound probe are enabled, the frame rate set by the device can still be maintained. When the imaging range is small, or when some relevant real-time function algorithms are disabled, the imaging frame rate can be adaptively increased, thereby reducing the time interval between the first and last lines of each frame and improving the stitching phenomenon at the connection between the first and last lines of the image. Furthermore, with increased frame rate imaging, more ultrasound images can be obtained within the same time frame for the user to select from.

[0017] In one optional implementation, controlling the ultrasound probe to perform scanning imaging according to the target imaging frame rate includes: determining the actual number of sampling points of the ultrasound image and the motor speed corresponding to the ultrasound probe based on the target imaging frame rate; controlling the ultrasound probe to scan according to the actual number of sampling points and the motor speed to obtain the corresponding ultrasound image.

[0018] The ultrasonic probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this invention determines the actual number of sampling points of the ultrasonic image and the motor speed corresponding to the ultrasonic probe according to the target imaging frame rate. Then, it controls the ultrasonic probe to scan according to the actual number of sampling points and the motor speed to obtain the corresponding ultrasonic image. In this way, by increasing the ultrasonic image frame rate, the time interval between the first and last lines of each frame is reduced, and the splicing phenomenon at the connection between the first and last lines of the image is improved.

[0019] In one alternative implementation, the imaging parameters and imaging range are detected to see if they have changed; if it is determined that the imaging parameters and imaging range have changed, the target imaging frame rate is re-determined based on the changed imaging parameters and imaging range.

[0020] The ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this invention can actually detect changes in the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe and the imaging range of the ultrasound image. When it is determined that the imaging parameters and imaging range have changed, the target imaging frame rate is re-determined and adjusted.

[0021] In a second aspect, the present invention provides an ultrasound 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 ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate described in the first aspect or any corresponding embodiment thereof.

[0022] Thirdly, the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions for causing a computer to execute the ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate described in the first aspect or any corresponding embodiment thereof. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments or related technologies of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or related technologies 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 an ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating another ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of multithreaded processing according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating another ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a structural block diagram of an ultrasound probe control device based on imaging frame rate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of the ultrasound device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0030] 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.

[0031] The B-mode ultrasound image produced by the small ultrasound probe is a linear scanning mode. After imaging a single ultrasound line (information about body tissue in one direction), the probe is slightly deflected by a motor to emit ultrasound waves again, which are then received. This allows the acquisition of ultrasound information from another adjacent location, i.e., the spatial information of the corresponding body tissue. This emission and reception process is repeated, combined with a 360-degree high-speed rotation, to produce a complete B-mode ultrasound image with each rotation.

[0032] In the image processing and display of ultrasound images, the imaging range is an adjustable parameter. The image range is related to the acquired data; a larger display range requires more data acquisition and more algorithmic processing, resulting in greater hardware resource consumption. Furthermore, post-processing algorithms for the image further exacerbate hardware resource consumption. Traditionally, the real-time image frame rate is determined based on the application's maximum load, and this is used as a product parameter to set the corresponding motor speed.

[0033] With the ultrasonic probe motor speed set at 600 rpm (600 revolutions per minute), which translates to 10 revolutions per second, and one revolution constitutes one complete ultrasonic image frame, the ultrasonic image imaging frame rate is 10 frames / s (i.e., each image frame takes 0.1s). Taking 360 scan lines per frame as an example: under these parameters, it is equivalent to scanning once every 1° interval, with a scan cycle of 277.778us per line, and one image can be obtained every 100ms.

[0034] At the junction of each ultrasound image, the first line of the image is acquired at 1ms and the last line of the image is acquired at approximately 100ms, resulting in a time interval of about 100ms. Ideally, the first and last scan data should be in close physical positions. However, in reality, ultrasound probe jitter occurs, and this 100ms imaging time interval causes the ultrasound probe to jitter significantly, resulting in a noticeable splicing line at the junction of the images.

