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US 5,671,746 AGranted
Elevation steerable ultrasound transducer array
AssigneeAcuson Corporation
InventorsWilliam Robert Dreschel, Bradley R. Nelson, Farley Peechatka, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ultrasonic transducer array for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic energy in multiple two-dimensional imaging planes. The ultrasonic energy in the imaging planes is focused in elevation by the curvature of the transducer array. An imaging plane is selected from a plurality of available imaging planes by electronic switching. Each imaging plane when selected is positioned at a known angle, different from all other imaging planes, due to the known curvature of the transducer array, and the known dimensions of the transducer elements.
Claims16
An ultrasonic transducer array comprising:
- a plurality of transducer elements distributed in both an azimuth and an elevation direction, said transducer elements arranged to form a cylindrically concave shape along the elevation direction for elevation steering;
- a plurality of azimuth electrodes, each azimuth electrode coupled to a respective plurality of the transducer elements extending along the elevational direction;
- and
- a plurality of elevation electrodes, each elevation electrode coupled to a respective plurality of the transducer elements extending along the azimuth direction.
1 more element
An ultrasonic transducer comprising:
- a plurality of transducer elements distributed in both an azimuth and an elevation direction, said transducer elements comprising a relaxor ferroelectric, material;
- a focusing system coupled to the transducer elements and operative to focus ultrasonic energy radiated by the transducer elements in the elevation direction, said focusing system comprising a backing element shaped to hold the transducer elements in a concave shape along the elevation direction;
- and
- a switching circuit coupled to the transducer elements, said switching circuit operative to enable selected sets of the transducer elements extending along the azimuth direction, said switching circuit cooperating with said focusing system to steer ultrasonic energy radiated by the transducer elements in the elevation direction.
1 more element
An ultrasonic transducer/beamformer system comprising:
- a plurality of transducer elements distributed in both an azimuth and an elevation direction;
- a plurality azimuth electrodes, each azimuth electrode coupled to a respective plurality of the transducer elements extending along the elevational direction;
- a plurality of elevation electrodes, each elevation electrode coupled to a respective plurality of the transducer elements extending along the azimuth direction;
- a focusing system coupled to the transducer elements and operative to focus ultrasonic energy radiated by the transducer elements in the elevation direction, said focusing system comprising a backing element shaped to hold the transducer elements in a concave shape along the elevation direction;
- a switching circuit coupled to the elevation electrodes, said switching circuit operative to activate selected adjacent ones of the elevation electrodes to enable sets of the transducer elements coupled to the selected elevation electrodes, and thereby to steer ultrasonic energy radiated by the transducer elements in the elevation direction;
- and
- beamformer supplying beamforming signals to the azimuth electrodes, said beamforming signals effective to operate the transducer elements in both a two dimensional imaging mode and a three dimensional imaging mode without alteration of the beamforming signals.
4 more elements
An ultrasonic transducer comprising:
- a plurality of transducer elements distributed in both an azimuth and an elevation direction;
- means for holding the transducer elements in a cylindrically concave shape along the elevation direction for elevation steering;
- and
- means for enabling selected ones of the transducer elements to steer ultrasonic energy radiated by the selected transducer elements in the elevation direction.
1 more element
An ultrasonic transducer comprising:
- a plurality of transducer elements distributed in both an azimuth and an elevation direction, said transducer elements comprising a relaxor ferroelectric material;
- a plurality azimuth electrodes, each azimuth electrode coupled to a respective plurality of the transducer elements extending along the elevational direction;
- a plurality of elevation electrodes, each elevation electrode coupled to a respective plurality of the transducer elements extending along the azimuth direction;
- means for holding the transducer elements in a concave shape along the elevation direction;
- and
- means for activating selected adjacent ones of the elevation electrodes to enable the transducer elements coupled to the selected elevation electrodes and thereby to steer ultrasonic energy radiated by the transducer elements in the elevation direction.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.