LIE-POINT DEVICE, SYSTEM WITH THE SAME AS WELL AS DEVICE AND METHOD FOR EXTERNALLY CONTROLLING THE MOTION OF AT LEAST AN ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER OF A LIE-POINT DEVICE

Abstract

A lying device for a person, animal, or object is proposed. The lying device comprises a lying surface designed to accommodate the person, animal, or object in a lying position on a first side of the lying surface. Furthermore, the lying device comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer arranged on a second side of the lying surface, opposite the first side. The at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to emit ultrasonic waves through the lying surface in the direction of the first side and / or to measure ultrasonic waves reflected or transmitted on the first side in the direction of the second side.

Description

Technical area

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the integration of ultrasound into reclining devices. In particular, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a reclining device for a human, an animal, or an object, a system comprising the same, and a device and a method for externally controlling the movement of at least one ultrasound transducer of a reclining device for a human, an animal, or an object. Further embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method for ultrasound imaging and a method for ultrasound treatment. background

[0002] Ultrasound has long been a medical technology used to examine patients for pathological changes in organs and tissues. Its ease of use, affordable equipment, and direct diagnostic value have made it widely used and accepted in the field. However, in diagnostic ultrasound, the transducer is still manually guided by the user. Ultrasound data acquisition is highly dependent on the user. Therefore, standardization or precise, reproducible data acquisition, for example for monitoring disease progression, is very limited or even impossible.

[0003] In the operating room, ultrasound offers significant advantages during surgery, as it provides real-time data from inside the body and is thus the only modality capable of non-invasively visualizing changes and the current situation. However, the use of ultrasound still requires a trained operator to guide the transducer. While there are approaches to integrating ultrasound transducers into robotic arms, these approaches typically involve imaging the surgical site from above. This has the major disadvantage that continuous data acquisition is not possible, as the surgeon is also actively working within the surgical field with their instruments. Therefore, real-time monitoring of the procedures is not feasible, since intervention and imaging must always occur sequentially.

[0004] Against this background, enabling improved ultrasound application is a task. Summary

[0005] The object of the invention is achieved by a lying device for a human being, an animal, or an object, and by a device for externally controlling the movement of at least one ultrasound transducer of a lying device for a human being, an animal, or an object, according to the independent claims. Further aspects and embodiments are described in the dependent claims, the following description, and the figures.

[0006] According to a first aspect, the present disclosure relates to a lying device for a person, an animal, or an object. The lying device comprises a lying surface configured to accommodate the person, animal, or object in a lying position on a first side of the lying surface. The lying surface is a surface intended for lying down or configured so that the person, animal, or object lies down on it or is placed on it by a third party. Furthermore, the lying device comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer (in particular, a plurality, i.e., N ≥ 2, of ultrasonic transducers) arranged on a second side of the lying surface. The second side is opposite the first side. The at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to emit ultrasonic waves through the lying surface in the direction of the first side and / or to measure (e.g., reflected or transmitted) ultrasonic waves through the lying surface.In other words, at least one ultrasound transducer can be specifically configured to measure ultrasound waves reflected from one side towards the other or transmitted towards the other. The lying surface is designed to be permeable or largely (acoustically) transparent to ultrasound waves. The lying device described in the first section allows for both the application of ultrasound waves and the measurement of ultrasound waves (e.g., reflected or transmitted) from below the lying surface. The treatment of the person or animal on the lying surface by a practitioner (e.g., examination by a physician or surgical procedure by a surgeon) does not need to be interrupted for the ultrasound application.Rather, by positioning the person or animal and at least one ultrasound transducer on opposite sides, the system allows for simultaneous ultrasound application and treatment by a single practitioner. During a surgical procedure, for example, the surgical site can remain unobstructed, eliminating the need to interrupt the procedure to attach an ultrasound probe to a surgically treated area of ​​the person or animal for ultrasound imaging. Similarly, the subject can be exposed to any desired ultrasound application. The frequency of the emitted or measured ultrasound waves depends on the chosen application. For example, the frequency of the emitted ultrasound waves for a therapeutic ultrasound application can be 200 kHz, 800 kHz, 1 MHz, or 3 MHz – depending on the desired penetration depth of the ultrasound.For ultrasound imaging, the frequency of the emitted and measured ultrasound waves can, for example, be between 2 and 20 MHz. However, it should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the aforementioned frequency ranges. In principle, any suitable frequency or frequency range can be selected.

[0007] In some embodiments, the lying device comprises a plurality (N ≥ 2) of ultrasound transducers arranged at fixed positions relative to the lying surface in an array that at least partially (and in particular, completely) covers the lying surface. Accordingly, the person, animal, or object placed on the lying surface can be at least partially exposed to ultrasound by the plurality of ultrasound transducers, or reflected or transmitted ultrasound waves from at least one body region of the person or animal placed on the lying surface, or from a specific region of the object, can be measured.

[0008] In alternative embodiments, the lying device comprises a positioning system configured to move at least one ultrasound transducer relative to the lying surface based on control data. Accordingly, the at least one ultrasound transducer can be controlled and moved to specific body regions of the person or animal placed on the lying surface, or to specific regions of the object placed on the lying surface, in order to selectively irradiate these regions with ultrasound or to measure the ultrasound waves reflected or transmitted from them. The positioning system can be designed in various ways and may, for example, include mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and / or electrical components or subsystems to move the at least one ultrasound transducer relative to the lying surface. The control data can be generated within or outside (i.e., externally) the lying device.Because the positioning system is controlled by the control data, the positioning of at least one ultrasound transducer can be performed independently of a human or animal practitioner. In particular, the positioning of the at least one ultrasound transducer can be standardized and reproducible, as there is no manual guidance of the transducer by the practitioner.For example, for monitoring purposes, a person or animal can be repeatedly photographed from the lying surface over a period of time. Based on the control data, at least one ultrasound transducer can be precisely moved to or over one or more body regions of interest to collect measurement data for ultrasound imaging of these regions. Because the transducer is positioned according to the control data, the one or more body regions of interest can be approached or scanned in a standardized and precisely reproducible manner, thus obtaining images of the body region with a high degree of comparability.Similarly, at least one ultrasound transducer can be moved to or over one or more target body regions in a standardized and precisely reproducible manner based on the control data, in order to treat these regions specifically with (therapeutic) ultrasound.

[0009] According to exemplary embodiments, the positioning system can, for example, be controlled based on the control data to move one or more of the at least one ultrasound transducer along one or more spatial directions relative to the lying surface (one-, two-, or dimensional movement of the at least one ultrasound transducer) and / or to rotate one or more of the at least one ultrasound transducer relative to the lying surface and / or to tilt one or more of the at least one ultrasound transducer relative to the lying surface. Accordingly, the at least one ultrasound transducer can be positioned or oriented appropriately for a desired or planned ultrasound application relative to the person, animal, or object placed on the lying surface.

[0010] The positioning system can optionally be equipped with one or more position sensors to determine the absolute position of at least one ultrasound transducer or its position relative to the lying surface, thus enabling, for example, a clear spatial assignment of the measurement data from the at least one ultrasound transducer. It can also enable the automatic detection of anatomical structures of humans or animals, or of structures within the object.

[0011] In some embodiments, the positioning system comprises, for example, at least one measuring system (in particular, a plurality of measuring systems) that is freely movable relative to the lying surface. The at least one measuring system comprises one or more of the at least one ultrasound transducers (i.e., one or more ultrasound transducers), at least one actuator (e.g., wheels, magnetic actuators, pneumatic actuators, or walking actuators) for moving the measuring system relative to the lying surface, and a drive system for driving the at least one actuator based on the control data. Via the at least one actuator and the drive system, the respective measuring system can be freely moved relative to the lying surface in order to target or move over one or more body regions in a specific manner for a desired or planned ultrasound application with the respective at least one ultrasound transducer of the respective measuring system.If the positioning system includes multiple measuring systems, these can, for example, independently move to or over several different body regions for a desired or planned ultrasound application (e.g., parallel ultrasound imaging of multiple body regions). The lying device or positioning system includes a surface on which the wheels of at least one measuring system can roll, allowing the measuring system to be moved relative to the lying surface.

[0012] According to some embodiments, the at least one measuring system comprises a rechargeable battery configured to provide electrical energy for the drive system and the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the at least one measuring system. The lying device further comprises a charging system configured to charge the rechargeable battery. In other words, the at least one measuring system is electrically driven to move relative to the lying surface. The rechargeable battery can be charged wirelessly (e.g., inductively) or via a wired connection (e.g., a cable connection or interconnected electrical contacts of the respective measuring system and the charging system). Together with the charging system, the rechargeable battery enables free movement of the respective measuring system relative to the lying surface, allowing targeted measurement of one or more body regions.They can be driven over for a desired or planned ultrasound application with at least one ultrasound transducer of the respective measuring system.

[0013] In some embodiments, the at least one measuring system further comprises at least one distance sensor configured to determine the distance between the at least one measuring system and objects in its environment. The drive system is configured to drive the at least one actuator (e.g., a plurality of wheels) based on the determined distance. The distance sensor can use known methods for distance determination, e.g., optical or acoustic (especially ultrasound-based) time-of-flight methods. In general, the distance sensor can use any method suitable for distance determination. The distance sensor enables the respective measuring system to determine its position and thus improve the movement of the respective measuring system relative to the surface it is lying on.For example, distances to one or more boundaries of the movement space of at least one measuring system can be determined using the distance sensor, allowing the respective measuring system to determine its position within the movement space and take this into account when moving towards a target position. Alternatively or additionally, distances to one or more further measuring systems can be determined and considered when planning a movement trajectory to a target position in order to avoid a collision with the other measuring systems.

[0014] According to some embodiments, the lying device can alternatively or additionally include a tracking system (locating system) configured to track (or determine) the position of at least one measuring system. The tracking system can use known methods for position determination, such as optical, acoustic, or inductive methods. In general, the tracking system can use any suitable method for position determination. The tracking system enables the position of each measuring system to be determined, thus improving the movement of that system relative to the lying surface. For example, the position determined by the tracking system can be transmitted to the respective measuring system so that the measuring system can take this position into account when moving towards a target position.Alternatively or additionally, the position determined by the tracking system can be supplied to a circuit or logic that generates the control data, so that it can take the position determined by the tracking system into account when generating the control data.

[0015] In some embodiments, the at least one measuring system includes a wireless communication circuit configured to wirelessly receive control data and, optionally, other data such as the position of the measuring system measured by the tracking system, or the position of another measuring system measured by the tracking system. For wireless communication, radio waves, high-frequency waves, or optical waves can be used, for example. Wireless communication can be based on a standardized radio protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, WLAN IEEE 802.11, ZigBee, etc.). Similarly, the wireless communication circuit can also be configured to wirelessly transmit output data from the respective measuring system to an external entity (outside the respective measuring system) (e.g., measurement data from the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the measuring system or data or quantities derived therefrom).Therefore, no wired connection is needed for data exchange.

[0016] In alternative embodiments, wired data exchange can also be provided. Wired data exchange may be preferable to wireless data exchange in certain applications. Accordingly, at least one measuring system has a communication circuit for wired communication instead of a wireless communication circuit, configured analogously to the one described above for wireless communication.

[0017] According to some embodiments, the at least one measuring system further comprises a circuit that is coupled to and configured with the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the measuring system to control the emission of the ultrasonic waves by the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the measuring system and / or to process the measurement data generated by the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the measuring system based on the measured (e.g., reflected or transmitted) ultrasonic waves. In other words, the circuit responsible for controlling the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the measuring system or for data evaluation is integrated into the respective measuring system, so that the measuring system can directly control the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the measuring system or evaluate its measurement data.For example, the circuit can be configured to apply a control signal to at least one ultrasonic transducer of the measuring system in order to cause the emission of ultrasonic waves of a specific frequency for a specific period of time. For example, the circuit can be configured to digitize, filter, combine, analyze, etc., the measurement data from at least one ultrasonic transducer of the measuring system during processing.

[0018] In alternative embodiments, the lying device can comprise an array (an arrangement) of ultrasonic transducers, comprising a first section, a second section, and a third section. The array can be manufactured from individual elements or provided as an integral component. The first section is (essentially) flat. The second and third sections are arranged at opposite ends of the first section and rise above the first section, such that the ultrasonic transducers arranged in the second and third sections face lateral regions of the person, animal, or object, while the lying surface accommodates the person, animal, or object in a supine position.In other words, the array of ultrasound transducers has a broadly U-shaped cross-section, allowing not only the part of the person, animal, or object lying on the surface, but also the lateral areas to be subjected to ultrasound. Likewise, the array of ultrasound transducers can also have a broadly semicircular or arc-shaped cross-section. This allows, for example, the lateral areas of the person, animal, or object to be captured during ultrasound imaging or treated with (therapeutic) ultrasound. In yet another sense, along one spatial direction, the two ends of the array of ultrasound transducers point upwards, i.e.,The device is curved towards the lying surface so that the ultrasound transducers arranged in the curved ends face the sides of the person, animal, or object, while the lying surface accommodates the person, animal, or object in a reclining position. The array of ultrasound transducers can be, for example, a linear or matrix array. However, the present embodiment is not limited to this. In principle, any type of array can be used.

[0019] According to some embodiments, the reclining device includes a communication circuit configured to receive control data from an entity outside the device. The control data can be received wirelessly (e.g., via radio waves or optical waves) or via a wired connection (e.g., a cable or fiber optic cable). Communication can be conducted using a standardized communication protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, WLAN IEEE 802.11, ZigBee, etc.). Since the control data can be generated outside the reclining device, no computing power, logic, or corresponding circuitry is required within the device itself for generating the control data. The control data can be generated, for example, by a server connected to the communication circuit outside the device.Accordingly, the lying device itself can be provided cost-effectively with reduced circuitry or logic. Similarly, the communication circuit can also be configured to wirelessly transmit output data from the lying device to an external entity (outside the lying device) (e.g., measurement data from at least one ultrasound transducer or derived data or quantities).

[0020] In alternative embodiments, the reclining device can include an interface circuit configured to receive input data. This input may include user input for controlling the movement of at least one ultrasound transducer, and / or a detected position or movement of a part of the user's body (e.g., a hand, arm, head), and / or a detected direction of gaze of the user, and / or a detected position or movement of a medical instrument used by the user (e.g., a scalpel, clamp, etc.). The input data can be received wirelessly (e.g., via radio waves or optical waves) or via a wired connection (e.g., a cable or fiber optic cable). Communication can be established using a standardized communication protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, WLAN IEEE 802.11, ZigBee, etc.). The user input can be, for example,The position of the user's body part or movement, the user's gaze direction, and the position or movement of the medical instrument used can be captured by a tracking system, either inside or outside the examination table. Furthermore, the examination table includes a processing circuit designed to determine, based on the input data, the region (of the person, object, or animal) to be targeted by at least one ultrasound transducer. For example, the input data can be determined using one or more static rules or artificial intelligence (e.g., a trained machine learning model).A trained machine-learning model is used to evaluate the data and determine the region to be treated with ultrasound. For example, the position of a user's hand, their gaze direction, or the position of a medical instrument used by the user can be used to infer the body region of a person or animal being treated or examined. Similarly, the user can select a body region of interest in a graphical user interface or give a corresponding voice command. This region can then be designated as the area to be treated with ultrasound, thus enabling the user to be supported, for example, by ultrasound imaging of that body region. Furthermore, the processing circuitry is configured to determine a target position for at least one ultrasound transducer based on the region to be treated.Since the person or animal is recorded in a lying position on the lying surface, a specific location or area on the lying surface can be assigned to each body region and defined as the target position for the at least one ultrasound transducer. The processing circuit is then configured to determine the control data based on the target position. To this end, the processing circuit generates the control data in such a way that it comprises one or more commands to instruct the positioning system to move the at least one ultrasound transducer relative to the lying surface to the target position. It should be noted that the processing circuit can define multiple regions to be sonicated and, accordingly, multiple target regions over time, in order to move the at least one ultrasound transducer to the target positions successively.Similarly, if several independently movable ultrasound transducers are present (e.g., in the form of several of the previously described measurement systems) and several regions or target positions to be scanned, a first group of ultrasound transducers can be moved to a first target position, a second group to a second target position, etc., in parallel by generating the corresponding control data from the processing circuitry. This allows, for example, parallel imaging of multiple body regions.

[0021] As the two above examples show, the lying device can have an interface for intelligent control of ultrasound emission and / or data acquisition in / from a body region.

[0022] According to some embodiments, the at least one ultrasound transducer is arranged in an acoustic coupling medium for acoustic coupling between the at least one ultrasound transducer and the lying surface. The acoustic coupling medium covers the lying surface on the second side. The acoustic coupling medium is a substance or material that facilitates the transmission of ultrasound waves between the lying surface and the at least one ultrasound transducer. The acoustic coupling medium serves as a medium through which the ultrasound waves can propagate, ensuring minimal energy loss as the ultrasound waves travel from the at least one ultrasound transducer through the acoustic coupling medium to the lying surface and then into the person, animal, or object, and vice versa. The acoustic coupling medium can, for example, be a gel.Such gels are also referred to as "ultrasonic gel," "sonogel," or "contact gel." For example, the gel can be water-based. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. In other examples, the acoustic coupling medium can be, for instance, water, a water mixture, or an oil. In general, any suitable substance can be used for the acoustic coupling medium. The composition of the acoustic coupling medium can depend, for example, on the specific application and thus on the frequency range of the ultrasonic waves emitted by and / or to be measured by the at least one ultrasonic transducer.

[0023] In some embodiments, the lying device further comprises a mattress filled with the acoustic coupling medium. Part of a cover (or casing / envelope) of the mattress forms the lying surface. In other words, the lying surface of the mattress forms the lying surface of the lying device. The at least one ultrasound transducer is arranged within the mattress. The mattress filled with the acoustic coupling medium allows for comfortable positioning of the person or animal and simultaneously ensures good acoustic coupling between the at least one ultrasound transducer and the person or animal.

[0024] According to some embodiments, the shape of the lying surface is deformable to adapt to the body shape of a person or animal, or to the shape of an object. For example, the lying surface can be formed by an elastic, sound-permeable membrane or, more generally, an elastic, sound-permeable material, so that the lying surface can conform to the body of the person or animal, or to the shape of the object.

[0025] Adapting the lying surface to the body of the person or animal, or to the shape of the object, can optionally also lead to improved contact by creating negative or positive pressure.

[0026] In some embodiments, the lying device further comprises a processing circuit that is coupled to the at least one ultrasound transducer and configured to control the emission of ultrasound waves by the at least one ultrasound transducer and / or to process the measurement data generated by the at least one ultrasound transducer based on the measured (e.g., reflected or transmitted) ultrasound waves. For example, the processing circuit can be configured to apply a respective control signal to the at least one ultrasound transducer to cause the emission of ultrasound waves of a specific frequency for a specific period of time. For example, the processing circuit can be configured to digitize, filter, combine, analyze, etc., the measurement data from the at least one ultrasound transducer during processing.

[0027] According to some embodiments, the processing circuit is detachably attached to a plug-in interface of the lying device. In other words, the processing circuit can be provided as part of a plug-in module, so that the processing circuit can be detached from the lying device without damage and used, for example, for one or more other lying devices.

[0028] In some embodiments, the treatment device comprises a plurality of ultrasound transducers. The processing circuit comprises a plurality of electronic channels (i.e., signal processing paths) for controlling the emission of the ultrasound waves. The number of electronic channels may be less than the number of ultrasound transducers, so that not every ultrasound transducer has its own dedicated electronic channel. In such embodiments, the treatment device may further comprise a multiplexer circuit configured to selectively couple the electronic channels to a subset of the plurality of ultrasound transducers. Accordingly, a subset of the plurality of ultrasound transducers can be controlled to emit ultrasound waves. Often, the desired ultrasound application is limited to a specific body region of a human or animal.A specific region of the object is targeted, so that only a fraction of the majority of ultrasonic transducers need to be excited. Accordingly, a relatively small number of electronic channels is sufficient, since these can be selectively coupled to any of the majority of ultrasonic transducers as needed via the multiplexer circuit. For example, 2048 ultrasonic transducers can be provided, which can be selectively coupled to 128 electronic channels of the processing circuit for controlling the emission of the ultrasonic waves using the multiplexer circuit.

[0029] According to some embodiments, the processing circuit can, for example, be configured to select a subset of the plurality of ultrasound transducers based on data indicating a region (of the person, animal, or object on the lying surface) to be irradiated with ultrasound waves. As described above, the region to be irradiated can be determined from various input data. Accordingly, for example, with a plurality of ultrasound transducers arranged in fixed positions relative to the lying surface, a subset of the transducers located in the immediate vicinity of the region to be irradiated can be selected. With a plurality of ultrasound transducers that can be moved relative to the lying surface by means of a positioning system, as described above, for example...Based on the size of the area to be irradiated or the desired (target) sound level, a subset of the ultrasonic transducers is selected and moved to the area to be irradiated using the positioning system. The processing circuit is then configured accordingly to control the multiplexer circuit, which couples the electronic channels to the selected subset of the majority of ultrasonic transducers. The selected ultrasonic transducers can then be controlled by the electronic channels to emit the ultrasonic waves.

