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US 11,448,621 B2Granted
Ultrasound probe with row-column addressed array
AssigneeOlympus NDT Canada Inc.
InventorsJinchi Zhang, Frederic Landry, Benoit Lepage
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ultrasound probe can detect flaws in an object in a non-destructive manner. The probe includes a row-column addressed (RCA) array with a plurality of row and column electrodes. The row and column electrodes are configurable to have at least four states: 1) a transmission state, 2) a reception state, 3) a ground state, and 4) a high impedance state. The probe also includes a control circuit to operate the RCA array in different transmission and reception configurations.
Claims21
An apparatus comprising:
- a row-column addressed (RCA) array defining a plurality of transducer elements arranged in rows and columns to transmit and receive ultrasound waves;
- a control circuit coupled to the RCA array to drive the RCA array in a transmission mode and to receive an electrical representation of an ultrasound wave in a reception mode,
- in the transmission mode, the control circuit configured to operate the RCA array in different transmission configurations, wherein
- in a first transmission configuration, drive, with a pulse signal, a first set of columns coupled to a first set of rows, which are coupled to ground, and
- in a second transmission configuration, drive, with the pulse signal, the first set of rows coupled to the first set of columns, which are coupled to ground,
- wherein a first crossing of the first sets of columns and rows defines a transmission aperture;
- in the reception mode, the control circuit configured to operate the RCA array in different reception configurations, wherein
- in a first reception configuration, receive the electrical representation on a second set of columns coupled to a second set rows, which are coupled to ground, and
- in a second reception configuration, receive the electrical representation on the second set rows coupled to the second set of columns, which are coupled to ground,
- wherein a second crossing of the second sets of columns and rows defines a reception aperture.
7 more elements
A method, comprising:
- in a transmission mode:
- selecting a first or second transmission configuration, wherein
- in the first transmission configuration, driving a first set columns in a row-column addressed (RCA) array with a pulse signal, wherein the first set of columns are coupled to a first set of rows, which are coupled to ground, and
- in the second transmission configuration, driving the first set of rows with the pulse signal, wherein the first set of rows are coupled to the first set of columns, which are coupled to ground,
- wherein a first crossing of the first sets of columns and rows defines a transmission aperture;
- and
- transmitting at least one ultrasound wave using the selected transmission configuration;
- and
- in a reception mode:
- selecting a first or second reception configuration, wherein
- in the first reception configuration, receiving an electrical representation of an ultrasound wave on a second set of columns coupled to a second set of rows, which are coupled to ground, and
- in the second reception configuration, receiving the electrical representation on the second set of rows coupled to the second set of columns, which are coupled to ground, wherein a second crossing of the second sets of columns and rows defines a reception aperture;
- and
- receiving the electrical representation using the selected reception configuration.
11 more elements
An inspection probe, comprising:
- a row-column addressed (RCA) array with a plurality of elements to transmit and receive ultrasound waves, wherein respective row electrodes and column electrodes are configurable to have at least four states:
- 1) a transmission state, 2) a reception state, 3) a ground state, and 4) a high impedance state;
- a control circuit configured to operate the RCA array in a transmission and reception mode,
- wherein in a transmission mode, the control circuit is configured to place the plurality of row and column electrodes in different states in a first transmission configuration or a second transmission configuration providing a transmission aperture,
- wherein in the first transmission configuration a first set columns are set to the transmission state and a first set of rows are set to the ground state, and
- wherein in the second transmission configuration the first set of rows are set to the transmission state and the first columns are set to the ground state,
- wherein in a reception mode, the control circuit is configured to place the plurality of row electrodes and column electrodes in different states in a reception configuration providing a reception aperture.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.