[0035] In view of this, the technical solution of the present invention determines the first imaging frame rate rate1 according to the current imaging range, and obtains the second imaging frame rate rate2 according to the enabling status of the corresponding algorithm function of the ultrasound probe (e.g., whether the image optimization algorithm is enabled, whether the real-time feature recognition algorithm is enabled) and the enabling status of real-time function (e.g., real-time video recording). The minimum imaging frame rate between rate1 and rate2 is taken as the target imaging frame rate, and the ultrasound probe is controlled to perform scanning imaging according to the target imaging frame rate. This effectively improves the imaging frame rate of ultrasound images, reduces the time interval between the first and last lines of each frame, improves the splicing phenomenon at the connection between the first and last lines of ultrasound images, and at the same time, more ultrasound images can be obtained in the same time to provide users with subsequent selection.

[0036] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an embodiment of an ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate 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.

[0037] This embodiment provides an ultrasonic probe control method based on imaging frame rate, which can be used in ultrasonic equipment. The ultrasonic equipment is equipped with a probe interface, and the ultrasonic probe is connected to the ultrasonic equipment through the probe interface to collect and transmit data. Figure 1 This is a flowchart of an ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the process includes the following steps.

[0038] Step S101: Obtain the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe and the imaging range of the ultrasound image.

[0039] Imaging parameters are used to characterize the activation status of corresponding functions of the ultrasound probe. Different functions activated by the ultrasound equipment have different imaging parameters. The ultrasound equipment can send the imaging parameters to the ultrasound probe to control the ultrasound probe to scan the target parts of the human body according to the imaging parameters. Specifically, the activation status of the ultrasound equipment's functions may include the activation status of image optimization algorithms, real-time feature recognition algorithms, real-time video recording, etc., which are not limited here.

[0040] Ultrasonic equipment can automatically recognize user selection commands and determine the activation status of various functions corresponding to the ultrasonic probe based on the selection commands. For example, if the user selects to enable real-time video recording on the display device corresponding to the ultrasonic equipment, the ultrasonic equipment will determine that the real-time video recording function of the ultrasonic probe is enabled based on the selection command.

[0041] Imaging range is used to characterize the display range of an ultrasound image. Specifically, it can be understood as the depth range of the ultrasound image. The depth range is an adjustable parameter. For example, according to the user's control instructions, the ultrasound equipment can adjust the depth range of the ultrasound image to 6cm, 4.5cm, 4cm, 3cm, 2cm, 1.5cm, etc.

[0042] Step S102: Based on the imaging range, determine the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image.

[0043] The first imaging frame rate is determined based on the imaging range of the ultrasound image, which determines how many complete ultrasound images the ultrasound device can generate per second. Specifically, the ultrasound device displays the actual situation of the ultrasound probe inside the human body on the corresponding display device, and receives the imaging range selected by the user based on the actual situation. Combining this with the initial configuration information carried by the ultrasound probe identified by the ultrasound device, the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image is calculated according to the ultrasound imaging algorithm.

[0044] Step S103: Based on the imaging parameters, determine the second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image.

[0045] The second imaging frame rate is determined based on the imaging parameters of the ultrasound probe, specifying how many complete ultrasound images the ultrasound device can generate per second. Specifically, after automatically recognizing the user's selection command, the ultrasound device can determine the activation status of each function corresponding to the ultrasound probe, i.e., determine the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe. The ultrasound device attempts to perform an algorithmic imaging process to obtain the current imaging time, and calculates the second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging time algorithm.

[0046] Step S104: Determine the target imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image based on the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate.

[0047] The target imaging frame rate is the actual imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image. Specifically, after the ultrasound device acquires the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate respectively, it can compare the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate and determine the minimum imaging frame rate of the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate as the target imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image. Alternatively, it can take the average of the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate and determine the calculated average imaging frame rate as the target imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image. No limitation is made here.

[0048] Step S105: Control the ultrasound probe to perform scanning imaging according to the target imaging frame rate.

