Low power continuous wave ultrasound transmitter
First Claim
1. An ultrasound transmitter, comprising:
- a first shunt transistor, coupled to a first signal, that shunts positive transmitter output voltage to ground;
a first continuous wave CW control transistor coupled to the first shunt transistor and a first continuous wave control signal;
a second shunt transistor, coupled to a second signal, that shunts negative transmitter output voltage to ground;
a second continuous wave CW control transistor coupled to the second shunt transistor and a second continuous wave control signal; and
the shunt transistors comprise control inputs that, when modulated, cause the shunt transistors to produce a continuous wave ultrasonic drive signal on a transmitter output;
wherein the first and second CW control transistors respectively provide negative and positive CW drive voltage to the first and second shunt transistors.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for providing a continuous wave (“CW”) ultrasonic drive signal and a B-mode ultrasonic drive signal from an ultrasonic transmitter are disclosed herein. An ultrasonic transmitter includes a first shunt transistor and a second shunt transistor. The first shunt transistor shunts positive transmitter output voltage to ground. The second shunt transistor shunts negative transmitter output voltage to ground. The shunt transistors include control inputs that, when modulated, cause the shunt transistors to produce a CW ultrasonic drive signal on a transmitter output. The ultrasonic transmitter also includes a first CW control transistor coupled to the first shunt transistor, and a second CW control transistor coupled to the second shunt transistor. The first and second CW control transistors respectively provide negative and positive CW drive voltage to the first and second shunt transistors.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An ultrasound transmitter, comprising:
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a first shunt transistor, coupled to a first signal, that shunts positive transmitter output voltage to ground; a first continuous wave CW control transistor coupled to the first shunt transistor and a first continuous wave control signal; a second shunt transistor, coupled to a second signal, that shunts negative transmitter output voltage to ground; a second continuous wave CW control transistor coupled to the second shunt transistor and a second continuous wave control signal; and the shunt transistors comprise control inputs that, when modulated, cause the shunt transistors to produce a continuous wave ultrasonic drive signal on a transmitter output; wherein the first and second CW control transistors respectively provide negative and positive CW drive voltage to the first and second shunt transistors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method, comprising:
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enabling a first continuous wave (“
CW”
) control transistor coupled to a CW voltage allowing a current to flow to a first CW drive transistor coupled to the CW control transistor;enabling the first CW drive transistor to drive the CW voltage onto an output; disabling a second CW drive transistor coupled to the output and a second CW control transistor; and providing a CW ultrasonic drive signal to an acoustic transducer via the output. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:
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an ultrasonic signal receiver coupled to a transducer system and a signal processor, the transducer system for converting a plurality of detected waves into electrical signals; an ultrasonic signal transmitter coupled to the transducer system, said transmitter comprising; means for generating a continuous wave (“
CW”
) ultrasonic drive signal through a transmitter shunt transistor;means coupled to a CW power supply voltage and to the shunt transistor for providing the CW power supply voltage to the transmitter shunt transistor; and means for protecting a CW control transistor coupled to the shunt transistor from an ultrasonic drive voltage generated by a B-mode drive circuit coupled to the shunt transistor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification