Ultrasound system and signal processing unit configured for time gain and lateral gain compensation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9259209-B2
Application number	US-201313938847-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2013
Priority date	Dec 7, 2006
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

The present invention provides an ultrasound system, which comprises: a signal acquiring unit to transmit an ultrasound signal to an object and acquire an echo signal reflected from the object; a signal processing unit to control TGC (Time Gain Compensation) and LGC (Lateral Gain Compensation) of the echo signal; a TGC/LGC setup unit adapted to set TGC and LGC values based on TGC and LGC curves inputted by a user; and an image producing unit adapted to produce an ultrasound image of the object based on the echo signal. The signal processing unit is further adapted to control the TGC and the LGC of the echo signal based on the TGC and LGC values set by the TGC/LGC setup unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ultrasound system, comprising:
a probe configured for transmitting an ultrasound signal to an object and receiving echo signals reflected from the object;
a touch panel configured for receiving a single time gain compensation (TGC) curve touch input for setting TGC values, the single TGC curve touch input intersecting with multiple lines corresponding to different depths on the touch panel; and
a processor configured for adjusting TGC setting based on the intersection of the single TGC curve touch input with the multiple lines.

2. The ultrasound system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine TGC values for adjusting the TGC setting based on the intersection of the single TGC curve touch input with the multiple lines.

3. The ultrasound system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple lines correspond to different positions of the object from which the echo signals are reflected.

4. The ultrasound system of claim 1 , wherein the touch panel is further configured to display the ultrasound image of the object.

5. The ultrasound system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display to display the ultrasound image of the object, wherein the display is separate from the touch panel.

6. The ultrasound system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to control a gain of echo signals reflected from a corresponding depth based on the intersection of the single TGC curve touch input with the multiple lines.

7. The ultrasound system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the multiple lines are displayed in a form a dotted line.

8. The ultrasound system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the multiple lines are displayed in a form of a solid line.

9. The ultrasound system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured for performing an initial TGC on the echo signals at an initial compensation mode based on a predetermined TGC before the adjusting of the TGC setting.

10. The ultrasound system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple lines correspond to different depths of an ultrasound image displayed on the touch panel.

11. The ultrasound system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple lines correspond to different depths of an ultrasound image displayed on a display.

12. The ultrasound system of claim 1 , wherein the touch panel is further configured to display the single TGC curve touch input.

13. The ultrasound system of claim 12 , wherein the touch panel is further configured to display the ultrasound image, and to receive the single TGC curve touch input overlying the displayed ultrasound image.

14. The ultrasound system of claim 12 , wherein the touch panel is further configured to display a virtual image, and to receive the single TGC curve touch input over the virtual image.

15. A method, performed by an ultrasound system, comprising:
transmitting, by a probe, an ultrasound signal to an object;
receiving, by the probe, echo signals reflected from the object;
receiving, by a touch panel, a single time gain compensation (TGC) curve touch input for setting TGC values, the single TGC curve touch input interesting with multiple lines corresponding to different depths on the touch panel; and
adjusting TGC setting based on the intersection of the single TGC curve touch input with the multiple lines.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining TGC values for adjusting the TGC setting based on the intersection of the single TGC curve touch input with the multiple lines.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein multiple lines correspond to different positions of the object from which the echo signals are reflected.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
displaying the ultrasound image of the object on the touch panel.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
displaying the ultrasound image of the object on a display, the display being separate from the touch panel.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the adjusting TGC setting comprises controlling a gain of echo signals reflected from a corresponding depth based on the intersection of the single TGC curve touch input with the multiple lines.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the multiple lines are displayed in a form of a dotted line.

22. The method of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the multiple lines are displayed in a form of a solid line.

23. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
performing an initial TGC on the echo signals at an initial compensation mode based on a predetermined TGC before the adjusting of the TGC setting.

24. The method of claim 15 , wherein the multiple lines correspond to different depths of an ultrasound image displayed on the touch panel.

25. The method of claim 15 , wherein the multiple lines correspond to different depths of an ultrasound image displayed on a display.

26. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
displaying the single TGC curve touch input on the touch panel.

27. The method of claim 26 , further comprising:
displaying the ultrasound image of the object on the touch panel; and
wherein the receiving comprises receiving the single TGC curve touch input forming the TGC curve overlying the displayed ultrasound image.

28. The method of claim 26 , further comprising:
displaying a virtual image on the touch panel; and
wherein the receiving comprises receiving the single TGC curve touch input forming the TGC curve over the virtual image.

29. An ultrasound system, comprising:
a probe configured for transmitting an ultrasound signal to an object and receiving echo signals reflected from the object;
a touch panel configured for receiving a single time gain compensation (TGC) touch input for setting TGC values, the single TGC curve touch input intersecting with multiple lines corresponding to different depths on the touch panel;
a processor configured for adjusting TGC setting based on the intersection of the single TGC curve touch input with the multiple lines; and
a display configured for displaying an ultrasound image formed based on the echo signals and the adjusted TGC setting.

30. The ultrasound system of claim 29 , wherein
the processor is further configured to determine TGC values for adjusting the TGC setting based on the intersection of the single TGC curve touch input with the multiple lines.

31. The ultrasound system of claim 29 , wherein the touch panel is further configured to display the single TGC curve touch input.

32. The ultrasound system of claim 29 , wherein the touch panel is further configured to display the ultrasound image and receive the single TGC curve touch input over the ultrasound image.

33. The ultrasound system of claim 29 , wherein the display is further configured to display the ultrasound image corresponding to the single TGC curve touch input.

34. The ultrasound system of claim 29 , wherein the multiple lines correspond to different depths of an ultrasound image displayed on the touch panel.

35. The ultrasound system of claim 29 , wherein the multiple lines correspond to different depths of the ultrasound image displayed on the display.

36. An ultrasound system, comprising:
a probe configured for transmitting an ultrasound signal to an object

Assignees

• Samsung Medison Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Doo Sik
• Ahn Mi Jeoung

Classifications

• A61B8/5269

  involving detection or reduction of artifacts · CPC title

• A61B8/463

  characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display · CPC title

• A61B8/4444

  related to the probe · CPC title

• A61B8/5207 Primary

  involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image · CPC title

• A61B8/4254

  using sensors mounted on the probe · CPC title