Efficient ultrasound system for two-dimensional c-scan imaging and related method thereof
First Claim
1. An ultrasonic imaging system capable of producing C-mode images and/or collecting 3D image data of a target, said system comprising:
- a two-dimensional transducer array comprising a plurality of elements that transmits and receives ultrasound signals;
an array of processing channels, wherein said processing channels correspond with said plurality of elements, said processing channels for receiving said receive ultrasound signals;
a storage device for receiving said channel signals for storage; and
a beamforming device that receives stored data in a time serial manner from said storage device more than once per transmit firing event and forms multiple focused image points arranged on a C-scan plane.
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Abstract
An ultrasound system and related method for forming 2D C-scan images and/or collecting 3D image data from 2D transducer arrays. The system including in part a 2D transducer array of elements, transmit voltage generation means for each element, a memory buffer with or part of channels for each element, and a receive beamformer. On a time serial or sequential basis, several times for each line of firing, the contents of the per element memory buffer are read into the beamformer with different focusing values for each buffer reading cycle. In this way, the beamformer can calculate beamformed image values for multiple points per line firing cycle—or per each line of signals between the transducer array and receive beamformer.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. An ultrasonic imaging system capable of producing C-mode images and/or collecting 3D image data of a target, said system comprising:
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a two-dimensional transducer array comprising a plurality of elements that transmits and receives ultrasound signals;
an array of processing channels, wherein said processing channels correspond with said plurality of elements, said processing channels for receiving said receive ultrasound signals;
a storage device for receiving said channel signals for storage; and
a beamforming device that receives stored data in a time serial manner from said storage device more than once per transmit firing event and forms multiple focused image points arranged on a C-scan plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An ultrasonic imaging method capable of producing C-mode images and/or collecting 3D image data of a target, said method comprising:
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transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals;
storing said receive ultrasound data; and
receiving said stored data in a beamforming device in a time serial manner, wherein said data is received and beamformed more than once per transmit firing event and forms multiple focused points arranged on a C-scan plane. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification