Transducer control method of ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic imaging system

Abstract

The invention provides a transducer control method of an ultrasonic probe, which comprises the following steps: a plurality of elements of a transducer are controlled to emit ultrasonic signals at the same time, and the plurality of elements are arranged at intervals; detecting an echo signal of the ultrasonic signal transmitted by each of the plurality of primitives; and controlling an activation state of an imaging function of the transducer based on a detection result of the echo signal. The invention further provides an ultrasonic imaging system and a non-transient computer readable medium.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of medical imaging, and in particular to a method for controlling a transducer of an ultrasound probe, an ultrasound imaging system, and a non-transient computer-readable medium. Background Art

[0002] Ultrasonic imaging technology usually uses a probe to send ultrasonic signals to the part to be scanned and receive ultrasonic echo signals. Further, the echo signal is processed to obtain an ultrasonic image of the part to be scanned. Different ultrasonic transducers may be required for different parts to be scanned. For example, for scanning of superficial parts, high-frequency ultrasonic transducers are usually used to improve image resolution. For deeper parts to be scanned, such as internal organs, high-frequency ultrasonic transducers are no longer applicable due to insufficient penetration. At this time, lower-frequency ultrasonic transducers will be required to improve penetration.

[0003] In the current conventional workflow, users usually need to manually select ultrasonic transducers. For example, it is necessary to select the ultrasonic transducer to be used for ultrasonic imaging through human-computer interaction in the ultrasonic imaging system to activate it, and then use the activated ultrasonic transducer to perform ultrasonic imaging. If the transducer needs to be replaced during the scan, it is re-selected and activated in the ultrasonic imaging system. Although some solutions for automatically activating ultrasonic transducers have been proposed, the accuracy of automatic activation is difficult to be satisfactory compared to manual activation. During the ultrasonic scanning process, users are faced with various complex workflows such as applying coupling agent, moving the probe on the skin surface, and removing the probe from the skin surface, which reduces the accuracy of automatic activation and easily causes problems such as misactivation or non-activation. Summary of the invention

[0004] The above-mentioned deficiencies, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein and will be understood by reading and understanding the following description.

[0005] In some embodiments of the present application, a transducer control method for an ultrasound probe is provided, comprising: controlling multiple elements of the transducer to simultaneously emit ultrasound signals, wherein the multiple elements are arranged at intervals; detecting echo signals of the ultrasound signals emitted by each of the multiple elements; and controlling the activation state of the imaging function of the transducer based on the detection results of the echo signals.

[0006] Some embodiments of the present application provide an ultrasound imaging system, comprising: an ultrasound probe and a processor. The ultrasound probe comprises a transducer. The processor is configured to execute the following method: controlling a plurality of primitives of the transducer to simultaneously transmit ultrasound signals, wherein the plurality of primitives are arranged at intervals; detecting an echo signal of the ultrasound signal transmitted by each of the plurality of primitives; and controlling the activation state of the imaging function of the transducer based on the detection result of the echo signal.

[0007] Some embodiments of the present application also provide a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program having at least one code segment, and the at least one code segment can be executed by a machine so that the machine performs the steps of the following transducer control method of an ultrasound probe: controlling multiple elements of the transducer to simultaneously emit ultrasound signals, wherein the multiple elements are spaced apart; detecting echo signals of the ultrasound signals emitted by each of the multiple elements; and controlling the activation state of the imaging function of the transducer based on the detection result of the echo signal.

[0008] It should be understood that the brief description above is provided to introduce some concepts further described in the detailed description in a simplified form. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is solely defined by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages mentioned above or in any section of this disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The present application will be better understood by reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an ultrasound imaging system according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0011] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a transducer control method of an ultrasound probe in some embodiments of the present application;

[0012] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a transducer including multiple primitives in some embodiments of the present application;

[0013] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a transducer control method of an ultrasound probe in some other embodiments of the present application;

[0014] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a wireless ultrasound probe in some embodiments of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below. It should be noted that in the specific description of these embodiments, in order to be concise and concise, the present invention cannot provide a detailed description of all the features of the actual embodiments. It should be understood that in the actual implementation of any embodiment, just as in the process of any engineering project or design project, in order to achieve the specific goals of the developer and to meet system-related or business-related restrictions, various specific decisions are often made, and this will also change from one embodiment to another. In addition, it can also be understood that although the efforts made in this development process may be complex and lengthy, for ordinary technicians in the field related to the content disclosed by the present invention, some changes such as design, manufacturing or production based on the technical content disclosed in the present disclosure are just conventional technical means, and should not be understood as the content of the present disclosure is insufficient.

[0016] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the claims and the specification shall have the usual meanings understood by persons with ordinary skills in the relevant technical field. The words "first", "second" and similar words used in the present invention and the claims do not indicate any order, quantity or importance, but are only used to distinguish different components. Words such as "one" or "a" do not indicate a quantitative limitation, but indicate the existence of at least one. Words such as "include" or "comprise" and similar words mean that the elements or objects appearing before "include" or "comprises" include the elements or objects listed after "include" or "comprises" and their equivalent elements, and do not exclude other elements or objects. The words "connected" or "connected" and the like are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, or to direct or indirect connections.

[0017] Figure 1 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an ultrasound imaging system 100. The ultrasound imaging system 100 may include a host 101 and an ultrasound probe 126. The ultrasound probe 126 is connected to the host 101 via a link 110. Further, the host 101 may include a controller circuit 102 connected to a communication circuit 104, a display device 138, a user interface 142, and a memory 106.

[0018] The controller circuit 102 is configured to control the operation of the ultrasound imaging system 100. The controller circuit 102 may include one or more processors. Optionally, the controller circuit 102 may include a central processing unit (CPU), one or more microprocessors, a graphics processing unit (GPU), or any other electronic component capable of processing input data according to specific logic instructions. Optionally, the controller circuit 102 may include and / or represent one or more hardware circuits or circuit systems, which include, connect, or include and connect one or more processors, controllers, and / or other hardware logic-based devices. Additionally or alternatively, the controller circuit 102 may execute instructions stored on a tangible and non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 106).

[0019] The controller circuit 102 may be connected to and / or control the communication circuit 104. The communication circuit 104 is configured to receive and / or transmit information along a bidirectional communication link with one or more optional ultrasound imaging systems, remote servers, etc. The remote server may represent a remotely stored medical image including patient information, machine learning algorithms, previous scans and / or treatments of the patient, etc. The communication circuit 104 may represent hardware for transmitting and / or receiving data along a bidirectional communication link. The communication circuit 104 may include a transceiver, a receiver, a transceiver, etc., and associated circuit systems (e.g., antennas) for communicating (e.g., transmitting and / or receiving) in a wired and / or wireless manner with the one or more optional ultrasound imaging systems, remote servers, etc. For example, protocol firmware for transmitting and / or receiving data along a bidirectional communication link may be stored in a memory 106 accessed by the controller circuit 102. The protocol firmware provides the controller circuit 102 with a network protocol grammar to assemble data packets, build and / or segment data received along a bidirectional communication link, etc.

[0020] The bidirectional communication link may be a wired (e.g., via physical conductors) and / or wireless communication (e.g., utilizing radio frequency (RF)) link for exchanging data (e.g., data packets) between the one or more alternative ultrasound imaging systems, remote servers, etc. The bidirectional communication link may be based on a standard communication protocol, such as Ethernet, TCP / IP, WiFi, 802.11, a custom communication protocol, Bluetooth, etc.

[0021] The controller circuit 102 is operably connected to a display device 138 and a user interface 142. The display device 138 may include one or more liquid crystal display devices (e.g., light emitting diode (LED) backlights), organic light emitting diode (OLED) display devices, plasma display devices, CRT display devices, etc. The display device 138 may display patient information, one or more medical images and / or videos, a graphical user interface or component, one or more 2D, 3D, or 4D ultrasound image data sets from ultrasound data stored in the memory 106, or currently acquired anatomical measurements, diagnoses, processing information, etc., received by the display device 138 from the controller circuit 102.

[0022] The user interface 142 controls the operation of the controller circuit 102 and the ultrasound imaging system 100. The user interface 142 is configured to receive input from a clinician and / or an operator of the ultrasound imaging system 100. The user interface 142 may include a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a touchpad, one or more physical buttons, and the like. Alternatively, the display device 138 may be a touch screen display device that includes at least a portion of the user interface 142. For example, a portion of the user interface 142 may correspond to a graphical user interface (GUI) generated by the controller circuit 102 and displayed on the display device 138. The touch screen display device may detect the presence of a touch from an operator on the display device 138, and may also identify the location of the touch relative to the surface area of ​​the display device 138. For example, a user may select one or more user interface components of the user interface (GUI) displayed on the display device by touching or contacting the display device 138. The user interface components may correspond to icons, text boxes, menu bars, and the like displayed on the display device 138. The user interface components may be selected, manipulated, utilized, interacted with, and the like by a clinician to instruct the controller circuit 102 to perform one or more operations as described herein. For example, the touch may be applied by at least one of a person's hand, a glove, a stylus, and the like.

[0023] Continue to refer Figure 1, the ultrasound imaging system 100 may include an ultrasound probe 126. The ultrasound probe 126 may include components such as a transducer, a transmitter, a transmit beamformer, and a detector / SAP electronic component (not shown). The detector / SAP electronic component may be used to control the switching of the transducer elements. The detector / SAP electronic component may also be used to group the transducer elements into one or more sub-holes. The configuration of the ultrasound probe 126 will also be described exemplarily below. Among them, the ultrasound probe 126 may be any type of probe, including a linear probe, a curved array probe, a 1.25D array, a 1.5D array, a 1.75D array, or a 2D array probe. According to a preferred embodiment of the present application, the ultrasound probe 126 may be a probe for volume imaging. For example, it may be an electronic 4D (E4D) probe. In addition, it may also be a mechanical probe, such as a mechanical 4D probe or a hybrid probe. The ultrasound probe 126 may be used to collect 4D ultrasound data, which contains information about how the volume changes over time, and after processing, a volume ultrasound image related to the part to be imaged may be obtained. It will be appreciated that each volume may include multiple 2D images or slices, and accordingly, the controller circuit may select the desired 2D image from the volumetric ultrasound image.