[0049] The ultrasound equipment calculates the actual number of sampling points for the ultrasound image and the corresponding motor speed of the ultrasound probe based on the determined target imaging frame rate. It then sends the sampling point number parameters and speed parameters to the ultrasound probe, which performs scanning imaging based on these parameters to obtain the corresponding ultrasound image.

[0050] The ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this invention, after acquiring the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe and the imaging range of the ultrasound image, determines a first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging range of the ultrasound image, and determines a second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe. A target imaging frame rate for the ultrasound image is determined based on the first and second imaging frame rates, and the ultrasound probe is controlled to perform scanning imaging according to the target imaging frame rate. Therefore, the imaging frame rate can be dynamically adjusted according to the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe and the imaging range of the ultrasound image. When the imaging range is large, or when all relevant real-time function algorithms corresponding to the ultrasound probe are enabled, the frame rate set by the device can still be maintained; when the imaging range is small, or when some relevant real-time function algorithms are disabled, the imaging frame rate can be adaptively increased, thereby reducing the time interval between the first and last lines of each frame, improving the splicing phenomenon at the beginning and end of the image caused by ultrasound probe jitter and long time intervals. Simultaneously, with the increased frame rate imaging, more ultrasound images can be obtained within the same time period for the user to select from.

[0051] This embodiment provides an ultrasonic probe control method based on imaging frame rate, which can be used in ultrasonic equipment. The ultrasonic equipment is equipped with a probe interface, and the ultrasonic probe is connected to the ultrasonic equipment through the probe interface to collect and transmit data. Figure 2 This is a flowchart of an ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the process includes the following steps.

[0052] Step S201: Obtain the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe and the imaging range of the ultrasound image.

[0053] Specifically, step S201 includes:

[0054] Step S2011: Obtain the target area to be imaged.

[0055] The target area is the region that needs to be imaged by ultrasound, such as the stomach or intestines. When the ultrasound probe is applied to the human body, the display device of the ultrasound equipment can display the images of human tissue acquired by the ultrasound probe in real time, and determine the target area where the ultrasound probe is located based on the target recognition algorithm carried by the ultrasound equipment.

[0056] Step S2012: Based on the characteristic attributes of the target area, determine the imaging range that matches the target area.

[0057] The characteristic attributes are the structural information corresponding to the human body parts. Specifically, when the ultrasound device determines the target area where the ultrasound probe is located, it determines the imaging range that matches the target area based on the user's selection instructions. The user's selection instructions are the commands made by the user to select a matching imaging range on the ultrasound device based on the structural information corresponding to the target area.

[0058] Taking the intestines as an example, because the intestines are tortuously distributed in the human body, a small imaging range, such as 4 cm, is needed to determine lesions in the intestines. However, taking the stomach as another example, because the stomach has a hook-shaped distribution in the human body, the bottom of the stomach is not easily observed. Therefore, a larger imaging range, such as 6 cm, is needed to determine lesions in the stomach.

[0059] The ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this invention determines the imaging range matching the target area based on the characteristic attributes of the target area after acquiring the target area, thereby improving the accuracy of the imaging range and helping to determine the imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging range.

[0060] Step S202: Based on the imaging range, determine the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image.

[0061] Specifically, step S202 includes:

[0062] Step S2021: Obtain the sampling rate corresponding to the ultrasound probe.

[0063] The ultrasound equipment can identify the initial configuration information carried by the ultrasound probe. Specifically, the initial configuration information can be the ultrasound probe's factory information or the configuration information saved from the last use of the ultrasound probe. Based on the hardware parameter sampling rate included in the initial configuration information, the corresponding sampling rate of the ultrasound probe is determined. For example, it could be 100 MS / s, that is, 10 samples per second. 8 One point.

[0064] Step S2022: Determine the number of suitable sampling points for the ultrasound image based on the imaging range and sampling rate.

[0065] Once the imaging range of the ultrasound image and the sampling rate corresponding to the ultrasound probe are determined, the ultrasound equipment uses its built-in ultrasound imaging algorithm. The number of adaptive sampling points for the ultrasound image is calculated. Here, `pointnum` represents the number of adaptive sampling points for the ultrasound image, `depth` represents the depth range of the ultrasound image, `c_speed` is the speed of ultrasound propagation in the human body (typically 1500 m / s), and `samplerate` is the sampling rate. For example, when the depth range is 6 cm, according to the ultrasound imaging algorithm described above, the required number of adaptive sampling points is 8000; when the depth range is 4.5 cm, the required number of adaptive sampling points is 6000; and when the depth range is 1.5 cm, the required number of adaptive sampling points is 2000. That is, as the depth range decreases, the number of adaptive sampling points required for each line of data decreases.

[0066] Specifically, when it is necessary to determine the lesion information of the intestine, only a small imaging range is needed, such as 1.5cm. According to the ultrasound imaging algorithm mentioned above, the number of suitable sampling points required in this case is 2000. However, when it is necessary to determine the lesion information of the stomach, a larger imaging range is needed, such as 4.5cm. According to the ultrasound imaging algorithm mentioned above, the number of suitable sampling points required in this case is 6000.

[0067] Step S2023: Based on the number of adaptive sampling points, determine the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image.

[0068] Typically, ultrasound probes are factory-set with an initial depth range of 6 cm and an initial imaging frame rate of 10 frames / s, meaning each frame interval is 100 ms. Specifically, the ultrasound equipment calculates the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the initial depth range and initial imaging frame rate information carried by the ultrasound probe, combined with the determined number of adaptive sampling points.

[0069] The ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this embodiment of the invention, after obtaining the sampling rate corresponding to the ultrasound probe, determines the number of adaptive sampling points of the ultrasound image according to the imaging range and the sampling rate, and determines the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image according to the number of adaptive sampling points. Thus, while keeping the number of scan lines per frame unchanged, the number of sampling points is reduced according to the characteristic attributes of the target part, thereby improving the imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image.

[0070] In some optional implementations, step S2023 above includes:

[0071] Step a1: Obtain the initial imaging range and initial imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image.

[0072] Ultrasonic equipment can directly identify the factory information carried by the corresponding ultrasonic probe, such as the initial depth range of 6cm, the initial imaging frame rate of 10 frames / s, and the sampling rate of 100MS / s.

[0073] Step a2: Determine the initial number of sampling points for the ultrasound image based on the initial imaging range and sampling rate.

[0074] Ultrasonic equipment based on its onboard ultrasonic imaging algorithm The initial number of sampling points for the ultrasound image was calculated, i.e.

[0075] Step a3: Based on the initial number of sampling points, the initial imaging frame rate, and the number of adapted sampling points, determine the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image.

[0076] The ultrasound equipment can calculate the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image by using the initial number of sampling points, the initial imaging frame rate, and the number of adapted sampling points. For example, when the depth range is determined to be 1.5cm, the corresponding number of adaptive sampling points is determined to be 2000.

[0077] In the above implementation, after obtaining the initial imaging range and initial imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image, the initial number of sampling points of the ultrasound image is determined based on the obtained initial imaging range and sampling rate. Based on the initial number of sampling points, the initial imaging frame rate, and the number of matching sampling points, the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image is determined. This improves the acquisition efficiency by reducing the number of sampling points per line, matches the corresponding ultrasound probe motor speed, increases the imaging frame rate, and reduces the acquisition time of the ultrasound image, thereby improving the splicing phenomenon at the beginning and end of the image.

[0078] Step S203: Based on the imaging parameters, determine the second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image.

[0079] Specifically, step S203 includes:

[0080] Step S2031: Based on the imaging parameters, determine the imaging time and the reserved imaging time for the ultrasound image.

[0081] Due to limitations in ultrasound probe hardware resources, when the imaging frame rate is too high, in order to avoid the ultrasound endoscope system not being able to process quickly enough, the ultrasound equipment needs to determine the current imaging algorithm function and the real-time imaging function. For example, whether the image optimization algorithm is enabled, whether the image imaging algorithm enables multi-frame real-time imaging, whether the real-time feature recognition algorithm is enabled, and whether the real-time video recording function is enabled. Then, an algorithm imaging process is attempted to obtain the current algorithm time, and the current algorithm time is determined as the ultrasound image imaging time.

[0082] Furthermore, image imaging algorithms also include multi-frame real-time imaging, such as dual-frequency dual-frame real-time imaging, tri-frequency tri-frame real-time imaging, and so on. Taking dual-frequency probe dual-frame real-time imaging as an example, dual-frequency dual-frame real-time imaging means that one probe contains two ultrasonic transducers, also called a dual-frequency probe. The dual-frequency probe can be a combination of 40MHz / 20MHz, 40MHz / 12MHz, or 20MHz / 12MHz, etc., which will not be listed here. For dual-frequency probe imaging, the sampling rates of the two ultrasonic transducers can be the same or different. For example, the sampling rate of 40MHz probe 1 is 200MS / s, and the sampling rate of 12 / 20MHz probe 2 is 100MS / s. Figure 3 As shown, multi-threaded simultaneous processing is typically required. Thread 1 processes the image corresponding to ultrasonic transducer 1 using algorithms, while thread 2 processes the image corresponding to ultrasonic transducer 2 using algorithms. Data frame synchronization is then performed to ensure that the display of the ultrasonic equipment synchronously refreshes and displays image 1 (for ultrasonic transducer 1) and image 2 (for ultrasonic transducer 2). At this point, the ultrasonic equipment attempts one algorithmic imaging process to obtain the current algorithmic time 1 for ultrasonic transducer 1 and the current algorithmic time 2 for ultrasonic transducer 2. The longest possible time between these two times is determined, and the sum of this longest time and the data synchronization time is taken as the imaging time for the dual-frequency probe.

[0083] Imaging time reservation is a time set aside in advance for the imaging algorithm. This is understandable because the algorithm's processing time is not constant; the imaging time has a fluctuating value. Therefore, a certain amount of time needs to be reserved to prevent resource conflicts at any given moment from causing increased processing time and further anomalies. Specifically, the reserved time can be 20% of the imaging time, but this is not a fixed limit. For example, if the imaging time for an ultrasound image is determined to be 50ms, then the corresponding reserved time is 10ms.

[0084] Step S2032: Based on the imaging time and the reserved imaging time, determine the second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image.

[0085] Based on the determined imaging time and reserved imaging time, the ultrasound equipment calculates a second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image, namely... For example, when the imaging time is 50ms and the imaging time reserve is 50 × 20% = 10ms, it can be calculated that...

[0086] The ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this invention determines the imaging time and reserved imaging time of the ultrasound image according to the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe, and determines a second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging time and reserved imaging time. Thus, when the number of sampling points to be processed is reduced, the processing complexity of the relevant real-time function algorithm corresponding to the ultrasound probe can be reduced, and the algorithm time is reduced accordingly, so that the ultrasound device can process more image frames per unit time.

[0087] Step S204: Determine the target imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image based on the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate.

[0088] Specifically, step S204 includes:

[0089] Step S2041: Compare the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate to determine the minimum imaging frame rate between the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate.

[0090] Specifically, when the ultrasound equipment calculates that the first imaging frame rate is 40 frames / s and the second imaging frame rate is 16.67 frames / s, the minimum imaging frame rate between the first and second imaging frame rates is determined to be 16.67 frames / s.

[0091] Step S2042: Determine the minimum imaging frame rate as the target imaging frame rate.

[0092] Specifically, 16.67 frames / s was determined as the target imaging frame rate.