[0030] Similarly, the processing circuit can include a plurality of additional electronic channels (i.e., signal processing paths) for processing measurement data. The number of these additional electronic channels can, in turn, be less than the number of ultrasound transducers. Accordingly, the multiplexer circuit can be configured to selectively couple these additional electronic channels to a further subset of the plurality of ultrasound transducers. The measurement data from this further subset of the plurality of ultrasound transducers can then be processed. As described above, the desired ultrasound application is often limited to a specific body region of a person or animal, or a specific region of an object, so that only the measurement data from a fraction of the plurality of ultrasound transducers needs to be processed.Building on the numerical example above, for instance, 2048 ultrasonic transducers could be provided, which can be selectively coupled to 128 electronic channels of the processing circuit for processing measurement data via the multiplexer circuit. The ultrasonic transducers of the further subset of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers for measuring, for example, reflected or transmitted ultrasonic waves can be the same as or different from the ultrasonic transducers of the subset of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers for the emission of the ultrasonic waves.

[0031] According to some embodiments, the lying device further comprises a removable cover for at least part of the lying surface. The cover can be understood as a lid that covers at least part of the lying surface (in particular, the entire lying surface). The cover is designed such that the person, animal, or object is at least partially (in particular, completely) covered while it is supported by the lying surface in a lying position. The cover comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer (in particular, a plurality, i.e., M ≥ 2, of ultrasonic transducers) configured to emit ultrasonic waves in the direction of the lying surface and / or to measure reflected or transmitted ultrasonic waves from the direction of the lying surface. With the additional cover, ultrasonic waves can be emitted into the person, animal, or object from two opposite spatial directions.The object is introduced via at least one ultrasound transducer in the cover or on the other side of the lying surface. Similarly, ultrasound waves reflected or transmitted from two opposite spatial directions can be measured. This enables improved spatial resolution for ultrasound imaging, while for therapeutic ultrasound applications it allows the introduction of sound energy from multiple spatial directions.

[0032] In some embodiments, the cover includes a contact section for contacting the person, animal, or object, while the lying surface accommodates the person, animal, or object in a supine position. In other words, the contact section is designed to make contact with the person, animal, or object when the person, animal, or object is lying on the lying surface. The cover's at least one ultrasonic transducer is arranged in an acoustic coupling medium for acoustically coupling the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the cover and the contact section. The acoustic coupling medium covers the contact section. The acoustic coupling material is arranged on a first side of the contact section, which faces a second side of the contact section designed to make contact with the person, animal, or object.The acoustic coupling medium can be designed as described above. The contact section, together with the arrangement of the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the cover within the acoustic coupling medium, enables good acoustic coupling between the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the cover and the person, animal, or object.

[0033] According to some embodiments, the contact section is deformable to adapt to the shape of a person or animal, or to the shape of an object. For example, the contact section can be formed by an elastic, sound-permeable membrane, or more generally, an elastic, sound-permeable material, so that it can conform to the shape of the person or animal, or the object. Optionally, the adaptation of the contact section to the body or shape can also be achieved by creating negative or positive pressure, resulting in improved contact.

[0034] In some embodiments, the cover includes a further positioning system configured to move the cover's at least one ultrasound transducer within the cover and relative to the lying surface, based on additional control data. Accordingly, the cover's at least one ultrasound transducer can be controlled and moved to specific body regions of the person or animal placed on the lying surface, or to specific regions of the object placed on the lying surface, in order to selectively irradiate these areas with ultrasound or to measure the ultrasound waves reflected or transmitted from them. The further positioning system can be designed in various ways and may, for example, include mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and / or electrical components or subsystems to move the cover's at least one ultrasound transducer relative to the lying surface.Analogous to the above explanations for the at least one ultrasound transducer on the second side of the lying surface, the at least one ultrasound transducer in the cover can also be guided in a standardized and reproducible manner relative to the lying surface using the additional control data. For example, by appropriately designing the control data and the additional control data, section-by-section or layer-by-layer ultrasound imaging can be performed using the at least one ultrasound transducer on the second side of the lying surface and the at least one ultrasound transducer in the cover, so that the lying device enables ultrasound-based tomography.

[0035] In particular, the positioning system, based on the additional control data, can be controlled, for example, to move one or more of the at least one ultrasound transducer within the cover along one or more spatial directions relative to the lying surface (one-, two-, or dimensional movement of the at least one ultrasound transducer), and / or to rotate one or more of the at least one ultrasound transducer within the cover relative to the lying surface, and / or to tilt one or more of the at least one ultrasound transducer within the cover relative to the lying surface. Accordingly, the at least one ultrasound transducer within the cover can be positioned or oriented appropriately for a desired or planned ultrasound application relative to the person, animal, or object on the lying surface.

[0036] In some embodiments, the removable cover can also be used with a conventional reclining device, i.e., a reclining device without integrated ultrasound transducers. In this case, irradiation with ultrasound waves as well as the measurement of (e.g., reflected or transmitted) ultrasound waves is possible, analogous to the method described above.

[0037] As previously stated, the reclining device can be used for a variety of ultrasound applications. For example, the reclining device can be an operating table (i.e., a table on which a patient lies during a surgical procedure), a medical treatment table (i.e., a table on which a practitioner performs a medical treatment or examination), a hospital bed (e.g., a nursing bed or a hospital bed), or a rescue stretcher (i.e., a device with which a non-ambulatory person can be transported in a lying position by one or more helpers).

[0038] The preceding examples discuss various processing circuits and other circuits of the reclining device. These circuits can be implemented as separate circuits, as a single fully integrated circuit, or as several partially integrated circuits. In other words, the functionalities of several of the processing circuits and other circuits of the reclining device described above can be performed by a single circuit of the reclining device.

[0039] According to a second aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system comprising a lying device according to the first aspect and a support adapted for partially covering the human, animal, or object, while the lying surface accommodates the human, animal, or object in a lying position. The support comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer (in particular, a plurality, i.e., K ≥ 2, of ultrasonic transducers) configured to emit ultrasonic waves in the direction of the human, animal, or object and to measure ultrasonic waves reflected or transmitted by the human, animal, or object. Similar to what has been described above for the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the cover, the combination of the lying device and support according to the invention allows ultrasonic waves to be emitted into the human, animal, or object from two opposite spatial directions.The object is introduced via at least one ultrasound transducer in the support or on the other side of the lying surface. Similarly, ultrasound waves reflected or transmitted from two opposite spatial directions can be measured. This enables improved spatial resolution for ultrasound imaging, while for therapeutic ultrasound applications it allows the introduction of sound energy from multiple spatial directions.

[0040] In some embodiments, the support can also be used separately (i.e., separately or without) the lying device according to the first aspect.

[0041] According to some embodiments, the support includes a contact section for contacting the person, animal, or object, while the lying surface accommodates the person, animal, or object in a reclining position. In other words, the contact section is designed to make contact with the person, animal, or object when the person, animal, or object is lying on the lying surface. The at least one ultrasonic transducer of the support is arranged in an acoustic coupling medium for acoustic coupling between the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the support and the contact section. The acoustic coupling medium covers the contact section. The acoustic coupling material is arranged on a first side of the contact section, which faces a second side of the contact section, which is designed to make contact with the person, animal, or object.The acoustic coupling medium can be designed as described above. The contact section, together with the arrangement of the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the pad within the acoustic coupling medium, enables good acoustic coupling between the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the pad and the person, animal, or object.

[0042] In some embodiments, the contact section or support is deformable to adapt to the shape of a person or animal, or to the shape of an object. For example, the contact section or support can be formed by an elastic, sound-permeable membrane, or more generally, an elastic, sound-permeable material, so that it can conform to the shape of the person or animal, or the object. Optionally, the adaptation of the contact section or support to the body or shape can also be achieved by creating negative or positive pressure, resulting in improved contact.

[0043] According to a third aspect, the present disclosure relates to a device for externally controlling the movement of at least one ultrasound transducer of a reclining device for a human, an animal, or an object. The device can, for example, be a server or a computing cloud that is coupled to the reclining device (for example, the communication circuit of the reclining device described above). The reclining device is, for example, a reclining device according to the first aspect. The device comprises an interface circuit configured to receive input data, which may include user input for controlling the movement of the at least one ultrasound transducer and / or a detected position or movement of a part of the user's body (e.g.,The system can display information such as the position of a hand, arm, or head, the user's gaze direction, and / or the position or movement of a medical instrument used by the user (e.g., a scalpel, clamp, etc.). Input data can be received wirelessly (e.g., via radio waves, high-frequency waves, or optical waves) or via a wired connection (e.g., a cable or fiber optic cable). Communication can be established using a standardized communication protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, WLAN IEEE 802.11, ZigBee, etc.). User input can be captured, for example, by an external or internal human-machine interface such as a joystick, touchscreen, computer mouse, or microphone. The position of the user's body part or movement, the user's gaze direction, and the position or movement of the medical instrument used can be displayed.The device is equipped with a tracking system, either inside or outside the device. Furthermore, the device includes a processing circuit configured to determine, based on the input data, a region to be irradiated by the at least one ultrasound transducer. Analogous to the principles previously described for the processing circuit of the reclining device, the input data can be evaluated, for example, using one or more static rules or artificial intelligence (e.g., a trained machine learning model), and a region to be irradiated can be determined from this evaluation. The processing circuit is also configured to determine a target position for the at least one ultrasound transducer based on the region to be irradiated.The determination of the target position can be carried out analogously to the principles previously described for the processing circuit of the lying device. Furthermore, the processing circuit is configured to determine control data for a positioning system of the lying device based on the target position. The control data comprises one or more commands to cause the positioning system to move the at least one ultrasonic transducer relative to a lying surface of the lying device to the target position. The lying surface, as described above, is designed for the placement of a person, animal, or object in a supine position on a first side of the lying surface. The at least one ultrasonic transducer is arranged, as described above, on a second side of the lying surface, which is opposite the first side.The interface circuit is further configured to transmit control data to the patient's examination device (wirelessly or via cable). It should be noted that the processing circuit can determine multiple regions to be imaged and, accordingly, multiple target regions over time, in order to move at least one ultrasound transducer successively to the target position. Similarly, if multiple independently movable ultrasound transducers and multiple regions or target positions are present, a first group of transducers can be moved to a first target position, a second group to a second target position, and so on, in parallel by generating the corresponding control data from the processing circuit. This allows, for example, parallel imaging of multiple body regions.

[0044] According to a fourth aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for externally controlling the movement of at least one ultrasound transducer of a reclining device for a human, an animal, or an object (e.g., a reclining device according to the first aspect). The method comprises receiving input data indicating a user input for controlling the movement of the at least one ultrasound transducer and / or a detected position or movement of a body part of the user and / or a detected direction of gaze of the user and / or a detected position or movement of a medical instrument used by the user. Furthermore, the method comprises determining a region to be insonated by the at least one ultrasound transducer based on the input data. Likewise, the method comprises determining a target position for the at least one ultrasound transducer based on the region to be insonated.The method further comprises determining control data for a positioning system of the lying device based on the target position. The control data includes one or more commands to cause the positioning system to move the at least one ultrasonic transducer relative to a lying surface of the lying device to the target position. The lying surface is designed to accommodate the person, animal, or object in a supine position on a first side of the lying surface. The at least one ultrasonic transducer is arranged on a second side of the lying surface, which is opposite the first side. The method includes transmitting the control data to the lying device.

[0045] The device according to the third aspect, as well as the method according to the fourth aspect, enable the external control of the movement of at least one ultrasonic transducer of a reclining device for a human, an animal, or an object. Accordingly, the reclining device itself can be provided cost-effectively with reduced circuitry or logic.

[0046] According to a fifth aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for ultrasound imaging. The method comprises subjecting a person, animal, or object, which is positioned on the lying surface of a device according to the first aspect or a system according to the second aspect, to ultrasound using one or more of the at least one ultrasound transducer of the device. Furthermore, the method comprises measuring (e.g., reflected or transmitted) ultrasound waves using one or more of the at least one ultrasound transducer of the device. The method also comprises generating an image of at least a part of the person, animal, or object based on the measured (e.g., reflected or transmitted) ultrasound waves. The generation of the image from the measurement data can be carried out using known methods or approaches.The examination table enables both irradiation with ultrasound waves and the measurement of reflected or transmitted ultrasound waves from below the table surface. The treatment of the person or animal on the table surface by a practitioner (e.g., examination by a physician or surgical procedure by a surgeon) does not need to be interrupted for ultrasound imaging. Likewise, standardized and precise reproducible data acquisition, e.g., for monitoring progress, is possible according to the above embodiments. For ultrasound imaging, the frequency of the emitted and measured ultrasound waves can be, for example, between 2 and 20 MHz. However, it should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the aforementioned frequency range. In principle, any suitable frequency or frequency range can be selected.

[0047] According to a sixth aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for (therapeutic) ultrasound treatment. The method comprises irradiating a person or animal, which is positioned on the lying surface of a treatment device according to the first aspect or a system according to the second aspect, with (therapeutic) ultrasound waves using one or more of the at least one ultrasound transducer of the treatment device. The treatment device enables irradiation with (therapeutic) ultrasound waves from below the lying surface. The treatment of the person or animal positioned on the lying surface by a practitioner (e.g., a surgical procedure by a surgeon) does not need to be interrupted for the ultrasound application. Likewise, manual guidance of an ultrasound transducer by a user or practitioner is not necessary.For example, the frequency of the emitted ultrasound waves for therapeutic ultrasound treatment can be 200 kHz, 800 kHz, 1 MHz, or 3 MHz – depending on the desired penetration depth of the ultrasound. However, it should be noted that this disclosure is not limited to the aforementioned frequencies. In principle, any suitable frequency or frequency range can be selected. Short character description

[0048] Some examples of devices and / or methods are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures. These show: Fig. Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a lying device in the form of an operating table; Fig. Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of a lying device in the form of a rescue stretcher; Fig. Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of a lying device in the form of an operating table; Fig. Figure 4 shows a fourth embodiment of a lying device in the form of an operating table; Fig. Figure 5 shows a fifth embodiment of a lying device in the form of an operating table; Fig. 6 and Fig. Figure 7 shows a sixth embodiment of a lying device in the form of an operating table; Fig. 8 and Fig. Figure 9 shows an embodiment of a measuring system; Fig. Figure 10 shows a seventh embodiment of a lying device in the form of an operating table; Fig. Figure 11 shows an eighth embodiment of a lying device in the form of an operating table; Fig. Figure 12 shows a ninth embodiment of a lying device in the form of an operating table; Fig. Figure 13 shows an embodiment of a device for external control of the movement of at least one ultrasound transducer of a reclining device; Fig. Figure 14 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for the external control of the movement of at least one ultrasound transducer of a reclining device; Fig. Figure 15 shows a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a method for ultrasound imaging; and Fig. Figure 16 shows a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a method for ultrasound treatment. Description

[0049] Some examples are now described in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures. However, other possible examples are not limited to the features of these detailed embodiments. These may include modifications of the features, as well as equivalents and alternatives to the features. Furthermore, the terminology used herein to describe certain examples should not be considered restrictive for other possible examples.

[0050] Identical or similar reference symbols throughout the description of the figures refer to identical or similar elements or features, which may be implemented in an identical or modified form, while providing the same or a similar function. Furthermore, the thickness of lines, layers, and / or areas in the figures may be exaggerated for clarity.

[0051] When two elements A and B are combined using "or," this is to be understood as revealing all possible combinations, i.e., only A, only B, and A and B, unless explicitly defined otherwise in a specific case. As an alternative formulation for the same combinations, "at least one of A and B" or "A and / or B" can be used. This applies equivalently to combinations of more than two elements.

[0052] When a singular form, e.g., "ein, eine" and "der, die, das," is used, and the use of only a single element is neither explicitly nor implicitly defined as mandatory, further examples may also use multiple elements to implement the same function. If a function is subsequently described as being implemented using multiple elements, further examples may implement the same function using a single element or a single processing entity.It is further understood that the terms "include", "comprehensive", "exhibit" and / or "exhibit" when used describe the presence of the specified features, integers, steps, operations, processes, elements, components and / or a group thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, processes, elements, components and / or a group thereof.

[0053] Fig. Figure 1 shows a lying device 100 for a human 130 in the form of an operating table. The lying device 100 can also be used for an animal.

[0054] The lying device comprises a lying surface 110, which is designed to accommodate the person 130 in a lying position on one side of the lying surface 110. The lying surface 110 is supported by a table leg 105 of the operating table 100. The lying surface 110 is semi-transparent in Fig. Figure 1 shows the majority of ultrasound transducers 120 arranged on a second side of the lying surface 110, so that the second side is opposite the first, thus separating the person 130 and the ultrasound transducers 120 by the lying surface 110. The lying surface 110 is permeable or (acoustically) transparent to ultrasound waves. The lying surface 110 is also deformable to adapt to the body shape of the person 130. For example, the lying surface 110 can be formed by an elastic, sound-permeable membrane or, more generally, an elastic, sound-permeable material, so that the lying surface 110 can conform to the body of the person 130. Optionally, the adaptation of the lying surface 110 to the body of the person 130 can also lead to improved body contact by generating negative or positive pressure.

[0055] The ultrasound transducers 120 are arranged at fixed positions relative to the treatment surface 110 in an array (e.g., a matrix array) that substantially covers the treatment surface 110. The ultrasound transducers 120 are configured to emit ultrasound waves through the treatment surface 110 in the direction of the first side and / or to measure ultrasound waves reflected on the first side in the direction of the second side (i.e., ultrasound waves reflected by the person 130). Depending on the ultrasound application, the majority of the ultrasound transducers 120 or subsets thereof can be operated as ultrasound sensors (e.g., for ultrasound imaging) or as ultrasound actuators (e.g., for therapeutic ultrasound applications). For illustration, in Fig. 1 Emission cone of emitted ultrasound waves 121 shown.

[0056] The frequency of the ultrasound waves emitted or measured by the 120 ultrasound transducers can be adjusted according to the chosen ultrasound application. For example, the frequency of the emitted ultrasound waves for a therapeutic ultrasound application can be 200 kHz, 800 kHz, 1 MHz, or 3 MHz – depending on the desired penetration depth of the ultrasound. For ultrasound imaging, the frequency of the emitted and measured ultrasound waves can be, for example, between 2 and 20 MHz. It should be noted, however, that this disclosure is not limited to the aforementioned frequency ranges. In principle, any suitable frequency or frequency range can be selected.

[0057] Depending on the design or desired ultrasound application, only a portion of the lying surface 110 may be covered by the ultrasound transducers 120. For example, only the area of ​​the lying surface 110 on which the upper body of the person 130 lies (or is intended to lie), or only the area of ​​the lying surface 110 on which the legs 130 of the person lie (or are intended to lie), may be covered by the ultrasound transducers 120.

[0058] The lying device 110 enables both the application of ultrasound waves and the measurement of reflected ultrasound waves from below the lying surface 110. The treatment of the patient 130, positioned on the lying surface 110, by, for example, a surgeon, does not need to be interrupted for the ultrasound application. Rather, the positioning of the patient 130 and the ultrasound transducers 120 on opposite sides of the lying surface allows for the simultaneous performance of the surgical procedure and the ultrasound application. For example, ultrasound imaging can be performed simultaneously during the surgical procedure using the lying device, without disturbing the surgeon or any other practitioner, nor does it require interrupting the intervention on the patient 130. The surgical site can thus remain unobstructed from above for the surgeon to perform the ultrasound imaging.Since the imaging of the surgical site is performed from below, real-time monitoring of the surgical procedure is possible.

[0059] The lying surface 110 can, for example, be the lying surface of a mattress of the operating table 100, so that the ultrasound transducers 120 are arranged within the mattress. The mattress is filled with an acoustic coupling medium for acoustic coupling of the ultrasound transducers 120 and the lying surface 110. The coupling medium is in Fig. 1 not explicitly shown for the sake of clarity. The ultrasound transducers 120 can, for example, be integrated into a gel- or water-filled mattress, which is sealed at the top towards the person 130 with an elastic, sound-permeable membrane (material) that conforms to the body of the person 130.

[0060] It should be noted, however, that the lying surface 110 does not necessarily have to be the lying surface of a mattress on the operating table 100. Regardless of whether the lying surface 110 is the lying surface of a mattress on the operating table 100, the ultrasound transducers 120 can generally be arranged in an acoustic coupling medium for acoustic coupling between the ultrasound transducers 120 and the lying surface 110. The acoustic coupling medium then covers the lying surface 110 on the second side.

[0061] Fig. Figure 2 shows another lying device 200 for a person in the form of a rescue stretcher. For the sake of clarity, the depiction of the person in Fig. 2 waived. Also in Fig. Figure 2 shows the lying surface 110 again as semi-transparent, so that the plurality of ultrasound transducers 120 arranged on a second side of the lying surface 110 is visible. The in Fig. 2. The person not shown is picked up from the lying surface again in a lying position on the first side of the lying surface 110, analogous to the principles described above.

[0062] As in the exemplary embodiment of the Fig. 1. The ultrasound transducers 120 are arranged at fixed positions relative to the lying surface 110 in an array (e.g., a matrix array) that substantially completely covers the lying surface 110. The ultrasound transducers 120 are configured to emit ultrasound waves through the lying surface 110 in the direction of the first side and / or to measure ultrasound waves reflected on the first side in the direction of the second side. Depending on the ultrasound application, the majority of the ultrasound transducers 120 or subsets thereof can be operated as ultrasound sensors (e.g., for ultrasound imaging) or as ultrasound actuators (e.g., for therapeutic ultrasound applications). For illustration, in Fig. 2 in turn emission cones of emitted ultrasound waves 121 are shown.

[0063] The lying surface 110 can, as in Fig. Figure 2 shows, for example, the surface of a lying shell 205 of the rescue stretcher 200, such that the ultrasonic transducers 120 are arranged within the lying shell. In alternative embodiments, the lying surface 110 can also be the lying surface of a mattress of the rescue stretcher 200, so that the ultrasonic transducers 120 are arranged within the mattress. Regardless of the embodiment, the ultrasonic transducers 120 can generally be arranged in an acoustic coupling medium for acoustic coupling between the ultrasonic transducers 120 and the lying surface 110. The acoustic coupling medium then covers the lying surface 110 on the other side. For example, a cavity filled with the coupling medium can be formed in the lying shell 205, in which the ultrasonic transducers 120 are arranged.

[0064] Fig. Figure 3 shows another lying device 300 for a person 130 in the form of an operating table. In contrast to the one in Fig. In the lying device 100 shown in Figure 1, the ultrasonic transducers of the lying device 300 are not arranged in fixed positions relative to the lying surface 110. Rather, the lying device 300 includes a positioning system 340 which is configured to move the ultrasonic transducers 320 relative to the lying surface 110 based on control data. In the exemplary embodiment of the Fig. Figure 3 shows the 320 ultrasonic transducers arranged in a linear array as an example. For illustration purposes, in Fig. 3 in turn shows the ultrasonic waves 321 emitted by the ultrasonic transducers 320.

[0065] As a purely exemplary example of the 340 positioning system, in Fig. Figure 3 shows two rails or guide paths along which the ultrasound transducers 320 can be moved by the positioning system 340. This allows for one-dimensional movement of the ultrasound transducers 320 relative to the lying surface 110, enabling selective or sequential irradiation of one or more body regions 130 with the ultrasound waves 321 and / or measurement of reflected ultrasound waves. Optionally, the positioning system 340 can also be configured to rotate one or more of the ultrasound transducers 320 relative to the lying surface 110 and / or to tilt one or more of the ultrasound transducers 320 relative to the lying surface 110.

[0066] The positioning system 340 can be configured in various ways and may, for example, include further mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and / or electrical components or subsystems to move the ultrasonic transducers 320 along the two rails or guideways relative to the lying surface 110. For example, the ultrasonic transducers 320 can be mounted on movable carriages of the positioning system 340, which can be moved along the rails or guideways by means of a controllable electric drive. Likewise, the ultrasonic transducers 320 can be coupled to one or more controllable hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders of the positioning system 340 to move the ultrasonic transducers 320 along the rails or guideways.

[0067] Electronics or a circuit of the positioning system 340 for the corresponding control of the mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic and / or electrical components or subsystems of the positioning system 340 based on the control data can be configured as in Fig. 3 is indicated, for example, in the table base 105 of the operating table 300. The reference numeral 350 generally designates various possible electrical circuits of the operating table 300. The electronics or circuitry of the positioning system 340 can be a component of the possible electrical circuits 350 of the operating table 300. Based on the control data, the electronics or circuitry of the positioning system 340 can, for example, generate one or more control signals and output them to the mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and / or electrical components or subsystems of the positioning system 340 in order to guide the ultrasonic transducers 320 to a desired position or along a desired trajectory.

[0068] The positioning system 340 can optionally also be equipped with one or more position detection sensors to determine its position relative to the lying surface 110 and thus enable, for example, a clear spatial assignment of the measurement data of the ultrasound transducers 320.

[0069] The control data can be received from an external entity outside the operating table 300, such as a server or a cloud / data center. The operating table 300 can, for example, have a communication circuit configured to receive the control data from an entity outside the operating table 300 (wired or wireless). The communication circuit can be part of the possible electrical circuits 350 of the operating table 300.

[0070] Alternatively, the control data within the operating table 300 can be generated, for example, by a processing circuit of the operating table 300. The processing circuit can, in turn, be part of the possible electrical circuits 350 of the operating table 300. The operating table 300 can, for example, include an interface circuit configured to receive input data indicating user input (e.g., from a practitioner 130) for controlling the movement of the ultrasound transducers 320, and / or a detected position or movement of a part of the user's body, and / or a detected direction of gaze of the user, and / or a detected position or movement of a medical instrument (e.g., a scalpel) used by the user.

[0071] The processing circuit is configured to determine, based on the input data, a region of the person 130 to be sonicated by the ultrasound transducers 320, and, based on this region, to determine a target position for the ultrasound transducers 320. The control data, including corresponding commands for the positioning system 340, are then determined by the processing circuit based on the target position.

[0072] In this way, the ultrasound transducers 320 integrated into the lying device 300 can be controlled according to the situation. For example, ultrasound measurement data can be acquired situationally for specific body regions 130 that are relevant and useful for the user (e.g., a surgeon). In addition to control via user input, such as a touchscreen, computer, joystick, or other manual input devices, user voice commands, gestures, or eye movements can also be used for the situational positioning of the ultrasound transducers 320, as described above. Furthermore, inputs from surgical robots or collaborative robots (cobots) can be used as input data, and the ultrasound transducers 320 can be positioned accordingly using the positioning system 340.

[0073] As explained above, the 320 ultrasound transducers can also be positioned based on feedback from the instruments being used. For example, a position tracking system in the operating room can optically monitor and determine the position or movement of an instrument (e.g., a scalpel), thus determining its position or movement relative to the surgical site. This positional data can then be used, as described above, to automatically move the 320 ultrasound transducers close to the treated area of ​​the surgical site and generate ultrasound measurement data, for example, for ultrasound imaging of the treated body region. The integrated 320 ultrasound transducers can therefore automatically follow a surgeon's instrument(s) and reliably deliver real-time ultrasound measurement data, for example, for ultrasound imaging.This gives the surgeon real-time monitoring of the surgical progress using ultrasound.

[0074] The processing circuit described above, or a separate processing circuit comprised of possible electrical circuits 350 of the operating table 300, is also coupled to the ultrasonic transducers 320 to control the emission of the ultrasonic waves 312 by the ultrasonic transducers 320 or to process the measurement data generated by the ultrasonic transducers 320 based on the reflected ultrasonic waves. For example, the processing circuit can be configured to apply a respective control signal to the ultrasonic transducers 320 to selectively cause the emission of ultrasonic waves of a specific frequency over a specific period. Likewise, the processing circuit can be configured, for example, to digitize, filter, combine, analyze, etc., the measurement data from the ultrasonic transducers 320 during processing.

[0075] To control the emission of the ultrasound waves 321, the processing circuit comprises a plurality of electronic channels (i.e., signal processing paths). The number of electronic channels may be less than the number of ultrasound transducers 320, so that not every ultrasound transducer 320 has its own dedicated electronic channel for control. In such embodiments, the operating table 300 may also include a multiplexer circuit, which in turn may be part of the possible electrical circuits 350 of the operating table 300. The multiplexer circuit is then configured to selectively couple the electronic channels to a subset of the ultrasound transducers 320. Accordingly, a subset of the ultrasound transducers 320 can be controlled to emit ultrasound waves.Often, the desired ultrasound application is limited to a specific body region (130), so only a fraction of the ultrasound transducers (130) need to be activated. Accordingly, a relatively small number of electronic channels is sufficient, as these can be selectively coupled to any of the ultrasound transducers (320) as needed via the multiplexer circuit.

[0076] For example, the processing circuit can be configured to select the subset of ultrasound transducers 320 based on data indicating a region of the human body 130 to be irradiated with the ultrasound waves 321. For instance, the region to be irradiated can be determined from the input data described above. Based on the size of the region to be irradiated or on a desired (target) sound level, a subset of the ultrasound transducers 320 can now be selected and moved to the region to be irradiated using the positioning system 340. The processing circuit is then configured to control the multiplexer circuit, which couples the electronic channels to the selected subset of ultrasound transducers 320. Accordingly, the selected ultrasound transducers can be controlled by the electronic channels to emit the ultrasound waves 321.

[0077] Similarly, the processing circuit has a plurality of additional electronic channels (i.e., signal processing paths) for processing measurement data. The number of these additional electronic channels can also be less than the number of ultrasound transducers. Accordingly, the multiplexer circuit can be configured to selectively couple the additional electronic channels to a further subset of the ultrasound transducers 320. The measurement data from this further subset of ultrasound transducers 320 can then be processed. As described above, the desired ultrasound application is often limited to a specific body region of the human body 130, so that only the measurement data from a fraction of the ultrasound transducers 320 need to be processed.The ultrasound transducers of the further subset of ultrasound transducers 320 for measuring the reflected ultrasound waves can be the same as or different from the ultrasound transducers of the subset of ultrasound transducers 320 for the emission of the ultrasound waves 321.

[0078] The coupling between the individual circuits or components of the possible electrical circuits 350 of the operating table 300 and the ultrasound transducer 320 as well as the positioning system 340 can be of various kinds. In particular, wired couplings, wireless couplings (e.g. via radio, optical, acoustic, etc.) or combinations thereof can be used.

[0079] In the example of Fig. 3. The ultrasound transducers 320 are arranged in the form of a linear array. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. Rather, essentially any array configuration can be used and selected, for example, based on the desired or planned use of the respective lying device. For illustration, further lying devices with different array configurations and also different configurations of the positioning system are described in more detail below.

[0080] Fig. Figure 4 shows another lying device 400 for a person 130 in the form of an operating table. In contrast to the one in Fig. In the lying device 300 shown in Figure 3, the ultrasound transducers 420 of the lying device 400 are arranged in the form of a matrix array. The positioning system 440 of the lying device 400 can also move the ultrasound transducers 420 in two mutually orthogonal spatial directions, in contrast to the positioning system 340 of the lying device 300. In other words: While the ultrasound transducers 320 are in the Fig. Since the lying device 300 shown in section 3 can only be moved along the longitudinal direction of the lying device 300, the ultrasound transducers 420 can be positioned in the Fig. The lying device 400 shown in section 4 can be moved both along its longitudinal direction and along a lateral direction. For this purpose, in Fig. Four additional rails or running surfaces of the positioning system 440 are indicated.

[0081] As in Fig. As indicated in Figure 4, the ultrasound transducers 420 can also be rotated relative to the lying surface 110 by the positioning system 440. The positioning system 440 can also be configured to tilt one or more of the ultrasound transducers 420 relative to the lying surface 110. For example, the matrix array can be configured as a so-called rigid-flex array, such that some of the ultrasound transducers 420 are tiltable, while others are not.

[0082] In Fig. Figure 4 also indicates that the direction of the emitted ultrasound waves 421 can be adjusted by beamforming, i.e., by appropriately adjusting the phases and levels (intensities) for the individual ultrasound transducers of the plurality of ultrasound transducers 420. The processing circuit for controlling the emission of the ultrasound waves 421 by the ultrasound transducers 420 can therefore be configured to adjust the phases and levels (intensities) for the individual ultrasound transducers of the plurality of ultrasound transducers 420 in order to obtain a desired radiation characteristic (e.g., the main direction of the emitted ultrasound energy).

