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US 8,133,182 B2Granted
Multi-dimensional transducer array and beamforming for ultrasound imaging
AssigneeSiemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
InventorPaul Wagner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The electrodes for a CMUT are split to provide separate transmit and receive bias and alternating current electrodes. The transmit electrodes of different elements are interconnected, such as rows sharing bias and columns sharing transmit alternating signals. The bias is used to select an aperture in elevation, and only a sufficient number of transmit beamformer channels to use the selected aperture are needed. On receive, the full multi-dimensional array may be used with integrated beamformer electronics.
Claims8
An ultrasound transducer for medical imaging, the ultrasound transducer comprising:
- a multi-dimensional array of elements, each of the elements comprising at least one capacitive membrane ultrasound transducer cell having a membrane over a cavity and having at least first and second electrically isolated electrodes on a same side of the cavity, third and fourth electrically isolated electrodes on another same side of the cavity opposite the first and second electrically isolated electrodes;
- a first electrical interconnection connecting the first electrodes along a first direction of the multi-dimensional array such that different elements spaced along the first direction are electrically connected together;
- and
- a second electrical interconnection connecting the second electrodes along a second direction, different than the first direction, of the multi-dimensional array such that different elements spaced along the second direction are electrically connected together.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.