Ultrasound imaging beam-former apparatus and method

An apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of transducers configured to convert reflected ultrasound pulses to at least one incoming electrical signal;
• a signal receiver comprising:
• a first sample-and-hold circuit configured to sample a first amplitude of the at least one incoming electrical signal from a transducer amongst the plurality of transducers at a first specified instant, the first sample-and-hold circuit configured to acquire at most one amplitude sample per an ultrasound transmit pulse;
• and
• a separate second sample-and-hold circuit configured to sample a second amplitude of the at least one incoming electrical signal from the transducer at a second specified instant, the second specified instant offset in time from the first specified instant, the second sample-and-hold circuit configured to acquire at most one amplitude sample per the ultrasound transmit pulse/receive acquisition cycle, the second amplitude representing an approximation of an amplitude component of the incoming electrical signal in phase quadrature with the first amplitude.

A method, comprising:

• converting reflected ultrasound pulses to at least one incoming electrical signal having a period and an amplitude;
• sample a first amplitude of the at least one incoming electrical signal from a transducer amongst the plurality of transducers at a first specified instant using a first sample-and-hold circuit configured to acquire at most one amplitude sample per an ultrasound transmit pulse;
• and
• sampling a second amplitude of the at least one incoming electrical signal from the transducer at a second specified instant, the second specified instant offset in time from the first specified instant, the sampling performed using a separate second sample-and-hold circuit configured to acquire at most one amplitude sample per the ultrasound transmit pulse/receive acquisition cycle, the second amplitude representing an approximation of an amplitude component of the incoming electrical signal in phase quadrature with the first amplitude.

A processor-readable medium comprising instructions that, when performed by an ultrasound system under the control of a processor circuit, cause the ultrasound system to:

• convert reflected ultrasound pulses to at least one incoming electrical signal having a period and an amplitude;
• sample a first amplitude of the at least one incoming electrical signal from a transducer amongst the plurality of transducers at a first specified instant using a first sample-and-hold circuit configured to acquire at most one amplitude sample per an ultrasound transmit pulse;
• and
• sample a second amplitude of the at least one incoming electrical signal from the transducer at a second specified instant, the second specified instant offset in time from the first specified instant, the sampling performed using a separate second sample-and-hold circuit configured to acquire at most one amplitude sample per the ultrasound transmit pulse/receive acquisition cycle, the second amplitude representing an approximation of an amplitude component of the incoming electrical signal in phase quadrature with the first amplitude.