[0093] The ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this invention determines the minimum imaging frame rate by comparing a first imaging frame rate and a second imaging frame rate, and sets the minimum imaging frame rate as the target imaging frame rate. This ensures that when the imaging range is large, or when all relevant real-time function algorithms corresponding to the ultrasound probe are enabled, the frame rate set by the device can still be maintained. When the imaging range is small, or when some relevant real-time function algorithms are disabled, the imaging frame rate can be adaptively increased, thereby reducing the time interval between the first and last lines of each frame and improving the stitching phenomenon at the connection between the first and last lines of the image. Furthermore, with increased frame rate imaging, more ultrasound images can be obtained within the same time frame for the user to select from.

[0094] Step S205: Control the ultrasound probe to perform scanning imaging according to the target imaging frame rate.

[0095] Specifically, step S205 includes:

[0096] Step S2051: Based on the target imaging frame rate, determine the actual number of sampling points of the ultrasound image and the motor speed corresponding to the ultrasound probe.

[0097] When the target imaging frame rate is determined, the ultrasound equipment can calculate the actual number of sampling points for the ultrasound image by combining the determined initial number of sampling points and the initial imaging frame rate. Specifically, when the target imaging frame rate is 16.67 frames / s, the initial depth range is 6cm, and the initial imaging frame rate is 10 frames / s,

[0098] Since the motor speed corresponding to the ultrasonic probe is related to the number of ultrasonic image frames, that is, 1 frame of ultrasonic image corresponds to 1 motor revolution, the ultrasonic equipment can calculate that the motor speed corresponding to the ultrasonic probe is 16.67 × 60 = 1000 revolutions / min.

[0099] Step S2052: Control the ultrasonic probe to scan according to the actual number of sampling points and the motor speed to obtain the corresponding ultrasonic image.

[0100] Specifically, the ultrasound equipment scans based on the calculated actual number of sampling points (4800) and a motor speed of 1000 rpm to obtain the corresponding ultrasound images. That is, when the target imaging frame rate is 16.67 frames / s, the interval between each frame is 60ms, which shortens the imaging time of each frame compared to the initial interval of 100ms, effectively improving the splicing effect at the beginning and end of the image.

[0101] The ultrasonic probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this embodiment of the invention determines the actual number of sampling points of the ultrasonic image and the motor speed corresponding to the ultrasonic probe according to the target imaging frame rate, and then controls the ultrasonic probe to scan according to the actual number of sampling points and the motor speed to obtain the corresponding ultrasonic image. In this way, by increasing the ultrasonic image frame rate, the time interval between the first and last lines of each frame image is reduced, and the splicing phenomenon at the connection between the first and last lines of the image is improved.

[0102] This embodiment provides an ultrasonic probe control method based on imaging frame rate, which can be used in ultrasonic equipment. The ultrasonic equipment is equipped with a probe interface, and the ultrasonic probe is connected to the ultrasonic equipment through the probe interface to collect and transmit data. Figure 4 This is a flowchart of an ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the process includes the following steps.

[0103] Step S301: Obtain the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe and the imaging range of the ultrasound image. For details, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 Step S101 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0104] Step S302: Based on the imaging range, determine the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image. See details below. Figure 1 Step S102 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0105] Step S303: Based on the imaging parameters, determine the second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image. For details, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 Step S103 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0106] Step S304: Determine the target imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image based on the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate. See details below. Figure 1 Step S104 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0107] Step S305: Control the ultrasound probe to perform scanning imaging according to the target imaging frame rate. For details, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 Step S105 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0108] Step S306: Detect whether the imaging parameters and imaging range have changed.

[0109] The ultrasound equipment can detect imaging parameters and imaging range in real time and determine whether these parameters and range have changed. If a change in imaging parameters and imaging range is detected, step S307 is executed; otherwise, other operations are performed. These other operations may include continuing to detect imaging parameters and imaging range, or performing ultrasound scanning with unchanged imaging parameters and imaging range; no specific limitation is made here.

[0110] Step S307: When it is determined that the imaging parameters and imaging range have changed, the target imaging frame rate is re-determined based on the changed imaging parameters and imaging range.

