Ultrasonic Probe Asynchronous Beamforming Heat Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultrasonic apparatuses for medical examination are bulky and complex, with limited image resolution and refresh rates due to high computing power requirements in the transducer probe, which leads to overheating, and can only reconstruct tissue positions in one angular direction at a time, necessitating repeated measurements for a complete image.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic apparatus with a movable transducer probe that includes an analog-to-digital converter and a separate computer device for asynchronous digital beamforming, allowing for the buffering and processing of measurement data sets to reconstruct images in multiple angular directions from a single data set, decoupling beamforming from digitization and reducing heat generation in the probe.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If beamforming computer unit is installed in the transducer probe to enable image reconstruction, then image quality and resolution are improved, but the computing power requirements cause strong heating which is not desired in the probe
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the processing functions into two segments: the transducer probe performs only data acquisition and transmission, while the separate evaluation device performs the computationally intensive beamforming and image reconstruction. This segmentation relocates heat-generating computations away from the probe, resolving the contradiction between image quality and heat generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The beamforming computer unit is extracted from the transducer probe and placed in a separate evaluation device. This extraction removes the heat-generating computational component from the probe while preserving its image reconstruction capabilities, thereby eliminating the heating problem without sacrificing image quality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If several beamforming calculation units are used in parallel for different angular directions, then complete tissue sector imaging is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic processing of the measurement data set in the evaluation device, where a single beamforming unit sequentially processes different angular directions through software-based beamforming algorithms. This dynamic approach replaces the need for multiple parallel hardware units, achieving complete angular coverage while maintaining low device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The single beamforming calculation unit in the evaluation device is designed to perform multiple functions by processing the same measurement data set for different angular directions. This multi-functional unit replaces what would otherwise require multiple specialized units, reducing device complexity while maintaining versatility in angular direction coverage.
3Temperature
If a small number of electroacoustic transducers are installed in the transducer probe to limit computing power requirements, then heat generation is reduced, but image resolution and refresh rates decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The evaluation device acts as an intermediary that receives data from a small number of transducers and compensates for the limited hardware through sophisticated software-based beamforming and image reconstruction algorithms. This intermediary processing enables high image refresh rates and resolution without requiring a large number of transducers, thus maintaining low heat generation while improving productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design results in a simpler, more cost-effective ultrasonic apparatus capable of producing high-quality images with improved resolution and refresh rates, enabling the reconstruction of entire tissue sectors with a single measurement data set and reducing the need for real-time processing demands.
Implementation Method 1
ultrasonic waves are sent into the tissue sector by means of an array of electroacoustic transducers
Implementation Method 2
The resulting ultrasonic echoes are detected by means of the transducers
Implementation Method 3
the obtained analog samples are digitized
Implementation Method 4
the samples of the various electroacoustic transducers are suitably time-shifted and added together in order to reconstruct the location of reflectors
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic apparatus for medical examination using ultrasonic waves, comprising a movable transducer probe which includes a transducer array of electroacoustic transducers for transmitting ultrasonic signals into a patient body and receiving as analog raw data ultrasonic echoes; the transducer probe configured to generate digital raw data based on the received analog raw data which comprises measurement data sets for temporally consecutive measurement time intervals, and is configured to transmit the digital raw data via a digital data interface; a computer device configured to buffer the respective measurement data sets of the digital raw data and is configured to carry out a digital beamforming for each of the buffered measurement data sets, to obtain a reconstructed image of the tissue sector, and generate, based on the reconstructed images, an image stream with a predetermined image refresh rate and supply it to a display means which reproduces the image stream.