[0024] The ultrasound probe 126 can be configured to acquire ultrasound data or information from a patient's tissue to be imaged (e.g., organs such as a breast, heart, and corresponding skin surfaces outside the organs, etc.). The ultrasound probe 126 is communicatively connected to the controller circuit via a transmitter. The transmitter transmits a signal to a transmit beamformer based on an acquisition setting received by the controller circuit 102. The acquisition setting can define the amplitude, pulse width, frequency, gain setting, scanning angle, power, time gain compensation (TGC), resolution, etc. of the ultrasound pulses emitted by the transducer. The transducer transmits a pulsed ultrasound signal into the patient (e.g., body). The acquisition setting can be defined by a user operating the user interface 142. The signal transmitted by the transmitter then drives the transducer.

[0025] The transducer may include a plurality of primitives arranged in an array. The primitives include piezoelectric materials to achieve mutual conversion of electrical energy and mechanical vibration. The transducer uses the primitives to transmit pulsed ultrasound signals into a body (e.g., a patient) or volume corresponding to the acquisition settings along one or more scanning planes. The ultrasound signal may include, for example, one or more reference pulses, one or more push pulses (e.g., shear waves), and / or one or more pulsed wave Doppler pulses. At least a portion of the pulsed ultrasound signal is backscattered from the tissue to be imaged (e.g., organs, bones, heart, breast tissue, liver tissue, heart tissue, prostate tissue, neonatal brain, embryo, abdomen, etc.) to produce echoes. Depending on the depth or movement, the echo is delayed in time and / or frequency and received by the transducer. The ultrasound signal can be used for imaging, for generating and / or tracking shear waves, for measuring changes in position or velocity within anatomical structures, differences in compression displacement of tissues (e.g., strain), and / or for treatment and other purposes. For example, the ultrasound probe 126 may deliver low energy pulses during imaging and tracking, deliver medium and high energy pulses to generate shear waves, and deliver high energy pulses during treatment.

[0026] The transducer recycles the primitives to convert the received echo signals into electrical signals that can be received by the receiver. The receiver may include one or more amplifiers, analog / digital converters (ADCs), etc. The receiver may be configured to amplify the received echo signals after appropriate gain compensation, and convert these analog signals received from each transducer element into digitized signals sampled uniformly in time. The digitized signals representing the received echoes are temporarily stored in the memory 106. The digitized signals correspond to the backscattered waves received by each transducer element at different times. After digitization, the signal can still retain the amplitude, frequency, and phase information of the backscattered waves.

[0027] Alternatively, the controller circuit 102 may retrieve the digitized signal stored in the memory 106 for use by the beamformer processor. For example, the controller circuit 102 may convert the digitized signal to a baseband signal or compress the digitized signal.

[0028] In some embodiments, the controller circuit 102 may also include a beamforming processor. The beamformer processor may include one or more processors. Optionally, the beamformer processor may include a central processing unit (CPU), one or more microprocessors, or any other electronic component capable of processing input data according to specific logic instructions. Additionally or alternatively, the beamformer processor may execute instructions stored on a tangible and non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 106) to perform beamforming calculations using any suitable beamforming method, such as adaptive beamforming, synthetic transmit focusing, aberration correction, synthetic aperture, clutter suppression, and / or adaptive noise control, etc.

[0029] In some embodiments, the controller circuit 102 may also include a radio frequency (RF) processor. The beamformer processor performs beamforming on the digitized signals of the transducer elements and outputs an RF signal. The RF signal is then provided to the RF processor that processes the RF signal. The RF processor may include one or more processors. As required, the RF processor may include a central processing unit (CPU), one or more microprocessors, or any other electronic component capable of processing input data according to specific logic instructions. Additionally or alternatively, the RF processor may execute instructions stored on a tangible and non-temporary computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 106). Optionally, the RF processor may be integrated with the controller circuit 102 and / or as part of the controller circuit. For example, operations described as being performed by the RF processor may be configured to be performed by the controller circuit 102.

[0030] The RF processor may generate different ultrasound image data types and / or modes for multiple scan planes or different scan modes based on the predetermined settings of the first model, such as B-mode, color Doppler (e.g., color blood flow, velocity / power / variance), tissue Doppler (velocity), and Doppler energy. For example, the RF processor may generate tissue Doppler data for multiple scan planes. The RF processor collects information related to multiple data slices (e.g., I / Q, B-mode, color Doppler, tissue Doppler, and Doppler energy information) and stores the data information in the memory 106, which may include timestamps and orientation / rotation information.

[0031] Optionally, the RF processor may include a complex demodulator (not shown) that demodulates the RF signal to form an IQ data pair representing the echo signal. The RF or IQ signal data may then be provided directly to the memory 106 for storage (e.g., temporary storage). Optionally, the output of the beamformer processor may be communicated directly to the controller circuit 102.

[0032] The controller circuit 102 may be configured to process the acquired ultrasound data (e.g., RF signal data or IQ data pairs) and prepare and / or generate ultrasound image data frames representing anatomical structures of interest for display on the display device 138. The acquired ultrasound data may be processed by the controller circuit 102 in real time as echo signals are received during a scanning or treatment procedure for an ultrasound examination. Additionally or alternatively, the ultrasound data may be temporarily stored in the memory 106 during the scanning procedure and processed in a less real-time manner in an on-the-go or off-line operation.

[0033] The memory 106 may be used to store processed frames of acquired ultrasound data that are not intended for immediate display, or to store post-processed images (e.g., shear wave images, strain images), firmware or software corresponding to, for example, a graphical user interface, one or more default image display settings, programmed instructions, and the like. The memory 106 may store medical images such as 3D ultrasound image data sets of ultrasound data, where such 3D ultrasound image data sets are accessed to present 2D and 3D images. For example, the 3D ultrasound image data sets may be mapped into the corresponding memory 106 and one or more reference planes. The processing of ultrasound data including the ultrasound image data sets may be based in part on user input, such as a user selection received at the user interface 142.

[0034] The memory 106 includes parameters, algorithms, one or more ultrasound examination protocols, data values, etc. used by the controller circuit 102 to perform one or more operations described in the present application. The memory 106 can be a tangible and non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as a flash memory, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, etc. The memory 106 may include a set of learning algorithms (such as a convolutional neural network algorithm, a deep learning algorithm, a decision tree learning algorithm, etc.) configured to define an image analysis algorithm. When executing the image analysis algorithm, the controller circuit 102 is configured to identify a section (or view, anatomical plane) of an anatomical structure of interest in the medical image. Optionally, the image analysis algorithm can be received by the communication circuit 104 along one of the two-way communication links and stored in the memory 106. It can be understood that the anatomical structure of interest can be a specific anatomical feature in the part to be scanned, for example, it can be a muscle, a blood vessel, a tissue to be intervened (such as a tumor), etc.

[0035] The above describes the functions and cooperation modes of the various components of the ultrasound imaging system 100 by way of example. It can be understood that those skilled in the art can also adjust the configuration mode of the ultrasound imaging system 100 based on the above teachings of the present disclosure. The specific implementation mode of the host 101, the ultrasound probe 126 and the link 110 of the ultrasound imaging system 100 is described by way of example below.

[0036] In some embodiments, the ultrasound probe 126 may be a wired probe. Accordingly, the link 110 may be a cable connecting the ultrasound probe 126 and the host 101. The ultrasound probe 126 includes a cable and a probe connector. The probe connector is used to be detachably connected to the connector socket on the host 101. At this time, the cable as the link 110 can also provide power input for the ultrasound probe 126 and be used for signal transmission. In addition, the ultrasound probe 126 can also be fixedly connected to the host 101 through a cable without the need for a probe connector.

[0037] In some other embodiments, the ultrasonic probe 126 may be a wireless probe. A battery may be built into the wireless probe to provide power for the ultrasonic probe 126 to perform ultrasonic scanning. The wireless probe communicates with the host 101 through any wireless connection method in the art such as WiFi, Bluetooth, etc., for example, communicating with the communication circuit 104. In addition, some other functions may be integrated inside the wireless probe. For example, a beam synthesizer may be included to process the ultrasonic echo signal to a certain extent, thereby reducing the amount of data transmission and improving the data transmission effect. In addition, a processor may be integrated inside the wireless probe for data processing or even imaging. In this case, the wireless probe as a whole can be regarded as an ultrasonic imaging system.

[0038] In some embodiments, the host 101 can be a desktop ultrasound host. The desktop host can include a probe connector socket for physical connection with the ultrasound probe 126. Generally, the probe connector socket can include multiple ones, and accordingly, the ultrasound probe 126 can also include multiple ones that are simultaneously connected to the probe connector sockets in actual use. When performing an ultrasound scan, the user can select a suitable ultrasound probe 126 according to the actual scanning conditions. In addition, the desktop host can also have a wireless transceiver module, for example, a wireless transceiver module integrated in the communication circuit 104, for signal transmission with the wireless ultrasound probe 126. In addition, the host 101 can also be a portable ultrasound host. The portable ultrasound host is lighter and therefore provides convenience in use.

[0039] In another embodiment, the host 101 can be a portable electronic device for use with a wireless probe. For example, the host 101 can be a non-dedicated ultrasound device such as a smart phone or a tablet computer. These non-dedicated ultrasound devices integrate ultrasound imaging functions, for example, by installing ultrasound imaging-related applications, and can be used for ultrasound imaging. In the process of performing ultrasound imaging, the processor, user interface, display and other components of the non-dedicated ultrasound device itself can be called to perform the functions of the host 101 in the ultrasound imaging system 100.

[0040] The inventors have found that when a user uses an ultrasonic probe for ultrasonic scanning, he usually needs to first select the ultrasonic probe that needs to be activated on the host computer, and then perform the ultrasonic scanning. The operation of probe selection not only adds extra workload, but also for novices who are not familiar with the ultrasonic imaging system, errors may occur in selecting the ultrasonic probe that really needs to be activated. Some prior arts have proposed solutions for automatically identifying ultrasonic probes or transducers that need to be activated. However, automatic identification may require the introduction of additional sensors, thereby increasing the complexity of the equipment. More importantly, ultrasonic probes are usually faced with complex usage environments, such as various tilt angles, motion postures, etc. The accuracy of automatic identification will be greatly affected.

[0041] At least in order to solve the above problems, improvements are proposed in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 2 , shows a transducer control method 200 of an ultrasonic probe in some embodiments of the present application. Among them, the type and specific setting method of the ultrasonic probe and its transducer are those described in any embodiment of this document.

