US 4,733,562 AGranted

Method and apparatus for ultrasonic scanning of an object

AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft

InventorUlrich Saugeon

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Abstract

An ultrasonic array having a number of juxtaposed transducer elements is used for imaging. The reception aperture of the array is divided into individual sub-arrays. Each of these sub-arrays receives, after emission of an ultrasonic signal correlated with it into the object, echo signals reflected therefrom. The echo signals received by the respective sub-array and which are reflected from a common focal point are added up to form a sum signal. For this purpose, at least for some of the transducer elements the delivered output signals are time-delayed according to given patterns. This procedure is repeated for various points along each scan line. The sequentially obtained sum signals are superimposed at each point of the scan line to form a received signal. With this line-oriented method, the same processing channels (time-delays) can be used several times, i.e. successively for each sub-array. This leads to cost-effective production.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method for scanning an object by means of ultrasound signals, using for reception an ultrasonic transducer array comprising a number (N) of transducer elements lying side by side which form a reception aperature, said reception aperture being divided into a number (p) of individual sub-arrays, each sub-array having a plurality of transducer elements which, after sequential emission of ultrasonic transmission signals into the object, receive incoming echo signal, and where at least for some of the transducer elements, the output signals delivered therefrom upon reception of the echo signals can be time-delayed, said method comprising the following steps in the named order:

(a) sending a first ultrasonic transmission signal into the object to be examined along a given scanning direction;
(b) composing the incoming echo signals received from said first ultrasonic transmission signal with a first sub-array of the reception aperture in a processing circuit to form a first sum signal, which sub-array is directed to a plurality of focuses along said given scanning direction;
(c) sending a second ultrasonic transmission signal along the same given scanning direction into the object to be examined;
(d) composing the incoming echo signals received from said second ultrasonic transmission signal with a second sub-array of said reception aperture in substantially the same processing circuit as was used in step (a) to form a second sum signal, which second sub-array has different transducer elements from said first sub-array and is likewise directed to said same plurality of focuses along said same given scanning direction;
(e) superpositioning at least said first and said second sum signals on each other to form a received signal, said superpositioning beginning after completing the composition of said first sum signal but not necessarily after the end of the composition of said second sum signal;
and
(f) processing and thereafter displaying said processed received signal as a line which is representative of scanning of said object along said given scanning direction.

4 more elements

Apparatus for scanning an object by means of ultrasound signals, comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer array having a number (N) of transducer elements lying side by side which form a reception aperature, said reception aperture being divided into a number (p) of individual sub-arrays, each sub-array having a plurality of transducer elements which, after emission of an ultrasonic transmission signal into the object, receive incoming echo signals;
means for sending a first ultrasonic transmission signal into the object to be examined along a given scanning direction;
a first composing circuit for composing the incoming echo signals received from said first ultrasonic transmission signal with a first sub-array of the reception aperture in a processing circuit to form a first sum signal, which sub-array is directed to a plurality of focuses along said given scanning direction for forming said first sum signal;
means for sending a second ultrasonic transmission signal along the same given scanning direction into the object to be examined after said first sum signal has been formed;
a second composing circuit for composing the incoming echo signals received from said second ultrasonic transmission signal with a second sub-array of said reception aperture in said same processing circuit to form a second sum signal, which second sub-array has different transducer elements from said first sub-array and is likewise directed to said same plurality of focuses along said same given scanning direction for forming said second sum signal;
means for superposing at least said first and said second sum signals on each other to form a received signal, said superpositioning beginning after completing the composition of said first sum signal but not necessarily after the end of the composition of said second sum signal;
and
means for processing and thereafter displaying on a display said processed received signal as a line which is representative of scanning of said object along said given scanning direction.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/884,590Filed 11 Jul 1986
Priority: DE 352517915 Jul 1985
Granted: 29 Mar 1988
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G01S 15/8927
Using a transducer array: using simultaneously or sequentially two or more subarrays or subapertures
G01S 7/5206
Cathode ray tube displays: two-dimensional coordinated display of distance and direction; B-scan display
G01S 7/52085
Particularly adapted to short-range imaging: details related to the ultrasound signal acquisition, e.g. scan sequences
G01S 15/8918
Using a transducer array: the array being linear