Medical Imaging Beamforming Using Stored Basis Vectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical imaging systems face challenges in reducing computational complexity while generating high-resolution diagnostic images, particularly in beamforming techniques that require significant computational resources.
Innovation Solution
A beamforming apparatus and method that utilizes stored basis vectors obtained from previously-measured echo signals, projecting and weighting echo signals to reduce computational load, allowing for the generation of high-resolution diagnostic images with decreased computational complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If adaptive beamforming technique is used to generate high-resolution diagnostic images, then image quality is improved, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-calculates and stores basis vectors from previously-measured echo signals before actual beamforming operation. These basis vectors are obtained through eigen-decomposition of the covariance matrix of training data. During actual imaging, the system projects echo signals onto these pre-computed basis vectors, avoiding repeated eigen-decomposition and significantly reducing real-time computational complexity while maintaining adaptive beamforming performance and image quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and stores only the essential basis vectors from the full eigenspace decomposition. By identifying and retaining the most significant basis vectors (those corresponding to largest eigenvalues) that capture the dominant signal characteristics, the system reduces the dimensionality of subsequent computations while preserving the essential adaptive beamforming functionality needed for high-resolution image generation
Data Source
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Figure 2A~2B
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AI summary
A beamforming apparatus (100) includes a storage (110) for storing a plurality of basis vectors obtained from a beamforming coefficient of a previously-measured echo signal; a weight calculator (120) for calculating a weight to be applied to an echo signal reflected from a target; and a synthesizer (130) for applying the weight to the echo signal reflected from the target and synthesizing signals to which the weight is applied.