Method of driving two-dimensional array ultrasonic probe, and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus

• US 20030188582A1
• Filed: 03/27/2003
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Yokogawa Medical Systems Limited (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Amemiya, Shinichi
• Granted Patent: US 6,868,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/641
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0207 Driving circuits specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclass, e.g. G01; circuits for steering transducer arrays G10K11/34; basic circuits H03
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 2201/20 Application to multi-element transducer
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/106 one or more transducer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/262 by electronic orientation or focusing, e.g. with phased arrays phased arrays per se G10K11/34
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/34 Generating the ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves , e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8925 the array being a two-dimensional transducer configuration, i.e. matrix or orthogonal linear arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8927 using simultaneously or sequentially two or more subarrays or subapertures
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/345 using energy switching from one active element to another

Abstract

For the purpose of reducing the load on hardware for driving a two-dimensional array ultrasonic probe having a multiplicity of transducers, the present invention comprises programmable gain amplifiers a00-a99 for amplifying signal voltages e00-e99 from transducers in a two-dimensional array ultrasonic probe, voltage-to-current converters h00-h99 for converting the voltages into current signals i00-i99, a matrix switch M for outputting additive current signals I0-I9 obtained by dividing the current signals i00-i99 into groups and adding current signals in respective groups, current-to-voltage converters H0-H9 for converting the currents into voltage signals, programmable gain amplifiers A0-A9, A-D converters C0-C9, and a digital beamformer unit B for conducting reception beamforming using digital signals D0-D9 and outputting an acoustic line signal W.

Claims

1. A method of driving a two-dimensional array ultrasonic probe comprising the steps of:

dividing N transducers in the two-dimensional array ultrasonic probe into M (<

N) groups, in which transducers lying at the same or approximately the same distance from a focal spot of an ultrasonic beam are in the same group; and

driving the transducers on a group-by-group basis.

2. The method of driving a two-dimensional array ultrasonic probe of claim 1, wherein 4096≧

N≧

256.

3. The method of driving a two-dimensional array ultrasonic probe of claim 1, wherein 128≧

M≧

32.

4. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:

N voltage amplifiers for amplifying signal voltages from transducers in a two-dimensional array ultrasonic probe;

N voltage-to-current converters for converting voltages output from said voltage amplifiers into current signals;

a current addition circuit having N inputs supplied with said current signals, and having M (<

N) outputs for outputting additive current signals obtained by dividing the N inputs into M (<

N) groups and adding current signals in respective groups;

M current-to-voltage converters for converting said additive current signals into voltage signals; and

a beamformer for conducting reception beamforming using said voltage signals.

5. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 4, wherein said current addition circuit is a matrix switch.

6. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 4, wherein said beamformer forms a received beam in one direction, and said current addition circuit arranges inputs corresponding to transducers lying at the same or approximately the same distance from a focal spot of said received beam into the same group.

7. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 4, wherein said beamformer forms received beams in a plurality of directions such that imaginary focal spots thereof defined by projecting respective focal spots onto an imaginary plane containing a reception surface of the two-dimensional array ultrasonic probe overlie one another at the same position, and said current addition circuit arranges inputs corresponding to transducers lying at the same or approximately the same distance from said imaginary focal spots into the same group.

13. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 4 or 8, wherein said voltage amplifiers are programmable gain amplifiers.

14. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 4 or 8, wherein programmable gain amplifiers are provided between said current-to-voltage converters and said beamformer.

16. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 4 or 8, wherein 4096≧

N≧

256.

17. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 4 or 8, wherein 128≧

M≧

32.

8. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:

N voltage amplifiers for amplifying signal voltages from transducers in a two-dimensional array ultrasonic probe;

N multiplied by k (k≧

2) voltage-to-current converters for converting voltages output from said voltage amplifiers into current signals;

k current addition circuits each having N inputs supplied with said current signals, and having M (<

N) outputs for outputting additive current signals obtained by dividing the N inputs into M (<

N) groups and adding current signals in respective groups;

M multiplied by k current-to-voltage converters for converting said additive current signals into voltage signals; and

k beamformers for conducting reception beamforming using said voltage signals.

9. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 8, wherein said current addition circuits are matrix switches.

10. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 8, wherein said k beamformers form received beams in one direction having respective focal spots of different depths, and said k current addition circuits arrange inputs corresponding to transducers lying at the same or approximately the same distance from each focal spot into the same group;

and said ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus further comprises a combination circuit for combining the outputs from said k beamformers.

11. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 8, wherein said combination circuit is for adding the outputs from the k beamformers with weights corresponding to the depth.

12. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 8, wherein said k beamformers form received beams in different directions having respective focal spots of different depths, and said current addition circuits arrange inputs corresponding to transducers lying at the same or approximately the same distance from each focal spot into the same group.