Ultrasound Probe with Dynamic Focus and Associated Systems and Methods

• US 20140334266A1
• Filed: 05/08/2013
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Amemiya, Shinichi, Haider, Bruno Hans, Haugen, Geir Ultveit, Cogan, Scott D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,239,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/138
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8927 using simultaneously or sequentially two or more subarrays or subapertures
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5208 with integration of processing functions inside probe or scanhead
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52095 using multiline receive beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/346 using phase variation

Abstract

Exemplary ultrasound probes with sub-aperture processing capable of dynamic focus are provided that generally include an array of transducer elements that form a sub-aperture in the ultrasound probe. The transducer elements can be assigned to dynamic delay update groups and an initial delay can be applied to ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements of the sub-aperture. A sub-aperture processor can be configured to dynamically apply delay updates to the ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements of the sub-aperture according to the dynamic delay update groups to which the transducer elements are assigned. Exemplary ultrasound systems with a dynamic focus and methods of transmitting ultrasound signals with a dynamic focus are also provided.

Claims

1. An ultrasound probe with sub-aperture processing capable of dynamic focus, comprising:

an array of transducer elements that forms a sub-aperture in the ultrasound probe, an initial delay being applied to ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements of the sub-aperture, and the transducer elements being assigned to dynamic delay update groups, and

a sub-aperture processor configured to dynamically apply delay updates to the ultrasound signals repeatedly for a predetermined time period to approximate an ideal delay profile, the delay updates being configurable per sub-aperture processor and a magnitude of the delay updates being dependent on the dynamic delay update groups to which the transducer elements are assigned.

2. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the sub-aperture processor is configured to apply a first delay modification to a first group of transducer elements within the sub-aperture and a second delay modification to a second group of transducer elements within the sub-aperture, wherein the first delay modification is different from the second delay modification.

3. The ultrasound probe of claim 2, wherein the first delay modification and the second delay modification are applied in different directions as a delay increment or a delay decrement.

4. The ultrasound probe of claim 2, wherein the dynamic delay update groups within the sub-aperture are updated at two or more different rates.

5. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the delay updates applied by the sub-aperture processor are a piecewise linear approximation of an ideal delay profile associated with the transducer elements in the dynamic delay update groups.

6. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the transducer elements of the sub-aperture are configured to transmit ultrasound signals and the sub-aperture processor is configured to apply the initial delay to the ultrasound signals to specify a focal point of the ultrasound signals.

7. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the transducer elements of the sub-aperture are configured to receive ultrasound signals and the sub-aperture processor is configured to apply the delay updates to the ultrasound signals to substantially align the ultrasound signals received by the transducer elements in phase for each of the dynamic delay update groups.

8. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the sub-aperture processor is configured to process a first beam with a first set of dynamic delay update parameters and a second beam with a second set of dynamic delay update parameters, wherein the first set of dynamic delay update parameters are different from the second set of dynamic delay update parameters.

9. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the sub-aperture processor is configured to set a rate for applying discrete delay updates to ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements of the sub-aperture.

10. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the sub-aperture processor is configured to set a magnitude of the initial delay applied to ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements of the sub-aperture.

11. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the delay updates are one of an incremented delay, a static delay, or a decremented delay.

12. The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the sub-aperture processor is configured to apply a set of initial delays to ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements of the sub-aperture, begin applying the delay updates to ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements of the sub-aperture in response to a start counter, continue applying delay updates at intervals specified by a rate counter, and stop applying the delay updates to ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements of the sub-aperture in response to a stop counter.

13. An ultrasound system with a dynamic focus, comprising:

an ultrasound probe including an array of transducer elements that form a sub-aperture, an initial delay being applied to ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements of the sub-aperture, and the transducer elements of the sub-aperture being assigned to dynamic delay update groups; and

a sub-aperture processor configured to dynamically apply delay updates to the ultrasound signals repeatedly for a predetermined time period to approximate an ideal delay profile, the delay updates being configurable per sub-aperture processor and a magnitude of the delay updates being dependent on the dynamic delay update group to which the transducer elements are assigned.

14. The ultrasound system of claim 13, wherein the sub-aperture processor includes at least one counter.

15. The ultrasound system of claim 14, wherein the sub-aperture processor is configured to apply the initial delay to ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements, apply delay updates in response to the at least one counter, apply discrete delay updates to ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements at a specified rate each time the at least one counter reaches a specified value, and stop the delay updates after a specified number of delay updates has been completed.

16. A method of receiving ultrasound signals with a dynamic focus, comprising:

applying an initial delay to ultrasound signals associated with transducer elements of a sub-aperture disposed in an ultrasound probe;

assigning the transducer elements of the sub-aperture to dynamic delay update groups; and

applying delay updates to the ultrasound signals repeatedly for a predetermined time period to approximate an ideal delay profile, the delay updates being configurable per sub-aperture processor and a magnitude of the delay updates being dependent on the dynamic delay update groups to which the transducer elements are assigned.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting ultrasound signals via the transducer elements of the sub-aperture and applying the initial delay to the ultrasound signals via a sub-aperture processor to specify a focal point of the ultrasound signals.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving ultrasound signals via the transducer elements of the sub-aperture and applying the delay updates to the ultrasound signals via a sub-aperture processor to substantially align the ultrasound signals received by the transducer elements in phase for each of the dynamic delay update groups.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising processing a first beam using a first set of dynamic delay update parameters and a second beam using a second set of dynamic delay update parameters, wherein the first set of dynamic delay update parameters are different from the second set of dynamic delay update parameters.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising applying different delay increments or decrements for the delay updates for each of the first and second set of dynamic delay update parameters.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising applying different delay update periods for the delay updates for each of the first and second set of dynamic delay update parameters.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising setting a rate for discretely applying the delay updates to ultrasound signals associated with the transducer elements of the sub-aperture.