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Ultrasonic imaging system with multiple, dynamically focused transmit beams

  • US 5,142,649 A
  • Filed: 08/07/1991
  • Issued: 08/25/1992
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A coherent vibratory energy beam imaging system comprising:

  • a transducer array having a set of array elements disposed in a pattern and each being separately operable to produce a pulse of vibratory energy during a transmission mode and to produce an echo signal in response to vibratory energy impinging thereon during a receive mode;

    a transmitter coupled to said transducer array and operable during the transmission mode to apply a separate, frequency encoded signal pulse to each array element, respectively;

    a receiver coupled to said transducer array and operable during the receive mode to sample the echo signal produced by each array element as the vibratory energy impinges thereon and to form a receive beam signal therefrom by summing the separate echo signals sampled from each array element; and

    a transmit beam processor coupled to receive the receive beam signal from the receiver and includinga) filter means for transforming the receive beam signal into a set of frequency component signals each attributable to the vibratory energy produced by a corresponding one of the separate array elements;

    b) a set of beam delays, each one of said delays being associated with a separate respective one of said transducer array elements and being coupled to receive a frequency component signal from the filter means attributable to the transducer array element associated therewith, the beam delays being operable to impart a time delay to each frequency component signal to retrospectively focus the vibratory energy produced during the transmission mode; and

    c) summing means coupled to receive the delayed frequency component signals from the beam delays and to produce an output signal which is the sum thereof.

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