Active Transducer Probes and Circuits
AssigneeMaxim Integrated Products, Inc.
InventorsLuigi Franchini, Diego Maiocchi, Roberto Amadio
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an example embodiment, a method for bidirectional signal propagation comprises: a) sensing a voltage level of a first signal at a first port; b) coupling the first port to an output of an amplifier with a solid state switch if the voltage level of the first signal is less than a threshold voltage, whereby a second signal applied to a second port coupled to an input of the amplifier is propagated in a first direction from the second port to the first port; and c) bypassing the amplifier if the voltage level of the first signal is greater than the threshold voltage such that the first signal is propagated in a second direction from the first port to the second port.
Claims20
A bidirectional multichannel circuit comprising:
- a first plurality of channel ports;
- a second plurality of channel ports;
- channel circuitry coupling the first plurality of channel ports to the second plurality of channel ports to provide a plurality of active channels, where each active channel includes,
- a) an amplifier having an input and an output;
- b) an amplifier output protector including a solid state switch coupling the output of the amplifier to a channel port of the first plurality of channel ports, the solid state switch having an open position and a closed position;
- and
- c) a controller coupled to the channel port of the first plurality of channel ports and to the amplifier output protector;
- whereby the controller is operative to control the solid state switch of the amplifier output protector.
A method for bidirectional signal propagation comprising:
- sensing a voltage level of a first signal at a first port;
- coupling the first port to an output of an amplifier with a solid state switch if the voltage level of the first signal is less than a threshold voltage, whereby a second signal applied to a second port coupled to an input of the amplifier is propagated in a first direction from the second port to the first port;
- and
- bypassing the amplifier if the voltage level of the first signal is greater than the threshold voltage such that the first signal is propagated in a second direction from the first port to the second port.
An active ultrasonic probe comprising:
- a housing;
- a multichannel transducer disposed within the housing;
- and
- a bidirectional multichannel circuit disposed within the housing and including,
- (a) a first plurality of channel ports;
- (b) a second plurality of channel ports which are coupled to the multichannel transducer;
- (c) channel circuitry coupling the first plurality of channel ports to the second plurality of channel ports to provide a plurality of active channels, where each active channel includes:
- i) an amplifier having an input coupled to one of the second plurality of channel ports and an output;
- ii) an amplifier output protector including a solid state switch coupling the output of the amplifier to a channel port of the first plurality of channel ports, the solid state switch having an open position and a closed position;
- and
- iii) a controller coupled to the channel port of the first plurality of channel ports and to the amplifier output protector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.