Method and system for element-by-element flexible subarray beamforming
AssigneesKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
InventorsZoran BANJANIN, Daniel BRUESKE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The subarrays are formed dynamically switching the individual output signals from the transducer elements on an element-to-element basis after the time delay circuits have individually perform on the signal signals for time delay. For example, at least one crosspoint switch flexibly connects the time-delayed outputs on the element-to-element basis in order to dynamically form predetermined sets of subarrays. The subarrays are optionally unequal in shape and or a number of transducer elements.
Claims18
An ultrasound probe, comprising:
- an array of a predetermined dimension having a predetermined number of transducer elements, each of the transducer elements outputting a signal;
- a plurality of time-delay circuits directly connected to said array for individually delaying each of the signals from the transducer elements to output time-delayed signals;
- at least one switch connected to said time-delay circuits for connecting any combination of the time-delayed signals to define dynamic subarrays and to output dynamic subarray signals;
- and
- a plurality of adders connected to said switch for summing the dynamic subarray signals of the dynamic subarrays to output an added subarray signal.
A method of dynamically defining a subarray in the ultrasound array system,
- comprising:
- providing in a probe an array a predetermined number of elements in a predetermined dimension;
- outputting a signal from each of the elements in the array;
- delaying the signal directly from each of the elements in the array to output time-delayed signals;
- connecting any combination of the time-delayed signals in the probe for selectively defining dynamic subarrays and outputting dynamic subarray signals;
- and
- summing the dynamic subarray signals of the dynamic subarrays in the probe to output an added subarray signal.
An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, comprising:
- an image parameter setting unit for inputting at least an image parameter value for generating an image;
- a subarray configuring unit connected to said image parameter setting unit for defining dynamic subarrays and generating a dynamic subarray aiming signal;
- an array having a predetermined number of transducer elements, each of the transducer elements outputting a signal;
- a plurality of time-delay circuits directly connected to said array for individually delaying each of the signals from the transducer elements to output time-delayed signals;
- at least one switch connected to said time-delay circuits and said subarray configuring unit for connecting any combination of the time-delayed signals to define the dynamic subarrays based upon the dynamic subarray forming signal and to output dynamic subarray signals;
- a plurality of adders connected to said switch for summing the dynamic subarray signals of the dynamic subarrays to output an added subarray signal;
- and
- an image forming unit connected to said adders for forming the image based upon the added subarray signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.