Ultrasonic imaging apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:
- ultrasonic transducer means for propagating ultrasonic beams toward a subject, and converting echo beams reflected from the subject into an echo signal;
focus setting means for setting a plurality of focal depths;
delay control means connected to said focus setting means, for outputting a plurality of delay signals corresponding to a plurality of the focal depths, said delay control means including means for detecting a central portion of a display range, means for changing the focal depths set by said focus setting means to a plurality of new focal depths corresponding to a plurality of locations within the display range and near the central portion of the display range, and means for outputting a new plurality of delay signals corresponding to the new focal depths;
transmitter/receiver means connected to said ultrasonic transducer means and said delay control means, for driving said ultrasonic transducer means in accordance with the delay signals to scan the subject in a multi-focusing manner, and for processing the echo signal output from the ultrasonic transducer means; and
display means connected to said transmitter/receiver means, for displaying a B-mode image based on the echo signal supplied from said transmitter/receiver means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprises an ultrasonic transducer for propagating ultrasonic beams to a subject, and converting echo beams reflected from the subject into an echo signal, a focus switch circuit for setting a plurality of focal depths, and a focus control circuit for outputting delay signals corresponding to the focal depths set by the focus switch circuit. The focus control circuit changes the delay signals corresponding to the preset focus depths to signals corresponding to the focus depths that are located within a display range, especially when the ultrasonic image is enlarged and shifted with at least one of the preset focus depths out of the display range.
-
Citations
14 Claims
-
1. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:
-
ultrasonic transducer means for propagating ultrasonic beams toward a subject, and converting echo beams reflected from the subject into an echo signal; focus setting means for setting a plurality of focal depths; delay control means connected to said focus setting means, for outputting a plurality of delay signals corresponding to a plurality of the focal depths, said delay control means including means for detecting a central portion of a display range, means for changing the focal depths set by said focus setting means to a plurality of new focal depths corresponding to a plurality of locations within the display range and near the central portion of the display range, and means for outputting a new plurality of delay signals corresponding to the new focal depths; transmitter/receiver means connected to said ultrasonic transducer means and said delay control means, for driving said ultrasonic transducer means in accordance with the delay signals to scan the subject in a multi-focusing manner, and for processing the echo signal output from the ultrasonic transducer means; and display means connected to said transmitter/receiver means, for displaying a B-mode image based on the echo signal supplied from said transmitter/receiver means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:
-
ultrasonic transducer means for propagating ultrasonic beams to a subject, and converting echo beams reflected from the subject into an echo signal; focus setting means for presetting a plurality of focus depths for performing multi-focusing; delay degree output means for determining whether or not the focus depths set by said preset means are located within a display range, wherein, when said delay degree output means determines that at least one of said focus depths is located out of the display range the delay degree output means selects at least one focus depth in the display range and outputting a delay degree corresponding to the focus depth within the display range; transmitter/receiver means for driving said ultrasonic transducer means in accordance with the delay degrees to scan the subject in a multi-focusing manner, and for processing the echo signal output from the ultrasonic transducer means; and display means for displaying a B-mode image based on the echo signal supplied from said transmitter/receiver means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification