Ultrasonic imaging device with programmable anatomy and flow imaging
AssigneeExo Imaging, Inc.
InventorsYusuf Haque, Sandeep Akkaraju, Janusz Bryzek, Brian Bircumshaw
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Abstract
An imaging device includes a transducer that includes an array of piezoelectric elements formed on a substrate. Each piezoelectric element includes at least one membrane suspended from the substrate, at least one bottom electrode disposed on the membrane, at least one piezoelectric layer disposed on the bottom electrode, and at least one top electrode disposed on the at least one piezoelectric layer. Adjacent piezoelectric elements are configured to be isolated acoustically from each other. The device is utilized to measure flow or flow along with imaging anatomy.
Claims20
An imaging device comprising:
- a transducer;
- a two-dimensional (2D) array of piezoelectric elements arranged in rows and columns on the transducer, each piezoelectric element having at least two terminals, each piezoelectric element being physically isolated from each adjacent piezoelectric element to reduce cross talk,
- a first column of piezoelectric elements of the array, each piezoelectric element having a first top electrode connected to a respective receive amplifier, each of the piezoelectric elements to be electronically programmed as if connected together to form a first column, and
- a second column of piezoelectric elements of the array, each piezoelectric element having a second top electrode connected to a respective transmit driver, each of the piezoelectric elements to be electronically programmed as if connected together to form a second column,
- wherein the electronically programmed connections of the piezoelectric elements enables connection of an arbitrary number of piezoelectric elements in a column.
An imaging device, comprising:
- a transducer;
- a 2D array of piezoelectric elements arranged in rows and columns on the transducer, each piezoelectric element having at least two terminals,
- at least a first column of the piezoelectric elements, each piezoelectric element having a first top electrode connected to a respective receive amplifier or a transmit driver under programmed control, and
- at least a second column of the piezoelectric elements, each piezoelectric element having a first top electrode connected to a respective receive amplifier or transmit driver under programmed control, the piezoelectric elements to be programmed to transmit and then subsequently receive or programmed to simultaneously transmit and receive,
- wherein connections of the piezoelectric elements in the rows are electronically programmable to enable connection of an arbitrary number of piezoelectric elements in each row.
An imaging device comprising:
- an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC);
- a transducer comprising an array of piezoelectric elements formed on a substrate, each piezoelectric element comprising:
- at least one membrane suspended from the substrate;
- at least one bottom electrode disposed on the membrane;
- at least one piezoelectric layer disposed on the bottom electrode;
- at least one top electrode disposed on the at least one piezoelectric layer, wherein adjacent piezoelectric elements are isolated acoustically from each other;
- and
- a controller connectively coupled to the ASIC, wherein the controller is to implement an imaging mode by:
- selecting a first plurality of piezoelectric elements from the array of piezoelectric elements to transmit signals to form a transmit channel associated with the imaging mode;
- selecting a second plurality of piezoelectric elements from the array of piezoelectric elements to receive signals to form a receive channel associated with the imaging mode;
- and
- forming a frame from a plurality of scan lines obtained with the imaging mode, and wherein the imaging mode remains same or is switched to a different mode after the frame is completed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.