US 4,287,768 A · Beam deflection method and apparatus for sector scan ultrasound imaging systems

Abstract

Beam deflection delay time data of (L.times.M) data bits are stored in a read-only memory from which each datum is retrieved successively when the ultrasound beam is deflected to a given angle and repeatedly accumulated in a digital adder through a latching circuit connected between the output and input of the adder, where L is the number of discrete steps of deflection angle and M is a binary number representing the total delay time of piezoelectric transducers. The successively latched data is distributed to respective programmable counters for presetting the count values thereof to store therein respective delay time data. High frequency count pulses are supplied to the counters after the latter has been preset for delivery of carry outputs to the associated piezoelectric transducers. Beam convergence delay time data is also stored in a second memory from which each datum is retrieved for each transducer element and accumulated so that a tapered configuration of binary differential numbers is created and added to the beam deflection delay time data for converging the ultrasound beam.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method for successively deflecting an ultrasound beam at different angles to provide a sector scan by successively activating piezoelectric transducer elements, comprising the steps of:

storing a set of delay time data in a memory, each said stored datum being provided for each said deflection angle of said ultrasound beam and representing a binary number corresponding to the delay time between successively activated transducer elements;
retrieving each said delay time data from said memory corresponding to each of said deflection angles;
repeatedly accumulating said retrieved data (N-1) times, where N is the number of said transducer elements, to generate an output data is succession for each said deflection angle;
and
successively activating said transducer elements in response to said successively generated output data.

2 more elements

Apparatus for successively deflecting an ultrasound beam emanating from an array of piezoelectric transducer elements at different angles in discrete steps by successively activating said transducer elements at delayed timing, comprising:

means for generating low frequency timing pulses timed to correspond to each said deflecting angle of said beam and high frequency timing pulses corresponding in number to said transducer elements to be activated in response to said beam being deflected at each said angle;
a memory in which is stored a plurality of delay time data, each datum representing a binary number corresponding to the delay time between said successively activated transducer elements for each said deflection angle;
means for retrieving each said datum from said memory in response to said low frequency timing pulse;
means for repeatedly accumulating said retrieved data in response to said high frequency timing pulse;
a plurality of counters corresponding to said transducer elements, the count values of said counters being presettable in accordance with an output data from said accumulating means;
means for successively enabling said counters to permit same to be preset to said output data in response to said high frequency timing pulses;
and
means for supplying count pulses to said counters for successively activating said transducer elements in response to each said preset count values being reached.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Beam deflection method and apparatus for sector scan ultrasound imaging systems

Life of this patent

Beam deflection method and apparatus for sector scan ultrasound imaging systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17