Delay line circuit arrangement and ultrasonic imaging apparatus utilizing the same

Claim 1

An ultrasonic imaging apparatus having an improved analogue delay line means, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements for converting ultrasonic echoes received thereby into voltage signals; a plurality of voltage-current converting means respectively connected to said ultrasonic transducer elements, for converting said voltage signals into current signals proportional thereto; a plurality of switching means, each having a plurality of imput terminals and a single output terminal, for selecting one of said input terminals to be connected with said output terminal, said output terminal being connected to said voltage-current converting means; analogue delay line means including a plurality of delay lines for delaying said current signals passing therethrough; a plurality of amplifier means each connected between adjacent delay lines, for compensating for degradation of the amplitudes of said current signals passing through said delay lines; a plurality of taps derived from said amplifier means to be commonly connected to said input terminals of each of said switching means; and register means, having one constantly biased end and another end connected to one end of said analogue delay line means and an output, for adding said current signals delayed by said delay lines and producing the resultant signal from said output.