Electrical and mechanical enhancements for a modular transducer system

A modular transducer system comprising:

• a scan head comprising:
• a transducer array comprising a plurality of transducer elements;
• a first plurality of conductors, each electrically coupled with a respective transducer element of the transducer array;
• and
• a first plurality of contacts, each electrically coupled with a respective conductor of the first plurality of conductors;
• a receptacle assembly forming an opening sized to receive part of the scan head that comprises the first plurality of contacts, wherein the scan head is mechanically and electrically removably couplable with the receptacle assembly;
• and
• a cable assembly electrically coupling the receptacle assembly with a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system;
• wherein the receptacle assembly further comprises:
• a second plurality of contacts that mate with the first plurality of contacts;
• a second plurality of conductors, each electrically coupled with a respective channel of the medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system, wherein there are fewer conductors in the second plurality of conductors than there are contacts in the second plurality of contacts;
• and
• a multiplexer electrically coupled between the second plurality of contacts and the second plurality of conductors.

A modular transducer system comprising:

• a scan head comprising:
• a transducer array comprising a plurality of transducer elements;
• a first plurality of conductors, each electrically coupled with a respective transducer element of the transducer array;
• and
• a first plurality of contacts, each electrically coupled with a respective conductor of the first plurality of conductors;
• and
• a receptacle assembly forming an opening sized to receive part of the scan head that comprises the plurality of contacts, the receptacle assembly comprising a second plurality of contacts that mate with the first plurality of contacts, wherein the scan head is mechanically and electrically removably couplable with the receptacle assembly;
• and
• a cable assembly comprising a second plurality of conductors, each conductor of the second plurality of conductors electrically coupling a respective contact of the second plurality of contacts with a respective channel of a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system;
• wherein a mismatch exists in electrical impedance between each transducer element and its corresponding conductor in the cable assembly, and wherein the scan head further comprises circuitry operative to compensate for the mismatch in electrical impedance by increasing energy transfer between the transducer array and the second plurality of conductors.

A modular transducer system comprising:

• a scan head comprising:
• a transducer array comprising a plurality of transducer elements;
• a plurality of conductors, each electrically coupled with a respective transducer element of the transducer array;
• and
• a plurality of contacts, each electrically coupled with a respective conductor of the plurality of conductors;
• a receptacle assembly forming an opening sized to receive part of the scan head that comprises the plurality of contacts, wherein the scan head is mechanically and electrically removably couplable with the receptacle assembly;
• and
• a cable assembly electrically coupling the receptacle assembly with a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system;
• wherein the scan head further comprises circuitry operative to form a band pass filter programmable by the medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system.

A modular transducer system comprising:

• a scan head comprising:
• a transducer array comprising a plurality of transducer elements;
• a plurality of conductors, each electrically coupled with a respective transducer element of the transducer array;
• and
• a plurality of contacts, each electrically coupled with a respective conductor of the plurality of conductors;
• and
• a receptacle assembly forming an opening sized to receive part of the scan head that comprises the plurality of contacts, wherein the scan head is mechanically and electrically removably couplable with the receptacle assembly;
• and
• a cable assembly electrically coupling the receptacle assembly with a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system;
• wherein the scan head further comprises a non-volatile memory device, wherein the medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system is operative to perform at least one of the following:
• read data stored in the non-volatile memory device and store data in the non-volatile memory device.

A modular transducer system comprising:

• a scan head comprising:
• a transducer array comprising a plurality of transducer elements;
• a plurality of conductors, each electrically coupled with a respective transducer element of the transducer array;
• a first plurality of contacts, each electrically coupled with a respective conductor of the plurality of conductors, and
• an actuator pin;
• a receptacle assembly forming a first opening sized to receive part of the scan head that comprises the first plurality of contacts and a second opening sized to receive the actuator pin, wherein the receptacle assembly comprises:
• a carriage assembly;
• and
• a contact nest assembly carried by the carriage assembly, wherein the contact nest assembly comprises a second plurality of contacts that mate with the first plurality of contacts;
• and
• a cable assembly electrically coupling the receptacle assembly with a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system;
• wherein insertion of the actuator pin into the second opening of the receptacle assembly moves the carriage assembly from a first position where the first and second plurality of contacts are not electrically coupled to a second position where the first and second plurality of contacts are electrically coupled.