EP0430450A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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2-D phased array ultrasound imaging system with distributed phasing
Assignee: HP Inc
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Filing: 1990-11-02
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-11-02
Abstract
Abstract A two-dimensional phased array ultrasound imaging system (400) distributes signal delays between its probe (402) and its base section (404). The transducer elements (414) in the array are grouped and relative delays between elements of a group are introduced within the probe. Once the intragroup delays are introduced, the signals from the elements of a group are combined to generate a group signal. A group signal is generated for each group and, collectively, the group signals are transmitted to the base section via a multi-wire cable (426). Delays between groups are introduced at the base section. This distribution of delays maintains power dissipation within the probe at a tolerable level while requiring only a manageable number of data and signal lines between the probe and base section.
Inventors
- 👤 John D. Larson Iii
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 23:44
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/8909; G01S15/8915; G01S15/8925; G01S15/8927; G01S7/00; G01S7/52; G01S7/52017; G01S7/52023; G01S7/52079; G01S7/5208; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/18; G10K11/26; G10K11/34; G10K11/341
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
187 words
An ultrasonic imaging system (400) comprising: a probe (402), a base section (404), and a communications link (426) coupling said probe and said base section; said probe including an ultrasound transducer (408) having plural groups (412) of plural transducer elements (414) arranged in a two-dimensional array, each of said transducer elements being capable of converting an image signal from acoustic form to electrical form, said probe including intragroup processing means (418, 422, 442) for controlling relative intragroup phasings between respective image signals corresponding to the elements of a group and combining the image signals of a group so phased into a group signal so as to generate plural group signals corresponding to respective ones of said plural groups, said intragroup processor providing for transmitting said group signals to said base section via said communications link; said base section including intergroup processing means (428, 432) for controlling intergroup phasings between said group signals and combining said group signals so delayed so as to generate a video signal; whereby said introductions of said intragroup delays and said intergroup delays provide for steering and focusing of said ultrasonic imaging system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
65 words
A system as recited in Claim 1 wherein said base section further comprises intragroup control means (436) for generating intragroup phase control signals and transmitting them to said intragroup processing means via said communications link, said intragroup processing means providing for reception of said intragroup phase control signals, said intragroup processing means introducing said relative phases as a function of said intragroup phase control signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as recited in Claim 1 wherein the number of elements in each group is between 2² and 10².
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as recited in Claim 1 wherein the number of elements in each group is between 4² and 7²
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as recited in Claim 4 wherein each group comprises twenty-five elements arranged in a 5x5 array.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as recited in Claim 4 wherein each group comprises a 4x4 array of transducer elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as recited in Claim 1 wherein the number of said transducer elements is between 50² and 200² and the number of elements in each group is between 4² and 7²
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system as recited in Claim 7 wherein said transducer comprises 10,000 transducer elements arranged in a 100 x 100 array, each of said groups being a 5 x 5 group of transducer elements so that 400 group signals are transmitted via said communications link to said base section, said communication link being a flexible cable.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system (100) as recited in Claim 1 wherein said intragroup processing means includes multiple-input tapped delay lines (340, 344, 346, 348) so that desired delays can be introduced into respective ones of said image signals from transducer elements of a group as these processable signals are being summed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
93 words
A system (100) as recited in Claim 1 wherein said intragroup processing means includes multiple-input tapped delay lines (340, 344, 346, 348) each of which is associated with a respective of said groups, the relative delay introduced into a given processable signal being a function of the delay line input through which it is introduced into a respective one of said multiple-input tapped delay line, the output of said multiple-input delay line being the sum of the processable signals provided by the transducer elements of the respective group with the desired relative delays.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
A system as recited in Claim 1 wherein said transducer elements (506, 508, 510) have multiple taps (522, 524, 526, 528), said intragroup processing means including multiplexer banks (530) of multiplexers, each multiplexer serving to select one tap from a respective transducer element, the outputs of the multiplexers of each bank being summed to provide a sum signal of relatively phased image signals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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