Ultrasonic Imaging via Pulse Inversion and Component Synthesis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses face challenges in generating images that effectively combine fundamental and harmonic components of ultrasonic echo signals, leading to suboptimal image quality and resolution due to the limitations of existing methods in extracting and synthesizing these components without compromising frame rate or image resolution.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a transmission beam generating unit that sets transmission beams with waveforms summing to zero, a reception beam generating unit that considers transmission delay, a signal processing unit that extracts and synthesizes fundamental and harmonic components, and a display unit that shows a synthesized image based on user-selected ratios, allowing for real-time adjustment and filtering of the components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If transmission beams are transmitted repeatedly to extract fundamental and harmonic components, then image quality and resolution are improved, but frame rate decreases and time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by using pulse inversion technique where transmission beams are transmitted alternately with inverted polarities. The reception beams are generated by adding or subtracting signals from alternate transmission scan lines, enabling extraction of harmonic components through periodic signal inversion without requiring repeated transmissions to the same location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-processing the reception beams through addition and subtraction operations before image generation. The fundamental and harmonic components are extracted in advance from the reception beams, allowing simultaneous generation of both component images from a single transmission sequence, thereby maintaining high frame rates while achieving improved image resolution.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple transmission beams are transmitted to different scan line positions, then image coverage and completeness are improved, but the number of transmissions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining the extraction of fundamental and harmonic components into a single integrated process. Both components are extracted simultaneously from reception beams generated from transmission beams transmitted to different scan line positions, eliminating the need for separate transmission sequences and reducing total transmission time while maintaining complete image coverage.
3Power
If transmission beams with non-zero waveform sums are used, then signal strength is improved, but harmonic component extraction becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by transmitting beams with inverted polarities in alternate scan lines and using addition/subtraction operations on the received signals. This inversion technique allows harmonic components to be isolated through signal processing, enabling accurate extraction while maintaining adequate signal strength from the transmitted beams.
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 approach enables the generation of ultrasonic images that leverage the advantages of both fundamental and harmonic components, improving resolution and contrast while maintaining high frame rates without repeatedly radiating transmission beams, thus enhancing image quality and user control.
Implementation Method 1
a transducer module 110 that interconverts electrical signals and ultrasonic signals, transmits ultrasonic beams into an object, and receives ultrasonic echo signals reflected from the object and returned
Implementation Method 2
a signal processing unit 140 that extracts fundamental components and harmonic components by coupling reception beams in the same scan line position
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that is capable of generating an image caused by fundamental components of ultrasonic echo signals and synthesizing the generated image with an image caused by harmonic components so that an image having both advantages of the images can be generated, and a method of controlling the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes: a transmission beam generating unit that generates a plurality of sets of transmission beams by setting transmission beams which are transmitted in different transmission scan line positions and in which the sum of waveforms is 0, to one set; a reception beam generating unit that generates reception beams with respect to at least one reception scan line in consideration of transmission delay of the transmission beams in each of the transmission scan lines; a signal processing unit that extracts fundamental components and harmonic components from the reception beams, respectively; a synthesization unit that generates synthesized signals by synthesizing the fundamental components and the harmonic components according to a set synthesization ratio; and a display unit that displays a synthesized image including the synthesized signals.