TRANSMIT BEAMFORMING IN 3-DIMENSIONAL ULTRASOUND
First Claim
1. An ultrasound system comprising:
- a probe including a two-dimensional (2D) array of transducer elements that form an aperture having a plurality of receive elements that are configured to receive ultrasound signals, the transducer elements forming at least one transmit sub-aperture that is configured to be interconnected with a fixed group of the transducer elements within the aperture;
transmitters for generating electrical transmit signals; and
at least one transmit sub-aperture processor (tx SAP) for mapping the transducer elements within the fixed group of the transducer elements to the transmitters in a transmit configuration based on a beam steering direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasound system comprises a probe including a two-dimensional (2D) array of transducer elements that form an aperture having a plurality of receive elements that are configured to receive ultrasound signals. The transducer elements form at least one transmit sub-aperture that is configured to be interconnected with a fixed group of the transducer elements within the aperture. Transmitters generate electrical transmit signals, and at least one transmit sub-aperture processor (tx SAP) maps the transducer elements within the fixed group of the transducer elements to the transmitters in a transmit configuration based on a beam steering direction.
80 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An ultrasound system comprising:
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a probe including a two-dimensional (2D) array of transducer elements that form an aperture having a plurality of receive elements that are configured to receive ultrasound signals, the transducer elements forming at least one transmit sub-aperture that is configured to be interconnected with a fixed group of the transducer elements within the aperture; transmitters for generating electrical transmit signals; and at least one transmit sub-aperture processor (tx SAP) for mapping the transducer elements within the fixed group of the transducer elements to the transmitters in a transmit configuration based on a beam steering direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for transmitting ultrasound signals using a 2D array of transducer elements, comprising:
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forming at least one transmit sub-aperture comprising a fixed group of transducer elements for transmitting ultrasonic transmit signals and at least two receive sub-apertures for receiving ultrasonic receive signals, the at least one transmit sub-aperture and the at least two receive sub-apertures being associated with a predetermined group of system channels; calculating a delay for each of the transducer elements within the fixed group of transducer elements, wherein the delay is based at least on a steering angle associated with the transducer element and a transmit operation; and connecting at least a portion of the transducer elements within the fixed group of transducer elements to the predetermined group of system channels based at least on the delays associated with the transducer elements. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An ultrasound system comprising:
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a probe including a 2D array of transducer elements that form an aperture having a plurality of receive elements that are configured to receive ultrasound signals; at least one configurable cross-point switch having first and second sides, the at least one configurable cross-point switch being interconnected with a fixed group of the transducer elements on a first side, the fixed group of the transducer elements forming a transmit sub-aperture configured to transmit ultrasound signals; system channels being configured to convey at least the transmit ultrasound signals, the system channels interconnecting with the at least one configurable cross-point switch on the second side, the at least one configurable cross-point switch comprising at least one switch associated with each of the transducer elements within the fixed group of the transducer elements, the at least one configurable cross-point switch connecting at least one of the transducer elements with one of the system channels; and a sub-aperture processor (SAP) controller configured to control the at least one configurable cross-point switch to map each of the transducer elements within the fixed group of transducer elements to the system channels in a transmit configuration based on delays associated with ultrasound transmit signals. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification