Trans-impedance amplifier for ultrasound device and related apparatus and methods
AssigneeButterfly Network, Inc.
InventorsKailiang Chen, Keith G. Fife, Nevada J. Sanchez, Andrew J. Casper, Tyler S. Ralston
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Abstract
A variable current trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) for an ultrasound device is described. The TIA may be coupled to an ultrasonic transducer to amplify an output signal of the ultrasonic transducer representing an ultrasound signal received by the ultrasonic transducer. During acquisition of the ultrasound signal by the ultrasonic transducer, one or more current sources in the TIA may be varied.
Claims20
An ultrasound apparatus, comprising:
- an ultrasound sensor;
- a variable current trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) coupled to the ultrasound sensor and configured to receive and amplify an output signal from the ultrasound sensor, the variable current TIA being a multi-stage operational amplifier having a first stage and a last stage;
- wherein the variable current TIA further comprises a first variable impedance circuit coupled between an output terminal of the variable current TIA and a node representing an input to the last stage;
- and
- wherein the variable current TIA further comprises a second variable impedance circuit coupled between the output terminal of the variable current TIA and a node representing an input to the first stage.
The ultrasound apparatus of clam 1, further comprising a control circuit configured to vary a feedback impedance of the first variable impedance circuit based on a gain setting of the variable current TIA.
A method, comprising:
- acquiring an ultrasound signal with an ultrasound sensor during an acquisition period and outputting, from the ultrasound sensor, an analog electrical signal representing the ultrasound signal;
- amplifying the analog electrical signal with a variable current trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) having a first stage, a last stage, a first variable impedance circuit coupled between an output terminal of the variable current TIA and a node representing an input to the last stage, and a second variable impedance circuit coupled between the output terminal of the variable current TIA and a node representing an input to the first stage, wherein amplifying the analog electrical signal comprises varying a feedback impedance of the first variable impedance circuit during the acquisition period.
An ultrasound apparatus, comprising:
- an ultrasound sensor;
- and
- a variable current trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) coupled to the ultrasound sensor and configured to receive and amplify an output signal from the ultrasound sensor, the variable current TIA being a multi-stage operational amplifier having:
- a first stage;
- a last stage;
- a first variable current source coupled to the first stage;
- and
- a second variable current source coupled to the last stage;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to the first variable current source and the second variable current source and configured to simultaneously increase a first amount of current through the first variable current source and decrease a second amount of current through the second variable current source after a time interval.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.