US 12,137,989 B2
Systems and methods for intelligent ultrasound probe guidance
Anthony K. Misener, Bountiful, UT (US); Steffan Sowards, Salt Lake City, UT (US); and William Robert McLaughlin, Bountiful, UT (US)
Assigned to Bard Access Systems, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT (US)
Filed by Bard Access Systems, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT (US)
Filed on Jul. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/861,031.
Prior Publication US 2024/0008929 A1, Jan. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. A61B 8/14 (2006.01); A61B 8/00 (2006.01); A61B 8/08 (2006.01); A61B 34/20 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 34/20 (2016.02) [A61B 8/0841 (2013.01); A61B 8/085 (2013.01); A61B 8/4254 (2013.01); A61B 8/4488 (2013.01); A61B 2034/2055 (2016.02); A61B 2034/2063 (2016.02)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:
an ultrasound probe including an array of ultrasonic transducers and an optical fiber, wherein a portion of the optical fiber extends through at least a portion of the ultrasound probe, wherein the ultrasonic transducers are configured to emit generated ultrasound signals into a patient, receive reflected ultrasound signals from the patient, and convert the reflected ultrasound signals into corresponding electrical signals for processing into ultrasound images, and wherein the optical fiber includes a set of gratings disposed along a length of the optical fiber, and wherein the portion of the optical fiber extending through the portion of the ultrasound probe is configured in a predetermined geometry relative to the ultrasonic transducers; and
a console configured to communicate with the ultrasound probe, the console including one or more processors and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon logic, when executed by the one or more processors, causes operations including:
obtaining orientation information of the ultrasound probe through analysis of reflected light signals reflected by the set of gratings in view of the predetermined geometry relative to the ultrasonic transducers;
performing an identification process on the reflected ultrasound signals to identify a target vessel;
determining, based on the orientation information, a direction of movement resulting in placement of a center of the ultrasound probe over an anatomical target; and
initiating provision of feedback to a user of the ultrasound probe indicating the direction of movement resulting in the placement of the center of the ultrasound probe over the anatomical target.