US 11,712,221 B2
Universal ultrasound device and related apparatus and methods
Jonathan M. Rothberg, Guilford, CT (US); Susan A. Alie, Stoneham, MA (US); Nevada J. Sanchez, Guilford, CT (US); Tyler S. Ralston, Clinton, CT (US); Christopher Thomas McNulty, Guilford, CT (US); Jaime Scott Zahorian, Guilford, CT (US); Paul Francis Cristman, New Haven, CT (US); Matthew de Jonge, New York, NY (US); and Keith G. Fife, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Assigned to BFLY OPERATIONS, INC., Burlington, MA (US)
Filed by BFLY OPERATIONS, INC., Burlington, MA (US)
Filed on Jun. 19, 2017, as Appl. No. 15/626,711.
Application 15/626,711 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/415,434, filed on Jan. 25, 2017, granted, now 10,856,840, issued on Dec. 8, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/352,337, filed on Jun. 20, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2017/0360399 A1, Dec. 21, 2017
Int. Cl. A61B 8/00 (2006.01); B06B 1/02 (2006.01); A61B 8/08 (2006.01); A61B 8/12 (2006.01); B06B 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 8/4477 (2013.01) [A61B 8/0883 (2013.01); A61B 8/0891 (2013.01); A61B 8/12 (2013.01); A61B 8/4236 (2013.01); A61B 8/4427 (2013.01); A61B 8/4444 (2013.01); A61B 8/4472 (2013.01); A61B 8/4494 (2013.01); A61B 8/465 (2013.01); A61B 8/467 (2013.01); A61B 8/483 (2013.01); A61B 8/485 (2013.01); A61B 8/488 (2013.01); A61B 8/5207 (2013.01); A61B 8/54 (2013.01); A61B 8/56 (2013.01); B06B 1/0292 (2013.01); B06B 1/0622 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
a multi-modal ultrasound probe having a substantially flat transducer array; and
a computing device coupled to the multi-modal ultrasound probe; wherein:
the computing device is configured, in response to receiving input indicating an operating mode selected by a user, to provide an indication of the operating mode selected by the user to the multi-modal ultrasound probe; and
the multi-modal ultrasound probe having the substantially flat transducer array comprises control circuitry configured to:
responsive to receiving an indication from the computing device of a first operating mode:
obtain a first configuration profile specifying a first set of parameter values, wherein the first set of parameter values comprises a first azimuth aperture value and a first elevation aperture value; and
control the substantially flat ultrasound transducer array to use a first aperture based on the first configuration profile to generate a first accumulation of azimuthal intensities comprising a linear beam shape;
responsive to receiving an indication from the computing device of a second operating mode;
obtain a second configuration profile specifying a second set of parameter values different from the first set of parameter values, wherein the second set of parameter values comprises a second azimuth aperture value and a second elevation aperture value; and
control the substantially flat ultrasound transducer array to use a second aperture based on the second configuration profile to generate a second accumulation of azimuthal intensities comprising a sector beam shape; and
responsive to receiving an indication from the computing device of a third operating mode;
obtain a third configuration profile specifying a third set of parameter values different from the first and second sets of parameter values, wherein the third set of parameter values comprises a third azimuth aperture value and a third elevation aperture value; and
control the substantially flat ultrasound transducer array to use a third aperture based on the third configuration profile to generate a third accumulation of azimuthal intensities comprising a convex beam shape.
 
17. A method for controlling operation of a multi-modal ultrasound probe having a substantially flat transducer array, the method comprising:
receiving, at a computing device, input indicating an operating mode selected by a user;
providing, by the computing device in response to receiving the input indicating the operating mode selected by the user, an indication of the operating mode selected by the user to the multi-modal ultrasound probe;
responsive to receiving, by control circuitry in the multi-modal ultrasound probe, an indication from the computing device of a first operating mode;
obtaining, by the control circuitry, a first configuration profile specifying a first set of parameter values, wherein the first set of parameter values comprises a first azimuth aperture value and a first elevation aperture value; and
controlling, by the control circuitry, the substantially flat ultrasound transducer array to use a first aperture based on the first configuration profile to generate a first accumulation of azimuthal intensities comprising a linear beam shape;
responsive to receiving, by the control circuitry, an indication from the computing device of a second operating mode;
obtaining, by the control circuitry, a second configuration profile specifying a second set of parameter values different from the first set of parameter values, wherein the second set of parameter values comprises a second azimuth aperture value and a second elevation aperture value; and
controlling, by the control circuitry, the substantially flat ultrasound transducer array to use a second aperture based on the second configuration profile to generate a second accumulation of azimuthal intensities comprising a sector beam shape; and
responsive to receiving, by the control circuitry, an indication from the computing device of a third operating mode;
obtaining, by the control circuitry, a third configuration profile specifying a third set of parameter values different from the first and second sets of parameter values, wherein the third set of parameter values comprises a third azimuth aperture value and a third elevation aperture value; and
controlling, by the control circuitry, the substantially flat ultrasound transducer array to use a third aperture based on the third configuration profile to generate a third accumulation of azimuthal intensities comprising a convex beam shape.