US5677491A — Sparse two-dimensional transducer array

Claim 1

Independent Claim 180 words

A two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer for forming images comprising: a. a plurality of transducer elements arranged in two dimensions for producing ultrasonic bursts, and receiving reflected ultrasound, said plurality of transducer elements arranged in a two dimensional array in the following manner: i. said plurality of transducer elements having a first group of transducer elements arranged in said transducer in a scanning plane in said array, said first group of transducer elements in said scanning plane being arranged to permit scanning; ii. said plurality of transducer elements having a second group of transducer elements arranged in said transducer in an elevational plane in said array, said second group of transducer elements having at least two sets of transducer elements symmetrically arranged about an axis parallel to the scanning plane, said two sets of transducer elements shaped differently in said elevational plane in order to have more than one focus at fixed locations; and b. one or more conductive channels, each of said one or more conductive channels coupled to one of said at least two sets of symmetrically arranged transducer elements.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 180 words

A two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer for forming images comprising: a. a plurality of transducer elements arranged in two dimensions for producing ultrasonic bursts, and receiving reflected ultrasound, said plurality of transducer elements arranged in a two dimensional array in the following manner: i. said plurality of transducer elements having a first group of transducer elements arranged in said transducer in a scanning plane in said array, said first group of transducer elements in said scanning plane being arranged to permit scanning; ii. said plurality of transducer elements having a second group of transducer elements arranged in said transducer in an elevational plane in said array, said second group of transducer elements having at least two sets of transducer elements symmetrically arranged about an axis parallel to the scanning plane, said two sets of transducer elements shaped differently in said elevational plane in order to have more than one focus at fixed locations; and b. one or more conductive channels, each of said one or more conductive channels coupled to one of said at least two sets of symmetrically arranged transducer elements.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 129 words

A two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer for forming images comprising a plurality of transducer elements for producing ultrasonic bursts, and receiving reflected ultrasound due to said ultrasonic bursts, said plurality of transducer elements arranged in an array into columns and rows, said rows of said transducer elements arranged in a scanning plane to permit scanning, each of said columns of said transducer elements having at least two groups of symmetrically arranged transducer elements being oriented in an elevational plane, each of said at least two groups of symmetrically arranged transducer elements being shaped to have a different fixed focus, each of said at least two groups of symmetrically arranged transducer elements coupled to a conductive channel for activating each of said at least two groups of symmetrically arranged transducer elements separately.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 129 words

A two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer for forming images comprising a plurality of transducer elements for producing ultrasonic bursts, and receiving reflected ultrasound due to said ultrasonic bursts, said plurality of transducer elements arranged in an array into columns and rows, said rows of said transducer elements arranged in a scanning plane to permit scanning, each of said columns of said transducer elements having at least two groups of symmetrically arranged transducer elements being oriented in an elevational plane, each of said at least two groups of symmetrically arranged transducer elements being shaped to have a different fixed focus, each of said at least two groups of symmetrically arranged transducer elements coupled to a conductive channel for activating each of said at least two groups of symmetrically arranged transducer elements separately.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 71 words

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 2 wherein said at least two groups of symmetrically arranged transducer elements comprise a first and second group of transducer elements, said first group having a first focus at a first position which is a first distance (z 1 ) from said transducer, and said second group having a second focus at a second position which is a second distance (z 2 ) from said transducer.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 44 words

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 3 wherein the transducer elements in said first group of transducer elements each have a first width (w 1 ) and the transducer elements in said second group of transducer elements each have a second width (w 2 ).

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 41 words

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 4 wherein said first distance (z 1 ), said second distance (z 2 ), said first width (w 1 ), and said second width (w 2 ) have the following relationship: z.sub.1 /w.sub.1 =z.sub.2 /(w.sub.2 +w.sub.1).

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 24 words

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 5 wherein w 1 =4.8 mm, w 2 =4.2 mm, z 1 =1.68 cm and z 2 =3 cm.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 45 words

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 3 wherein said first group of transducer elements is located in a center portion of said columns of said transducer array and said second group of transducer elements is located at symmetrical ends of said columns of said transducer array.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 69 words

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 3 wherein said transducer array further comprises an apparatus coupled to said conductive channel for each of said at least two groups of symmetrically arranged transducer elements for delaying said ultrasonic bursts emitted from certain of said symmetrically arranged transducer elements coupled to said symmetrically arranged transducer elements for focusing at one or more positions other than said first position and said second position.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 34 words

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 2 wherein the width of each of said elements in said columns of said transducer is greater than 4 λ wherein λ is the wavelength of said ultrasonic bursts.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 33 words

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 2 wherein the width of each of said elements in said columns of said transducer is approximately 6 λ wherein λ is the wavelength of said ultrasonic bursts.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 116 words

A two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer, said two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer comprising: a plurality of transducer elements configured to produce ultrasonic bursts, and receive reflected ultrasound, said plurality of transducer elements further arranged as follows a first dimension of said plurality of transducer elements arranged in a scanning plane, a second dimension of said plurality of transducer elements arranged in an elevational plane, the transducer elements in said second dimension being symmetrically arranged with respect to an axis parallel to the scanning plane, one or more transducer elements in said second dimension being shaped to have a first focus, and at least one pair of symmetrical transducer elements in said second dimension being shaped to have a second focus.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 116 words

A two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer, said two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer comprising: a plurality of transducer elements configured to produce ultrasonic bursts, and receive reflected ultrasound, said plurality of transducer elements further arranged as follows a first dimension of said plurality of transducer elements arranged in a scanning plane, a second dimension of said plurality of transducer elements arranged in an elevational plane, the transducer elements in said second dimension being symmetrically arranged with respect to an axis parallel to the scanning plane, one or more transducer elements in said second dimension being shaped to have a first focus, and at least one pair of symmetrical transducer elements in said second dimension being shaped to have a second focus.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 66 words

The two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer of claim 11, wherein said one or more transducer elements define a first cylinder having a first radius, wherein said at least one pair of symmetrical transducer elements define a second cylinder having a second radius, wherein said second radius is larger than said first radius and said first cylinder and said second cylinder share a common point along their respective circumferences.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 27 words

The two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer of claim 11 further comprising one or more channels coupled to said plurality of transducer elements for activating said plurality of transducer elements.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 35 words

The two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer of claim 13 wherein a first channel of said one or more channels is coupled in parallel to said at least one pair of symmetrical transducer elements to allow tandem activation.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-10-13	2001-04-14	2001-10-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-10-13	2005-04-14	2005-10-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-10-13	2009-04-14	2009-10-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Sparse two-dimensional transducer array

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