| 摘要 |
A variable delay system in which multistage delay lines are "shared" between different elements (e.g. different transducer elements or segments). A plurality of delay lines are provided, the delay lines having respectively different numbers of stages. The signals from the first and last segments of a segmented transducer are applied to opposing ends of the delay line having the largest number of stages. The signals from the second and next-to-last segments of the transducer are applied to opposing ends of the delay line having the next-to-largest number of stages, and so on. A plurality of coupling circuits are respectively associated with the plurality of delay lines and are operative to sample, as a function of time, the signals at different delay stages of their respective delay lines. The outputs of the coupling circuits are combined to form an image-representative signal.
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