# US 4,392,379 A · Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment

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- Number: US 4,392,379 A
- Document ID: US4392379A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/231,849
- Filed: 1981-02-05
- Granted: 1983-07-12
- Earliest claimed: 1980-02-12
- Assignees: Yokogawa Electric Works, Ltd.
- Inventors: Keiki Yamaguchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4392379A

## CPC

- G10K 11/346: {using phase variation}
- A61B 8/14: Echotomography
- G01S 7/52046: {Techniques for image enhancement involving transmitter or receiver (image enhancement by image data processing G06T5/00)}
- G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES

## Abstract

In an ultrasonic diagnostic equipment which irradiates a subject with ultrasonic waves and receives reflected waves responsive thereto so as to provide a tomogram of the subject on the basis of the received signals, two tap-changing type phased arrays having different focal sections are alternately operated during a period of the reception of the reflected waves, and while one of the phased arrays is being operated, the tap changing of the other phased array for altering the focal section is made. In spite of reduced numbers of high-class switches and phased arrays used, spike noise due to the changes-over of switches during the dynamic focusing are prevented.

## Claims

### Claim 1

In an ultrasonic diagnostic equipment having an ultrasonic transducer which emits ultrasonic pulses to an acoustic field to be examined and receives reflected ultrasonic waves therefrom for obtaining a tomogram of said acoustic field, said ultrasonic diagnostic equipment including:
first and second channels having phased arrays of different adjustable focal sections
means for alternatively operating said first and second channels during the reception of said reflected ultrasonic waves, and
switch means for adjusting the focal sections of the phased array of each of said first and second channels when the other of said first and second channels is in operation receiving said reflected waves from said acoustic field whereby tomograms of high revolution are obtained without being influenced by spike noise due to adjustments in the focal sections of the phased arrays.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

In the ultrasonic diagnostic equipment as claimed in claim 1 in which each of said phased arrays include
a dynamic filter whose filtering characteristics are changed by switch means.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

In the ultrasonic diagnostic equipment as claimed in claim 1 wherein said phased arrays each include a variable delay line and a variable filter.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

In the ultrasonic diagnostic equipment as claimed in claim 3 in which said variable delay line and said variable filter each including an inductor having a plurality of taps, said taps being selectively varied by said switch means.