Imaging method and system for patch ultrasound

Abstract

The invention provides an imaging method and system for patch ultrasound, and the method comprises the steps: a delay calculation step: calculating the transmission delay of each array element of a phased array transducer in advance according to the type of a target wave beam and a deflection parameter, and providing a time sequence reference for wave beam transmission; a wave beam transmitting and receiving step: transmitting wave beams in a multi-channel excitation mode through phased array transducer array elements based on the transmitting delay, and receiving echo signals through all the array elements; a data acquisition step of determining total transceiving times and acquiring echo data according to the deflection parameters in the beam transceiving step; and an imaging generation step: performing signal processing by using the echo data to generate a dynamic monitoring image of the target area. According to the method, no view blind area exists in the whole imaging view, local details can be clearly presented, the transverse or axial resolution and contrast ratio are superior to those of a single beam imaging scheme, and the requirements for monitoring superficial tissue fine structures and monitoring blood flow change conditions are met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to ultrasound chips, and more specifically, to an imaging method and system for patch ultrasound. Background Technology

[0002] The transducer operates based on the direct and inverse piezoelectric effects of piezoelectric materials. It achieves efficient transmission and reception of ultrasonic signals through the periodic vibration of a piezoelectric thin film. When the transducer acts as a transmitter, it essentially converts electrical signals into mechanical vibration energy. Under the influence of a driving voltage, the piezoelectric thin film deforms due to the inverse piezoelectric effect, radiating ultrasonic waves into the medium. When acting as a receiver, it becomes a sensor that captures mechanical vibration energy. External ultrasonic waves cause the piezoelectric thin film to vibrate, converting the acoustic signal into an electrical signal through the direct piezoelectric effect for subsequent processing.

[0003] Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology, as a core technology in the semiconductor field, is widely used in integrated circuit manufacturing and many other fields. It can integrate a large number of transistors onto a small chip, continuously developing in accordance with Moore's Law, and driving the evolution of semiconductors towards miniaturization and high performance.

[0004] In ultrasound imaging systems, CMOS integrated circuits at the transmitting end precisely control the excitation signal of the ultrasound transducer. For example, they can generate electrical pulse signals with specific frequencies, pulse widths, and amplitudes to drive the ultrasound transducer to emit ultrasonic waves. In some medical ultrasound diagnostic devices, CMOS integrated circuits optimize the emitted waveform, improving the emission efficiency and directivity of ultrasound waves, thereby enhancing the resolution and clarity of the imaging. At the receiving end, CMOS integrated circuits are responsible for receiving the echo signals received by the ultrasound transducer and performing preprocessing such as pre-amplification and filtering. CMOS integrated circuits can integrate high-performance, low-noise amplifiers to reduce noise interference in the received signal, while simultaneously processing echo signals of different frequencies and amplitudes quickly and accurately, providing high-quality data for subsequent signal processing and image reconstruction.

[0005] Medical imaging technology is undergoing a profound paradigm shift. While traditional large-scale ultrasound equipment is powerful, its application is mainly limited to hospital departments due to its size, cost, and operational barriers, making it difficult to meet the broad clinical needs of outpatient, bedside, dynamic, and real-time monitoring. Patch ultrasound, as an emerging wearable, portable, and continuous monitoring medical imaging technology, is the core driving force in this wave of change. It is not only a supplement to traditional ultrasound technology but also a strategic entry point for opening up comprehensive health monitoring. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the problems in the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide an imaging method and system for patch ultrasound.

[0007] The imaging method for patch ultrasound provided by the present invention includes:

[0008] The delay calculation step calculates the transmission delay of each element of the phased array transducer in advance based on the target beam type and deflection parameters, providing a timing reference for beam transmission.

[0009] The beam transceiver step involves transmitting a beam in a multi-channel excitation mode through phased array transducer elements based on the transmission delay, and receiving the echo signal through all array elements.

[0010] The data acquisition step involves determining the total number of transmissions and receptions and acquiring echo data based on the deflection parameters in the beam transceiver step.

[0011] The imaging generation step involves processing the echo data to generate a dynamic monitoring image of the target area.

[0012] Preferably, the phased array transducer comprises a plurality of array elements arranged linearly;

[0013] When transmitting a beam, all elements of the linear array or some elements near the sides are excited.

[0014] During echo reception, the echo signal is received through all array elements.

[0015] Preferably, the delay calculation step includes:

[0016] The parameter determination step involves dividing the imaging field of view into a central region and two side regions, emitting a deflecting plane wave to the central region, and emitting a deflecting focused wave to the two side regions.

[0017] The model selection steps are as follows: select a plane wave calculation model for the middle region and a focal convergence model for the two side regions;

[0018] The delay generation step involves calculating the transmission delay of each array element emitting plane waves according to the plane wave calculation model, calculating the transmission delay of each array element emitting focused waves in both sides according to the focus convergence model, and integrating them to form a delay table covering the entire imaging field of view.

[0019] Preferably, the beam transceiver step includes:

[0020] The launch preparation steps include configuring the array elements of the multi-channel excitation according to the delay table, and setting the echo reception timing of the plane wave and the focused wave.

[0021] The partitioned transmission step, based on the delay table, first controls all array elements to transmit plane waves according to the plane wave delay to cover the middle area, and then controls the array element groups on both sides to transmit focused waves according to the focused wave delay to cover the areas on both sides, thereby achieving beam coverage of the entire imaging field of view.

[0022] The full-area reception step involves receiving echo signals through all array elements and amplifying the signals according to the reception timing sequence.

[0023] Preferably, the data acquisition step includes:

[0024] The parameter configuration steps first determine the total number of transmit and receive events, sampling frequency, and data storage format based on the deflection parameters, which serve as the execution standard for data acquisition.

[0025] The data acquisition steps involve digitizing the received echo signal to generate a digital signal and simultaneously recording the transmission lag time to mark the data timing.

[0026] The data integration step involves integrating the digitized signal according to the dimensions of reception time, reception channel number, and number of transmissions to form structured data and temporarily storing it.

[0027] Preferably, the image generation step includes the following sub-steps:

[0028] The data preprocessing step filters the structured data to eliminate noise and enhance the effective signal;

[0029] The modal processing step involves performing corresponding imaging processing on the preprocessed data based on the target imaging modality.

[0030] The image generation step converts the processed data into a visual image, which is then stitched together according to a time series to form a dynamic monitoring image of the target area.

[0031] Preferably, in the delay calculation step, the deflection parameter of the plane wave is initially set to a deflection angle within the range of [-30°, 30°], with an angle interval of 1 to 2°;

[0032] The deflection parameters of the focused wave are initially set to deflection angles within the range of [-45°, -30°] and [30°, 45°], with an angle interval of 1 to 2°.

[0033] Preferably, in the modal processing step, when adapting to color Doppler ultrasound imaging, if a focused wave is used, multiple deflection angles need to be selected to cover the blood flow area, and each deflection angle is repeatedly emitted multiple times. A blood flow distribution image is generated through Doppler frequency shift analysis.

[0034] Preferably, in the modal processing step, when adapting pulse wave Doppler ultrasound imaging, the B-mode ultrasound and color Doppler ultrasound are frozen, and the transmission is repeated thousands to tens of thousands of times at a fixed deflection angle to meet the needs of 3-5 second cardiac cycle observation.

[0035] The imaging system for patch ultrasound provided by the present invention includes:

[0036] The delay calculation module is used to pre-calculate the transmission delay of each element of the phased array transducer based on the target beam type and deflection parameters, providing a timing reference for beam transmission;

[0037] The beam transceiver module is used to transmit a beam in a multi-channel excitation mode through phased array transducer elements based on the transmission delay, and to receive the echo signal through all array elements.

[0038] The data acquisition module is used to determine the total number of transmit and receive operations and acquire echo data based on the deflection parameters.

[0039] An imaging generation module is used to perform signal processing on the echo data to generate a dynamic monitoring image of the target area.

[0040] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0041] This invention addresses the drawbacks of traditional large-scale ultrasound equipment, such as its large size, high cost, and reliance on fixed departments. It utilizes wearable ultrasound patches as a carrier to achieve long-term dynamic monitoring of superficial human tissues. Through continuous data acquisition and dynamic image generation, it upgrades the traditional diagnostic mode of single-report static ultrasound to a continuous physiological trend monitoring mode. This meets the needs of diverse scenarios such as out-of-hospital, bedside, and home settings, filling the gap in real-time, dynamic monitoring of traditional ultrasound and providing core technological support for comprehensive health monitoring.

[0042] This invention employs a combined beamforming strategy that emits plane waves across the entire imaging field of view and focused waves from the lateral regions of the imaging field of view. This strategy precisely addresses the performance limitations of single-beam imaging. Plane waves cover a wide overall imaging field of view, avoiding the narrow field of view of focused waves. Focused waves concentrate energy in the lateral regions of the imaging field of view, compensating for the low edge resolution of plane waves. Simultaneously, the focal coordinates of the focused waves are set according to the center positions of the lateral regions, and the plane wave deflection parameters can be dynamically optimized. This ensures that there are no blind spots within the entire imaging field of view, while clearly presenting local details. The lateral and axial resolution and contrast ratio (CNR) are superior to single-beam imaging schemes, meeting the needs for monitoring fine structures in superficial tissues and changes in blood flow. Attached Figure Description

[0043] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort. Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by reading the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a wearable ultrasound application scenario for an on-chip ultrasound integrated module in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the ultrasonic chip in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a phased array transducer array in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of an imaging method for patch ultrasound in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the delay calculation steps in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the beam transceiver steps in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the data acquisition steps in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the imaging generation steps in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the combination of focused wave and plane wave in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of plane wave delay calculation in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the focused wave delay calculation in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the imaging system for patch ultrasound in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0056] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments. These embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the present invention, but do not limit the invention in any way. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention. These all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0057] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component. Furthermore, a connection can be for both fixing and circuit connection purposes.

[0058] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0059] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of embodiments of the present invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0060] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a wearable ultrasound application scenario for an on-chip integrated ultrasound module in an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 1 As shown, when the on-chip ultrasound integrated module in this embodiment of the invention is applied to wearable scenarios, the battery-powered ultrasound imaging patch can achieve long-term, non-invasive, and real-time health monitoring.

[0061] For example, an ultrasound imaging module can be attached to the chest via a skin patch 100, using a PMUT transducer array to continuously monitor cardiac structure and function. Coupled with a long-lasting battery power supply, this provides continuous home monitoring for patients with hypertension and heart failure, assisting doctors in adjusting treatment plans promptly. When attached to the abdomen, it can monitor hepatic steatosis and acoustic changes in the pancreas, helping patients with diabetes and fatty liver track disease progression. Combined with the signal processing capabilities of ultrasound ASIC, it can analyze data in real time and provide risk feedback. Data is automatically collected and wirelessly transmitted to a mobile phone, providing unprecedented continuous physiological data for clinical practice.

[0062] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the ultrasonic chip in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 2As shown, when ultrasonic transmission is performed using the ultrasonic chip provided by this invention, the transmitting beamformer delays and adjusts the phase of the electrical pulse to make the synthesized beam point to the target area. The pulse generator generates a high-voltage pulse according to the delay and phase of the electrical pulse, and triggers the transducer to vibrate and transmit ultrasonic waves through the high-voltage pulse.

[0063] During ultrasound reception, ultrasound waves are reflected by tissue and act on the transducer, generating signal through the positive piezoelectric effect. The signal amplifier amplifies and reduces the noise of the weak electrical signal output by the transducer, improving the signal-to-noise ratio. After reconstructing the image based on the target echo, it is displayed in real time on the terminal.

[0064] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of the imaging method for patch ultrasound in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 4 As shown in the embodiment of the present invention, the imaging method for patch ultrasound provided by the present invention includes:

[0065] Step S1: Based on the target beam type and deflection parameters, pre-calculate the transmission delay of each element of the phased array transducer to provide a timing reference for beam transmission;

[0066] In this embodiment of the invention, the target beam type includes plane wave and focused wave;

[0067] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the delay calculation steps in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the delay calculation step S1 includes the following sub-steps:

[0068] The parameter determination step involves dividing the imaging field of view into a central region and two side regions. A deflected plane wave is emitted to the central region, and a deflected focused wave is emitted to the side regions, such as... Figure 9 As shown;

[0069] In this embodiment of the invention, the deflection angle range and angle interval are set for the plane wave, and the focal length R, the fan-shaped FOV angle θ, and the number of scan lines N are set for the focused wave.

[0070] The model selection step involves choosing a plane wave calculation model for the central region and a focal convergence model for the two side regions; in this embodiment of the invention, as follows: Figure 10 As shown, the plane wave calculation model is specifically as follows:

[0071] τ j =(x j sinθ n ) / c

[0072] Where, τ j Here, j represents the delay of each array element, c represents the speed of sound, and x represents the delay of each array element. j Let θ be the x-axis coordinate of the array element.n This represents the angle corresponding to the nth deflection.

[0073] like Figure 11 As shown, the focus convergence model is as follows:

[0074]

[0075] Where, τ j Let j be the delay of each array element, j be the array element number, c be the speed of sound, and (x) be the delay of each array element. F ,z F (x) represents the coordinates of the focal point. j The coordinates of the array element are on the horizontal axis.

[0076] The focal point F(x) of the nth scan line Fn ,z Fn )=(Rsinθ n ,Rcosθ n ),and θ n The angle of the nth scan line is represented by R, where R is the set focal length, θ is the fan-shaped FOV angle, and N is the number of scan lines.

[0077] The delay generation step involves calculating the transmission delay of each array element emitting plane waves according to the plane wave calculation model, calculating the transmission delay of each array element emitting focused waves in both sides according to the focus convergence model, and integrating them to form a delay table covering the entire imaging field of view.

[0078] In this embodiment of the invention, the delay table includes a theoretical delay table and a clock count table adapted to the hardware.

[0079] Step S2: Based on the transmission delay, the beam is transmitted through the phased array transducer elements in a multi-channel excitation mode, and the echo signal is received through all array elements;

[0080] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the beam transceiver steps in an embodiment of the present invention, as follows: Figure 6 As shown, the beam transceiver step S2 includes the following sub-steps:

[0081] The launch preparation steps include configuring the array elements of the multi-channel excitation according to the delay table, and setting the echo reception timing of the plane wave and the focused wave.

[0082] The partitioned transmission step, based on the delay table, first controls 64 transmission array elements to transmit plane waves with a delay to cover the entire imaging field of view, then controls 32 transmission array elements on one side to transmit focused waves with a delay to cover the area on that side, and then controls 32 transmission array elements on the other side to transmit focused waves with a delay to cover the area on the other side.

[0083] The full-area reception step involves receiving the echo signal through all 64 array elements according to the reception timing, and then performing preliminary amplification on the echo signal.

[0084] In this embodiment of the invention, the echo signal of the plane wave is received first, then the focused wave echo signal of the 32-element array on one side is received, and then the focused wave echo signal of the 32-element array on the other side is received.

[0085] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a phased array transducer array in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment of the invention, the phased array transducer includes 64 array elements arranged linearly;

[0086] When transmitting (TX) beams, 64 elements in a linear array are excited, matching the hardware's 64-channel control capability, or 32 elements on each side of the linear array are excited separately.

[0087] In echo reception (RX), the echo signal is received through 64 array elements.

[0088] In this embodiment of the invention, the 64 transmitting array elements are divided into two groups. The first group transmits focused waves according to the focusing wave delay, covering one side of the adjacent area of ​​the group. The second group transmits focused waves according to the focusing wave delay, covering the other side of the adjacent area of ​​the group, thereby achieving full beam coverage of the entire imaging field of view.

[0089] Step S3: Determine the total number of transmit and receive operations and collect echo data based on the deflection parameters in the beam transmit and receive steps;

[0090] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the data acquisition steps in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 7 As shown in this embodiment of the invention, the data acquisition step S3 includes:

[0091] Parameter configuration steps: First, determine the total number of transmit and receive events, sampling frequency, and data storage format based on the deflection parameters, which will serve as the standard for data acquisition execution;

[0092] Data acquisition steps: The received echo signal is digitized by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to generate a digital signal, and the transmission lag time is recorded synchronously to mark the data timing.

[0093] Data integration steps: Based on the digitized signal, the data is integrated according to the receiving time, the sequence number of the 64 receiving channels, and the number of transmissions to form structured data and temporarily stored.

[0094] In this embodiment of the invention, the deflection parameter can be the number of plane wave angles or the number of focused wave scan lines; the total number of transmit and receive events is the sum of the number of plane wave angles and the number of focused wave scan lines multiplied by the number of receiving array elements.

[0095] The sampling frequency can be set to 20MHz±2MHz; the data storage format can be set to a three-dimensional matrix including time sampling points, receiving channels, and transmission counts.

[0096] Step S4: Use the echo data to perform signal processing such as beamforming and mode adaptation to generate a dynamic monitoring image of the target area.

[0097] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the imaging generation steps in an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 8 As shown, in this embodiment of the invention, the imaging generation step S4 includes the following sub-steps:

[0098] The data preprocessing step filters, removes noise, and enhances the effective signal from the structured data;

[0099] The modal processing step involves performing corresponding imaging processing on the preprocessed data based on the target imaging modality.

[0100] The image generation step converts the processed data into a visual image, which is then stitched together according to a time series to form a dynamic monitoring image of the target area.

[0101] In this embodiment of the invention, the target imaging modality includes B-mode ultrasound, color Doppler ultrasound, and pulse wave Doppler ultrasound;

[0102] B-mode ultrasound is the most commonly used basic ultrasound technique in clinical practice. Its core employs a multi-angle composite algorithm, transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals from multiple different angles into human tissue. The echo information acquired from each angle is then superimposed and used to reconstruct the image, ultimately generating a clear two-dimensional grayscale image. This technology can intuitively display the anatomical structure, shape, size, and internal echo characteristics of human organs, and is commonly used for structural imaging and preliminary screening of lesions in areas such as the abdomen (e.g., liver, gallbladder, pancreas), obstetrics and gynecology (e.g., fetal examination), and superficial organs (e.g., thyroid, breast).

[0103] Color Doppler ultrasound works based on the Doppler frequency shift analysis principle. When ultrasound encounters moving red blood cells, a frequency change occurs, known as Doppler frequency shift. The device analyzes the sign (to determine the direction of blood flow, e.g., red towards the probe, blue away) and magnitude of this frequency shift, superimposing the blood flow information onto the two-dimensional image of a B-mode ultrasound in a color-coded format. This technology can visually display the distribution and direction of blood flow, as well as the presence of abnormalities (such as turbulent flow, stenosis, or reflux), and is widely used in cardiovascular diseases (such as valvular heart disease and vascular stenosis), renal blood flow assessment, and fetal umbilical cord blood flow monitoring.

[0104] Pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasound uses spectral analysis technology to achieve precise quantitative measurement of blood flow: the device emits ultrasound signals in pulse form, receives the blood flow echoes in the area by controlling the sampling volume, and then converts the echo signals into Doppler spectra (horizontal axis represents time, vertical axis represents blood flow velocity, and spectral amplitude reflects the blood flow signal intensity). By analyzing parameters such as spectral morphology, peak velocity, and end-diastolic velocity, indicators such as blood flow velocity, resistance index, and pulsatility index can be accurately calculated. It is mainly used to assess the hemodynamic state of specific locations, such as the blood flow velocity at the heart valve orifice, cerebral blood flow (e.g., intracranial artery stenosis), and peripheral vascular (e.g., limb arteries) blood flow parameters.

[0105] In this embodiment of the invention, in the delay calculation step, the deflection parameter of the plane wave is initially set to a deflection angle within the range of [-30°, 30°], with an angle interval of 1 to 2°.

[0106] The deflection parameters of the focused wave are initially set to deflection angles within the range of [-45°, -30°] and [30°, 45°], with an angle interval of 1 to 2°.

[0107] In this embodiment of the invention, the modal processing step includes:

[0108] When adapting to color Doppler ultrasound imaging, if a focused wave is used, 15 deflection angles need to be selected to cover the blood flow area, and each deflection angle is repeatedly emitted 8 to 16 times. The blood flow distribution image is generated by Doppler frequency shift analysis.

[0109] When adapting to pulse wave Doppler ultrasound imaging, it is necessary to freeze B-mode ultrasound and color Doppler ultrasound, and to repeatedly transmit thousands to tens of thousands of times at a fixed deflection angle to meet the observation of a 3-5 second cardiac cycle. Blood flow velocity curves at a specific depth are generated through spectrum analysis.

[0110] In this embodiment of the invention, the operating parameters of the phased array transducer are: the center frequency fc is 5MHz, the propagation speed of sound in the monitoring medium c is set to 1540m / s, and the sampling rate fs is 20MHz, in order to match the signal requirements of patch ultrasound for long-term dynamic monitoring of superficial tissues.

[0111] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the imaging system for patch ultrasound in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 12 As shown, the imaging system for patch ultrasound provided by the present invention includes:

[0112] The delay calculation module is used to pre-calculate the transmission delay of each element of the phased array transducer based on the target beam type and deflection parameters, providing a timing reference for beam transmission;

[0113] The beam transceiver module is used to transmit a beam in a multi-channel excitation mode through phased array transducer elements based on the transmission delay, and to receive the echo signal through all array elements.

[0114] The data acquisition module is used to determine the total number of transmit and receive operations and acquire echo data based on the deflection parameters.

[0115] An imaging generation module is used to process the echo data to generate a dynamic monitoring image of the target area.

[0116] This invention addresses the drawbacks of traditional large-scale ultrasound equipment, such as its large size, high cost, and dependence on fixed departments. It utilizes wearable ultrasound patches as a carrier to achieve long-term dynamic monitoring of superficial human tissues. Through continuous data acquisition and dynamic image generation, it upgrades the traditional single-report diagnostic mode of ultrasound to a continuous physiological trend monitoring mode, meeting the needs of diverse scenarios such as out-of-hospital, bedside, and home settings. This fills the gap in the field of real-time, dynamic monitoring using traditional ultrasound, providing core technical support for comprehensive health monitoring. The invention employs a combined beam strategy, emitting plane waves across the entire imaging field and focused waves in the lateral regions of the imaging field. This precisely solves the performance limitations of single-beam imaging. Plane waves cover the entire imaging field, avoiding the narrow field of view of focused waves. Focused waves concentrate energy in the lateral regions of the imaging field, compensating for the low edge resolution of plane waves. Simultaneously, the focal coordinates of the focused waves are set according to the center position of the lateral regions, and the plane wave deflection parameters can be dynamically optimized, ensuring that there are no blind spots within the entire imaging field while clearly presenting local details. The lateral or axial resolution and contrast ratio (CNR) are superior to single-beam imaging schemes, meeting the needs for monitoring the fine structures of superficial tissues and changes in blood flow.

[0117] The various embodiments described in this specification are presented in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0118] The specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art can make various modifications or variations within the scope of the claims, which do not affect the essence of the present invention.

Claims

1. An imaging method for patch ultrasound, characterized in that, include: The delay calculation step calculates the transmission delay of each element of the phased array transducer in advance based on the target beam type and deflection parameters, providing a timing reference for beam transmission. The beam transceiver step involves transmitting a beam in a multi-channel excitation mode through phased array transducer elements based on the transmission delay, and receiving the echo signal through all array elements. The data acquisition step involves determining the total number of transmissions and receptions and acquiring echo data based on the deflection parameters in the beam transceiver step. The imaging generation step involves processing the echo data to generate a dynamic monitoring image of the target area.

2. The imaging method for patch ultrasound according to claim 1, characterized in that, The phased array transducer includes multiple array elements arranged linearly. When transmitting a beam, all elements of the linear array or some elements near the sides are excited. During echo reception, the echo signal is received through all array elements.

3. The imaging method for patch ultrasound according to claim 1, characterized in that, The delay calculation step includes: The parameter determination step involves dividing the imaging field of view into a central region and two side regions, emitting deflecting plane waves to the central region, and emitting deflecting focusing waves to the side regions. The model selection steps are as follows: select a plane wave calculation model for the middle region and a focal convergence model for the two side regions; The delay generation step involves calculating the transmission delay of each array element emitting plane waves according to the plane wave calculation model, calculating the transmission delay of each array element emitting focused waves in both sides according to the focus convergence model, and integrating them to form a delay table covering the entire imaging field of view.

4. The imaging method for patch ultrasound according to claim 3, characterized in that, The beam transceiver steps include: The launch preparation steps include configuring the array elements of the multi-channel excitation according to the delay table, and setting the echo reception timing of the plane wave and the focused wave. The partitioned transmission step, based on the delay table, first controls all array elements to transmit plane waves according to the plane wave delay to cover the middle area, and then controls the array element groups on both sides to transmit focused waves according to the focused wave delay to cover the areas on both sides, thereby achieving beam coverage of the entire imaging field of view. The full-area reception step involves receiving echo signals through all array elements and amplifying the signals according to the reception timing sequence.

5. The imaging method for patch ultrasound according to claim 1, characterized in that, The data acquisition steps include: The parameter configuration steps first determine the total number of transmit and receive events, sampling frequency, and data storage format based on the deflection parameters, which serve as the execution standard for data acquisition. The data acquisition steps involve digitizing the received echo signal to generate a digital signal and simultaneously recording the transmission lag time to mark the data timing. The data integration step involves integrating the digitized signal according to the dimensions of reception time, reception channel number, and number of transmissions to form structured data and temporarily storing it.

6. The imaging method for patch ultrasound according to claim 5, characterized in that, The image generation step includes the following sub-steps: The data preprocessing step filters the structured data to eliminate noise and enhance the effective signal; The modal processing step involves performing corresponding imaging processing on the preprocessed data based on the target imaging modality. The image generation step converts the processed data into a visual image, which is then stitched together according to a time series to form a dynamic monitoring image of the target area.

7. The imaging method for patch ultrasound according to claim 3, characterized in that, In the delay calculation step, the deflection parameter of the plane wave is initially set to a deflection angle within the range of [-30°, 30°], with an angle interval of 1 to 2°; The deflection parameters of the focused wave are initially set to deflection angles within the range of [-45°, -30°] and [30°, 45°], with an angle interval of 1 to 2°.

8. The imaging method for patch ultrasound according to claim 6, characterized in that, In the modal processing step, when adapting to color Doppler ultrasound imaging, if a focused wave is used, multiple deflection angles need to be selected to cover the blood flow area, and each deflection angle is repeatedly emitted multiple times. A blood flow distribution image is generated through Doppler frequency shift analysis. If a plane wave is used with a fixed deflection angle and repeated multiple times, a blood flow distribution image can be generated through Doppler frequency shift analysis.

9. The imaging method for patch ultrasound according to claim 6, characterized in that, In the modal processing step, when adapting to pulse wave Doppler ultrasound imaging, the B-mode ultrasound and color Doppler ultrasound are frozen, and the focused wave at a single deflection angle is repeatedly emitted thousands to tens of thousands of times to meet the needs of 3-5 second cardiac cycle observation.

10. An imaging system for patch ultrasound, characterized in that, include: The delay calculation module is used to pre-calculate the transmission delay of each element of the phased array transducer based on the target beam type and deflection parameters, providing a timing reference for beam transmission; The beam transceiver module is used to transmit a beam in a multi-channel excitation mode through phased array transducer elements based on the transmission delay, and to receive the echo signal through all array elements. The data acquisition module is used to determine the total number of transmit and receive operations and acquire echo data based on the deflection parameters. An imaging generation module is used to process the echo data to generate a dynamic monitoring image of the target area.

Images