Extended bandwidth ultrasonic transducer
AssigneeAcuson Corporation
InventorJohn Hossack
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ultrasound transducer that allows transmission of pressure waves at a first frequency and reception of pressure waves at a second frequency. Each transducer element is formed by multiple layers of transducer material. A transceiver provides an excitation signal to the transducer and receives energy from the transducer. All of the layers are coupled to the transceiver during transmission so that all of the layers are activated. Some of the layers are decoupled from the transceiver during reception so that not all of the layers contribute to the received signal.
Claims67
An ultrasound transducer probe for transmitting an ultrasound beam into an area of examination and receiving signals reflected from said area of examination, the ultrasound transducer probe comprising:
- a first layer having a first electrode on one side of said first layer and a second electrode on an opposite side of said first layer wherein said first layer emits an ultrasound beam when a transmit signal is applied to said first and second electrodes and said first layer develops a receive signal across said first and second electrodes upon receipt of an ultrasound beam reflected back from said area of examination;
- a second layer disposed on said first layer, said second layer having a third electrode on one side of said second layer and a fourth electrode on an opposite side of said second layer wherein said second layer emits an ultrasound beam when a transmit signal is applied to said third and fourth electrodes and said second layer develops a receive signal across said third and fourth electrodes upon receipt of an ultrasound beam reflected back from said area of examination;
- and
- means for isolating said receive signal developed across said second layer.
A method for imaging an area of examination by transmitting an ultrasound beam into said area of examination and receiving signals reflected back from said area of examination, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an ultrasound transducer having at least a first layer and a second layer said second layer disposed on said first layer;
- transmitting an ultrasound beam by applying a signal across both said first and second layers;
- and
- receiving signals generated across said first layer while isolating signals generated across said second layer.
A method for imaging an object by projecting an ultrasound beam onto said object to be imaged and analyzing signals reflected from said object, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an ultrasound transducer having a first layer of piezoelectrically active material and a second layer of piezoelectrically active material disposed on said first layer;
- operating said transducer in a transmit mode by activating said first and second layers;
- switching said transducer from said transmit mode to a receive mode wherein signals generated in said second layer are isolated from signals developed in said first layer.
A method for imaging an area of examination by transmitting an ultrasound beam into said area of examination and receiving signals reflected back from said areas of examination, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an ultrasonic transducer having a plurality of transducer segments, each transducer segment formed by at least a first layer of piezoelectric material and a second layer of piezoelectric material disposed on said first layer of piezoelectric material;
- activating both said first and said second layer to transmit ultrasound beam;
- and
- isolating signals developed across said second layer during reception of an ultrasound beam reflected back from said area of examination.
A method for imaging an area of examination, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an ultrasound transducer having a plurality of transducer segments, each transducer segment having at least a first layer of piezoelectric material and a second layer of piezoelectric material disposed on said first layer;
- operating said ultrasound transducer in a transmit mode whereby both said first and said second layer are activated thereby causing an ultrasound beam to be transmitted into said area of examination by said ultrasound transducer;
- switching said ultrasound transducer from said transmit mode to a receive mode whereby an ultrasound beam reflected back from said area of examination develops a signal across said first and said second layers;
- isolating said signal developed across said second layer;
- and
- analyzing said signal developed across said first layer.
An ultrasound system for generating an image of an object located in an area of examination, said system comprising:
- a transducer probe for transmitting an ultrasound signal at a first frequency and receiving an ultrasound signal at a second harmonic frequency;
- transmit circuitry for transmitting signals to a transducer probe;
- and
- receive circuitry for processing the signals received by the transducer probe, wherein said transducer probe includes transducer elements where each transducer element is formed by a first layer of piezoelectric material and a second layer of piezoelectric material disposed on said first layer wherein said transmit circuitry is electrically coupled to both said first and second layers and said receive circuitry is electrically coupled to said first layer but electrically decoupled from said second layer.
A method for imaging an area of examination by transmitting an ultrasound beam into said area of examination and receiving signals reflected back from said area of examination, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an ultrasound transducer having a multiple number of layers disposed one on top of the other;
- transmitting an ultrasound beam by applying a signal across each one of the multiple number of layers;
- and
- receiving signals generated across at least one layer less than the multiple number of layers used to transmit the ultrasound beam.
A method for imaging an object by projecting an ultrasound beam into said object to be imaged and analyzing signals reflected from said object, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an ultrasound transducer having a multiple number of layers of piezoelectrically active material;
- operating said transducer in a transmit mode by activating all of said multiple number of layers;
- switching said transducer from said transmit mode to a receive mode wherein signals generated in at least one layer of the multiple number of layers is isolated.
An ultrasound system for generating an image of an object located in an area of examination, said system comprising:
- a transducer probe for transmitting an ultrasound signal at a first frequency and receiving an ultrasound signal at a second harmonic frequency;
- transmit circuitry for transmitting signals to a transducer probe;
- and
- receive circuitry for processing the signals received by the transducer probe, wherein said transducer probe includes transducer elements where each transducer element is formed by a multiple number of layers of piezoelectric material disposed on each other wherein said transmit circuitry is electrically coupled to the multiple number of layers and said receive circuitry is electrically coupled to at least one layer less than the multiple number of layers.
A method for imaging an area of examination by transmitting an ultrasound beam into said area of examination and receiving signals reflected back from said area of examination using an ultrasound transducer having a multiple number of layers disposed one on top of the other;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- applying a signal across each one of the multiple number of layers in a transmit mode;
- isolating signals generated across at least one layer of the multiple number of layers in a receive mode.
A method for imaging an area of examination by transmitting an ultrasound beam into said area of examination and receiving signals reflected back from said area of examination, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an ultrasound transducer having a multiple number of layers disposed one on top of the other;
- transmitting an ultrasound beam by applying a signal across each one of the multiple number of layers;
- receiving signals generated across the multiple number of layers used to transmit the ultrasound beam;
- and
- isolating signals generated across at least one layer of the multiple number of layers.
An ultrasound system for generating an image of an object located in an area of examination, said system comprising:
- a transducer probe for transmitting an ultrasound signal at a first frequency and receiving an ultrasound signal at a second harmonic frequency;
- transmit circuitry for transmitting signals to a transducer probe;
- and
- receive circuitry for processing the signals received by the transducer probe, wherein said transducer probe includes transducer elements where each transducer element is formed by a multiple number of layers of piezoelectric material disposed on each other wherein said transmit circuitry is electrically coupled to the multiple number of layers and said receive circuitry is electrically isolated from at least one layer of the multiple number of layers.
An ultrasound transducer comprising:
- a first transducer layer physically and electrically coupled to a transceiver when the transceiver is in a transmit mode and a receive mode;
- and
- a second transducer layer disposed on the first layer, said second layer being physically coupled to the transceiver when the transceiver is in the transmit and receive mode but electrically decoupled from the transceiver when the transceiver is in the receive mode.
An ultrasound transducer comprising:
- a first transducer layer physically coupled to a transceiver;
- a second transducer layer physically coupled to the transceiver;
- and
- means for electrically coupling the first and second layers to the transceiver during transmit mode and electrically decoupling the first and second layer from the transceiver during receive mode.
An ultrasound transducer comprising:
- a first transducer layer having a first electrode and a second electrode wherein the first and second electrodes are located on opposite surfaces of the first layer wherein the first electrode is disposed on a backing block;
- a second transducer layer having a third electrode and a fourth electrode wherein the third and fourth electrodes are located on opposite surfaces of the second layer wherein the second layer is disposed on the first layer so that the second and third electrodes are in contact with one another and coupled to ground;
- a transceiver physically coupled to the first and fourth electrodes;
- and
- means for electrically coupling the first and fourth electrodes to the transceiver during transmit mode and electrically decoupling the first electrode from the transceiver during receive mode.
An ultrasound transducer comprising:
- a transducer probe having a transducer element comprising a first layer and a second layer disposed on the first layer;
- a common electrical conductor coupled to the first and second layers of the transducer element wherein said common electrical conductor will be coupled to a transmit and receive beamformer when the transducer is coupled to an ultrasound system;
- and
- means for isolating electrical signals developed across said second layer when the transducer is in use.
An ultrasound transducer comprising:
- a transducer probe having a transducer element comprising a first layer and a second layer disposed on the first layer;
- a common electrical conductor coupled to the first and second layers of the transducer element;
- and
- a switch coupled between said common electrical conductor and the second layer wherein the switch couples electrical signals to the second electrode during a transmit mode of operation of an ultrasound system and isolates electrical signals developed across the second electrode during a receive mode of operation when the transducer probe is coupled to an ultrasound system.
An ultrasound transducer probe for transmitting an ultrasound beam into an area of examination and receiving signals reflected from said area of examination when the probe is coupled to an ultrasound system, the probe comprising:
- a first layer of transducer material having a first electrode on one side of said first layer and a second electrode on an opposite side of said first layer;
- a second layer of transducer material disposed on said first layer, said second layer having a third electrode on one side of said second layer and a fourth electrode on an opposite side of said second layer;
- a common electrical conductor to the first, second, third and fourth electrodes for transmitting electrical signals to said first and second layers and receiving electrical signals from said first and second layers;
- and
- means for isolating electrical signals received from said second layer.
An ultrasound transducer comprising:
- a transducer probe having a transducer element comprising a first layer and a second layer;
- and
- a common electrical conductor coupled to the transducer probe when the transducer probe is in use wherein the common electrical conductor is electrically coupled to both the first and the second layers when the transducer probe is operated in a transmit mode and the common electrical conductor is electrically decoupled from the second layer when the transducer probe is operated in a receive mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.