Ultrasound transmitting or receiving apparatus

Claim 2

A beam steering system for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising, in combination: a plurality of ultrasound transducers for generating an ultrasonic beam; pulse generating means for energizing said transducers to emit a sequence of pulses of ultrasonic energy; a plurality of variable delay circuits for coupling said pulse generating means to each of said transducers, each said variable delay circuit including a tapped analog delay line having an input connected to receive the output of said pulse generating means and a plurality of output taps, said circuit further including an analog switch connected to each said tap and to a common output coupled to one of said transducers and a memory storing switch control codes representing states of said analog tap switches, said memory including an output connected to control said switches; and a scan control circuit connected to said memories of said variable delay circuits and constructed and arranged to generate a succession of scan signals each of which represent a particular beam direction, each of said signals operating to access an address of said memories and to apply the switch control code stored at said address to the associated analog tap switches, whereby said transducers are pulsed at predetermined times for generating an ultrasonic beam in a direction controlled by said scan control circuit.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said tapped analog delay line, said switches and said memory are arranged proximate to each other on a common circuit board.

Claim 4

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said tapped analog delay line comprises a first delay line having an intertap delay time approximately equal to a quantum delay time and a second delay line having an intertap delay time approximately equal to the overall delay time of said first delay line and an overall delay time longer than that of said first delay line and having the delay time required to give a maximum deflection angle of the ultrasonic beam directivity.

Claim 5

The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said first and second analog delay lines are each provided with 16 taps.

Claim 6

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said tapped analog delay line comprises an LC delay line.

Claim 7

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said memory comprises a read only memory device.

Claim 8

The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said memory comprises a programmable read only memory device.

Claim 9

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said memory comprises a memory latch circuit.

Claim 10

A beam steering system for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising, in combination: a plurality of ultrasound transducers for receiving acoustical echo signals generated by ultrasonic beam reflections and for producing electrical outputs representative of said echo signals; means for processing said outputs to provide a diagnostic image; a plurality of variable delay circuits for coupling the electrical outputs from each said transducer to said processing means, each said variable delay circuit including a tapped analog delay line having an input connected to receive the output from one of said transducers and a plurality of output taps, said circuit further including an analog switch connected to each said tap and to a common output coupled to said processing means and a memory storing switch control codes representing states of said analog tap switches, said memory including an output connected to control said switches; and a scan control circuit connected to said memories of said variable delay circuits and constructed and arranged to generate a succession of scan signals each of which represents a particular beam direction, each of said signals operating to access an address of said memories and to apply the switch control code stored at said address to the associated analog tap switches, whereby the outputs of said transducers are phased in a predetermined time sequence to represent echo signals emanating from reflection sources oriented at a specified deflection angle relative to said transducers, said angle being controlled by said scan control circuit.

Claim 11

A beam steering system for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising, in combination: a plurality of ultrasound transducers for receiving acoustical echo signals generated by ultrasonic beam reflections and for producing electrical outputs representative of said echo signals; means for processing said outputs to provide a diagnostic image; a plurality of variable delay circuits for coupling the electrical outputs from each said transducer to said processing means, each said variable delay circuit including a tapped analog delay line having an input connected to receive the output from one of said transducers and a plurality of output taps, said circuit further including an analog switch connected to each said tap and to a common output coupled to said processing means and a memory storing switch control codes representing states of said analog tap switches, said memory including an output connected to control said switches; and a scan control circuit connected to said memories of said variable delay circuits and constructed and arranged to generate a succession of scan signals each of which represents a particular beam direction, each of said signals operating to access an address of said memories and to apply the switch control code stored at said address to the associated analog tap switches, whereby the outputs of said transducers are phased in a predetermined time sequence to represent echo signals emanating from reflection sources oriented at a specified deflection angle relative to said transducers, said angle being controlled by said scan control circuit.

Claim 12

The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said tapped analog delay line comprises a first delay line having an intertap delay time approximately equal to a quantum delay time and a second delay line having an intertap delay time approximately equal to the overall delay time of said first delay line and an overall delay time longer than that of said first delay line and having the delay time required to give a maximum deflection angle of the ultrasonic beam directivity.

Claim 13

The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said first and second analog delay lines are each provided with 16 taps.

Claim 14

The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said tapped analog delay line comprises an LC delay line.

Claim 15

The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said memory comprises a read only memory device.

Claim 16

The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said memory comprises a programmable read only memory device.

Claim 17

The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said memory device comprises a memory latch circuit.

Claim 18

The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said tapped analog delay line, said switches and said memory are arranged proximate to each other on a common circuit board.

Claim 19

A beam steering system for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising, in combination: a plurality of ultrasound transducers for generating an ultrasonic beam; pulse generating means for energizing said transducers to emit a sequence of pulses of ultrasonic energy; a plurality of variable delay circuits for coupling said pulse generating means to each of said transducers, each said variable delay circuit including a tapped analog delay line having an input connected to receive the output of said pulse generating means and a plurality of output taps, said circuit further including an analog switch connected to each said tap and to a common output coupled to one of said transducers and a memory storing switch control codes representing states of said analog tap switches, said memory including an output connected to control said switches and said switch control codes being derived by measuring the delay time for each tap of the respective tapped analog delay lines against a series of delay times known to be required for producing specified beam directions; and a scan control circuit connected to said memories of said variable delay circuits and constructed and arranged to generate a succession of scan signals each of which represent a particular beam direction, each of said signals operating to access an address of said memories and to apply the switch control code stored at said address to the associated analog tap switches, whereby said transducers are pulsed at predetermined times for generating an ultrasonic beam in a direction controlled by said scan control circuit.

Claim 20

A beam steering system for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising, in combination: a plurality of ultrasound transducers for generating an ultrasonic beam; pulse generating means for energizing said transducers to emit a sequence of pulses of ultrasonic energy; a plurality of variable delay circuits for coupling said pulse generating means to each of said transducers, each said variable delay circuit including a tapped analog delay line having an input connected to receive the output of said pulse generating means and a plurality of output taps, said circuit further including an analog switch connected to each said tap and to a common output coupled to one of said transducers and a memory storing switch control codes representing states of said analog tap switches, said memory including an output connected to control said switches and said switch control codes being derived by measuring the delay time for each tap of the respective tapped analog delay lines against a series of delay times known to be required for producing specified beam directions; and a scan control circuit connected to said memories of said variable delay circuits and constructed and arranged to generate a succession of scan signals each of which represent a particular beam direction, each of said signals operating to access an address of said memories and to apply the switch control code stored at said address to the associated analog tap switches, whereby said transducers are pulsed at predetermined times for generating an ultrasonic beam in a direction controlled by said scan control circuit.