Pose determination method and apparatus for an ultrasound probe, computing device, and storage medium

Abstract

A pose determination method, apparatus, computing device, and storage medium for an ultrasound probe are provided. The method can include obtaining encoder readings from a pose logging assembly connected with the ultrasound probe, the pose logging assembly including a base link, a tip link, and at least one rigid link and at least one revolute joint connected between the base link and the tip link, the tip link being fixed to the ultrasound probe, the encoder readings being from at least one encoder component respectively mechanically coupled to a corresponding revolute joint of the at least one revolute joint; determining a tip reference point pose of the tip link of the pose logging assembly based on the encoder readings and component parameters related to the pose logging assembly; and determining an imaging reference point pose of an imaging reference point located at an imaging acoustic face of the ultrasound probe based on the tip reference point pose.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of medical imaging technology, and in particular to a method for determining the pose of an ultrasound probe, a pose recording component, a pose determination device, an electronic device, a storage medium, and a computer program product. Background Technology

[0002] During ultrasound imaging examinations, operators typically hold an ultrasound probe and continuously scan the patient's body surface to acquire a series of two-dimensional ultrasound images. To achieve applications such as three-dimensional ultrasound reconstruction, surgical navigation, or spatial localization and volume measurement of lesions, it is necessary to determine the position and orientation of the ultrasound probe in three-dimensional space while acquiring each frame of ultrasound image. This allows the continuously acquired two-dimensional ultrasound image sequence to be registered according to its actual spatial position and orientation, reconstructing three-dimensional ultrasound data with true spatial correspondence. Therefore, accurately and reliably determining the position and orientation of the ultrasound probe during the scanning process is a problem that needs to be solved in related technical fields.

[0003] The methods described in this section are not necessarily methods that had been previously conceived or adopted. Unless otherwise specified, no method described in this section should be assumed to be prior art simply because it is included in this section. Similarly, unless otherwise specified, the issues mentioned in this section should not be considered to be accepted in any prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a method for determining the pose of an ultrasound probe is provided, comprising acquiring encoder readings from a pose recording assembly connected to the ultrasound probe, the pose recording assembly including a base connector, an end connector, and at least one rigid support and at least one rotary joint connected between the base connector and the end connector, the end connector being fixed to the ultrasound probe, the encoder readings being from at least one encoder component mechanically coupled to a corresponding rotary joint in the at least one rotary joint; determining an end reference point pose of the end connector of the pose recording assembly based on the encoder readings and component parameters related to the pose recording assembly; and determining an imaging reference point pose located at an imaging reference point on an imaging acoustic surface of the ultrasound probe based on the end reference point pose.

[0005] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a pose recording assembly for an ultrasound probe is provided, comprising: a base connector having a base connection structure for fixing to a support structure; an end connector having an end connection structure for fixing the ultrasound probe; at least one rigid support and at least one rotary joint connected between the base connector and the end connector; and at least one encoder component mechanically coupled to a respective rotary joint in the at least one rotary joint, wherein the at least one encoder component is communicatively connected to at least one processing unit to transmit encoder readings from the at least one encoder component to the at least one processing unit, and wherein the at least one processing unit is configured to perform a method according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0006] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a pose determination device for an ultrasound probe is provided, comprising: a reading acquisition unit for acquiring encoder readings from a pose recording assembly connected to the ultrasound probe, the pose recording assembly including a base connector, an end connector, and at least one rigid support and at least one rotary joint connected between the base connector and the end connector, the end connector being fixed to the ultrasound probe, the encoder readings being from at least one encoder component mechanically coupled to a corresponding rotary joint in the at least one rotary joint; an end pose determination unit for determining an end reference point pose of the end connector of the pose recording assembly based on the encoder readings and component parameters related to the pose recording assembly; and an imaging pose determination unit for determining an imaging reference point pose located at an imaging reference point on the imaging acoustic surface of the ultrasound probe based on the end reference point pose.

[0007] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a computing device is provided, comprising: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored on the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer program to implement a pose determination method for an ultrasound probe according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure.

[0008] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements a pose determination method for an ultrasonic probe according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure.

[0009] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements a pose determination method for an ultrasound probe according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure.

[0010] These and other aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the embodiments described below, and will be elucidated with reference to the embodiments described below. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Further details, features, and advantages of this disclosure are disclosed in the following description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example system in which various methods described herein may be implemented according to exemplary embodiments; Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining the pose of an ultrasonic probe according to an exemplary embodiment; Figures 3A-3C This is a schematic diagram illustrating a pose recording component according to an exemplary embodiment; Figure 4 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating an ultrasonic probe pose determination device according to an exemplary embodiment; Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary computer device that can be applied to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0012] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, the use of terms such as "first," "second," etc., to describe various elements is not intended to limit the positional, temporal, or importance relationships of these elements; such terms are merely used to distinguish one element from another. In some examples, the first element and the second element may refer to the same instance of that element, while in other cases, based on the context, they may refer to different instances.

[0013] The terminology used in the description of the various examples described in this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular examples only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise, an element may be one or more unless the number of elements is specifically limited. As used herein, the term "multiple" means two or more, and the term "based on" should be interpreted as "at least partially based on". Furthermore, the terms "and / or" and "at least one of..." cover any one of the listed items and all possible combinations thereof.

[0014] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example system 100 in which various methods described herein may be implemented according to exemplary embodiments.

[0016] refer to Figure 1The system 100 includes a client device 110, a server 120, and a network 130 that communicatively couples the client device 110 and the server 120.

[0017] Client device 110 includes a display 114 and a client application (APP) 112 that can be displayed on the display 114. Client application 112 can be an application that needs to be downloaded and installed before running, or a lightweight application (liteapp). If client application 112 is an application that needs to be downloaded and installed before running, client application 112 can be pre-installed on client device 110 and activated. If client application 112 is a mini-app, user 102 can run client application 112 directly on client device 110 without installing it, by searching for client application 112 in the host application (e.g., by the name of client application 112) or by scanning the graphic code of client application 112 (e.g., barcode, QR code, etc.). In some embodiments, client device 110 can be any type of mobile computing device, including mobile computers, mobile phones, wearable computing devices (e.g., smartwatches, head-mounted devices including smart glasses, etc.), or other types of mobile devices. In some embodiments, the client device 110 may alternatively be a stationary computer device, such as a desktop computer, server computer, or other type of stationary computer device. In some alternative embodiments, the client device 110 may also be or may include a medical image printing device.

[0018] Server 120 is typically a server deployed by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or Internet Content Provider (ICP). Server 120 can represent a single server, a cluster of multiple servers, a distributed system, or a cloud server providing basic cloud services such as cloud databases, cloud computing, cloud storage, and cloud communications. It will be understood that, although... Figure 1 The diagram shows that server 120 communicates with only one client device 110, but server 120 can provide background services to multiple client devices simultaneously.

[0019] Examples of network 130 include combinations of local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), personal area networks (PANs), and / or communication networks such as the Internet. Network 130 can be wired or wireless. In some embodiments, technologies and / or formats including Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), etc., are used to process data exchanged through network 130. Furthermore, encryption technologies such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), Transport Layer Security (TLS), Virtual Private Network (VPN), and Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) can be used to encrypt all or some of the links. In some embodiments, custom and / or dedicated data communication technologies can be used to replace or supplement the aforementioned data communication technologies.

[0020] System 100 may further include image acquisition device 140. In some embodiments, Figure 1 The image acquisition device 140 shown may be a medical scanning device, including but not limited to scanning or imaging devices used in positron emission tomography (PET), positron emission tomography with computerized tomography (PET / CT), single photon emission computed tomography with computerized tomography (SPECT / CT), computed tomography (CT), medical ultrasonography, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cardiovascular angiography (CA), digital radiography (DR), etc. For example, image acquisition device 140 may include digital subtraction angiography scanner, magnetic resonance angiography scanner, computed tomography angiography scanner, positron emission tomography scanner, positron emission tomography (PET) scanner, single photon emission computed tomography (SPT) scanner, computed tomography scanner, medical ultrasound examination equipment, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, digital radiography scanner, etc. Image acquisition device 140 may be connected to a server (e.g., Figure 1The system connects to server 120 (or a separate server of the imaging system, not shown in the figure) to process image data, including but not limited to converting scan data (e.g., converting it into a medical image sequence), compressing it, correcting pixels, and reconstructing it in three dimensions.

[0021] Image acquisition device 140 may be connected to client device 110, for example, via network 130, or otherwise directly connected to client device to communicate with client device.

[0022] Optionally, the system may also include an intelligent computing device or a computing card 150. The image acquisition device 140 may include or be connected (e.g., detachably connected) to such a computing card 150. As an example, the computing card 150 can perform image data processing, including but not limited to conversion, compression, pixel correction, reconstruction, etc. As another example, the computing card 150 can implement a pose determination method for an ultrasound probe according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] The system may also include other components not shown, such as a data storage unit. The data storage unit may be a database, data repository, or other form of device for data storage; it may be a conventional database, or it may include a cloud database, a distributed database, etc. For example, direct image data generated by the image acquisition device 140, or medical image sequences or three-dimensional image data obtained through image processing, may be stored in the data storage unit for subsequent retrieval by the server 120 and client device 110. Furthermore, the image acquisition device 140 may also directly provide direct image data or medical image sequences or three-dimensional image data obtained through image processing to the server 120 or client device 110, etc.

[0024] Users can use client device 110 to control the acquisition of images or videos, view the acquired images or videos (including preliminary image data or images after analysis and processing), view analysis results, interact with the acquired images or analysis results, input acquisition commands, configure data, etc. Client device 110 can send configuration data, commands, or other information to image acquisition device 140 to control image acquisition device acquisition, data processing, etc.

[0025] For the purposes of this disclosure's embodiments, Figure 1In the example, client application 112 can be an image sequence management application that provides various functions, such as storage management, indexing, sorting, and classification of acquired image sequences. Correspondingly, server 120 can be a server used in conjunction with the image sequence management application. Server 120 can provide image sequence management services to client application 112 running on client device 110 based on user requests or instructions generated according to embodiments of this disclosure. For example, it can manage image sequence storage in the cloud, store and classify image sequences according to specified indexes (including, but not limited to, sequence type, patient identifier, body part, acquisition target, acquisition stage, acquisition machine, presence of lesions, severity, etc.), and retrieve and provide image sequences to client devices according to specified indexes, etc. Alternatively, server 120 can also provide or allocate such service capabilities or storage space to client device 110, whereby client application 112 running on client device 110 provides corresponding image sequence management services based on user requests or instructions generated according to embodiments of this disclosure, etc. It is understood that the above is only one example, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a pose determination method 200 for an ultrasound probe according to an exemplary embodiment. Method 200 can be implemented in a client device (e.g., Figure 1 The execution is performed at the client device 110 shown, that is, the execution entity of each step of method 200 can be... Figure 1 The client device 110 shown. In some embodiments, method 200 can be performed on a server (e.g., Figure 1 The method 200 is executed at server 120 (as shown in the figure). In some embodiments, the method 200 may be executed in combination by a client device (e.g., client device 110) and a server (e.g., server 120).

[0027] The steps of method 200 are described in detail below.

[0028] refer to Figure 2 In step S201, encoder readings from a pose recording assembly connected to the ultrasound probe are acquired. The pose recording assembly may include a base connector, an end connector, and at least one rigid support and at least one rotary joint connected between the base connector and the end connector. The end connector is fixed to the ultrasound probe, and the encoder readings are obtained from at least one encoder component mechanically coupled to a corresponding rotary joint in the at least one rotary joint.

[0029] Figures 3A-3CExamples of pose recording components according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated. It will be understood that while two rigid supports are shown as examples, the pose recording component may include only one rigid support or may include more rigid supports. Various exemplary embodiments of the pose recording component will be further described below.

[0030] Return to reference Figure 2 In step S202, based on the encoder readings and component parameters related to the pose recording component, the pose of the end reference point of the end connector of the pose recording component is determined.

[0031] In step S203, based on the pose of the end reference point, the pose of the imaging reference point located on the imaging acoustic surface of the ultrasonic probe is determined.

[0032] The above method enables accurate acquisition of the spatial position and orientation information of the ultrasound probe. By utilizing encoder readings and component parameters to determine the pose of the end-effector reference point, and further deriving the pose of the imaging reference point, precise positioning of the ultrasound probe's imaging surface is achieved, which is helpful for subsequent medical image processing and three-dimensional spatial analysis.

[0033] Understandably, the end reference point can be located at the end connector of the pose recording component, and the imaging reference point can be located on the imaging acoustic surface of the ultrasound probe. A fixed spatial offset exists between the two, determined by the connection method between the end connector and the ultrasound probe. By introducing a coordinate transformation from the end reference point to the imaging reference point at the end of the solution link, the object described by the output pose coincides with the actual physical surface generated by the ultrasound image. This ensures that the positioning of each ultrasound image in three-dimensional space corresponds to its imaging content, facilitating subsequent medical image processing and three-dimensional spatial analysis.

[0034] Those skilled in the art will understand that a pose recording component can refer to a mechanical linkage device used to track and record the position and orientation of an object in three-dimensional space. The combination of rigid supports and rotary joints in the pose recording component provides a certain degree of freedom, and encoder readings continuously reflect the specific motion state of these joints. Exemplarily, encoder readings can be acquired via wired transmission or low-latency wireless communication. Exemplarily, the specific shape and size of the pose recording component can be ergonomically adapted to the shape of the actual ultrasound probe and the medical operating environment. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0035] In some embodiments, each of the at least one rotary joint can be a motorless follower joint, and the pose recording component can be configured to follow the movement of the ultrasound probe when it is dragged by an external force. In such an embodiment, the encoder readings can be acquired during the process of the ultrasound probe being dragged by an external force, causing the pose recording component to follow the movement.

[0036] According to such an embodiment, the pose recording component can be passively driven by the operator's natural dragging of the ultrasonic probe without the need for an additional driving device, thereby achieving continuous pose acquisition with low structural complexity and cost.

[0037] Those skilled in the art will understand that a follower joint can refer to a mechanical joint that does not contain an active drive device such as a servo motor, but rotates freely under the action of external force and whose rotation angle changes are passively recorded by an encoder.

[0038] In some embodiments, the at least one rigid support can be a rod. According to such embodiments, the connection and support functions of the rigid support can be achieved with a simple rod-like structure, which helps reduce the overall weight of the pose recording component and simplifies the manufacturing process. It is understood that the rod can be a straight rod with a uniform cross-section, or it can be an irregularly shaped rod designed with partial bending or diameter changes according to ergonomic or obstacle avoidance requirements.

[0039] Exemplary examples show that the at least one rigid support may also take the form of other rigid structures such as plates, tubes, or trusses, as long as a stable mechanical connection and controllable movement / rotation can be provided between the base connector and the end connector. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0040] In some embodiments, the imaging reference point can be a point on the imaging acoustic surface of the ultrasound probe that corresponds to the center of the ultrasound image acquired by the ultrasound probe.

[0041] According to this embodiment, the geometric center of the ultrasound image can be used as a reference for spatial positioning, so that the determined imaging reference point pose can directly correspond to the positioning reference of each frame of ultrasound image in three-dimensional space, which facilitates subsequent image registration and reconstruction.

[0042] Those skilled in the art will understand that the imaging acoustic surface can refer to the surface of an ultrasonic probe where the array of elements used to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves and actually form an ultrasonic image is located.

[0043] For example, the imaging reference point can also be set as other specific points on the imaging acoustic surface, such as fixed points on one end or edge of the array element, as long as there is a definite spatial correspondence between the point and the acquired ultrasound image. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0044] In some embodiments, exemplarily, the pose determination method for an ultrasound probe may further include obtaining the length of each of the at least one rigid support as the component parameter. In such an embodiment, determining the end reference point pose of the end connector of the pose recording component may include: calculating the end reference point pose based on the rotation angle of the at least one rotary joint indicated by the encoder reading and the component parameter.

[0045] This embodiment enables accurate forward kinematics calculation based on a defined rigid support length and rotational joint angle. This calculation method can accurately convert measurements in joint space into end-effector pose information in Cartesian coordinates.

[0046] Understandably, the solution can be a mathematical calculation process involving coordinate transformations and matrix multiplications using standard three-dimensional kinematic equations. The length of the rigid support can be used as a fixed numerical parameter in this calculation.

[0047] For example, the calculation process can be performed in real time by the local computing unit of the device, or the data stream can be sent to a cloud server or edge computing node for distributed computing to improve the calculation speed. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0048] In some embodiments, the component parameters may be obtained by visually scanning the pose recording component. Those skilled in the art will understand that visual scanning can refer to the process of using optical sensors such as cameras and laser scanners to capture surface features of an object and extract size, position, or structural information from them. Exemplarily, the parameters may also be obtained by combining factory calibration parameters pre-stored in the device's read-only memory for verification. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0049] In some embodiments, visual scanning of the pose recording component can also be used to obtain the model number of the pose recording component through visual scanning, and the component parameters can be obtained based on a parameter library corresponding to the model number. For example, the method may include: first identifying the model number of the pose recording component through visual scanning, and then reading or requesting the component parameters from a pre-stored parameter library corresponding to the model number.

[0050] According to this embodiment, pre-calibrated component parameters can be quickly retrieved through model identification without requiring detailed measurement of each rigid support, thus improving the efficiency of parameter acquisition and reducing the reliance on the accuracy of on-site visual scanning.

[0051] Understandably, the parameter library can be stored in the device's local storage or in a remote server or cloud database that can be accessed via a network.

[0052] In some other embodiments, visual scanning can either directly obtain the specific values ​​of component parameters, or indirectly obtain component parameters through a parameter library after obtaining only the model information. These two methods can be used in combination for mutual verification. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0053] In some embodiments, the surface of the at least one rigid support may be provided with visual markers. In such embodiments, obtaining the length of each of the at least one rigid support as the component parameter may include: correcting the length of one or more of the at least one rigid support based on the scanning results of a visual scan of the visual markers.

[0054] According to this embodiment, potential mechanical deformation or assembly errors can be corrected based on a reference standard provided by visual markings. Correction of the rigid support length can effectively reduce geometric errors accumulated over time or with environmental changes, ensuring measurement reliability during long-term use.

[0055] It is understood that visual markers can be high-contrast QR codes, specific geometric patterns, feature tracking points, or infrared reflective sphere markers, etc. It is also understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0056] In some additional embodiments, in addition to length, the scanning system may also perform co-correction for other parameters of the rigid support, such as curvature or torsional deformation. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0057] In some embodiments, the surface of the at least one rigid support may be provided with one or more visual markers, and the method may further include: acquiring a measured positional relationship obtained by visually scanning the one or more visual markers; determining a theoretical positional relationship corresponding to the measured positional relationship based on the encoder reading and the length of the rigid support in the component parameters; and calibrating the component parameters based on the difference between the measured positional relationship and the theoretical positional relationship.

[0058] According to this embodiment, the component parameters can be dynamically calibrated by comparing the difference between the measured positional relationship obtained from visual scanning and the theoretical positional relationship calculated based on encoder readings. Three-dimensional ultrasound reconstruction requires that the registration error of each ultrasound image in the three-dimensional volume data grid be comparable to the spatial resolution of the ultrasound image itself. However, the pose recording component is assembled from multiple non-standard parts. The machining deviation of the actual length of the rigid support relative to the design length, as well as the deviation of the axis position of each rotating joint after assembly, can be amplified at the end reference point through the levers of the rigid component, reaching several to tens of times the spatial resolution of the ultrasound image. This deviation is a fixed, repeatable systematic deviation for the same pose recording component, rather than random noise. Therefore, it cannot be eliminated by averaging multiple measurements of the same configuration and will be transmitted to the calculated end reference point pose and imaging reference point pose in the form of a fixed drift. In the embodiments of this disclosure, instead of addressing the deviation by increasing the machining and assembly precision of each part, visual marks are actively set on the surface of the rigid support. The system deviation is then solved by using the difference between the encoder reading and the visual scanning result, and the component parameters are compensated. Thus, without relying on additional precision measuring equipment and while allowing each part to maintain low machining precision requirements, the deviation of the calculated pose is suppressed to an order of magnitude comparable to the resolution of the ultrasonic image.

[0059] It is understandable that both measured positional relationships and theoretical positional relationships can be expressed as relative distances, relative angles, or coordinate transformation matrices between two or more points in three-dimensional space.

[0060] For example, the calibration process can be automatically triggered each time the device powers on for self-test, or it can be manually initiated by the user. It is understood that the above is merely an example, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0061] In some embodiments, the measured positional relationship and the theoretical positional relationship may be obtained separately for multiple different rotational states of the pose recording component. In such embodiments, the calibration may be based on multiple sets of differences corresponding to the multiple different rotational states.

[0062] According to this embodiment, the pose recording component can be calibrated by integrating the difference data of multiple different postures, avoiding the local fitting error that may be caused by calibration based on only a single rotation state, thereby improving the calibration accuracy of the component parameters in the entire workspace.

[0063] Those skilled in the art will understand that different rotation states can refer to different configurations of the pose recording component corresponding to different combinations of rotation angles of the at least one rotation joint.

[0064] In some other embodiments, the number and distribution of multiple different rotational states can be preset according to the required calibration accuracy, or can be dynamically adjusted during the calibration process based on the convergence of differences. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0065] In some embodiments, the one or more visual markers may be respectively disposed on two of the at least one rigid support. In such an embodiment, the measured positional relationship may be the measured relative position between one or more visual markers on the two rigid supports.

[0066] According to this embodiment, the relative spatial relationship between two rigid supports can be directly obtained, allowing the calibration process to more directly reflect the actual motion state of the joints connecting the rigid supports, reducing the accumulation of errors that may be introduced by intermediate coordinate transformation steps. It is understood that the two rigid supports can be adjacent rigid supports or non-adjacent rigid supports indirectly connected by one or more rotational joints. Exemplarily, visual markers can also be simultaneously set on two or more rigid supports to obtain more sets of measured relative positions for comprehensive calibration. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0067] In some embodiments, the surface of the end connector may be provided with one or more end visual markers, and the ultrasound probe may be provided with a probe identification code. In such embodiments, the method may further include: acquiring the relative positional relationship between the one or more visual markers of the rigid support, the one or more end visual markers, and the probe identification code obtained through visual scanning; and, based on the relative positional relationship, unifying the at least one rigid support, the end connector, and the ultrasound probe into the same coordinate system. In such embodiments, the imaging reference point pose is determined in the same coordinate system.

[0068] According to this embodiment, the spatial relationship between the rigid support, the end connector and the ultrasonic probe can be obtained simultaneously through a single visual scan, and the three can be unified into the same coordinate system for pose calculation. This reduces the cumulative error that may be introduced by multiple coordinate transformations during the step-by-step calibration process and improves the consistency of the overall pose determination.

[0069] Those skilled in the art will understand that unifying different components into the same coordinate system means, through coordinate transformation, converting the position and orientation information of each component, originally described relative to its own local coordinate system, into a representation relative to the same reference coordinate system.

[0070] In some other embodiments, the unified coordinate system can use the local coordinate system of any one of the base connector, the end connector, or the ultrasound probe as the reference coordinate system, as long as the relative positional relationships between the components are known. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0071] In some embodiments, the visual markers may be placed on at least two different surface areas on the at least one rigid support.

[0072] This embodiment enables effective capture of visual markers from various viewing angles. Positioning the markers across multiple surface areas increases the field of view of the vision system, thereby reducing the risk of scan failures due to operator or environmental obstructions.

[0073] Those skilled in the art will understand that different surface areas can refer to the front, side, or opposite back of a rigid support, in order to ensure the multi-view visibility of the optical sensor.

[0074] In some other embodiments, visual markers on different surface areas may employ different encoding methods to facilitate the system's rapid differentiation of the specific orientation or face of the branch. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0075] In some embodiments, the at least two different surface regions may be at least two different surface regions located on the same rigid support, or they may be surface regions located on different rigid supports in the at least one rigid support. That is, the at least one rigid support may be at least two rigid supports, and the visual markers may be respectively set on the at least two rigid supports.

[0076] According to this embodiment, the visual marker setting method can be flexibly selected according to the actual structural requirements. It can achieve multi-angle coverage on a single rigid support, or it can be distributed among multiple rigid supports to simultaneously obtain the posture and length information of each of the multiple supports.

