US 12,251,268 B2
Grating lobes reduction for ultrasound images and associated devices, systems, and methods
Jun Seob Shin, Medford, MA (US); Seungsoo Kim, Andover, MA (US); Francois Guy Gerard Marie Vignon, Andover, MA (US); and David Hope Simpson, Bothell, WA (US)
Assigned to KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., Eindhoven (NL)
Filed by KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., Eindhoven (NL)
Filed on Jul. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/867,997.
Application 17/867,997 is a continuation of application No. 16/560,727, filed on Sep. 4, 2019, granted, now 11,389,138.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/729,078, filed on Sep. 10, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0354465 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 8/00 (2006.01); A61B 8/14 (2006.01); G01S 7/00 (2006.01); G01S 7/52 (2006.01); A61B 8/06 (2006.01); A61B 8/08 (2006.01); A61B 8/12 (2006.01); G01S 15/89 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 8/5207 (2013.01) [A61B 8/14 (2013.01); A61B 8/4488 (2013.01); A61B 8/5269 (2013.01); G01S 7/52047 (2013.01); A61B 8/06 (2013.01); A61B 8/0891 (2013.01); A61B 8/12 (2013.01); A61B 8/4444 (2013.01); G01S 7/5208 (2013.01); G01S 15/8952 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:
a processor configured for communication with an ultrasound transducer array and a display, wherein the processor is configured to:
receive ultrasound data from the ultrasound transducer array;
generate, using the ultrasound data, a first ultrasound image based on a first frequency range of the ultrasound data;
generate, using the ultrasound data, a plurality of second ultrasound images respectively based on a plurality of second frequency ranges of the ultrasound data, wherein each of the plurality of second ultrasound images comprises a first pixel and a second pixel within a same field of view;
identify the first pixel in one of the plurality of second ultrasound images from among the first pixels of the plurality of second ultrasound images, based on the pixel intensity;
identify the second pixel in another of the plurality of second ultrasound images from among the second pixels of the plurality of second ultrasound images; and
use the first pixel from the one of the plurality of second ultrasound images and the second pixel from the another of the plurality of second ultrasound images to generate a grating-lobe-minimized ultrasound image;
combine the first ultrasound image and the grating-lobe-minimized ultrasound image to generate a combined ultrasound image; and
output the combined ultrasound image to the display,
wherein the first ultrasound image, the plurality of second ultrasound images, and the grating-lobe-minimized ultrasound image are representative of the same field of view,
wherein the grating-lobe-minimized ultrasound image comprises a third pixel and a fourth pixel within the same field of view,
wherein the third pixel is distinct from the fourth pixel,
wherein the third pixel comprises the first pixel from the one of the plurality of second ultrasound images and the fourth pixel comprises the second pixel from the another of the plurality of second ultrasound images.