ASYMMETRIC ULTRASOUND PHASED-ARRAY TRANSDUCER
First Claim
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1. An asymmetric ultrasound transducer, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements arranged in a two-dimensional phased array comprising at least a first region and a second region;
(b) a first plurality of signal channels connected to and collectively driving the transducer elements of the first region so as to generate a first ultrasound beam; and
(c) a second plurality of signal channels connected to and collectively driving the transducer elements of the second region so as to generate a second ultrasound beam,wherein the first region facilitates focusing the first ultrasound beam at varying focal depths along a focal path in the direction of beam propagation and the second region facilitates lateral steering of the second ultrasound beam in a direction perpendicular to beam propagation.
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Abstract
An asymmetric ultrasound transducer array may include multiple regions or groups of transducer elements. The regions may be configured to generate respective ultrasound beams with different capabilities, such as, e.g., focusing at varying focal depths and lateral steering, and/or focusing into different volumes.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An asymmetric ultrasound transducer, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements arranged in a two-dimensional phased array comprising at least a first region and a second region; (b) a first plurality of signal channels connected to and collectively driving the transducer elements of the first region so as to generate a first ultrasound beam; and (c) a second plurality of signal channels connected to and collectively driving the transducer elements of the second region so as to generate a second ultrasound beam, wherein the first region facilitates focusing the first ultrasound beam at varying focal depths along a focal path in the direction of beam propagation and the second region facilitates lateral steering of the second ultrasound beam in a direction perpendicular to beam propagation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An asymmetric ultrasound transducer, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements arranged in a two-dimensional phased array, each transducer element having at least one switch associated therewith; (b) a plurality of signal channels connected to the transducer elements via the switches, at least some of the signal channels being connected to multiple transducer elements; and (c) a controller configuring the switches so as to group the transducer elements, thereby forming first and second regions of grouped transducer elements, the first region capable of focusing at varying focal depths along a focal path in the direction of beam propagation and the second region capable of lateral beam steering in a direction perpendicular to beam propagation. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An ultrasound transducer system, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements arranged in a two-dimensional phased array, each transducer element having at least one switch associated therewith; (b) a plurality of signal channels connected to the transducer elements via the switches; (c) a controller configuring the switches so as to group the transducer elements; (d) means for storing data sets each corresponding to a configuration of the switches; and (e) means facilitating user selection of one of the stored data sets, the controller being responsive to the selection and configuring the switches in accordance therewith. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of configuring an asymmetric ultrasound transducer, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements arranged in a two-dimensional phased array; (b) dynamically configuring, in response to geometric constraints associated with a patient'"'"'s anatomy and an equipment configuration, a plurality of signal channels connected to the transducer elements, so as to produce a plurality of groups of transducer elements; and (c) separately driving the groups of transducer elements. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification