Ultrasound Block Processing for Real-Time Super-Resolution Imaging

The patent applies preliminary action by performing processing operations on data blocks during the acquisition phase of subsequent blocks. Specifically, while the acquisition device is acquiring the (i+k0)-th data block, the processing device simultaneously processes the i-th data block that was acquired earlier. This overlapping of acquisition and processing operations eliminates idle time and achieves real-time processing without compromising measurement precision.

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the data processing into sequential blocks and processing them in stages rather than loading all data simultaneously. The acquisition device divides ultrasound data into multiple data blocks, and the processing device processes these blocks sequentially or in overlapping windows, maintaining only a limited number of blocks in memory at any given time. This segmentation approach reduces memory requirements and avoids RAM saturation while preserving measurement precision through systematic processing of each block.

The patent applies continuity of useful action by ensuring that data transfer and processing operations occur continuously without idle periods. The acquisition device continuously acquires data blocks while the processing device continuously processes previously acquired blocks, with the processing of block i occurring during the acquisition of block (i+k0). This continuous overlapping operation maximizes productivity by eliminating wait time, and it achieves high throughput using standard transfer mechanisms without adding complex dedicated transfer hardware.