Patent ID: 8491479

Claim:
An ultrasound machine comprising: a graphical display; a transducer comprising a plurality of elements; a transmit circuit connected to supply driving signals to the elements of the transducer; a receive circuit connected to receive echo signals from the elements of the transducer; a data processor connected to configure the transmit circuit according to the transmit parameters, wherein the transmit parameters include at least one of: a waveform for at least one driving signal; amplitudes for driving signals; relative phase shifts for driving signals to be applied to different elements of the transducer; frequencies for the driving signals; repetition rates for the driving signals and one or more focal points for a transmitted ultrasound signal; a memory accessible to the processor and connected to receive and store pre-beamformed RF data representing the echo signals; wherein the data processor comprises a processor and software instructions accessible for execution by the processor, the software instructions comprising design mode software instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: permit user selection of values for the transmit parameters; provide an application programming interface configured to permit user software to access the pre-beamformed RF data and to control aspects of operation of the ultrasound machine; permit user selection of a data processing function and selection of values for parameters of the selected data processing function, wherein user software that uses the application programming interface is available for selection as the selected data processing function; configure the transmit circuit according to the selected values for the transmit parameters and trigger the transmit circuit to supply the driving signals to the transducer; apply the user-selected data processing function to process the pre-beamformed RF data according to the selected values for the data processing parameters to produce an image; and, display the image on the graphical display; the software instructions further comprising instructions that: provide one or more preconfigured operating modes; in response to user input by way of a user control, switch between operation of the ultrasound machine as a research platform and operation of the ultrasound machine as a diagnostic ultrasound machine wherein, when the ultrasound machine is switched to operate as a diagnostic ultrasound machine only the preconfigured operating modes are available for selection by a user and user software that uses the application programming interface is not available for selection and, when the ultrasound machine is switched to operate as a research platform, the design mode software instructions are enabled for execution; and, activate a warning indicator when the ultrasound machine is switched to operate as a research platform.