Ultrasonic imaging device

Claim 2

An ultrasonic imaging system comprising: a transmitter which transmits an output of various frequency components; a band-shaped transmitting transducer which comprises a number of transmitting elements arrayed in a predetermined direction, the directions of polarization of the respective transmitting elements being selected so as to be orthogonal to the arrayed direction and to be polarized in a direction opposite to that of adjacent transmitting elements, and common electrodes mounted on both surfaces of said transmitting elements orthogonal to the polarization directions for applying the output of said transmitter thereto, and which transducer radiates ultrasonic waves at input frequencies from said transmitter in directions corresponding to said input frequencies, to scan a target object; an acoustic lens for wave reception which converges said ultrasonic waves received from said target object; a receiving transducer which is divided into a plurality of receiving elements in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction of said ultrasonic waves and on which said ultrasonic waves from said acoustic lens are focused into an image; and a receiver which subjects the outputs of said respective receiving elements of said receiving transducer to frequency analysis and which detects the respective frequency outputs.

Claim 3

An ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, further comprising an acoustic lens for wave transmission which converges said acoustic waves from said transmitting transducer, to irradiate them on said target object.

Claim 4

An ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises a first selector switch which selects said outputs of said respective receiving elements, a frequency analyzer which subjects the outputs which have been selected by said selector switch to frequency analysis and a second selector switch which selects the respective frequency outputs of said frequency analuzer.

Claim 5

An ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises frequency analyzers which are provided in correspondence with said outputs of said respective receiving elements and which subjects said outputs of said receiving elements to frequency analyses, and a selector switch which selects the respective frequency outputs of said respective frequency analyzers.

Claim 6

An ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting transducer is curved towards said target object.

Claim 7

An ultrasonic imaging system comprising: a transmitter which transmits an output varying in frequency with the lapse of time; a band-shaped transmitting transducer which comprises a number of transmitting elements arrayed in a predetermined direction, the directions of polarization of the respective transmitting elements being selected so as to be orthogonal to the arrayed direction and to be polarized in a direction opposite to that of adjacent transmitting elements, and common electrodes mounted on both surfaces of said transmitting elements orthogonal to the polarization directions for applying the output of said transmitter thereto, and which transducer radiates ultrasonic waves at input frequencies from said transmitter in directions corresponding to said input frequencies, to scan a target object; an acoustic lens for wave reception which converges and ultrasonic waves received from said target object; a receiving transducer which is divided into a plurality of receiving elements in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction of said ultrasonic waves and on which said ultrasonic waves from said acoustic lens are focused into an image; and a receiver which detects the respective frequency components from said respective receiving elements and which selects, among said frequency components, only components corresponding to the respective frequencies when the variations-versus-time of the output frequencies of said transmitter are delayed by a predetermined period of time.

Claim 8

An ultrasonic imaging system comprising: a transmitter which transmits an output varying in frequency with the lapse of time; a band-shaped transmitting transducer which comprises a number of transmitting elements arrayed in a predetermined direction, the directions of polarization of the respective transmitting elements being selected so as to be orthogonal to the arrayed direction and to be polarized in a direction opposite to that of adjacent transmitting elements, and common electrodes mounted on both surfaces of said transmitting elements orthogonal to the polarization directions for applying the output of said transmitter thereto, and which transducer radiates ultrasonic waves at input frequencies from said transmitter in directions corresponding to said input frequencies, to scan a target object; an acoustic lens for wave reception which converges and ultrasonic waves received from said target object; a receiving transducer which is divided into a plurality of receiving elements in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction of said ultrasonic waves and on which said ultrasonic waves from said acoustic lens are focused into an image; and a receiver which detects the respective frequency components from said respective receiving elements and which selects, among said frequency components, only components corresponding to the respective frequencies when the variations-versus-time of the output frequencies of said transmitter are delayed by a predetermined period of time.

Claim 9

An ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 6, further comprising an acoustic lens for wave transmission which converges said acoustic waves from said transmitting transducer, to irradiate them on said target object.

Claim 10

An ultrasonic imaging system adcording to claim 6, wherein said receiver comprises a frequency sweep generator which generates frequency signals having a fixed frequency difference from said output frequency from said transmitter and with said variations-versus-time of said output frequency delayed by said predetermined period of time, a mixer circuit which subjects the outputs of said respective receiving elements to frequency conversion by said signals from said frequency sweep generator, a filter which derives a predetermined band component of an output of said mixer circuit, and an analog switch which selects the outputs of said filter.

Claim 11

An ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 6, further comprising display means which displays the outputs of said receiver.