[0077] For example, a combination of single-body multi-region setting and multi-body distribution setting can be used simultaneously in the same pose recording component to obtain richer calibration information while ensuring scan coverage. It is understood that the above is only an example, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0078] In some embodiments, exemplarily, the method for determining the pose of an ultrasound probe may further include obtaining the relative positional relationship between the end reference point and the imaging reference point. In such embodiments, the pose of the imaging reference point may be determined based on the relative positional relationship.

[0079] According to this embodiment, a spatial transformation from the end reference point of the external mechanical structure to the actual ultrasonic imaging plane can be established. Using this relative positional relationship, the actual pose of the reference point corresponding to the acoustic array element inside the probe in three-dimensional space can be accurately derived.

[0080] It is understandable that the relative positional relationship can be a three-dimensional translation vector and / or a three-dimensional rotation matrix between the two, or a homogeneous transformation matrix representing a rigid body transformation.

[0081] For example, this relative positional relationship can be determined once during the initialization phase of the probe connection, or it can be reacquired triggered each time the probe is replaced. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0082] In some embodiments, obtaining the relative positional relationship between the end reference point and the imaging reference point may include obtaining the relative positional relationship related to the predetermined position in response to determining the predetermined position where the end connector is fixed to the ultrasound probe.

[0083] In such examples, by fixing the end connector in a predetermined position, pre-known or fixed spatial transformation parameters can be directly invoked. This approach simplifies the position calibration process after each mechanical connection, improving the system's ease of use and preparation efficiency.

[0084] Those skilled in the art will understand that a predetermined position may refer to a fixed position on the ultrasonic probe housing, such as a specific mounting groove, a snap-fit ​​point, or a standard connection hole reserved during mold forming, which can ensure consistency.

[0085] In some additional embodiments, the number of predetermined positions can be multiple to accommodate different gripping habits. The system can automatically identify which predetermined position is currently connected based on sensor signals and call the corresponding conversion parameters. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0086] In some embodiments, the end connector may include a mating structure that can mate with a calibration structure disposed on the ultrasound probe, so that the end connector is fixed at a predetermined position on the ultrasound probe.

[0087] This embodiment achieves connection stability and unique positioning through a rigid fit of the physical structure. The fit structure ensures that the end connector and the ultrasonic probe are precisely aligned and spatially constrained to a predetermined position during each assembly.

[0088] It is understood that the calibration structure and mating structure can be interlocking grooves, magnetic locating pin holes, precision guides, or latch structures. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0089] In some other embodiments, the mating structure may also include a microswitch for detecting whether the mating is in place and locking. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0090] In some embodiments, the mating structure and the calibration structure cooperate with each other so that the end connector is fixed at a predetermined position on the ultrasound probe, thereby maintaining the distance and angular relationship between the end reference point and the imaging reference point.

[0091] According to this embodiment, it can be ensured that the spatial relationship between the end reference point and the imaging reference point remains constant each time the end connector is installed on the ultrasound probe, so that the pre-calibrated relative positional relationship is always effective in subsequent use without the need for recalibration each time.

[0092] In some embodiments, the mating structure may be a magnetic suction portion, and the calibration structure may be a magnetic calibration plate disposed on the ultrasonic probe. In some other embodiments, the mating structure may be one of a protrusion and a recess, and the calibration structure may be the other of a protrusion and a recess that fits its shape.

[0093] According to this embodiment, the magnetic coupling structure enables rapid adsorption alignment and convenient disassembly between the end connector and the ultrasonic probe, while the protrusion and recess shape-fitting structure can provide stronger positioning rigidity and anti-slip capability in a purely mechanical manner. Both methods can ensure that the end connector is fixed in the predetermined position.

[0094] For example, the mating structure and calibration structure can also be a composite structure combining magnetic attraction and shape-fitting to simultaneously ensure ease of installation and connection stability. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0095] In some embodiments, obtaining the relative positional relationship between the end reference point and the imaging reference point may include: obtaining a first relative position between the identification code and the end connector obtained by visually scanning the identification code disposed on the ultrasound probe; obtaining a second relative position between the identification code and the imaging reference point; and determining the relative positional relationship based on the first relative position and the second relative position.

[0096] According to this embodiment, coordinate system transformation can be performed using an identification code as an intermediate spatial medium. This method allows for the acquisition and calculation of the spatial mathematical relationship between mechanical components and the imaging reference through external visual positioning without altering the original internal structure of the probe.

[0097] Those skilled in the art will understand that the identification code can refer to a two-dimensional matrix code, barcode, or directional optical pattern affixed to or etched on the surface of an ultrasonic probe. The first relative position and the second relative position can be a three-dimensional spatial transformation matrix containing rotation and translation information.

[0098] For example, the identification code may also include additional data information indicating the current probe calibration validity period, which the system can read synchronously during scanning. It is understood that the above is merely an example, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0099] In some embodiments, obtaining the second relative position between the identification code and the imaging reference point may include obtaining a predetermined second relative position between the identification code and the imaging reference point. For example, the identification code may be affixed to a position with a fixed position or fixed distance relationship to the imaging reference point by means of a pre-defined specification.

[0100] According to this embodiment, it is possible to avoid the need to remeasure the spatial relationship between the identification code and the imaging reference point every time it is used, and directly obtain the second relative position through a predetermined fixed relationship, thereby simplifying the process of obtaining the relative position relationship and improving the system's response speed.

[0101] In some embodiments, the second relative position may be determined based on the model of the ultrasonic probe and the probe shape parameters corresponding to the model.

[0102] According to this embodiment, the positional relationship between the corresponding identification code and the imaging reference point can be automatically obtained for ultrasonic probes of different models and sizes, without the need for manual calibration for each probe, thus improving the applicability of the method to various probe models.

[0103] It is understandable that the probe's shape parameters may include geometric dimensions such as the length and width of the probe housing and the position of the imaging acoustic surface relative to the probe housing.

[0104] In some embodiments, the method may further include: in response to a change in the fixed position of the end connector relative to the ultrasound probe, reacquiring the first relative position between the identification code and the end connector, and updating the relative positional relationship between the end reference point and the imaging reference point based on the reacquiring first relative position and the second relative position.

[0105] According to this embodiment, the relative positional relationship can be updated in a timely manner when the connection position between the end connector and the ultrasonic probe changes, avoiding deviations in the subsequent imaging reference point pose calculation due to changes in the fixed position, thereby ensuring that the pose determination result remains accurate after the connection state changes.

[0106] Those skilled in the art will understand that a change in the fixed position may be due to the end connector being removed from the ultrasonic probe and reinstalled, or being installed in a different predetermined position.

[0107] For example, whether a change in fixed position has occurred can be automatically detected by sensor signals, or it can be triggered by manual confirmation by the user through an interface. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0108] In some embodiments, the relative positional relationship may also be based on the probe model of the ultrasound probe, which can be obtained by visually scanning the ultrasound probe.

[0109] In such an example, combining the probe model allows for the retrieval of specific spatial compensation data based on the differences in the physical dimensions and internal acoustic array structure of different probe models.

[0110] It is understandable that the probe model can refer to the product series code, hardware version number, or specific type of ultrasonic probe (such as convex array probe, linear array probe, phased array probe), etc.

[0111] In some additional embodiments, the probe model can also be verified by reading the non-volatile memory built into the probe connector or the handshake electrical signal of the communication interface. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0112] In some embodiments, visually scanning the ultrasound probe to obtain the probe model may include visually scanning the model number attached to the ultrasound probe and corresponding to the model number, or it may include obtaining the shape parameters of the ultrasound probe through visual scanning and determining the probe model based on the shape parameters. Exemplarily, the model number identification result and the shape parameter identification result may also be cross-validated to improve the accuracy of probe model identification. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0113] In some embodiments, an attitude sensor may be provided on the end connector. In such embodiments, determining the imaging reference point pose may further include determining at least one attitude component in the imaging reference point pose based at least on readings from the attitude sensor.

[0114] This embodiment enables multi-source data fusion by introducing additional dimensions of physical sensing data. Using readings from attitude sensors, the pose calculated by the encoder can be supplemented or validated against interference, providing more robust measurement accuracy, especially when capturing changes in gravity direction or highly dynamic attitude.

[0115] Those skilled in the art will understand that attitude sensors can refer to devices such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) inertial measurement units, gyroscopes, accelerometers, or geomagnetic sensors. Attitude components can be pitch, roll, or yaw components of Euler angles. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0116] In some other embodiments, the attitude sensor may be configured with multi-axis redundancy to further filter sensor drift noise or ambient magnetic field interference. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0117] In some embodiments, determining the imaging reference point pose may further include determining at least one position component in the imaging reference point pose based on the encoder readings.

[0118] In this embodiment, the attitude component of the imaging reference point pose is directly measured by an attitude sensor mounted on the end effector, while the position component is obtained from encoder readings through kinematic calculation. Since the attitude component no longer depends on a complete calculation of the rotation angles of each joint, the number of joints and their degree-of-freedom configuration do not need to be designed as a complete six-DOF cascade mechanism; instead, it is sufficient to ensure that the end effector can passively follow the ultrasonic probe's scanning motion without obstruction. Consequently, the number of encoder components can be reduced accordingly, lowering the weight, cost, and computational complexity of the pose recording component without sacrificing pose integrity. Simultaneously, both types of sensor data possess high reliability in attitude and position measurement, respectively, and their combination yields a more complete and accurate imaging reference point pose.

[0119] For example, the position and attitude components can also be obtained by jointly processing encoder readings and attitude sensor readings using different fusion algorithms (e.g., Kalman filtering), rather than being determined independently. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0120] In some embodiments, exemplarily, the method for determining the pose of an ultrasound probe may further include reconstructing the ultrasound image sequence acquired by the ultrasound probe based on the time series of the pose of the imaging reference point.

[0121] According to this embodiment, a sequence of two-dimensional ultrasound images obtained from continuous scanning can be mapped into a consistent and continuous three-dimensional anatomical space. Time-series pose data provides each frame with an accurate spatial coordinate context, laying the data foundation for high-level tissue reconstruction.

[0122] It is understandable that a time series can refer to a series of discrete pose data that are continuously recorded at a certain sampling frequency and have a uniform timestamp.

[0123] For example, the reconstruction processing can be performed in real time in parallel by the graphics processor during the scanning process, or it can be performed in high-quality offline post-processing on a workstation after the image data acquisition is completed. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0124] In some embodiments, the time series of the imaging reference point pose may or may not correspond to the ultrasound image sequence in time. In embodiments where the time series of the imaging reference point pose does not correspond to the ultrasound image sequence in time, the imaging reference point pose corresponding to the acquisition time of each ultrasound image in the ultrasound image sequence can be determined by interpolation or other methods for use in the reconstruction processing.

[0125] According to this embodiment, even if the sampling frequency of the imaging reference point pose is not completely consistent with the acquisition frame rate of the ultrasound image, the pose data at the corresponding time can be matched for each frame of ultrasound image by interpolation, thereby reducing the requirement for strict time synchronization between the pose acquisition system and the ultrasound imaging system.

[0126] Understandably, the interpolation method can be linear interpolation, spline interpolation, or motion model-based interpolation, etc.

[0127] For example, the timestamp alignment required for interpolation can also be achieved with the help of hardware synchronization signals or a unified system clock. It is understood that the above are merely examples and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0128] In some embodiments, reconstructing the ultrasound image sequence acquired by the ultrasound probe may include: determining the position and orientation of each ultrasound image in the ultrasound image sequence in three-dimensional space based on the time series of the imaging reference point pose; and registering and stacking each ultrasound image according to the determined position and orientation into a three-dimensional volume data grid to obtain three-dimensional ultrasound data.

[0129] In such examples, scattered or non-uniformly distributed two-dimensional scan slices can be integrated and transformed into structured three-dimensional volume data with spatial topological relationships. Through precise position and orientation registration and stacking processing, the true spatial geometry of lesions or internal tissues is preserved, enhancing the spatial visualization and assessment capabilities of ultrasound imaging.

[0130] Those skilled in the art will understand that a three-dimensional volumetric data grid can refer to a regular spatial data array composed of three-dimensional voxels, each voxel containing information such as calculated acoustic intensity or ultrasonic grayscale value.

[0131] In some additional embodiments, during the process of stacking images onto a 3D volumetric data grid, distance-weighted interpolation algorithms or spline interpolation can be combined to smooth the transition between adjacent image slices and fill in blank acquisition areas in the grid. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0132] In some other embodiments, the reconstruction processing of the ultrasound image sequence acquired by the ultrasound probe may also include: inputting the ultrasound image sequence and the time series of the imaging reference point pose into a trained reconstruction model to obtain the three-dimensional ultrasound data output by the reconstruction model.

[0133] According to such an embodiment, the complex mapping relationship between ultrasound image sequences and corresponding pose information can be automatically learned using a trained reconstruction model. This enables the output of high-quality three-dimensional ultrasound data even when dealing with noise, artifacts, or pose measurement errors, reducing the reliance on explicit registration and interpolation algorithms.

[0134] Understandably, the trained reconstruction model can be a model built on convolutional neural networks, Transformers, or other deep learning architectures and trained using a large number of ultrasound image sequence samples with pose annotations.

[0135] For example, registration-stack-based reconstruction methods and reconstruction model-based reconstruction methods can also be used in combination. For instance, preliminary 3D volume data can be obtained first using registration-stack, and then further optimized and refined using a reconstruction model. It is understood that the above are merely examples, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0136] Figures 3A-3C A follow-up pose recording component according to an example of this disclosure is shown. Figures 3A-3CAs shown, the pose recording assembly may include a base connector, a rigid body assembly, and an end connector. The base connector 10 may be provided with a base connection structure 11, which can be used to fix the entire pose recording assembly to an external support structure 70 (e.g., an operating table, gantry, desktop support, etc.), thereby providing a fixed reference for subsequent pose recording. In some embodiments, the base connection structure is configured as a clamping structure detachably clamped to the support structure, for example including a pair of relatively openable and closable grippers, and a helical locking mechanism or quick-release latching mechanism for driving the grippers to open and lock. Figures 3A-3C As shown, the base connection structure 11 is shown as a C-clamp, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. The user can securely fix the pose recording component to the support structure by simply clamping the base connection structure to the edge or rod-shaped part of the support structure and tightening the locking nut. It can be quickly assembled and disassembled without the aid of tools, making it convenient for use in different scenarios.

[0137] A rigid body assembly can be connected between the base connector 10 and the end connector 20. It is understood that a rigid body assembly refers to an integral structure consisting of at least one rigid support and at least one rotary joint, connected between the base connector and the end connector. The rigid body assembly may include one or more rigid supports, such as… Figures 3A-3B At least two rigid supports connected in series (first rod 41 and second rod 42), or Figure 3C The three rigid supports (first rod 41, second rod 42, and third rod 43) are shown. However, it is understood that only one rigid support may be included between the base connector 10 and the end connector 20, such as a single straight rod, a curved shape, or another type of rigid body. It is understood that although each rigid support is shown herein as a rod, the rigid support may be in other forms, such as curved, sheet-like, or integrally formed into other shapes, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0138] The rotary joint may include, for example, one or more of the base joint 31, the first interlink joint 32, the end joint 33, and the second interlink joint 34. It is understood that in some embodiments, at least one of the base joint or the end joint may not be included, for example, the end position adjustability may be ensured only by a rotary joint between rigid supports, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0139] An encoder component, such as, but not limited to, one or more of the first encoder 51, the second encoder 52, the third encoder 53, and the fourth encoder 54, can be mechanically coupled to each rotary joint to record the rotation angle of the corresponding rotary joint in real time.

[0140] The end connector 20 can be coupled to the other end of the rigid body assembly away from the base connector, and an end connection structure 22 can be provided thereon. The end connection structure can be used to fix the ultrasonic probe to the end connector, so that the spatial pose change of the ultrasonic probe can be synchronously recorded in accordance with the pose change of the rigid body assembly. Exemplarily, the end connection structure can be a clamping member for holding the ultrasonic probe.

[0141] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, a pose recording component is provided. The pose recording component may be a servo-type component, which can be attached to an ultrasound probe to record the pose (position and orientation) changes of the ultrasound probe in space in real time via a servo-type method, without any active driving components. According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the support structure 70 may be the edge of an examination bed.

[0142] For example, at least two rotary joints may include at least one rigid support joint for rotatably coupling two adjacent rigid supports (e.g., first rod 41 and second rod 42) in a rigid body assembly, and a base joint for rotatably coupling one end of the rigid body assembly (i.e. the rigid support closest to the base connector) to the base connector.

[0143] In this embodiment, each of the at least two rotary joints is a motorless follow-up joint. That is, the rotary joint does not contain any motor, servo motor, or other active drive device. Its rotation is entirely dependent on the external force transmitted to the rigid body component through the end connector when the ultrasonic probe moves, and it passively follows the rotation. This "follow-up" design makes the pose recording component structure lighter and cheaper, and it eliminates the problems of motion lag, heat generation, and electromagnetic interference caused by motor drive, thus enabling it to more realistically and sensitively reflect the actual motion state of the ultrasonic probe.

[0144] In some embodiments, at least two rotary joints further include end joints 33, which are used to rotatably couple the other end of the rigid body assembly to the end connector. That is, in addition to the base joint and the joint between the rigid supports, a rotatable, follow-me-to-record joint is also provided between the rigid body assembly and the end connector, thereby further increasing the number of degrees of freedom of the end connector relative to the base connector. This allows the pose recording assembly to adapt to more complex spatial posture changes of the ultrasound probe, improving the integrity and accuracy of pose recording. In such embodiments, adjacent rigid supports and the rigid body assembly, base connector, and end connector can be rotatably connected via rotary joints.

[0145] In some embodiments, the rotation axes of two adjacent rotary joints in at least two rotary joints can be arranged perpendicular to each other. For example, the rotation axis of a rigid support joint forms a 90-degree angle with the rotation axis of the adjacent base joint or end joint. By making the rotation axes of adjacent rotary joints perpendicular to each other, the rigid body assembly can have rotational capabilities in two mutually orthogonal planes, thereby obtaining a richer combination of spatial degrees of freedom with a smaller number of joints, simplifying the angle calculation model of the encoder component, and improving the accuracy of pose calculation.

[0146] In other embodiments, the axes of rotation of two adjacent rotary joints can also be arranged to intersect but not perpendicularly, or to be arranged in opposite directions (i.e., neither intersecting nor parallel in space). This non-orthogonal axis arrangement allows for customized design of the rotation direction of each joint in the rigid body component based on the typical range and motion pattern of the ultrasonic probe in the actual application scenario, thereby achieving better motion tracking performance and a lower probability of singular configurations under specific motion patterns.

[0147] In some embodiments, the end connector may have at least four degrees of freedom relative to the base connector. These degrees of freedom can be achieved by increasing the number of rigid supports and the number of rotary joints in the rigid body assembly, and by rationally arranging the orientation of the axes of rotation of each rotary joint.

[0148] In some embodiments, the surface of at least one rigid support in the rigid body assembly may be provided with a position code. This position code can be used to indicate the actual position and / or orientation of the rigid support in space under scanning by a visual scanning device (e.g., a binocular camera, a structured light camera, or a laser tracker). By providing a position code on the surface of the rigid support, pose information calculated based on encoder component readings can be cross-checked or fused with pose information obtained based on visual scanning, thereby improving the robustness and accuracy of pose recording of the entire pose recording assembly. In particular, it provides a redundant verification method when the encoder component experiences zero-point drift or data anomalies.

[0149] In some embodiments, the location code includes a plurality of markers distributed over at least one region on the surface of the rigid support. The plurality of markers may be printed marks, reflective marker spheres, or actively emitting markers with a specific geometric pattern (e.g., checkerboard, concentric rings, or coded dot matrix), and their distribution pattern (e.g., relative spacing, arrangement) on the surface of the rigid support is pre-calibrated so that after the visual scanning device recognizes the distribution pattern, it can calculate the spatial position and orientation of the rigid support in the coordinate system of the scanning device.

[0150] For example, refer to Figures 3A-3CThe illustration shows exemplary first visual position code regions 61, 62, 63, and 64, etc. It is understood that while the code points in these visual position code regions are drawn substantially uniformly for aesthetic purposes, in practice, these code points may differ in one or more aspects such as shape, size, distribution, and distance to identify different positions and corresponding lengths / distances of the rod. Furthermore, it is understood that each rigid support may have more or fewer position code regions, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0151] In some embodiments, in addition to the surface of the rigid support, at least one of the surfaces of the end connector and the base connector may also be provided with position codes. By also providing position codes on the end connector and / or the base connector, the visual scanning system can directly obtain the absolute pose information of both ends (i.e., the fixed end and the recording end) of the pose recording component, further providing a calibration reference in a global coordinate system for the relative pose calculation results based on encoder readings, and reducing accumulated errors.

[0152] In some embodiments, the rigid support in the rigid body assembly can be made of carbon fiber. Carbon fiber has the characteristics of high specific strength, high specific stiffness, and low density. Using carbon fiber to make the rigid support can significantly reduce the overall weight of the pose recording assembly while ensuring sufficient rigidity of the rigid body assembly and avoiding pose recording errors caused by deformation of the rigid support. This reduces the interference of the pose recording assembly on the movement of the ultrasonic probe and improves the sensitivity of the follow-up.

[0153] In some embodiments, the rigid support in the rigid body assembly can adopt an internal hollow structure. For example, the rigid support is entirely in the shape of a hollow tube, or it can be a truss-type hollow structure with multiple weight-reducing holes and intersecting reinforcing ribs arranged axially inside the rigid support. The internal hollow structure can further reduce the self-weight of the rigid support while ensuring that the bending and torsional stiffness of the rigid support is basically unaffected.

[0154] In some embodiments, the outer diameter of the rigid support in the rigid body assembly can be less than 1 cm, and the length of each rigid support can be more than ten centimeters. Smaller rigid support cross-sectional dimensions help to further reduce the weight and moment of inertia of the rigid body assembly. Combining carbon fiber material with an internal hollow structure, the overall weight of the pose recording assembly can be controlled to within 200g, and in some examples, to around 100 grams. Since this weight is shared by the support structure on the base connector side and the ultrasound probe on the end connector side, and the weight of the rigid support near the base connector is mainly borne by the support structure, the final weight added to the ultrasound probe is only a few tens of grams. Therefore, the pose recording assembly does not significantly interfere with the doctor's handheld ultrasound probe scanning movements, nor does it alter the doctor's original scanning technique due to the added burden.

[0155] As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the base connection structure can be a clamping structure that can be detachably clamped to the support structure. This clamping structure can take various forms, such as C-clamps, spiral clamps, elastic clips, or magnetic clamps, as long as it can reliably fix the base connector to the support structure and support tool-free quick assembly and disassembly.

[0156] In some embodiments, the end connector may have a mating structure for engaging with a calibration structure disposed on the ultrasonic probe, so that the end connector is fixed in a predetermined position relative to the ultrasonic probe, thereby ensuring that the relative pose relationship between the end connector and the ultrasonic probe remains consistent each time the pose recording assembly is installed on the ultrasonic probe, and avoiding systematic deviations in pose recording caused by inconsistent installation positions.

[0157] In some embodiments, the mating structure is a magnetic suction part (not shown), and correspondingly, the calibration structure is a magnetic calibration plate 81 disposed on the ultrasonic probe. Through the magnetic attraction between the magnetic suction part and the magnetic calibration plate, the end connector can be quickly and accurately attracted and positioned at a predetermined position on the ultrasonic probe.

[0158] In other embodiments, the mating structure is one of a protrusion and a recess, and the calibration structure is the other of a recess and a protrusion that mates with the shape of the protrusion or recess. For example, the mating structure can be a positioning boss or positioning pin provided on the end connector, and the calibration structure can be a corresponding positioning groove or positioning hole on the ultrasonic probe; through the shape fit (plug fit) between the protrusion and the recess, the end connector is accurately and repeatably positioned relative to the ultrasonic probe at a predetermined position.

[0159] In some embodiments, the end connection structure is a clamping structure that can be detachably clamped to the ultrasonic probe. Its specific form can be similar to the aforementioned base connection structure, such as using elastic claws, spiral locking clips or Velcro straps, to adapt to ultrasonic probes of different models and different sizes (such as convex array probes, linear array probes, phased array probes, etc.), so as to achieve reliable fixation and convenient assembly and disassembly between the end connector and the ultrasonic probe.

[0160] In some embodiments, an attitude sensor may also be provided on the end effector. The attitude sensor may be one or more of an inertial measurement unit (IMU), an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a magnetometer. The attitude sensor can directly acquire the end effector's own attitude information in space (e.g., pitch, roll, yaw angles) independently of the joint rotation angles recorded by the encoder components on the rigid body assembly. Fusing the output data of the attitude sensor with the end effector attitude data calculated from the encoder readings of each rotating joint of the rigid body assembly (e.g., through data fusion algorithms such as Kalman filtering) can further improve the accuracy and dynamic response speed of the pose recording assembly for the ultrasonic probe's attitude. Especially when the ultrasonic probe undergoes rapid attitude changes, it can effectively compensate for the attitude calculation lag caused by the encoder component sampling rate or the rigid body assembly's structural flexibility.

[0161] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, in use, the base connector is first fixed to the support structure via the base connection structure, and then the end connector is fixedly connected to the predetermined position of the ultrasonic probe via the end connection structure (which can cooperate with the calibration structure on the ultrasonic probe through a mating structure). When the ultrasonic probe moves, its motion is transmitted to the rigid body assembly through the end connector. Each rotation joint in the rigid body assembly passively follows the rotation without any motor drive. The encoder component mechanically coupled to each rotation joint records the rotation angle of the corresponding rotation joint in real time. Based on the known lengths of the base connector, each rigid support of the rigid body assembly, the relative arrangement of the axes of rotation of each rotation joint, and the rotation angle recorded in real time by each encoder component, the spatial position and orientation of the end connector (and thus the ultrasonic probe) relative to the base connector (i.e., relative to the fixed support structure) can be obtained in real time through forward kinematics calculation, thereby realizing continuous and follow-up recording of the ultrasonic probe's posture.

[0162] Although the various operations are depicted in the accompanying drawings in a specific order, this should not be construed as requiring that these operations must be performed in the specific order shown or in chronological order, nor should it be construed as requiring that all the operations shown must be performed to obtain the desired result. For example, two steps described in order herein may be performed in reverse order or may be performed concurrently. As another example, one or more steps in the various embodiments of this disclosure may be omitted.

[0163] Furthermore, it is understood that the methods for predicting or determining data according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure are not methods for doctors to directly determine diagnostic results, but rather involve data processing or information processing processes during the medical process. The data processing results can be used for doctors' reference, thereby assisting doctors in their medical operations. It is understood that the information processing methods, data prediction methods, determination methods, decision-making methods, etc., according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure are executed by a computer or a device containing a computer.

[0164] It is understood that throughout this disclosure, images or image sequences may be or may include two-dimensional image data, or may be or may include three-dimensional image data. Images or image sequences may be image data that is directly acquired and stored or otherwise transmitted to a terminal device for user use. Images or image sequences may also be processed image data after various image processing steps. Images or image sequences may undergo other analytical processes (e.g., analysis for the presence of lesion features or lesions) and include analytical results (e.g., delineation of regions of interest, tissue segmentation results, etc.). It is understood that this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0165] Now for reference Figure 4 A pose determination apparatus 400 for an ultrasound probe according to embodiments of the present disclosure is described. The pose determination apparatus 400 for an ultrasound probe may include a reading acquisition unit 401, an end-effector pose determination unit 402, and an imaging pose determination unit 403.

[0166] The reading acquisition unit 401 can be used to acquire encoder readings from a pose recording assembly connected to an ultrasound probe. The pose recording assembly includes a base connector, an end connector, and at least one rigid support and at least one rotary joint connected between the base connector and the end connector. The end connector is fixed to the ultrasound probe. The encoder readings come from at least one encoder component mechanically coupled to a corresponding rotary joint in the at least one rotary joint. The end pose determination unit 402 can be used to determine the end reference point pose of the end connector of the pose recording assembly based on the encoder readings and component parameters related to the pose recording assembly. The imaging pose determination unit 403 can be used to determine the imaging reference point pose of an imaging reference point located on the imaging acoustic surface of the ultrasound probe based on the end reference point pose.

[0167] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a computing device is also disclosed, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored on the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer program to implement the steps of the pose determination method for an ultrasonic probe and variations thereof according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0168] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is also disclosed, on which a computer program is stored, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the pose determination method for an ultrasonic probe and variations thereof according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0169] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a computer program product is also disclosed, including a computer program, wherein when executed by a processor, the computer program implements the steps of the pose determination method for an ultrasonic probe and variations thereof according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0170] While specific functions have been discussed above with reference to specific modules, it should be noted that the functions of the various modules discussed herein may be divided into multiple modules, and / or at least some functions of multiple modules may be combined into a single module. The specific module discussed herein performing an action includes the specific module itself performing the action, or alternatively, the specific module calling or otherwise accessing another component or module that performs the action (or performs the action in conjunction with the specific module). Therefore, a specific module performing an action may include the specific module performing the action itself and / or another module that the specific module calls or otherwise accesses to perform the action. For example, the various modules or units described according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure may be combined into a single module or unit in some embodiments. As another example, two or more modules or units may be described in parallel in one or more embodiments of this disclosure, while in other embodiments, these modules and units may have one or more inclusion relationships. As used herein, the phrase "entity A initiates action B" or "entity A causes action B to be performed" may refer to entity A issuing an instruction to perform action B, but entity A itself does not necessarily perform action B. For example, the phrase "display module causes display..." could mean that the display module instructs a display (not shown) or other possible display device to display, without the display module itself needing to perform the "display" action.

[0171] It should also be understood that this article can describe various technologies in the general context of software and hardware components or program modules. The above regarding... Figure 4The various modules described may be implemented in hardware or in hardware in combination with software and / or firmware. For example, these modules may be implemented as computer program code / instructions configured to execute in one or more processors and stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Alternatively, these modules may be implemented as hardware logic / circuit. For example, in some embodiments, one or more of the modules or units described according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented together in a System on Chip (SoC). The SoC may include an integrated circuit chip (which includes a processor (e.g., a Central Processing Unit (CPU), microcontroller, microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP), etc.), memory, one or more communication interfaces, and / or one or more other components in the circuitry), and may optionally execute received program code and / or include embedded firmware to perform functions.

[0172] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a computing device is provided, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory. The processor is configured to execute the computer program to implement the steps of any of the method embodiments described above.

[0173] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which a computer program is stored, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of any of the method embodiments described above.

[0174] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a computer program product is provided, comprising a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of any of the method embodiments described above.

[0175] In the following text, combined with Figure 5 Illustrative examples describing such computer devices, non-transitory computer-readable storage media, and computer program products.

[0176] Figure 5 An example configuration of a computer device 500 that can be used to implement the methods described herein is shown. For example, Figure 1 The server 120 and / or client device 110 shown may include an architecture similar to computer device 500. The aforementioned device / apparatus for determining the pose of the ultrasound probe may also be implemented wholly or at least partially by computer device 500 or similar devices or systems.

[0177] Computer device 500 can be a variety of different types of devices, such as a service provider's server, a device associated with a client (e.g., a client device), a system-on-a-chip, and / or any other suitable computer device or computing system. Examples of computer device 500 include, but are not limited to: desktop computers, server computers, laptop or netbook computers, mobile devices (e.g., tablets, cellular or other wireless phones (e.g., smartphones), notebook computers, mobile stations), wearable devices (e.g., glasses, watches), entertainment devices (e.g., entertainment appliances, set-top boxes communicatively coupled to a display device, game consoles), televisions or other display devices, automotive computers, and so on. Therefore, the range of computer device 500 can be from full-resource devices with large amounts of memory and processor resources (e.g., personal computers, game consoles) to low-resource devices with limited memory and / or processing resources (e.g., traditional set-top boxes, handheld game consoles).

[0178] Computer device 500 may include at least one processor 502, memory 504, multiple communication interfaces 506, display device 508, other input / output (I / O) devices 510, and one or more mass storage devices 512 capable of communicating with each other, such as via system bus 514 or other suitable connections.

[0179] Processor 502 may be a single processing unit or multiple processing units, and all processing units may include single or multiple computing units or multiple cores. Processor 502 may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, state machines, logic circuits, and / or any device that manipulates signals based on operating instructions. Among other capabilities, processor 502 may be configured to acquire and execute computer-readable instructions stored in memory 504, mass storage device 512, or other computer-readable media, such as program code of operating system 516, program code of application program 518, program code of other program 520, etc.

[0180] Memory 504 and mass storage device 512 are examples of computer-readable storage media for storing instructions executed by processor 502 to perform the various functions described above. For example, memory 504 may generally include both volatile and non-volatile memory (e.g., RAM, ROM, etc.). Furthermore, mass storage device 512 may generally include hard disk drives, solid-state drives, removable media, including external and removable drives, memory cards, flash memory, floppy disks, optical disks (e.g., CDs, DVDs), storage arrays, network-attached storage, storage area networks, etc. Both memory 504 and mass storage device 512 may be collectively referred to herein as memory or computer-readable storage media, and may be non-transitory media capable of storing computer-readable, processor-executable program instructions as computer program code, which may be executed by processor 502 as a specific machine configured to perform the operations and functions described in the examples herein.

[0181] Multiple program modules may be stored on mass storage device 512. These programs include operating system 516, one or more application programs 518, other programs 520, and program data 522, and they may be loaded into memory 504 for execution. Examples of such application programs or program modules may include, for example, computer program logic (e.g., computer program code or instructions) for implementing components / functions including method 200 (including any suitable steps of method 200) and / or other embodiments described herein.

[0182] Although Figure 5 The modules 516, 518, 520, and 522, or portions thereof, are illustrated as being stored in memory 504 of computer device 500; however, modules 516, 518, 520, and 522 may be implemented using any form of computer-readable medium accessible by computer device 500. As used herein, “computer-readable medium” includes at least two types of computer-readable media: computer storage media and communication media.

[0183] Computer storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented by any method or technology for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, DVD, or other optical storage devices, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tapes, disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transfer medium that can be used to store information for access by computer equipment.

[0184] In contrast, communication media can embody computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data within modulated data signals such as carrier waves or other transmission mechanisms. Computer storage media as defined herein do not include communication media.

[0185] Computer device 500 may also include one or more communication interfaces 506 for exchanging data with other devices, such as via a network, direct connection, etc., as discussed above. Such communication interfaces can be one or more of the following: any type of network interface (e.g., a network interface card (NIC)), wired or wireless (such as IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN (WLAN)) wireless interface, Wi-MAX interface, Ethernet interface, Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, cellular network interface, Bluetooth. TM Interfaces include near-field communication (NFC) interfaces. Communication interface 506 can facilitate communication across various network and protocol types, including wired networks (e.g., LAN, cable, etc.) and wireless networks (e.g., WLAN, cellular, satellite, etc.), the Internet, etc. Communication interface 506 can also provide communication with external storage devices (not shown) such as storage arrays, network-attached storage, storage area networks, etc.

[0186] In some examples, a display device 508, such as a monitor, may be included for displaying information and images to the user. Other I / O devices 510 may be devices that receive various inputs from the user and provide various outputs to the user, and may include touch input devices, gesture input devices, cameras, keyboards, remote controls, mice, printers, audio input / output devices, and so on.

[0187] Although this disclosure has been described and illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings and the foregoing description, such description and illustration should be considered illustrative and suggestive, not restrictive; this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. By studying the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims, those skilled in the art will be able to understand and implement variations of the disclosed embodiments in practicing the claimed subject matter. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps not listed, and the words "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be beneficial.

Claims

1. A method for determining the pose of an ultrasonic probe, comprising: Acquire encoder readings from a pose recording assembly connected to an ultrasound probe, the pose recording assembly including a base connector, an end connector, and at least one rigid support and at least one rotary joint connected between the base connector and the end connector, the end connector being fixed to the ultrasound probe, and the encoder readings coming from at least one encoder component mechanically coupled to a corresponding rotary joint in the at least one rotary joint. Based on the encoder readings and component parameters related to the pose recording component, the pose of the end reference point of the end connector of the pose recording component is determined; and Based on the pose of the end reference point, the pose of the imaging reference point located on the imaging acoustic surface of the ultrasonic probe is determined.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining the length of each of the at least one rigid support as the component parameter, wherein, Determining the pose of the end reference point of the end connector of the pose recording component includes: The pose of the end reference point is calculated based on the rotation angle of the at least one rotary joint indicated by the encoder reading and the component parameters.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The component parameters are obtained by visually scanning the pose recording component.

4. The method according to any one of claims 2-3, wherein, The surface of the at least one rigid support is provided with visual markers, and wherein obtaining the length of each of the at least one rigid support as the component parameter includes: correcting the length of one or more of the at least one rigid support based on the scanning results of visual scanning of the visual markers.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, The visual markers are placed on at least two different surface areas on the at least one rigid support.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, further comprising obtaining the relative positional relationship between the end reference point and the imaging reference point, wherein, The pose of the imaging reference point is determined based on the relative positional relationship.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, Obtaining the relative positional relationship between the end reference point and the imaging reference point includes obtaining the relative positional relationship related to the predetermined position in response to determining the predetermined position where the end connector is fixed on the ultrasound probe.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, The end connector includes a mating structure that can cooperate with a calibration structure disposed on the ultrasonic probe, so that the end connector is fixed at a predetermined position on the ultrasonic probe.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein, Obtaining the relative positional relationship between the end reference point and the imaging reference point includes: Obtain the first relative position between the identification code, obtained by visually scanning the identification code set on the ultrasound probe, and the end connector; Obtain the second relative position between the identification code and the imaging reference point; and The relative positional relationship is determined based on the first relative position and the second relative position.

10. The method according to any one of claims 6-9, wherein, The relative positional relationship is also based on the probe model of the ultrasound probe, which is obtained by visually scanning the ultrasound probe.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein, The end connector is provided with an attitude sensor, and determining the pose of the imaging reference point also includes determining at least one attitude component in the pose of the imaging reference point based on the readings of the attitude sensor.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1-11, further comprising reconstructing the ultrasound image sequence acquired by the ultrasound probe based on the time series of the imaging reference point pose.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, The reconstruction processing of the ultrasound image sequence acquired by the ultrasound probe includes: Based on the time series of the imaging reference point pose, determine the position and orientation of each ultrasound image in the ultrasound image sequence in three-dimensional space; and The ultrasound images are registered according to their determined positions and orientations and stacked into a three-dimensional volume data grid to obtain three-dimensional ultrasound data.

14. A pose recording assembly for an ultrasonic probe, comprising: A base connector, wherein the base connector is provided with a base connection structure for fixing to a support structure; An end connector, wherein the end connector is provided with an end connection structure for fixing an ultrasonic probe; At least one rigid support and at least one rotary joint are connected between the base connector and the end connector; as well as At least one encoder component is mechanically coupled to a corresponding rotary joint in the at least one rotary joint, wherein the at least one encoder component is communicatively connected to at least one processing unit to send encoder readings from the at least one encoder component to the at least one processing unit, and wherein the at least one processing unit is configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-13.

15. The pose recording assembly according to claim 14, wherein each of the at least one rotary joint is a motorless follower joint.

16. The pose recording component according to any one of claims 14-15, wherein, The base connection structure includes a clamping part for clamping to the bed.

17. A device for determining the pose of an ultrasonic probe, comprising: A reading acquisition unit is used to acquire encoder readings from a pose recording assembly connected to an ultrasound probe. The pose recording assembly includes a base connector, an end connector, and at least one rigid support and at least one rotary joint connected between the base connector and the end connector. The end connector is fixed to the ultrasound probe. The encoder readings come from at least one encoder component that is mechanically coupled to a corresponding rotary joint in the at least one rotary joint. An end-effector pose determination unit is used to determine the end-effector reference point pose of the end connector of the pose recording component based on the encoder readings and component parameters related to the pose recording component. The imaging pose determination unit is used to determine the imaging reference point pose of the imaging reference point located on the imaging acoustic surface of the ultrasonic probe based on the pose of the end reference point.

18. A computing device, comprising: At least one processor; as well as A memory that is communicatively connected to the at least one processor; in The memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor to enable the at least one processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1-13.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions, wherein, The computer instructions are used to cause the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-13.

20. A computer program product comprising a computer program, wherein, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the method of any one of claims 1-13.

Images