CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

An architecture and protocol are provided for allowing flexible, low cost, and upgradeable ultrasound information processing systems. Ultrasound information processing functions are performed by a plurality of ultrasound modules coupled to a highspeed, multiple-drop serial ultrasound information bus. The ultrasound information bus is used for packetized data transfer among the ultrasound modules in accordance with an ultrasound information exchange protocol. Additional or upgraded ultrasound modules are designed to connect to the ultrasound information bus and to communicate using the ultrasound information exchange protocol. Thus, according to a preferred embodiment, as improvements in hardware technology or software algorithms are made, additional or upgraded ultrasound modules are simply “plugged in” to the ultrasound information bus, hereby reducing costs and increasing system versatility and upgradeability.

An ultrasound information processing system, comprising: a first internal ultrasound processing device for performing a first internal ultrasound processing function; a second internal ultrasound processing device for performing a second internal ultrasound processing function, said second internal ultrasound processing function using data derived from said first internal ultrasound function, said first and second internal ultrasound processing functions each corresponding to one or more steps taken in the real-time conversion of acoustic scan signal data into viewable image data; and an ultrasound information bus coupled to said first internal ultrasound processing device and said second internal ultrasound processing device, said ultrasound information bus operating according to a high-speed packetized serial bus protocol providing at least one isochronous channel for transferring real-time data associated with said real-time conversion and at least one asynchronous channel for transferring command or signaling data associated with said real-time conversion.

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