Processing of medical signals
View Patent ↗The present invention is directed to a system and method in which real-time ubiquitous imaging is feasible in local areas, such as inside a clinic, hospital room or doctor office. This is achieved by designing a wireless network having a central processing server with, for example, distributed broadband acquisition and video bus capability. Remote access is possible using store-and-forward image transfer over a wide area network. With these capabilities, a physician can use a handheld transducer (such as an ultrasound transducer) as a basic tool to facilitate diagnostic decisions similar to the way a stethoscope is used today.
1. An ultrasound device comprising:
a transmit/receive circuit coupled to an ultrasound transducer and sending and receiving signals to/from said ultrasound transducer;
a beam forming circuit coupled to said transmit/receive circuit and providing beam forming of signals transmitted/received by said ultrasonic transducer;
a digital signal processor (DSP) coupled to said beam forming circuit and processing said beam formed signals; and
a communication link coupled to said DSP and transmitting said signals processed by said DSP to an external back end processor for image formation, wherein said communication link comprises a wireless link;
wherein said ultrasound device comprises a handheld device, and does not comprise a monitor for displaying ultrasound images.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said back end processor provides scan conversion for producing video frames.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein said DSP provides filtering and decimation of said beam formed signals.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein said external back end processor is central to a plurality of said ultrasound devices.