Multi-line beamforming extention using sub-arrays

• US 20080092660A1
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Hunt, Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US11/571,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20080092660A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/625
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8925 the array being a two-dimensional transducer configuration, i.e. matrix or orthogonal linear arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8927 using simultaneously or sequentially two or more subarrays or subapertures
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52025 for pulse systems G01S7/52034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52095 using multiline receive beamforming

Abstract

Provided is a multi-line beamformer (100) that generates a multi-line output (141-144) by positioning multiple receive beams within the area covered by a transmit beam. N multi-line beams are generated using N/M fully capable beamformers (111-116) by producing partial sums (121-128) from sub-groups (105-108) of the elements of the beamformers (111-116), where M depends upon a per channel element spacing measured in wavelengths of the imaging frequency.

Claims

1. A method of multi-line beamforming using sub-arrays, comprising:

receiving a plurality of signals, each signal corresponding to a unique transducer of an array of transducers;

grouping the transducers of the plurality of transducers and the corresponding signals into sub-arrays, wherein the transducers within each sub- array are adjacent;

defining two or more distinct scan lines corresponding to an image;

processing each sub-array of signals such that each sub-array produces two or more beams, each beam corresponding to a different scan line of the two or more scan lines;

correlating the signals into sub-groups, each sub-group corresponding to a different scan line of the two or more scan lines;

summing the component signals within each of the sub-groups; and

generating a multi-line output corresponding to the image, wherein each line of the multi-line output corresponds to a particular scan line corresponding to the corresponding new sub-group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the array of transducers is a one hundred twenty-eight (128) channel phased array beamformer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein there are sixteen (16) sub-arrays.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each sub-array of the sixteen (16) sub-arrays includes eight (8) channels.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the multi-line output is a four (4) line output.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transducers of the array of transducers are on a lambda/2 pitch.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising optimizing the output of the beamformer based upon a per channel spacing of the transducers measured in wavelengths of the imaging frequency.

20. The computer programming product of claim 5, further comprising logic, stored on the memory, for optimizing the output of the beamformer based upon a per channel spacing of the transducers measured in wavelengths of the imaging frequency.

8. A multi-line beamforming system, comprising:

an array of transducers, wherein each transducer generates a signal corresponding to a reflected signal;

logic for grouping the transducers of the array of transducers and the corresponding signals into sub-arrays, wherein the transducers within each sub- array are adjacent;

two or more beams, each beam corresponding to a particular sub-array and a corresponding, unique scan line;

logic for correlating the signals into sub-groups, each sub-group corresponding to a different beam;

a summing module for summing the component signals within each of the sub-groups; and

a multi-line output, wherein each line of the multi-line output corresponds to a different scan line.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the array of transducers is a one hundred twenty-eight (128) channel phased array beamformer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein there are sixteen (16) sub-arrays.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each sub-array of the sixteen (16) sub-arrays includes eight (8) channels.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the multi-line output is a four (4) line output.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the transducers of the array of transducers are on a lambda/2 pitch.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising logic for optimizing the output of the beamforming system based upon a per channel spacing of the transducers measured in wavelengths of the imaging frequency.

15. A computer programming product, comprising:

a memory,

logic, stored on the memory, for receiving a plurality of signals, each signal corresponding to a unique transducer of an array of transducers;

logic, stored on the memory, for grouping the transducers of the plurality of transducers and the corresponding signals into sub-arrays, wherein the transducers within each sub-array are adjacent;

logic, stored on the memory, for defining two or more distinct scan lines corresponding to an image;

logic, stored on the memory, for processing each sub-array of signals such that each sub-array produces two or more beams, each beam corresponding to a different scan line of the two or more scan lines;

logic, stored on the memory, for correlating the signals into sub-groups, each sub-group corresponding to a different scan line of the two or more scan lines;

logic, stored on the memory, for summing the component signals within each of the sub-groups; and

logic, stored on the memory, for generating a multi-line output corresponding to the image, wherein each line of the multi-line output corresponds to a particular scan line corresponding to the corresponding new sub-group.

16. The computer programming product of claim 15, wherein the array of transducers is a one hundred twenty-eight (128) channel phased array beamformer.

17. The computer programming product of claim 16, wherein there are sixteen (16) sub-arrays, each sub-array of the sixteen (16) sub-arrays including eight (8) channels.

18. The computer programming product of claim 17, wherein the multi-line output is a four (4) line output.

19. The computer programming product of claim 15, wherein the transducers of the array of transducers are on a lambda/2 pitch.