[0083] Fig. Figure 5 shows another lying device 500 for a person 130 in the form of an operating table. The lying device 500 is a modification of the one described in Fig. 3 shown lying device 300.

[0084] At the in Fig. In the lying device 500 shown in Figure 5, the lying surface 510 is not completely flat like the one in Figure 5. Fig. The lying surface 110 shown in section 3 is not curved upwards at the sides. The ultrasound transducers 520 of the lying device 500 are arranged in the form of a correspondingly curved array and can be positioned via the positioning system 540 analogously to those associated with Fig. The principles described in section 3 must be observed at least along the longitudinal direction of the lying surface 510.

[0085] The array comprises a first section, a second section, and a third section. The array can be manufactured from individual elements or provided as an integral component. The first section is located in the center of the array and is essentially flat, like the central part of the lying surface 510. The second and third sections are arranged at opposite ends of the first section and rise above it, so that the ultrasound transducers arranged in the second and third sections face the lateral regions of the person 130, while the lying surface 510 accommodates the person 130 in a supine position. In other words, along the lateral direction of the lying surface 510, the two ends of the array of ultrasound transducers 520 face upwards, i.e.,The array of ultrasound transducers 520 is curved towards the lying surface 510, so that the ultrasound transducers arranged in the curved ends face opposite the sides of the human body. The array of ultrasound transducers 520 thus has a cross-sectional shape that is broadly U-shaped.

[0086] Due to the curved shape of the array of ultrasound transducers 520, not only the part of the person lying flat on the treatment surface 510, but also the sides of the person 130 can be subjected to ultrasound application. For example, this allows lateral areas of the person to be captured during ultrasound imaging or treated with (therapeutic) ultrasound. For illustration, the following are shown in Fig. Figure 5 shows the ultrasonic waves 521 emitted by the ultrasonic transducers 520.

[0087] In the example of Fig. In 5, the array of ultrasound transducers 520 is a linear array. However, the present embodiment is not limited to this. In principle, any type of array can be used that is curved upwards along a spatial direction, i.e., towards the lying surface 510.

[0088] In the previously described embodiments, the arrangement of possible electrical circuits of the operating table in the respective table base is shown. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The electrical circuits of the operating table for controlling the ultrasound transducers, for processing the measurement data from the ultrasound transducers, for controlling the positioning system, etc., can be provided partially or completely as part of a plug-in module. This is shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. Figure 7 shows another lying device 600 for a person 130 in the form of an operating table. The processing circuit described above is provided here as part of a plug-in module 660, so that the processing circuit is detachably attached to a plug-in interface 650 of the lying device 600. The processing circuit can therefore be separated from the lying device 600 without damage and used, for example, for one or more other lying devices. Analogous to the processing circuit described above, the multiplexer circuit or the electronics or circuitry of the positioning system 640 described above for the ultrasound transducers 620 can also be provided as part of the plug-in module 660, so that the multiplexer circuit and / or electronics or circuitry can be used for one or more other lying devices.The circuit of the positioning system 640 is detachably attached to the plug-in interface 650 of the lying device 600 and can be separated from the lying device 600 without damage.

[0089] In the above embodiments, the ultrasonic transducers and the other electronics are separate. The present disclosure is not limited thereto. Fig. Figure 8 shows a measuring system 800 that is freely movable relative to the lying surface. While Fig. Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the measuring system 800 together with its housing 810. Fig. 9 below is a semi-transparent representation of the measuring system 800.

[0090] The measuring system 800 comprises one or more ultrasonic transducers 820 as described above. Furthermore, the measuring system includes multiple actuators in the form of wheels 830 for moving the measuring system 800 relative to the lying surface. These actuators are driven by a drive system of the measuring system 800 based on the control data. As described above, the wheels 830 are only one possible type of actuator. Other actuators for moving the measuring system 800 can also be used. For the sake of clarity, the drive system is not shown separately. Fig. 8 and Fig. Figure 9 shows that, for example, the measuring system 800 can include four driven wheels 830, as shown in Figure 800. Fig. 8 and Fig. Figure 9 is shown. However, any other number of wheels can also be used for the measuring system. For example, the 830 wheels can be designed as omni-wheels. In Fig. 9, with the reference symbol "850", generally refers to a circuit board containing circuits that represent the many possible electrical circuits or subsystems of the 800 measuring system in general terms. For example, the drive system can be at least partially part of the 850 circuit board.

[0091] The wheels and drive system allow the Measuring System 800 to be freely moved to the lying surface, enabling targeted access to one or more body regions for a desired or planned ultrasound application using at least one ultrasound transducer of the Measuring System 800. This is in Fig. Figure 10 explicitly shows another lying device 1000 for a person 130 in the form of an operating table.

[0092] The positioning system 1040 of the lying device 1000 comprises not just one measuring system, but three measuring systems 1041, 1042, and 1043. Measuring systems 1041, 1042, and 1043 are designed like the measuring system 800 described herein and can move freely on a surface of the lying device 1000 by means of their respective driven wheels (e.g., in a space within the lying device 1000 filled with acoustic coupling medium) and thus move relative to the lying surface 1010 of the lying device 1000. With the three measuring systems 1041, 1042, and 1043, various body regions of the human 130 can be examined or treated simultaneously (in parallel). In the example of the Fig. 10. The neck region of human 130 is examined or treated with the measuring system 1041, while a shoulder region of human 130 is examined or treated in parallel with the measuring system 1042, and a leg region of human 130 is examined or treated in parallel with the measuring system 1043.

[0093] Each measuring system includes a rechargeable battery designed to provide electrical energy for the drive system and at least one ultrasonic transducer of the measuring system. Fig. 8 and Fig. Figure 9 does not explicitly show the battery, but electrical contacts 840 are shown for connecting to a charging system of the reclining device. For example, the battery may be at least partially part of the circuit board with circuits 850. Fig. Figure 10 shows a corresponding electrical contact 1050 of the charging system. In alternative embodiments, charging can also be contactless, e.g., inductive.

[0094] The respective measuring system further comprises at least one distance sensor configured to determine the distance between the measuring system and objects in its environment. For example, the distance sensor can be at least partially part of the circuit board with circuits 850. The drive system is configured to drive the majority of wheels based on the determined distance. The distance sensor enables the measuring system to determine its position and thus improve the movement of the measuring system relative to the lying surface. For example, this can be done in Fig. 10. The measuring system shown uses the distance sensor to determine the distances to the other measuring systems 1042 and 1043 or lateral boundaries of the lying surface 1010 in order to take these into account when moving the measuring system 1041.

[0095] Furthermore, the lying device 1000 includes a tracking system 1060, which is configured to track (or determine) the respective position of the measuring systems 1041, 1042, and 1043. Corresponding sensors 1061, 1062, 1063, and 1064 of the tracking system 1060 are located in Fig. 10 indicated. The tracking system 1060 makes it possible to determine the position of the respective measuring systems 1041, 1042 and 1042 and thus to improve the movement of the respective measuring systems 1041, 1042 and 1042 relative to the lying surface 1010.

[0096] For example, the position determined by the tracking system 1060 can be transmitted to the respective measuring systems 1041, 1042 and 1042, so that the respective measuring systems 1041, 1042 and 1042 can take the determined position into account when moving towards, for example, a target position.

[0097] The respective measuring system includes a wireless communication circuit configured to wirelessly receive control data and, optionally, other data such as the position of the measuring system measured by the tracking system 1060, or the position of another measuring system measured by the tracking system. For example, the wireless communication circuit can be at least partially integrated into the circuit board containing circuits 850. In alternative embodiments, wired data exchange can also be provided.

[0098] Analogous to the embodiments described above, the at least one measuring system further comprises a circuit that is coupled to the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the measuring system and configured to control the emission of the ultrasonic waves by the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the measuring system and / or to process the measurement data generated by the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the measuring system based on the reflected ultrasonic waves. For example, this circuit can be at least partially part of the circuit board 850.

[0099] According to exemplary embodiments, a measuring system can, for example, move freely within the gel- or water-filled space of the operating table 1000 and is controlled externally, e.g., wirelessly (although control and power supply can also be wired). The wireless measuring system is equipped with a battery and a radio connection. In addition to the charging point for this wireless measuring system in the operating table 1000, it has independent distance sensors for free movement within the space. For precise position detection, an optional tracking system (e.g., acoustic, optical, inductive, etc.) integrated into the sides of the operating table 1000 can be used for exact position determination.

[0100] The wireless measuring system is fully integrated into the 1000 lying device and is considered part of the positioning system. As described above, it can be wirelessly connected (e.g., radio, optical, acoustic, etc.) to an additional data processing unit, power supply (e.g., inductive), display unit, etc. Alternatively, it can also be connected via a wired connection.

[0101] Fig. 11 shows an extension of the in Fig. 5 shown reclining device 500. The in Fig. Figure 11 of the depicted lying device 1100, in comparison to lying device 500, additionally includes a removable cover 1150 for a predominant part of the lying surface 510. The cover 1150 functions as a lid that covers a large part of the lying surface 510. The cover 1150 partially covers the person 130 while they are supported by the lying surface 510 in the reclining position.

[0102] The cover 1150 includes further ultrasonic transducers 1160, which are arranged in the form of a further array and configured to emit ultrasonic waves in the direction of the lying surface 510 (i.e., in the direction of the person 130) and / or to measure reflected ultrasonic waves from the direction of the lying surface 510 (i.e., ultrasonic waves reflected from the person). The ultrasonic transducers 520 of the lying device 1100, arranged below the lying surface 510, are in Fig. 11 not visible for perspective reasons. In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. In Figure 5, the array of ultrasonic transducers 1160 is a linear array. However, the present embodiment is not limited to this. In principle, any type of array can be used.

[0103] With the additional cover, ultrasound waves can be introduced into the patient from two opposite directions via the respective ultrasound transducers in the cover and on the other side of the treatment surface. Similarly, ultrasound waves reflected from two opposite directions can be measured. This enables improved spatial resolution for ultrasound imaging, while for therapeutic ultrasound applications it allows the introduction of sound energy from multiple directions.

[0104] The cover 1150 includes a further positioning system 1170 for the ultrasonic transducers 1160. The following are purely examples of the positioning system 1170: Fig. Figure 11 shows two rails or guideways along which the ultrasound transducers 1160 can be moved by the positioning system 1170. The positioning system 1170, like the positioning systems described above, can be configured in various ways to move the ultrasound transducers 1160 within the cover 1150 and relative to the lying surface 510 based on further control data. Accordingly, the ultrasound transducers 1160 can be moved from the cover 1150 to specific body regions of the person 130 lying on the lying surface 510 in order to selectively irradiate these regions with ultrasound or to measure the ultrasound waves reflected from them.

[0105] Analogous to the above descriptions for the ultrasound transducers on the second side of the lying surface 510, the ultrasound transducers 1160 of the cover 1150 can also be guided in a standardized and reproducible manner relative to the lying surface 510 using the additional control data. In particular, the additional positioning system 1170 can, for example, be controlled based on the additional control data to move one or more of the ultrasound transducers 1160 within the cover 1150 along one or more spatial directions relative to the lying surface 510 and / or to rotate one or more of the ultrasound transducers 1160 within the cover 1150 relative to the lying surface 510 and / or to tilt one or more of the ultrasound transducers 1160 within the cover 1150 relative to the lying surface 510. For example, by appropriately designing the control data and the additional control data, a section-by-section orLayer-by-layer ultrasound imaging is performed using the ultrasound transducers on the second side of the lying surface 510 and the ultrasound transducers 1160 of the cover 1150, so that the lying device 1000 enables ultrasound-based tomography.

[0106] The cover 1150 includes a contact section for contacting the person 130, while the lying surface 510 accommodates the person 130 in a lying position. In other words, the contact section is designed to make contact with the person 130 when the person 130 is lying on the lying surface. Fig. Therefore, the underside of the cover 1150 is designed to be deformable, so that the shape of the contact section, or at least part of the underside of the cover 1150, can be adapted to the body shape of the person 130. For example, the contact section can be formed by an elastic, sound-permeable membrane or, more generally, an elastic, sound-permeable material, so that the contact section can conform to the body of the person. Optionally, the adaptation of the contact section to the body can also lead to improved body contact by generating negative or positive pressure.

[0107] The 1160 ultrasonic transducers are arranged in an acoustic coupling medium for acoustic coupling between the 1160 ultrasonic transducers and the contact section. The acoustic coupling medium covers the contact section. The acoustic coupling material is arranged on a first side of the contact section, which faces a second side of the contact section designed to make contact with the person. The acoustic coupling medium can be configured as described above. The contact section, together with the arrangement of the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the cover in the acoustic coupling medium, enables good acoustic coupling between the at least one ultrasonic transducer of the cover and the person.

[0108] Fig. Figure 12 shows a variation of the one in Fig. The lying device shown in 11 is 1100. Fig. The lying device 1200 shown in Figure 12 includes a shorter, removable cover 1250 compared to the lying device 1100, which covers only a smaller portion of the lying surface 510 compared to the cover 1150. The dimensions of the removable cover can be selected, for example, depending on the desired ultrasound application.

[0109] Alternatively to the in Fig. 11 and Fig. In addition to the 12 removable covers shown (1150 and 1250), a deformable support (190) can also be used to adapt to a human body shape (130) – as shown in Fig. Figure 1 shows the support 190, which is adapted to partially cover the person 130, while the lying surface 110 accommodates the person 130 in a reclining position. Analogous to the removable covers 1150 and 1250, the support 190 comprises several ultrasonic transducers configured to emit ultrasonic waves towards the person 130 and to measure the ultrasonic waves reflected by the person 130. Similar to the description above for the ultrasonic transducers of the covers 1150 and 1250, the combination of the lying device 100 according to the invention and the support 190 allows ultrasonic waves to be introduced into the person 130 from two opposite spatial directions. Likewise, ultrasonic waves reflected from two opposite spatial directions can be measured.This enables improved spatial resolution for ultrasound imaging, while for therapeutic ultrasound applications it allows the introduction of sound energy from multiple spatial directions.

[0110] The lower side of the support 190 includes a contact section for contacting the person 130, while the lying surface 110 accommodates the person 130 in a supine position. In other words, the contact section is designed to make contact with the person 130 when the person 130 lies on the lying surface 110. The ultrasonic transducers of the support 190 are arranged in an acoustic coupling medium for acoustic coupling between the ultrasonic transducers of the support 190 and the contact section. The acoustic coupling medium covers the contact section. The acoustic coupling material is arranged on a first side of the contact section, which faces a second side of the contact section designed to make contact with the person 130. The acoustic coupling medium can be designed as described above. For example, the contact section or...At least part of the contact surface 190 must be formed by an elastic, sound-permeable membrane or, more generally, an elastic, sound-permeable material, so that the contact section or the contact surface 190 can conform to the body of the person 130. Optionally, the adaptation of the contact section or the contact surface 190 to the body can also be achieved by creating negative or positive pressure to improve body contact.

[0111] As can be seen from the exemplary embodiments described above, the positioning systems according to the present disclosure enable a targeted alignment of the ultrasonic transducers or arrays of ultrasonic transducers in all desired spatial directions.

[0112] In the embodiments described above, a reclining device with only one movable array of ultrasound transducers was generally shown. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. Rather, reclining devices according to the present disclosure can be equipped with several movable arrays of ultrasound transducers, which are moved or operated according to the principles described above. The individual arrays of ultrasound transducers can be configured identically or differently.

[0113] As described above, the control data for the respective positioning systems can be generated by an external entity outside the respective lying device. Fig. Figure 13 shows a corresponding device 1300 for externally controlling the movement of at least one ultrasound transducer of a reclining device for a person. The device 1300 can, for example, be a server or a computing cloud that is coupled to the reclining device (for example, the communication circuit of the reclining device described above).

[0114] The device 1300 comprises an interface circuit 1310 configured to receive input data 1301. This data may include user input for controlling the movement of at least one ultrasound transducer, and / or a detected position or movement of a part of the user's body (e.g., a hand, an arm, a head), and / or a detected direction of gaze of the user, and / or a detected position or movement of a medical instrument used by the user (e.g., a scalpel, a clamp, etc.). The input data can be received wirelessly (e.g., via radio waves or optical waves) or via a wired connection (e.g., a cable or optical fiber). Communication can be established using a standardized communication protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, WLAN IEEE 802.11, ZigBee, etc.).

[0115] User input can be captured, for example, by an external or internal human-machine interface such as a joystick, a touchscreen, a computer mouse, or a microphone. The position of the user's body part or movement, the user's gaze direction, as well as the position or movement of the medical instrument used by the user can be captured, for example, by a tracking system inside or outside the device 1300.

[0116] Furthermore, the device 1300 comprises a processing circuit 1320, which is configured to determine, based on the input data 1301, a region to be sonicated by the at least one ultrasound transducer. Analogous to the principles previously described for the processing circuit of the reclining device, the input data can be evaluated, for example, using one or more static rules or by means of artificial intelligence (e.g., using a trained machine learning model), and a region to be sonicated can be determined from this.

[0117] The processing circuit 1320 is also configured to determine a target position for at least one ultrasound transducer based on the region to be treated. The determination of the target position can be carried out analogously to the principles previously described for the processing circuit of the reclining device.

[0118] Furthermore, the processing circuit 1320 is configured to determine control data 1302 for a positioning system of the lying device based on the target position. The control data 1302 comprises one or more commands to cause the positioning system to move the at least one ultrasound transducer relative to a lying surface of the lying device to the target position. The lying surface is designed, as described above, to accommodate the person in a lying position on a first side of the lying surface. The at least one ultrasound transducer is arranged, as described above, on a second side of the lying surface, which is opposite the first side.

[0119] The interface circuit 1310 is also configured to transmit the control data 1302 to the lying device (wirelessly or wired).

[0120] It should be noted that the processing circuit can determine multiple regions to be insonated and, accordingly, multiple target regions over time, in order to move at least one ultrasound transducer to the target position one after the other. Likewise, if multiple independently movable ultrasound transducers and multiple regions or target positions are present, a first group of ultrasound transducers can be moved to a first target position, a second group to a second target position, and so on, in parallel by the processing circuit 1320 generating the corresponding control data 1302. This allows, for example, parallel imaging of multiple body regions.

[0121] The 1300 device enables the external control of the movement of at least one ultrasonic transducer in a reclining device for a person. Accordingly, the reclining device itself can be provided cost-effectively with reduced circuitry and logic.

[0122] To further illuminate the generation of control data for positioning systems in lying devices according to the present disclosure, the following will be described with reference to Fig. 14 a method 1400 for external control of the movement of at least one ultrasound transducer of a lying device for a person is described in more detail.

[0123] Method 1400 comprises receiving 1402 input data indicating a user input for motion control of the at least one ultrasound transducer and / or a detected position or movement of a part of the user's body and / or a detected direction of gaze of the user and / or a detected position or movement of a medical instrument used by the user. Method 1400 further comprises determining 1404 a region to be insonated by the at least one ultrasound transducer based on the input data. Method 1400 also comprises determining 1406 a target position for the at least one ultrasound transducer based on the region to be insonated. Method 1400 further comprises determining 1408 control data for a positioning system of the lying device based on the target position.The control data comprises one or more commands to cause the positioning system to move the at least one ultrasound transducer relative to a lying surface of the lying device to the target position. The lying surface, for receiving the person in a supine position, is located on a first side of the lying surface. The at least one ultrasound transducer is arranged on a second side of the lying surface, which is opposite the first side. Method 1400 comprises transmitting 1410 the control data to the lying device.

[0124] Method 1400 enables the external control of the movement of at least one ultrasound transducer in a patient reclining device. Consequently, the reclining device itself can be provided cost-effectively with reduced circuitry and logic.

[0125] Further details and aspects of Procedure 1400 are described in more detail above. Procedure 1400 may therefore additionally include one or more of the aspects described above.

[0126] As already explained several times above, the reclining devices according to the present disclosure can be used for various ultrasound applications. In particular, the reclining devices according to the present disclosure can be used for ultrasound imaging and for (therapeutic) ultrasound treatment.

[0127] The following will refer to Fig. 15 and Fig. 16 Two exemplary methods for ultrasound imaging and (therapeutic) ultrasound treatment using a lying device according to the present disclosure are described in more detail.

[0128] Fig. Reference 15 discloses a method 1500 for ultrasound imaging. The method 1500 comprises irradiating 1502 a human being, an animal, or an object positioned on the lying surface of a lying device or system according to the present disclosure, using one or more of the at least one ultrasound transducer of the lying device. Furthermore, the method 1500 comprises measuring 1504 (e.g., reflected or transmitted) ultrasound waves using one or more of the at least one ultrasound transducer of the lying device. The method 1500 also comprises generating an image 1506 of at least a part of the human being, the animal, or the object based on the measured ultrasound waves. The generation of the image from the measurement data can be carried out according to known methods or approaches (e.g., reflection ultrasound imaging or transmission ultrasound imaging).

[0129] For ultrasound imaging, the frequency of the emitted and measured ultrasound waves can, for example, be between 2 and 20 MHz. However, it should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the aforementioned frequency range. In principle, any suitable frequency or frequency range can be selected.

[0130] The examination device according to the present disclosure enables irradiation with ultrasound waves as well as the measurement of ultrasound waves (e.g., reflected or transmitted) from below the examination surface. The treatment of the person or animal on the examination surface by a practitioner (e.g., examination by a physician or surgical procedure by a surgeon) does not need to be interrupted for ultrasound imaging. Likewise, according to the above embodiments, standardized and precise reproducible data acquisition, e.g., for monitoring progress, is possible.

[0131] Further details and aspects of Procedure 1500 are described in more detail above. Procedure 1500 may therefore additionally include one or more of the aspects described above.

[0132] Fig.Figure 16 discloses a method 1600 for (therapeutic) ultrasound treatment. The method 1600 comprises sonicating 1602 a human being or animal, which is positioned on the lying surface of a lying device or system according to the present disclosure, with (therapeutic) ultrasound waves using one or more of the at least one ultrasound transducer of the lying device.

[0133] For example, the frequency of the emitted ultrasound waves for therapeutic ultrasound treatment can be 200 kHz, 800 kHz, 1 MHz, or 3 MHz – depending on the desired penetration depth of the ultrasound. However, it should be noted that this disclosure is not limited to the aforementioned frequencies. In principle, any suitable frequency or frequency range can be selected.

[0134] The treatment table allows for the application of (therapeutic) ultrasound waves from below the treatment surface. This means that the treatment of the person or animal on the table by a practitioner (e.g., a surgical procedure by a surgeon) does not need to be interrupted for the ultrasound application.

[0135] Further details and aspects of Procedure 1600 are described in more detail above. Procedure 1600 may therefore additionally include one or more of the aspects described above.

[0136] According to the exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure also relates to all combinations of the ultrasound diagnostic procedures (e.g. ultrasound imaging) and ultrasound therapy procedures (e.g. therapeutic ultrasound treatment) described herein in the form of a theranostic procedure.

[0137] As the above explanations have shown, the advantages of the reclining devices according to the present disclosure as well as of the methods utilizing the reclining devices are manifold.

[0138] For example, the ultrasound transducers no longer need to be manually operated by a user. This makes ultrasound data acquisition independent of the user for the first time, thus allowing for standardization and precise, reproducible data acquisition, e.g., for monitoring disease progression.

[0139] This allows for an unobstructed surgical field and continuous data acquisition without the need to attach ultrasound probes from above using gel for data acquisition and thus interrupt the procedure. Imaging is performed from below and / or the side.

[0140] With an additional unit from above, tomographic data acquisition is possible for the first time, especially of the entire human body.

[0141] The technology of the present disclosure can be used not only for ultrasound diagnostics, but also for ultrasound therapy or a combination of ultrasound diagnostics and ultrasound therapy.

[0142] The technology of the present disclosure provides interfaces for the intelligent control of ultrasound data acquisition at the location where data is currently needed.

[0143] The technology disclosed herein can be used, for example, in the following areas: a) Diagnostic ultrasound imaging up to and including ultrasound tomography b) Ultrasound therapy c) Integration into operating tables, treatment couches, emergency couches, intensive care beds d) Intraoperative imaging navigation e) Decentralized data collection for ultrasound diagnostics and monitoring, e.g. in rural regions without the need for medical professionals

[0144] The aspects and features described in connection with one of the previous examples can also be combined with one or more of the further examples to replace an identical or similar feature of that further example or to additionally introduce the feature into the further example.

[0145] Examples can also include a (computer) program with program code for executing one or more of the above procedures, or refer to such a program when executed on a computer, processor, or other programmable hardware component. Steps, operations, or processes of various procedures described above can therefore also be executed by programmed computers, processors, or other programmable hardware components. Examples can also include program storage devices, such as digital data storage media, that are machine-, processor-, or computer-readable and encode or contain machine-executable, processor-executable, or computer-executable programs and instructions. The program storage devices can, for example,Digital storage devices include or may include magnetic storage media such as magnetic disks and magnetic tapes, hard disk drives, or optically readable digital data storage media. Further examples may also include computers, processors, control units, field-programmable logic arrays ((F)PLAs), field-programmable gate arrays ((F)PGAs), graphics processing units (GPUs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), integrated circuits (ICs), or system-on-a-chip (SoCs) programmed to perform the steps of the procedures described above.

[0146] It is further understood that the disclosure of several steps, processes, operations, or functions disclosed in the description or claims should not be interpreted as necessarily occurring in the described sequence, unless explicitly stated in a specific case or required for technical reasons. Therefore, the preceding description does not restrict the execution of multiple steps or functions to a specific sequence. Furthermore, in other examples, a single step, function, process, or operation may include and / or be broken down into multiple sub-steps, functions, processes, or operations.

[0147] If certain aspects described in the preceding sections relate to a device or system, these aspects should also be understood as a description of the corresponding procedure. For example, a block, device, or functional aspect of the device or system may correspond to a feature, such as a process step, of the corresponding procedure. Similarly, aspects described in relation to a procedure should also be understood as a description of a corresponding block, element, property, or functional feature of that device or system.

[0148] The following claims are hereby included in the detailed description, each claim being a separate example. It should also be noted that—although a dependent claim may refer to a specific combination with one or more other claims—other examples may include a combination of the dependent claim with the subject matter of any other dependent or independent claim. Such combinations are hereby explicitly proposed unless it is stated in a specific case that a particular combination is not intended. Furthermore, features of a claim are also to be included for each other independent claim, even if that claim is not directly defined as dependent on that other independent claim.

Claims

[1] A lying device (100) for a human, an animal or an object, comprising: a lying surface (110) adapted to receive the human, animal or object in a lying position on a first side of the lying surface (110); and at least one ultrasonic transducer (120) arranged on a second side of the lying surface (110), wherein the second side is opposite the first side, and wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer (120) is configured to emit ultrasonic waves through the lying surface (110) in the direction of the first side and / or to measure ultrasonic waves reflected or transmitted on the first side in the direction of the second side. [2] The lying device (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a positioning system (340) configured to move the at least one ultrasonic transducer (120) relative to the lying surface (110) based on control data. [3] The lying device (100) according to claim 2, wherein the positioning system (340) is controllable based on the control data to move one or more of the at least one ultrasonic transducers (120) along one or more spatial directions relative to the lying surface (110) and / or to rotate one or more of the at least one ultrasonic transducers (120) relative to the lying surface (110) and / or to incline one or more of the at least one ultrasonic transducers (120) relative to the lying surface (110). [4] A lying device (100) according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the lying device (100) comprises an array of ultrasonic transducers (120), the array comprising a first section, a second section and a third section, the first section being substantially flat, the second section and the third section being arranged at opposite ends of the first section and rising from the first section, such that the ultrasonic transducers (120) arranged in the second section and third section face side regions of the human, animal or object, while the lying surface (110) receives the human, animal or object in the lying position. [5] A lying device (100) according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the positioning system (340) comprises at least one measuring system (800) which is freely movable relative to the lying surface (110), and wherein the at least one measuring system (800) comprises: one or more of the at least one ultrasonic transducer (120); at least one actuator (830) for moving the measuring system relative to the lying surface (110); and a drive system for driving the at least one actuator based on the control data. [6] The reclining device (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, further comprising a communication circuit configured to receive the control data from an entity external to the reclining device (100). [7] Reclining device (100) according to one of claims 2 to 5, further comprising: an interface circuit configured to receive input data that includes a user input of a user for controlling the movement of the at least one ultrasonic transducer (120) and / or a detected position or movement of a body part of the user and / or a detected viewing direction of the user and / or a detected position or Display movement of a medical instrument used by the user; and a processing circuit that is set up: to determine a region to be sounded by the at least one ultrasonic transducer (120) based on the input data; to determine a target position for the at least one ultrasonic transducer (120) based on the region to be sounded; and to determine the control data based on the target position. [8] The lying device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the lying device (100) comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers (120) arranged at fixed positions relative to the lying surface (110) in an array that at least partially covers the lying surface (110). [9] The lying device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer (120) is arranged in an acoustic coupling medium for acoustically coupling the at least one ultrasonic transducer (120) and the lying surface (110), wherein the acoustic coupling medium covers the lying surface (110) on the second side. [10] A lying device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a mattress filled with the acoustic coupling medium, wherein a part of a casing of the mattress forms the lying surface (110), and wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer (120) is arranged within the mattress. [11] Reclining device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein a shape of the lying surface (110) is deformable to adapt to a body shape of the human or animal or a shape of the object. [12] A lying device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a processing circuit coupled to the at least one ultrasonic transducer (120) and configured to: to control the emission of ultrasonic waves by the at least one ultrasonic transducer (120); and / or to process the measurement data generated by the at least one ultrasonic transducer (120) based on the measured ultrasonic waves. [13] The lying device (100) of claim 12, wherein the lying device (100) comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers (120), wherein the processing circuit comprises a plurality of electronic channels for controlling the emission of the ultrasonic waves, wherein the lying device (100) further comprises a multiplexer circuit configured to selectively couple the electronic channels to a subset of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers (120). [14] Lying device (100) according to claim 13, wherein the processing circuit is arranged: selecting the subset of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers (120) based on data indicating an area to be irradiated with the ultrasonic waves; and to control the multiplexer circuit to couple the electronic channels to the selected subset of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers (120). [15] A lying device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the lying device (100) is an operating table, a medical treatment table, a hospital bed or a rescue stretcher. [16] Reclining device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 15, further comprising a removable cover for at least a part of the lying surface (110), wherein the cover comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer (1160) which is configured to emit ultrasonic waves in the direction of the lying surface (110) and / or to measure reflected or transmitted ultrasonic waves from the direction of the lying surface (110). [17] The lying device (100) according to claim 16, wherein the cover comprises a contact portion for contacting the human, animal or object while the lying surface (110) receives the human, animal or object in the lying position, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer (1160) of the cover is arranged in an acoustic coupling medium for acoustically coupling the at least one ultrasonic transducer (1160) of the cover and the contact portion, wherein the acoustic coupling medium covers the contact portion. [18] The reclining device (100) according to claim 17, wherein a shape of the contact portion is deformable to adapt to a body shape of the human or animal or a shape of the object. [19] Lying device (100) according to one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the cover comprises a further positioning system (1170) which is configured to move the at least one ultrasonic transducer (1160) of the cover relative to the lying surface (110) based on further control data. [20] Device (1300) for externally controlling the movement of at least one ultrasonic transducer of a lying device for a human, an animal or an object, the device comprising: an interface circuit (1310) configured to receive input data (1301) indicating a user input from a user for controlling the movement of the at least one ultrasonic transducer and / or a detected position or movement of a body part of the user and / or a detected viewing direction of the user and / or a detected position or movement of a medical instrument used by the user; and a processing circuit (1320) which is configured: to determine a region to be sounded by the at least one ultrasonic transducer based on the input data (1301); to determine a target position for the at least one ultrasonic transducer based on the region to be sounded; and to determine control data (1302) for a positioning system of the lying device based on the target position, wherein the control data comprise one or more commands to cause the positioning system to move the at least one ultrasonic transducer relative to a lying surface of the lying device to the target position, wherein the lying surface for receiving the human, animal or object is in a lying position on a first side of the lying surface, and wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is arranged on a second side of the lying surface, which is opposite the first side, wherein the interface circuit (1310) is further configured to transmit the control data (1302) to the lying device.

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