Methods and apparatuses for processing ultrasound signals

An ultrasound processing unit (UPU), comprising:

• gray-coding circuitry configured to convert standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals to full gray-coded digital ultrasound signals,
• wherein:
• the gray-coding circuitry is configured to convert a standard binary coded value bN-1bN-2 . . . b1b0 to a gray coded value gN-1gN-2 . . . g1g0;
• the gray-coding circuitry includes an exclusive-or (XOR) gate for outputting each of gN-2, gN-3 . . . g1, and g0, where an XOR gate for outputting a given gi takes as input bi+1 and bi;
• and
• the gray-coding circuitry is configured to output gN-1=bN-1.

An ultrasound processing unit (UPU), comprising:

• gray-coding circuitry configured to convert standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals to full gray-coded digital ultrasound signals,
• wherein:
• the gray-decoding circuitry is configured to convert the full gray-coded digital ultrasound signals to the standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals;
• the gray-decoding circuitry is configured to convert a gray coded value gN-1gN-2 . . . g1g0 to a standard binary coded value bN-1bN-2 . . . b1b0;
• the gray-decoding circuitry includes an exclusive-or (XOR) gate for outputting each of bN-2, bN-3 . . . b1, and b0, where an XOR gate for outputting a given bi takes as input gi and bi+1;
• and
• the gray-decoding circuitry is configured to output bN-1=gN-1.

An ultrasound processing unit (UPU), comprising:

• gray-coding circuitry configured to convert standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals to hybrid gray-coded digital ultrasound signals;
• wherein the gray-coding circuitry is configured to convert the standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals to the hybrid gray-coded digital ultrasound signals such that:
• a transition from mid-code to an adjacent binary code uses a gray code system in that
• this transition differs by only a single bit;
• and
• other transitions use a standard binary code system.

An ultrasound processing unit (UPU), comprising:

• gray-coding circuitry configured to convert standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals to hybrid gray-coded digital ultrasound signals,
• wherein:
• the gray-coding circuitry is configured to convert a standard binary coded value bN-1bN-2. . . b1b0 to a gray coded value gN-1gN-2 . . . g1g0;
• the gray-coding circuitry includes an exclusive-or (XOR) gate for outputting each of gN-2, gN-3 . . . g1, and g0, where an XOR gate for outputting a given gi takes as input bN-1 and bi;
• and
• the gray-coding circuitry is configured to output gN-1=bN-1.

An ultrasound processing unit (UPU), comprising:

• gray-coding circuitry configured to convert standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals to hybrid gray-coded digital ultrasound signals;
• and
• gray-decoding circuitry,
• wherein:
• the gray-coding circuitry is configured to convert the standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals to hybrid gray-coded digital ultrasound signals;
• the gray-decoding circuitry is configured to convert the hybrid gray-coded digital ultrasound signals to the standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals;
• the gray-decoding circuitry is configured to convert a gray coded value gN-1gN-2 . . . g1g0 to a standard binary coded value bN-1bN-2 . . . b1b0;
• the gray-decoding circuitry includes an exclusive-or (XOR) gate for outputting each of bN-2, bN-3 . . . b1, and b0, where an XOR gate for outputting a given bi takes as input gi, and gN-1;
• and
• the gray-decoding circuitry outputs bN-1=gN-1.