[0042] In step 201, multiple primitives of the transducer are controlled to emit ultrasonic signals simultaneously. Wherein, the multiple primitives are all arranged at intervals. This step can be performed by a processor. For example, it can be performed by the processor in the host 101 described in the above embodiment or the processor in the ultrasonic probe 126. Wherein, the transducer may include a primitive array composed of many primitives. And the above-mentioned multiple primitives can be selected from the primitive array and belong to a part of the primitive array. And the multiple primitives are all arranged at intervals. Interval setting means that the multiple primitives are not continuous, and other primitives that are not used to control the activation of the imaging function of the transducer are spaced in the middle. Such a configuration method can, on the one hand, affect the functions of other primitives in the transducer as little as possible, for example, the imaging function of the primitive used for imaging. On the other hand, it can also make the control of the activation state of the transducer imaging function in this embodiment more accurate.

[0043] In step 203, the echo signal of the ultrasonic signal emitted by each of the plurality of primitives is detected. This process can also be controlled by a processor. Specifically, within a period of time after each of the plurality of primitives emits an ultrasonic signal, the processor uses the plurality of primitives to receive whether the ultrasonic signal has an echo signal. It can be understood that there may be multiple situations in the above receiving process. For example, each of the plurality of primitives can receive an echo signal, which shows that the plurality of primitives have achieved good acoustic coupling. At the same time, since the plurality of primitives are dispersed in the transducer, the above results will be more able to reflect the overall acoustic coupling of the entire transducer of the ultrasonic probe. For another example, some of the plurality of primitives can receive echo signals and some cannot receive echo signals, which shows that some of the plurality of primitives have good acoustic coupling and some do not have good acoustic coupling. Or, none of the primitives receive echo signals, which shows that the entire probe does not have good acoustic coupling.

[0044] In step 205, the activation state of the imaging function of the transducer is controlled based on the detection result of the echo signal. Specifically, the processor determines the acoustic coupling state of the transducer at this time according to the result of the echo signal received by each of the plurality of primitives, and further determines whether the transducer is in full contact with the surface to be scanned and whether the user intends to use the transducer for ultrasonic scanning. If so, the activation of the imaging function of the transducer is controlled. If not, the imaging function of the transducer is controlled not to be activated.

[0045] Such a configuration can realize the rapid and accurate activation judgment of the transducer where the multiple primitives are located. Specifically, compared with external devices such as angular velocity sensors, acceleration sensors, gyroscopes, etc., the embodiments of the present application have higher accuracy and do not increase additional costs. The additional sensors not only increase the cost, but also easily cause misjudgment in the face of complex scanning environments, such as the user's rapid movement of the handheld ultrasonic probe, angle adjustment and other operating conditions. In the scheme of the present application, the multiple primitives used to assist in judging whether to activate the transducer are themselves part of the ultrasonic probe primitive array, and no additional component costs will be added. In addition, the primitives selected for auxiliary judgment are dispersed and spaced from each other, so that such a judgment method can be more representative and less prone to misjudgment. For example, in some cases, when the user accidentally touches part of the transducer primitive with a finger, the touched primitive will be able to receive an echo signal. At this time, if the transducer is only judged by whether or not the echo signal is received to determine whether it is being used, an incorrect conclusion will be drawn. In the embodiment of the present application, echo signals of a plurality of primitives distributed at intervals are used for comprehensive judgment, which can eliminate unexpected misoperations and make the judgment result more accurate.

[0046] The following is an exemplary description of how to control the activation state of the imaging function of the transducer based on the detection result of the echo signal.

[0047] In some embodiments, in response to the detection of the echo signal of the ultrasonic signal emitted by more than two of the multiple primitives, the imaging primitive of the transducer can be controlled to send and receive the ultrasonic signal to activate the imaging function. This process can be implemented by a processor. Specifically, the processor can make the following judgment after detecting whether each of the multiple primitives receives the echo signal: if the signals emitted by more than two of the multiple primitives can generate echo signals, the imaging function is activated at this time. The signals of more than two primitives can have echo signals, which shows that the two or more primitives have achieved good acoustic coupling. At the same time, since each of the multiple primitives is arranged at intervals, the good acoustic coupling of more than two primitives can represent to a greater extent whether the entire ultrasonic probe is coupled to the surface of the part to be scanned, and such a scheme can exclude the situation where some primitives generate acoustic coupling due to accidental touch. It can be understood that the imaging primitive and the multiple primitives can belong to the entire primitive array of the transducer without the need for additional structural design. The activation of the imaging function is any method of imaging using an ultrasonic probe in the art, which will not be repeated in this application.

[0048] In some embodiments, the two or more primitives include the two primitives that are farthest from the multiple primitives. That is, although the processor can select all of the multiple primitives for auxiliary judgment and activation control, in an optional embodiment, a portion of the multiple primitives can also be selected, for example, at least the two farthest from the multiple primitives are selected. Such a setting can ensure that a portion of the multiple primitives are selected in time for echo signal detection, and can also ensure the representativeness of the selection as much as possible. The judgment of the acoustic coupling state of the two farthest primitives can more accurately reflect the acoustic coupling state of the entire transducer. In particular, compared with two primitives that are close to each other, even if the two relatively close primitives (for example, primitives on the same side) have good acoustic coupling, it may be that only one side of the ultrasonic probe is close to the surface of the part to be scanned, and the overall fitting state cannot be reflected at this time.

