초록 ▼

Systems and methods of optimal pulse compression are described. A method of determining an optimal pulse takes as an input a function of the impulse response of a transducer and produces a pulse optimized for transmission through that transducer. Images then produced with that transducer will have b

Systems and methods of optimal pulse compression are described. A method of determining an optimal pulse takes as an input a function of the impulse response of a transducer and produces a pulse optimized for transmission through that transducer. Images then produced with that transducer will have both superior range and spatial resolution.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An ultrasound-based diagnostic medical imaging system, the system comprising: a transducer configured to be placed adjacent a tissue surface, the transducer comprising a piezoelectric crystal configured to produce ultrasound waves for transmission into the tissue surface, the transducer configure

1. An ultrasound-based diagnostic medical imaging system, the system comprising: a transducer configured to be placed adjacent a tissue surface, the transducer comprising a piezoelectric crystal configured to produce ultrasound waves for transmission into the tissue surface, the transducer configured to receive ultrasound waves reflected from structures below the tissue surface and convert the reflected ultrasound waves into a digital received signal, wherein the transducer comprises an impulse response that represents characteristics of the transducer;a signal generator coupled to an input of the transducer, the signal generator configured to generate an initial signal based on the impulse response of the transducer, wherein the signal generator receives an indication of the impulse response of the transducer from the transducer, and wherein the signal generator generates the initial signal in a manner that reduces noise introduced by the transducer into the digital received signal when the transducer converts the reflected ultrasound waves into the digital received signal from a first level to a second level that is lower than the first level;a data processing engine coupled to the transducer, the data processing engine configured to receive the digital received signal from the transducer, the data processing engine further configured to correlate the digital received signal with the initial signal; andan image generator configured to generate an image based on the correlation of the digital received signal with the initial signal. 2. The ultrasound-based diagnostic medical imaging system of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to display the generated image to a user. 3. The ultrasound-based diagnostic medical imaging system of claim 1, wherein the signal generator is configured to generate the initial signal based on a convolution of the impulse response of the transducer with the impulse response of the transducer. 4. The ultrasound-based diagnostic medical imaging system of claim 1, wherein the initial signal is a pulse signal. 5. The ultrasound-based diagnostic medical imaging system of claim 4, wherein the pulse signal is calculated based on a Gaussian function having a standard deviation between 1 and 3. 6. The ultrasound-based diagnostic medical imaging system of claim 5, wherein the Gaussian function has a standard deviation of 2.5. 7. The ultrasound-based diagnostic medical imaging system of claim 4, wherein the pulse signal comprises a threshold value that is between approximately 0.01% of an absolute value of a Fast Fourier Transform of the indication of the impulse response of the transducer and approximately 10% of an absolute value of the Fast Fourier Transform of the indication of the impulse response of the transducer. 8. The ultrasound-based diagnostic medical imaging system of claim 7, wherein the threshold value is equal to 0.1% of the absolute value of a Fast Fourier Transform of the indication of the impulse response of the transducer. 9. The ultrasound-based diagnostic medical imaging system of claim 1, wherein the signal generator is configured to transmit the initial signal to the transducer for production as ultrasound waves. 10. An imaging system, the imaging system comprising: an operations component configured to receive a first digital signal, convert the first digital signal into an analog signal and transmit the analog signal toward a target, receive a reflected signal from the target, and convert the reflected signal into a second digital signal, wherein the analog signal is an ultrasound signal, and wherein the operations component comprises an impulse response that represents characteristics of the operations component;a pulse generator coupled to an input of the operations component, the pulse generator configured to generate the first digital signal based on the impulse response of the operations component, wherein the pulse generator receives an indication of the impulse response of the operations component from the operations component, and wherein the pulse generator generates the first digital signal in a manner that reduces noise introduced by the operations component into the second digital signal when the operations component converts the reflected signal into the second digital signal from a first level to a second level that is lower than the first level; anda processor configured to correlate the second digital signal with the first digital signal to generate an image. 11. The imaging system of claim 10, further comprising a display configured to display the image. 12. The imaging system of claim 10, wherein the operations component comprises a first transducer configured to convert the first digital signal to the analog signal and transmit the analog signal toward the target, wherein the first transducer comprises a first impulse response that represents characteristics of the first transducer. 13. The imaging system of claim 12, wherein the first transducer is further configured to receive the reflected signal from the target and convert the reflected signal into the second digital signal. 14. The imaging system of claim 13, wherein the pulse generator is configured to generate the first digital signal based on a convolution of the first impulse response with the first impulse response. 15. The imaging system of claim 12, wherein the operations component further comprises a second transducer configured to receive the reflected signal from the target and convert the reflected signal into the second digital signal, wherein the second transducer comprises a second impulse response that represents characteristics of the second transducer. 16. The imaging system of claim 15, wherein the pulse generator is configured to generate the first digital signal based on a convolution of the first impulse response with the second impulse response. 17. The imaging system of claim 10, wherein the imaging system is an ultrasound system.