Ultrasonic imaging device, method for adjusting inter-transmission weight,and ultrasonic imaging method

An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising,

• a probe provided with an array of plural ultrasound elements along a predetermined direction,
• a transmit beamformer configured to transmit ultrasonic waves to a test subject from at least apart of the ultrasound elements, giving a delay time to the ultrasonic waves transmitted respectively from the ultrasound elements, so as to focus the ultrasound waves on a predetermined depth,
• a receive beamformer comprising,
• a delay adder configured to delay received signals outputted from the plural ultrasound elements that receive ultrasound waves from the test subject, adding thus delayed signals, thereby obtaining a phasing signal as to each of plural receive phasing points within a predetermined phasing range, and
• an inter-transmission synthesizer configured to apply an inter-transmission weight to each of a plurality of the phasing signals obtained through transmissions and receptions, as to each of the receive phasing points, and then to combine the phasing signals so as to perform inter-transmission synthesis,
• an inter-transmission weight adjuster configured to adjust the inter-transmission weight in accordance with the phasing range, and
• an image processor configured to generate an ultrasound image from the phasing signals, after the inter-transmission synthesis is performed as to the plural receive phasing points.