Integrated interface electronics for reconfigurable sensor array

A device comprising

• a multiplicity of sensors built in or on a first substrate;
• a multiplicity of unit electronics cells integrated in a second substrate disposed adjacent to and confronting said first substrate;
• a multiplicity of bus lines supported by said second substrate;
• and
• a multiplicity of electrical connections disposed between said first and second substrates, each of said electrical connections electrically connecting a respective one of said unit electronics cells to a respective one of said sensors,
• wherein each of said unit electronics cells comprises a respective plurality of switches and a respective control circuit for controlling the switch states of said switches, each plurality of switches comprising an access switch that connects the associated sensor with one of said bus lines when said access switch is turned on, and a matrix switch that connects a sensor associated with a neighboring unit electronics cell to said one bus line via said access switch when said access switch and said matrix switch of the unit electronics cell are turned on.

A device comprising:

• a multiplicity of ultrasonic transducer subelements arranged in a first stratum, each subelement comprising a respective plurality of cMUT cells that are electrically interconnected with each other and are not switchably disconnectable from each other;
• a multiplicity of unit CMOS electronics cells arranged along a second stratum that underlies said first stratum;
• a multiplicity of bus lines;
• and
• a multiplicity of electrical connections, each of said electrical connections electrically connecting a respective one of said unit CMOS electronics cells to a respective one of said ultrasonic transducer subelements,
• wherein each of said unit CMOS electronics cells comprises a respective plurality of switches and a respective control circuit for controlling the switch states of said switches, each plurality of switches comprising an access switch that connects the associated ultrasonic transducer subelement with one of said bus lines when said access switch is turned on, and a matrix switch that connects an ultrasonic transducer subelement associated with a neighboring unit CMOS electronics cell to said one bus line via said access switch when said access switch and said matrix switch of the unit CMOS electronics cell are turned on.