Diagnostic medical ultrasound systems and transducers utilizing micro-mechanical components
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An ultrasound system for medical imaging or therapy comprising:
- at least one ultrasonic acoustic element;
said at least one ultrasonic acoustic element comprising at least one micro-mechanical component coupled with said at least one ultrasonic acoustic element, said component comprising at least one movable mechanical element fabricated on a substrate utilizing at least one integrated circuit manufacturing process wherein said at least one movable mechanical element is a member selected from the group consisting of a beam, cantilever, fluid and gas.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The use of any micro-mechanical component in an ultrasound system is disclosed. In particular, the use of micro-relays, micro-switches and inductors in the transducer probe head, in the transducer connector, coupled with the system transducer connector(s) or anywhere else in the system. In an ultrasound system, micro-mechanical components such as micro-fabricated switches, relays and inductors permit impressive size reduction, cost reduction, signal-integrity enhancement and improved operational flexibility.
174 Citations
59 Claims
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1. An ultrasound system for medical imaging or therapy comprising:
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at least one ultrasonic acoustic element;
said at least one ultrasonic acoustic element comprising at least one micro-mechanical component coupled with said at least one ultrasonic acoustic element, said component comprising at least one movable mechanical element fabricated on a substrate utilizing at least one integrated circuit manufacturing process wherein said at least one movable mechanical element is a member selected from the group consisting of a beam, cantilever, fluid and gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
formation of at least one thin film material on a substrate;
formation of a pattern in said at least one thin film material; and
etching of said at least one thin film material.
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4. The invention of claim 3, wherein said formation of said at least one thin film material is by a process selected from the group consisting of deposition and growth.
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5. The invention of claim 3, wherein said formation of said pattern is by a process selected from the group consisting of lithography, printing and mechanical pattern transfer.
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6. The invention of claim 3, wherein said etching process is a process selected from the group consisting of wet chemical, plasma and laser etching.
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7. The invention of claim 3, wherein said at least one thin film material is characterized by a thickness less than 25 microns.
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8. The invention of claim 1, wherein said movable mechanical element is characterized by at least one physical dimension measuring less than 10 microns.
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9. An ultrasound transducer comprising:
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at least one array of at least one ultrasonic acoustic element; and
said at least one ultrasonic acoustic element comprising at least one micro-mechanical component coupled with said at least one ultrasonic acoustic element, said at least one micro-mechanical component comprising at least one movable mechanical element fabricated on a substrate utilizing integrated circuit manufacturing processes wherein said at least one movable mechanical element is a member selected from the group consisting a beam, cantiliever, fluid and gas. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An ultrasound system for medical imaging or therapy comprising:
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at least one ultrasonic acoustic element; and
at least one micro-mechanical component coupled with said at least one ultrasonic acoustic element;
at least one substrate comprising a first and second section;
wherein said first section comprises said at least one micro mechanical-component and said second section comprises said at least one ultrasonic acoustic element. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An ultrasound transducer for medical imaging or therapy comprising:
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at least one ultrasonic acoustic element;
at least one micro-mechanical component coupled with said at least one ultrasonic acoustic element;
at least one substrate comprising a first and second section;
wherein said first section comprises said at least one micro mechanical-component and said second section comprises said at least one ultrasonic acoustic element. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An ultrasound transducer comprising:
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at least one array of at least one ultrasonic acoustic element, said at least one array arranged in at least one dimension and operative to provide harmonic image information wherein a first bias is provided to said at least one acoustic element during transmit and a second bias different from said first bias is provided to said at least one acoustic element during receive;
at least one micro-mechanical component coupled with said at least one acoustic element. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. An ultrasound transducer comprising:
at least one array of at least one ultrasonic acoustic element, said at least one ultrasonic acoustic element comprising a micro-mechanical ultrasound element, said at least one array arranged in at least one dimension and operative to provide harmonic image information wherein a first bias is provided to said at least one acoustic element during transmit and a second bias different from said first bias is provided to said at least one acoustic element during receive. - View Dependent Claims (57)
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58. An ultrasound system for medical imaging or therapy comprising:
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at least one ultrasonic acoustic element, said at least one ultrasonic element operative to transduce between an electrical signal and an acoustic energy;
at least one mirco-mechanical component coupled with said at least one ultrasonic acoustic element, said component comprising at least one movable mechanical element fabricated on a substrate utilizing at least one integrated circuit manufacturing process;
wherein said at least one micro-mechanical component is operative to manipulate said electrical signal.
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59. An ultrasound transducer comprising:
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at least one array of at least one ultrasonic acoustic element, said at least one ultrasonic acoustic element operative to transduce between an electrical signal and an acoustic energy; and
at least one micro-mechanical component coupled with said at least one ultrasonic acoustic element, said at least one micro-mechanical component comprising at least one movable mechanical element fabricated on a substrate utilizing integrated circuit manufacturing processes, wherein said at least one micro-mechanical component is operative to manipulate said electrical signal.
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Specification