[0111] If, during real-time imaging, operations such as changes in the imaging range, activation or deactivation of algorithm functions, or activation or deactivation of real-time functions occur, the target imaging frame rate is re-determined. For detailed explanations regarding the determination of the target imaging frame rate, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments; they will not be repeated here.

[0112] The ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate provided in this invention can actually detect changes in the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe and the imaging range of the ultrasound image. When it is determined that the imaging parameters and imaging range have changed, the target imaging frame rate is re-evaluated and adjusted.

[0113] This embodiment also provides an ultrasonic probe control device for implementing 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 devices described in the following embodiments are preferably implemented in software, hardware implementation, or a combination of software and hardware, is also possible and contemplated.

[0114] This embodiment provides an ultrasound probe control device based on imaging frame rate, such as... Figure 5 As shown, it includes:

[0115] The acquisition module 401 is used to acquire the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe and the imaging range of the ultrasound image.

[0116] The first determining module 402 is used to determine a first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging range.

[0117] The second determining module 403 is used to determine a second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on imaging parameters.

[0118] The third determining module 404 is used to determine the target imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image based on the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate.

[0119] The control module 405 is used to control the ultrasound probe to perform scanning imaging according to the target imaging frame rate.

[0120] In some alternative embodiments, the acquisition module 401 described above may include:

[0121] The first acquisition submodule is used to acquire the target area to be imaged.

[0122] The first determination submodule is used to determine the imaging range that matches the target region based on the characteristic attributes of the target region.

[0123] In some alternative embodiments, the first determining module 402 described above may include:

[0124] The second acquisition submodule is used to acquire the sampling rate corresponding to the ultrasound probe.

[0125] The second determining submodule is used to determine the number of appropriate sampling points for the ultrasound image based on the imaging range and sampling rate.

[0126] The third determination submodule is used to determine the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the number of adaptive sampling points.

[0127] In some alternative embodiments, the third determining submodule described above may include:

[0128] The acquisition unit is used to acquire the initial imaging range and initial imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image.

[0129] The first determining unit is used to determine the initial number of sampling points for the ultrasound image based on the initial imaging range and sampling rate.

[0130] The second determining unit is used to determine the first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the initial number of sampling points, the initial imaging frame rate, and the number of adapted sampling points.

[0131] In some alternative embodiments, the second determining module 403 described above may include:

[0132] The fourth determination submodule is used to determine the imaging time and reserved imaging time of the ultrasound image based on the imaging parameters.

[0133] The fifth determination submodule is used to determine the second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging time and the imaging reserved time.

[0134] In some alternative embodiments, the third determining module 404 described above may include:

[0135] The comparison submodule is used to compare the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate to determine the minimum imaging frame rate between the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate.

[0136] The minimum imaging frame rate is determined as the target imaging frame rate.

[0137] In some alternative embodiments, the control module 405 may include:

[0138] The seventh determination submodule is used to determine the actual number of sampling points of the ultrasound image and the motor speed corresponding to the ultrasound probe based on the target imaging frame rate.

[0139] The control submodule is used to control the ultrasonic probe to scan according to the actual number of sampling points and the motor speed to obtain the corresponding ultrasonic images.

[0140] In some alternative embodiments, the above-described apparatus may further include:

[0141] The detection module is used to detect whether the imaging parameters and imaging range have changed.

[0142] The fourth determination module is used to redetermine the target imaging frame rate based on the changed imaging parameters and imaging range when the determined imaging parameters and imaging range change.

[0143] Further functional descriptions of the above modules and units are the same as those in the corresponding embodiments described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0144] In this embodiment, the ultrasonic probe control device is presented in the form of a functional unit. Here, a unit refers to an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) circuit, a processor and memory that execute one or more software or fixed programs, and / or other devices that can provide the above functions.

