Dynamic Range Compression Circuitry for Ultrasound Probes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data compression methods for ultrasound image data, such as JPEG and MPEG, result in decreased image quality, increased power consumption, and longer latency, while also requiring more circuitry and memory.
Innovation Solution
Dynamic range compression is applied on handheld ultrasound probes to reduce data transmission, using a lookup table-based method that pipelines data according to clock cycles, maintaining spatial resolution and reducing memory and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If JPEG and MPEG compression methods are used for ultrasound image data, then data transmission volume is reduced, but image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter being compressed from spatial dimensions (as in JPEG/MPEG) to dynamic range (brightness intensity values). By applying logarithmic compression to the brightness values while maintaining full spatial resolution, the system reduces data volume by approximately 3-4 bits per pixel while preserving image quality, as the human visual system is more sensitive to spatial details than to absolute brightness variations.
2Productivity
If lookup tables are used for data compression, then compression speed is improved, but memory usage and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lookup table into multiple smaller sub-lookup tables, where each sub-table handles a specific range of input brightness values. This segmentation reduces the memory capacity required for each individual table, allowing parallel processing across multiple smaller tables, thereby maintaining high compression speed while reducing overall memory usage and associated power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the compression approach from spatial domain processing to dynamic range compression, fundamentally changing the dimension in which compression occurs. This dimensional shift allows for more efficient memory utilization and lower power consumption while achieving comparable or superior compression performance.
3Quantity of substance
If dynamic range compression is applied, then data transmission volume is reduced, but processing latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and storing compression mappings in lookup tables before actual compression is needed. During real-time operation, the system simply performs table lookups rather than calculating compression mappings on-the-fly, significantly reducing processing latency while maintaining effective data compression.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous useful action by implementing a streaming compression architecture where pixels are compressed in real-time as they are generated, without requiring buffering of entire frames. This continuous processing maintains high throughput and low latency while achieving consistent compression ratios.
Data Source
AI summary
Ultrasound image data on a handheld imaging probe can be compressed on the handheld imaging probe prior to transmission from the probe in order to decrease the amount of data transmitted from the probe. The compressed data may comprise compressed pixels to maintain spatial image resolution. The compression circuitry may comprise an amount of memory related to a dynamic range of the compressed data that is independent of the dynamic range of the input data, which can decrease memory, power consumption, and latencies. The compression circuitry can be configured to pipeline data such as image data in accordance with clock cycles, such that throughput of outputting data words is increased.