Reconfigurable array with multi-level transmitters

• US 20080264171A1
• Filed: 04/26/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wodnicki, Robert Gideon
• Granted Patent: US 7,824,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/618
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/0654 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/262 by electronic orientation or focusing, e.g. with phased arrays phased arrays per se G10K11/34
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/102 using transmission of pulses having some particular characteristics
• 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 7/5202 for pulse systems

Abstract

An imaging probe having multi-level transmitter cells. The imaging probe includes a plurality of acoustical sub-elements for transmitting and receiving acoustic energy for imaging. Each of the multi-level transmitter cells is arranged along a respective transmitter cell path between a switching matrix and one of the acoustical sub-elements. The multi-level transmitter cells in the probe are capable of producing signals having multiple voltage levels.

Claims

1. A probe comprising:

a plurality of acoustical sub-elements; and

a plurality of multi-level transmitter cells, wherein each of the multi-level transmitter cells is coupled to a respective acoustical sub-element, and wherein each of the plurality of multi-level transmitter cells comprises;

a waveform decoder configured to decode an input waveform;

a transmitter controller configured to receive a decoded output from the waveform decoder; and

an output stage configured to receive an output from the transmitter controller and further configured to transmit a waveform to a respective one of the plurality of acoustical sub-elements.

2. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of acoustical sub-elements comprises one of a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (cMUT), a polyvinylidene flouride (PVDF) sensor, a Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) sensor, a piezoelectric transducer (PZT), or a piezoelectric micro machined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT).

3. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of multi-level transmitter cells comprises a transmit path configured to electrically couple the respective waveform decoder, transmitter controller and output stage along the path.

4. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the waveform decoder comprises a voltage translator configured to receive an input signal from the output stage and further comprising a comparator configured to receive an output signal from the voltage translator and the input waveform.

5. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transmitter controller comprises a plurality of digital-to-analog converters.

6. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transmitter controller comprises a switch configured to couple the output stage to any one of a plurality of voltage sources.

7. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transmitter controller comprises a set point controller or a level shifter.

8. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transmitter controller comprises a circuit which turns on the output stage for a predetermined and unvarying short period of time during which a variable current is caused to flow to the output stage in proportion to the decoded output of the waveform decoder.

9. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transmitter controller comprises a circuit which turns on the output stage causing a predetermined and fixed current to flow to the output stage for a short and variable period of time the duration of which is in proportion to the decoded output of the waveform decoder.

10. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transmitter controller comprises a circuit which turns on the output stage causing a varying current proportional to a first aspect of the decoded output of the waveform decoder to flow for a short and variable period of time, the duration of which is in proportion to a second aspect of the decoded output of the waveform decoder.

11. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the output stage comprises a first transistor coupled in series with a second transistor, wherein the series connection between the first and second transistors is coupled to the respective one of the plurality of acoustical sub-elements.

12. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the output stage comprises a transistor coupled in series with a resistor, wherein the series connection between the transistor and the resistor is coupled to the respective one of the plurality of acoustical sub-elements.

13. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a low voltage switching matrix configured to receive timing and waveform information and further configured to transmit this information to each of the plurality of waveform decoders.

14. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of acoustical sub-elements is responsive to a dedicated one of the plurality of multi-level transmitter cells.

15. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, comprising a probe head and a probe handle, wherein each of the plurality of acoustical sub-elements is located in the probe head and wherein each of the plurality of multi-level transmitter cells is located in the probe handle.

16. The probe, as set forth in claim 1, comprising a probe head and a probe handle, wherein each of the plurality of acoustical sub-elements is located in the probe head and wherein each of the plurality of multi-level transmitter cells is also located in the probe head, directly adjacent to the acoustical sub-elements.

17. An imaging system comprising:

imaging electronics; and

a probe coupled to the imaging electronics through a plurality of conductive channels, wherein the probe comprises;

a switching matrix configured to receive waveform information on each of the plurality of conductive channels and to transmit the waveform information along a plurality of transmit cell paths; and

a respective multi-level transmitter cell arranged along each of the plurality of transmit cell paths and comprising each of a waveform decoder, a transmitter controller and an output stage, wherein the multi-level transmitter cell is configured to produce a signal having at least two voltage levels.

18. The imaging system, as set forth in claim 17, comprising an ultrasound imaging system.

19. The imaging system, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the plurality of conductive channels are arranged in a cable.

20. The imaging system, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the imaging electronics comprise pulse timing circuit controls and a pulse timing circuit.

21. The imaging system, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the imaging electronics comprises waveform shape controls and a waveform shape encoding circuit.

22. The imaging system, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the switching matrix comprises a low voltage switching matrix.

23. The imaging system, as set forth in claim 17, further comprising a plurality of acoustical sub-elements arranged in the probe and wherein each of the plurality of acoustical sub-elements is configured to receive the signal from a respective one of the multi-level transmitter cells.

24. The imaging system, as set forth in claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of acoustical sub-elements comprises one of a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (cMUT), a polyvinylidene flouride (PVDF) sensor, a Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) sensor, a piezoelectric transducer (PZT), or a piezoelectric micro machined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT).

25. A method of operating an imaging probe comprising:

transmitting one or more signals to the imaging probe;

decoding each of the one or more signals in a respective transmitter cell arranged along each of a plurality of transmitter cell paths;

producing a multi-level voltage signal from each of the respective transmitter cells; and

operating a respective transducer utilizing a respective multi-level voltage signal.

26. The method, as set forth in claim 25, wherein transmitting one or more signals comprises transmitting one or more timing and waveform signals to the imaging probe.

27. The method, as set forth in claim 25, wherein transmitting one or more signals comprises transmitting one or more signals from imaging electronics located externally with respect to the imaging probe.

28. The method, as set forth in claim 25, wherein transmitting one or more signals comprises transmitting one or more signals from imaging electronics located within the imaging probe.

29. The method, as set forth in claim 25, wherein producing a multi-level voltage signal comprises producing a signal having at least two voltage levels over time.

30. The method, as set forth in claim 25, wherein producing a multi-level voltage signal comprises producing a signal having at least four voltage levels over time.

31. The method, as set forth in claim 25, wherein producing a multi-level voltage signal comprises producing different voltage levels on different transmitter cell paths.

32. The method, as set forth in claim 25, wherein producing a multi-level voltage signal comprises producing multiple pulse cycles on the same transmitter cell path having different multi-level voltage waveforms within a single transmit cycle.

33. The method, as set forth in claim 25, wherein producing a multi-level voltage signal comprises producing a time-ratioed multi-level voltage signal.