[0049] In an alternative embodiment, in response to the detection of the echo signal of the ultrasonic signal emitted by one or less primitives in the plurality of primitives, the imaging primitives of the transducer are controlled not to send or receive the ultrasonic signal so as not to activate the imaging function. Specifically, the processor can make the following judgment after detecting whether each of the plurality of primitives receives the echo signal: if only the signal emitted by one or less primitives in the plurality of primitives can generate the echo signal, the imaging function is not activated at this time. For example, when the ultrasonic signal of only one primitive in the plurality of primitives can generate the echo, it may be due to the operation of the user applying the acoustic coupling agent, etc., and such a situation does not represent the user's true intention to activate the ultrasonic probe. Alternatively, when the ultrasonic signal of none of the plurality of primitives generates the echo, it means that the probe does not have any acoustic coupling at this time. At this time, the processor can control the imaging primitives in the transducer not to transmit and receive the ultrasonic signal. Such a configuration can quickly judge whether to activate the imaging function in a way that saves power. Especially when using a wireless probe for ultrasonic scanning, such a configuration can save power for the wireless probe as much as possible, thereby increasing the battery life of the probe.

[0050] In some embodiments, the multiple primitives are different from the imaging primitives. That is, the multiple primitives used for auxiliary activation of the imaging function and the imaging primitives are different in the primitive array. The multiple primitives for auxiliary activation are not used for imaging, and the primitives for imaging are not used for auxiliary activation functions. Such a setting can, on the one hand, ensure stable ultrasonic imaging quality, and on the other hand, it can also be selected to use the multiple primitives for real-time judgment of acoustic coupling while using the imaging primitives for ultrasonic imaging, thereby adjusting the activation state of the transducer in real time.

[0051] It can be understood that the above-mentioned different imaging function control modes can be selected arbitrarily, and can also be freely combined and used simultaneously.

[0052] The following is an exemplary description of the configuration of the multiple primitives used to assist in controlling whether the imaging function of the ultrasound probe is activated in this application. Figure 3 , showing a schematic diagram of a transducer 300 including multiple primitives in some embodiments of the present application.

[0053] like Figure 3 As shown, the transducer 300 includes an array of primitives. The plurality of primitives 301, 302, 303, 304 described above are used to activate the imaging function of the auxiliary control transducer 300 described in any of the above embodiments. The specific control method is described in any of the embodiments herein and will not be repeated here.

[0054] The positions of the plurality of primitives 301-304 may be arranged as follows: Figure 3 As shown, the plurality of primitives 301-304 are arranged at intervals at the edge of the contour 311 of the transducer 300. Such an arrangement can make the selection of the plurality of primitives more representative, and can accurately reflect whether the entire transducer 300 has achieved the desired acoustic coupling and whether the user has decided to use the transducer 300 for ultrasonic scanning. On the other hand, since the plurality of primitives 301-304 are arranged at the edge of the contour 311 rather than in the middle, even if they are not used for subsequent imaging functions, that is, even if their echo signals are not used for ultrasonic imaging, they will not have a significant impact on the quality of the ultrasonic image.

[0055] In some embodiments, the outline 311 of the transducer 300 is a polygonal structure, and at least some of the plurality of primitives 301-304 are disposed at a plurality of vertices of the polygonal structure. Figure 3 The outline 311 of the transducer 300 may be a quadrilateral structure, and accordingly, the quadrilateral structure has four vertices. A plurality of primitives 301-304 may be respectively arranged on the four vertices of the above-mentioned polygonal structure. In this configuration, only a small number of primitives on the polygonal vertices are used to determine the state of acoustic coupling, which can accurately represent the acoustic coupling of the entire transducer 300, thereby saving power consumption and not affecting the imaging function.

[0056] In addition, the above describes that whether to activate the imaging function of the transducer is determined by the echo signal acceptance conditions of more than two of the plurality of primitives. Figure 3 As described above, in some embodiments, the imaging function may be activated in response to the detection of echo signals of ultrasonic signals emitted by two or more primitives among the plurality of primitives, and the two or more primitives include the two primitives that are farthest from each other among the plurality of primitives. Figure 3 For example, the two primitives with the farthest distance may be primitive 301 and primitive 303. Primitive 301 and primitive 303 are respectively arranged at the diagonal vertices of the polygonal outline 311. Such an arrangement can reduce the possibility of misjudgment to a greater extent, because the two primitives 301 and 303 at the diagonal vertices can represent the acoustic coupling of the entire transducer as much as possible, avoiding misjudgment caused by acoustic coupling of only a small part of the transducer.

[0057] In the above embodiment, it is also described that the plurality of primitives used to determine whether to activate the imaging function are different from the primitives used for imaging. Figure 3For example, a plurality of primitives 301-304 are used for assisting in controlling the activation of the imaging function of the transducer 300 described in any of the above embodiments, and a plurality of imaging primitives 305 different from the primitives 301-304 are used for imaging. Such a separate arrangement has many advantages. For example, a small number of primitives are used for assisting in controlling the activation of the imaging function. When the imaging function is not activated, only a small number of primitives are in working order, which can save power as much as possible and avoid transducer aging. Moreover, the functions of the primitives 301-304 and the imaging primitives 305 are separate and are not affected by each other, which can ensure the continuity of the auxiliary judgment of whether the imaging function is activated and the continuity of the ultrasonic imaging itself.

[0058] Understandably, Figure 3 The case of a quadrilateral outline 311 is shown. However, the shape of the transducer 300 can also be other shapes known in the art. In addition, the number and position of primitives can also be adjusted to a certain extent under the teachings of the present disclosure. For example, the primitives for auxiliary judgment can be set at the vertices of the polygon, and can also be set on the sides of the polygon. Alternatively, they can be set on some vertices instead of all vertices.

[0059] In addition to being able to determine whether to activate the imaging function of the transducer, some embodiments of the present application also provide a method for controlling the imaging function during the imaging process. Figure 4 , shows a transducer control method 400 of an ultrasound probe in some other embodiments of the present application.

[0060] In step 401, after the imaging function of the transducer is activated, ultrasonic imaging is performed using the transducer. The manner of activating the imaging function may be as described in any embodiment of the present application and will not be repeated. When ultrasonic imaging is performed using the transducer, the primitive used for imaging may be independent of the primitive used for activating the imaging function, so that the imaging function will not be affected by the activation function.

[0061] In step 403, during the ultrasound imaging process, the plurality of primitives are continuously controlled to simultaneously transmit ultrasound signals and detect the echo signals. As described above, the embodiment of the present application enables the imaging function and the detection function to be performed simultaneously, thereby providing timely auxiliary information for the activation state switching of the ultrasound probe transducer.

[0062] In step 405, the ultrasonic imaging is controlled based on the detection result of the echo signal. With such a configuration, the detection result of the echo signal can not only be used to assist in determining whether to deactivate the imaging function of the transducer, but also provide timely and effective guidance during the imaging process, further saving the user's workflow. For example, in the process of a user using an ultrasonic probe for imaging, usually, a change in the scanning site usually requires moving the ultrasonic probe from one position to another on the skin surface, and the end of the scan usually requires removing the ultrasonic probe from the skin surface. In an embodiment of the present application, the use of the ultrasonic probe can be monitored in real time so that the progress and stop of ultrasonic imaging can be controlled in a timely manner.

[0063] The following is an exemplary description of how to control the ultrasonic imaging based on the detection result of the echo signal.

[0064] In some embodiments, in response to a decrease in the number of primitives in which echo signals can be detected among the multiple primitives, the ultrasonic imaging is continued and an alarm message is generated. The configuration of the multiple primitives has been described in detail above. Generally, a decrease in the number of primitives in which echo signals can be detected means a decrease in the acoustic coupling effect. The inventors realize that this situation may occur because the user inadvertently moves the probe, resulting in insufficient close contact between the transducer and the surface to be scanned. At this time, if the ultrasonic imaging is stopped, the scanning efficiency may be reduced. In an embodiment of the present application, when this situation occurs, on the one hand, ultrasonic imaging is continued to ensure scanning efficiency, and on the other hand, an alarm message is generated to prompt the user to check the coupling status of the ultrasonic probe. The alarm message can be in various forms, for example, it can be a sound signal, a vibration signal, a picture displayed on a display, and the like.

[0065] In an alternative embodiment, in response to the absence of any primitive in the plurality of primitives capable of detecting an echo signal, the ultrasonic imaging is stopped. The inventors realize that when the plurality of primitives are unable to detect an echo signal, it generally means that the transducer is detached from the surface to be scanned, and the user may have completed a scan or is reselecting a part to be scanned. At this time, controlling the ultrasonic imaging to stop can save power and reduce the degree of aging of the transducer primitives.

[0066] It can be understood that the above embodiments can be selected arbitrarily, and can also be freely combined and used simultaneously.

[0067] The embodiments of the present application provide effective assistance for controlling the state of the transducer and saving the user's workflow. To help better understand the present application, some typical usage scenarios are described below by way of example.

[0068] In some usage scenarios, the embodiments of the present application are applicable to an ultrasound imaging system connected to a wired probe. Through the scheme described in the present application, when the user uses the above-mentioned wired probe for ultrasound scanning, there is no need to select the activation of the probe in the ultrasound imaging system. When the probe is attached to the surface to be scanned, through the method of any of the above embodiments of the present application, it is possible to quickly determine whether to activate the imaging function, and / or, the state of the ultrasound probe can be automatically adjusted during the imaging process and at the end of imaging. The method of the embodiment of the present application also ensures the accuracy of the above-mentioned judgment and adjustment.

[0069] In some other usage scenarios, the embodiments of the present application are also applicable to ultrasound imaging systems connected to multiple wired / wireless probes. Through the solution described in the present application, the user does not need to manually select from the above multiple ultrasound probes. The solution of the present application will be able to automatically determine which probe is being effectively used and automatically and accurately activate it.

[0070] In addition, the inventors also realize that the embodiments of the present application are particularly suitable for automatic activation of a handheld wireless ultrasound probe having different transducers at both ends. Figure 5 A schematic description is given. Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a wireless ultrasound probe 500 in some embodiments of the present application is shown.

[0071] The probe described above in this application may include Figure 5 The wireless ultrasound probe 500 shown in FIG. 5 comprises a gripping portion 501. The gripping portion 501 comprises a first end 502 and a second end 503 which are arranged opposite to each other. The first end 502 and the second end 503 are provided with the transducers 521, 531 and the plurality of primitives 522, 532, respectively.

[0072] The inventors realized that Figure 5The wireless ultrasonic probe 500 shown is particularly suitable for the method described in the embodiment of the present application. The inventors found that when using the wireless ultrasonic probe 500, the user usually needs to determine whether to use the transducer 521 at the first end 502 or the transducer 531 at the second end 503 for ultrasonic scanning. Subsequently, the user grasps the grip portion 501 with the palm of his hand, with the end required for scanning facing downward and the other end facing upward. In order to firmly grasp the probe, the user usually presses the upward end of the probe with his thumb at this time. The pressing of the thumb will cause the element of the unused transducer to also receive the echo signal. At this time, if only the presence or absence of the echo signal is used to determine which transducer needs to be imaged, it is inevitable to make a misjudgment. In the embodiment of the present application, by detecting and analyzing the echo signal of each of the multiple elements arranged at intervals, the above situation can be effectively eliminated. Because it is difficult for the thumb to cover each of the scattered elements, it will be excluded by the control method of the present application. In this way, the accuracy of the transducer control at both ends of the wireless ultrasonic probe 500 is improved.

[0073] In some embodiments, the transducer 521 at the first end 502 and the transducer 531 at the second end 503 are respectively selected from at least one of a convex array transducer, a linear array transducer, and a phased array transducer. For example, transducer 521 or transducer 531 can be any one of the above transducers. Alternatively, a combination of two or more of the above transducers can be made, and more than two transducers can be integrated into a transducer at the same end to perform a more functional scan. In some embodiments, the type of transducer 521 is different from that of transducer 531. With this configuration, the same probe can be suitable for different types of ultrasonic scans, and users can make more flexible choices according to their needs.

[0074] Some embodiments of the present application also provide an ultrasound imaging system, which can be as follows Figure 1 The ultrasound imaging system shown may also be any other. The ultrasound imaging system may include: an ultrasound probe, and a processor. The processor is configured to execute the method described in any embodiment of the present application. The ultrasound probe may also be described in any embodiment of the present application.

[0075] Some embodiments of the present invention also provide a non-transitory computer-readable medium, which stores a computer program, wherein the computer program has at least one code segment, and the at least one code segment can be executed by a machine so that the machine performs the steps of the method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0076] Accordingly, the present disclosure may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The present disclosure may be implemented in a centralized manner in at least one computer system, or in a distributed manner in which different elements are distributed over several interconnected computer systems. Any type of computer system or other device suitable for implementing the methods described herein is suitable.

[0077] The various embodiments may also be embedded in a computer program product comprising all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein and which, when loaded into a computer system, is able to carry out these methods. A computer program in this context means any expression in any language, code or notation of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having information processing capabilities to perform certain functions, either directly or after either or both of the following: a) conversion into another language, code or notation; b) reproduction in a different material form.

[0078] The purpose of providing the above specific embodiments is to make the understanding of the disclosure of the present invention more thorough and comprehensive, but the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, equivalent substitutions and changes, etc., may also be made to the present invention, as long as these changes do not violate the spirit of the present invention, they should all be within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A transducer control method for an ultrasonic probe, comprising: Controlling a plurality of primitives of the transducer to simultaneously transmit ultrasonic signals, wherein the plurality of primitives are arranged at intervals; detecting an echo signal of the ultrasonic signal emitted by each of the plurality of primitives; and An activation state of an imaging function of the transducer is controlled based on the detection result of the echo signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein: The plurality of primitives are spaced apart at the edge of the contour of the transducer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein: The profile of the transducer is a polygonal structure, and at least some of the plurality of primitives are arranged at a plurality of vertices of the polygonal structure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein: The controlling the activation state of the imaging function of the transducer based on the detection result of the echo signal comprises: In response to detection of echo signals of ultrasonic signals emitted by two or more primitives among the plurality of primitives, controlling the imaging primitives of the transducer to transmit and receive ultrasonic signals so as to activate the imaging function; and / or In response to the echo signal of the ultrasound signal transmitted by one or less of the plurality of primitives being detected, the imaging primitive of the transducer is controlled not to transmit or receive the ultrasound signal so as to not activate the imaging function.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein: The plurality of primitives are different from the imaging primitives.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein: The two or more primitives include two primitives that are farthest from each other among the plurality of primitives.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein: Further including: After the imaging function of the transducer is activated, performing ultrasonic imaging using the transducer; During the ultrasonic imaging process, continuously controlling the plurality of primitives to simultaneously transmit ultrasonic signals and detect the echo signals; and The ultrasonic imaging is controlled based on the detection result of the echo signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein: The controlling the ultrasonic imaging based on the detection result of the echo signal comprises: In response to a decrease in the number of primitives in which echo signals can be detected among the plurality of primitives, continuing the ultrasound imaging and generating alarm information; and / or In response to the absence of a primitive in which an echo signal can be detected among the plurality of primitives, the ultrasonic imaging is stopped.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein: The ultrasonic probe comprises a wireless ultrasonic probe, the wireless ultrasonic probe comprises a holding portion, the holding portion comprises a first end and a second end which are arranged opposite to each other, the first end and the second end are respectively provided with the transducer and the plurality of primitives.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein: The transducer at the first end and the transducer at the second end are respectively selected from at least one of a convex array transducer, a linear array transducer and a phased array transducer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein: The transducer at the first end is different from the transducer at the second end.

12. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising: an ultrasound probe, the ultrasound probe comprising a transducer; and A processor, wherein the processor is configured to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program has at least one code segment, and the at least one code segment can be executed by a machine to enable the machine to perform the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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