Two level power supply and method for ultrasound transmission

• US 6,572,546 B1
• Filed: 07/03/2001
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Acuson Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Bax, Ronald F., Shifrin, Lazar A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jung, William C
• Application Number:
  US09/898,199
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437-472
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5202 for pulse systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52023 Details of receivers

Abstract

A two level power supply and method are provided for ultrasound transmission. A coupling capacitor is provided between a high voltage source and a low voltage source. The coupling capacitor provides direct current restoration for a two level power supply selector connected with an ultrasound transmit array. For example, a clamping circuit, including a capacitor and a diode, is provided between the high voltage and the low voltage sources. The high voltage source connects as a power supply to a pulser. Control signals are provided to the pulser to switch the output between the high voltage and ground depending on the type of ultrasound signal being transmitted. A voltage rail of the transmit array connects with the clamp circuit and receives a low voltage for CW Doppler mode imaging and a high voltage for B-mode imaging. This low cost circuitry may simplify and improve the delivery of high voltage in a two or more level power supply selection in ultrasound imaging.

Claims

1. An ultrasound two-level power supply for ultrasound imaging, the ultrasound power supply comprising:

a first voltage supply;

a second voltage supply, the second voltage supply having a higher voltage than the first voltage supply;

a capacitor-coupled clamp connected with a voltage rail, the first voltage supply connected with the capacitor-coupled clamp;

at least one ultrasound transmit element operatively connected with voltage rail; and

a pulser having a voltage supply input connected with the second voltage supply and an output connected with the capacitor-coupled clamp.

2. The supply of claim 1 wherein the at least one ultrasound transmit element comprises a plurality of transducer elements.

3. The supply of claim 1 further comprising an OR gate operative to receive high power transmit on signals, the OR gate operatively connected with the pulser.

4. The supply of claim 1 wherein the capacitor-coupled clamp circuit comprises a coupling capacitor and a diode, the diode connected between the first voltage supply and the coupling capacitor.

5. The supply of claim 4 wherein the output of the pulser connects with the coupling capacitor at a terminal different than the diode.

6. The supply of claim 1 further comprising:

at least two of the capacitor-coupled clamp circuits each having a capacitor and a diode, the first voltage supply connected with each of the clamp circuits;

wherein the at least one ultrasound transmit element comprises at least two sets of ultrasound transmit elements, each set of ultrasound transmit elements connected with a respective clamp circuit.

7. The supply of claim 1 wherein the voltage rail comprises a plurality of voltage rails;

further comprising a plurality of capacitor-coupled clamps connected with the first voltage supply and each of the plurality of capacitor-coupled clamps respectively connected with one of the plurality of voltage rails.

8. An ultrasound two level power supply for ultrasound imaging, the ultrasound power supply comprising:

a plurality of ultrasound transmit cells;

a voltage rail connected with the plurality of ultrasound transmit cells;

a pulser having an output and a voltage supply input;

a first voltage supply connected with the voltage supply input;

a capacitor-coupled clamp circuit having an input connected with the output of the pulser, an output connected with the voltage rail and a bias port; and

a second voltage supply connected with the bias port.

9. The supply of claim 8 wherein the first voltage supply is operable to provide a higher voltage than the second voltage supply.

10. The supply of claim 8 wherein the capacitor-coupled clamp circuit comprises a capacitor and a diode.

11. The supply of claim 8 further comprising an additional capacitor-coupled clamp circuit connected with an additional voltage rail and the output of the pulser.

12. The supply of claim 8 wherein a voltage level on the voltage rail is responsive to a continuous wave imaging control input to the pulser.

13. A method for providing power in an ultrasound imaging system, the method comprising:

(a) providing a higher voltage at an ultrasound transmit element;

(b) providing a lower voltage at the ultrasound transmit element after (a);

(c) during (b), restoring direct current for subsequent repetition of (a), the level of restoration characterized by the lower voltage.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

(d) inputting a plurality of higher voltage control signals into an OR gate; and

(e) performing (a) as a function of an output of the OR gate.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein (c) is responsive to a capacitor-coupled clamp connected between a pulser and a low voltage source.

16. A method for providing power in an ultrasound imaging system, the method comprising:

(a) supplying a high voltage;

(b) supplying a low voltage;

(c) generating a high transmit voltage comprising a sum of the high and low voltages;

(d) generating a low transmit voltage comprising the low voltage;

(e) discharging a capacitor during (c); and

(f) recharging a capacitor with the low voltage.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

(g) inputting a plurality of high voltage control signals into an OR gate; and

(h) switching between (c) and (d) as a function of an output of the OR gate.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein (e) and (f) are responsive to the capacitor being connected in series between a high voltage pulser and a high voltage rail.

19. An ultrasound two-level power supply for ultrasound imaging, the ultrasound power supply comprising:

a pulsed voltage source;

a DC voltage source;

a clamp circuit connecting the pulsed voltage source with the DC voltage source.

20. The supply of claim 19 wherein the voltage sources have a same polarity referred to ground;

further comprising a plurality of transmit cells, each of said cells having a high voltage rail, the plurality of transmit cells connected with a clamp output of the clamp circuit.

21. The supply of claim 20 further comprising:

a multi-input OR gate having a single output;

wherein the pulsed voltage source comprises a pulser utilizing another DC voltage source and having input and output terminals, wherein the output of said multi-input OR gate is coupled to the input terminal of said pulser so that the output of said pulser delivers a voltage produced by said other voltage source during any of transmit intervals responsive to a plurality of T/R control signals connected with inputs of said multi-input OR gate.

22. The supply of claim 21 wherein the clamp circuit comprises a capacitor, a diode, a clamp input, the clamp output and a bias port configured in such a way that:

the capacitor is coupled between the clamp input and the clamp output, the diode is coupled between the clamp output and the bias port, the clamp input is connected to the output of said pulser, said high voltage rails are connected to the clamp output, said bias port is connected to said DC voltage source.

23. The supply of claim 21 comprising a plurality of said clamp circuits, each output port of said plurality of clamp circuits connected to a set of said high voltage rails, all bias ports of said plurality of clamp circuits connected to said DC voltage source, all input ports of said clamp circuits are connected to the output terminal of said pulser.