[0145] The ultrasound probe control device based on imaging frame rate provided in this invention, after acquiring the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe and the imaging range of the ultrasound image, determines a first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging range of the ultrasound image, and determines a second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe. A target imaging frame rate for the ultrasound image is determined based on the first and second imaging frame rates, thereby controlling the ultrasound probe to perform scanning imaging according to the target imaging frame rate. Therefore, the imaging frame rate can be dynamically adjusted according to the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe and the imaging range of the ultrasound image. When the imaging range is large, or when all relevant real-time function algorithms corresponding to the ultrasound probe are enabled, the frame rate set by the device can still be maintained; when the imaging range is small, or when some relevant real-time function algorithms are disabled, the imaging frame rate can be adaptively increased, thereby reducing the time interval between the first and last lines of each frame, improving the splicing phenomenon at the connection between the first and last lines of the image caused by ultrasound probe jitter and long time intervals. Simultaneously, with the increased frame rate imaging, more ultrasound images can be obtained within the same time period for the user to select from.

[0146] This invention also provides an ultrasonic device having the above-described features. Figure 5 The ultrasonic probe control device shown is based on the imaging frame rate.

[0147] Please see Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ultrasonic device provided in an optional embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the ultrasound 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 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 ultrasound 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 6 Take a processor 10 as an example.

[0148] 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.

[0149] The memory 20 stores instructions executable by at least one processor 10 to cause the at least one processor 10 to perform the method shown in the above embodiments.

[0150] 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 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, and these remote memories may be connected to the ultrasound device via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, corporate intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0151] 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.

[0152] The ultrasound 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 6 Taking the example of a connection between China and Israel via a bus.

[0153] 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 device, such as a touch screen, keypad, mouse, trackpad, touchpad, indicator, 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.

[0154] 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.

[0155] 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 method for controlling an ultrasonic probe based on imaging frame rate, characterized in that, The method includes: Obtain the imaging parameters corresponding to the ultrasound probe and the imaging range of the ultrasound image; Determining a first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging range includes: acquiring the sampling rate corresponding to the ultrasound probe; determining the number of adapted sampling points for the ultrasound image based on the imaging range and the sampling rate; and determining a first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the number of adapted sampling points, including: acquiring the initial imaging range and the initial imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image; determining the initial number of sampling points for the ultrasound image based on the initial imaging range and the sampling rate; and determining a first imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the initial number of sampling points, the initial imaging frame rate, and the number of adapted sampling points. Determining a second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging parameters includes: determining the imaging time and reserved imaging time of the ultrasound image based on the imaging parameters; and determining a second imaging frame rate adapted to the ultrasound image based on the imaging time and the reserved imaging time. The target imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image is determined based on the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate. The ultrasound probe is controlled to perform scanning imaging according to the target imaging frame rate.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Obtaining the imaging range of the ultrasound image includes: Acquire the target area to be imaged; Based on the characteristic attributes of the target region, an imaging range matching the target region is determined.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the target imaging frame rate of the ultrasound image based on the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate includes: By comparing the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate, the minimum imaging frame rate between the first imaging frame rate and the second imaging frame rate is determined. The minimum imaging frame rate is determined as the target imaging frame rate.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of controlling the ultrasound probe to perform scanning imaging according to the target imaging frame rate includes: Based on the target imaging frame rate, determine the actual number of sampling points of the ultrasound image and the motor speed corresponding to the ultrasound probe; The ultrasonic probe is controlled to scan according to the actual number of sampling points and the motor speed to obtain the corresponding ultrasonic image.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Detect whether the imaging parameters and the imaging range have changed; When it is determined that the imaging parameters and the imaging range have changed, the target imaging frame rate is re-determined based on the changed imaging parameters and imaging range.

6. An ultrasonic device, characterized in that, include: The system includes a memory and a processor, which are communicatively connected to each other. The memory stores computer instructions, and the processor executes the computer instructions to perform the ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions for causing the computer to perform the ultrasound probe control method based on imaging frame rate as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

Images