FRESNEL-BASED BEAMFORMING FOR ULTRASONIC ARRAYS
First Claim
1. An ultrasonic beamformer for substantially compensating for differences in distances between ultrasonic elements in an ultrasonic transducer array and a location remote from the ultrasonic transducer array from which a reflected broadband pulse is received by each of the ultrasonic elements, the ultrasonic beamformer comprising:
- for each of the ultrasonic elements, an input signal line configured to carry the broadband pulse from the ultrasonic element;
a number of signal shifters that is substantially less than the number of transducer elements, each signal shifter being configured to shift a broadband pulse in a way that is different from the way the other signal shifters are configured to shift a broadband pulse;
for each of the input signal lines, a multiplexer configured to electrically connect the broadband pulse received on the input signal line to a selected one of the signal shifters, the selected one being based on a control signal; and
a multiplexer controller configured to generate the control signal for each of the multiplexers in a fashion that causes the ultrasonic beamformer to substantially compensate for the differences in the distances.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasonic beamformer may include an input signal line for each ultrasonic transducer element configured to carry a broadband pulse from the ultrasonic element. The ultrasonic beamformer may include a number of signal shifters that is substantially less than the number of transducer elements. Each signal shifter may be configured to shift a broadband pulse in a way that is different from the way the other signal shifters are configured to shift a broadband pulse. For each of the input signal lines, a multiplexer may be configured to electrically connect the broadband pulse received on the input signal line to a selected one of the signal shifters. A multiplexer controller may be configured to generate the control signal for each of the multiplexers in a fashion that causes the ultrasonic beamformer to substantially compensate for the differences in the distances. A comparable configuration may be used for transmission.
71 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An ultrasonic beamformer for substantially compensating for differences in distances between ultrasonic elements in an ultrasonic transducer array and a location remote from the ultrasonic transducer array from which a reflected broadband pulse is received by each of the ultrasonic elements, the ultrasonic beamformer comprising:
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for each of the ultrasonic elements, an input signal line configured to carry the broadband pulse from the ultrasonic element; a number of signal shifters that is substantially less than the number of transducer elements, each signal shifter being configured to shift a broadband pulse in a way that is different from the way the other signal shifters are configured to shift a broadband pulse; for each of the input signal lines, a multiplexer configured to electrically connect the broadband pulse received on the input signal line to a selected one of the signal shifters, the selected one being based on a control signal; and a multiplexer controller configured to generate the control signal for each of the multiplexers in a fashion that causes the ultrasonic beamformer to substantially compensate for the differences in the distances. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An ultrasonic beamformer for causing an ultrasonic transducer array having an array of ultrasonic elements to deliver an ultrasonic beam substantially focused at the location remote from the ultrasonic transducer array, the ultrasonic beamformer comprising:
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for each of the ultrasonic elements, an output signal line configured to carry a broadband pulse to the transmitting ultrasonic element; a number of pulse transmitters that is substantially less than the number of ultrasonic elements, each pulse transmitter being configured to generate a broadband pulse different from the broadband pulse generated by each of the other pulse transmitters; for each of the output signal lines, a multiplexer configured to electrically connect the output signal line to the broadband pulse that is generated by a selected one of the pulse transmitters, the selected one being based on a control signal; and a multiplexer controller configured to generate the control signal for each of the multiplexers in a fashion that causes an ultrasonic beam to be substantially focused at the location remote from the ultrasonic transducer array. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification