TWO DIMENSIONAL ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER ARRAYS OPERABLE WITH DIFFERENT ULTRASOUND SYSTEMS

摘要

A matrix array transducer probe has a two dimensional array of transducer elements coupled to adjustable delays for each element. A controllable switch matrix combines a plurality of differently delayed element signals to form a patch signal and produces a plurality of patch signals in this manner. The switch matrix determines the patch configuration in consideration of the number of channels of a system beamformer which completes the beamformation, and the element delays are set in consideration of the configuration of the elements to be used in each patch. Patch signal formation may be done in two stages, including a stage which includes a hard-wired signal combiner. The matrix array probe can be operated with differently sized system beamformers or the same transducer stack used in different probes configured for specific beamformer configurations.

主权项

1. An ultrasonic matrix array probe comprising:
a matrix array of transducer elements; a microbeamformer coupled to the transducer elements of the matrix array, the microbeamformer comprising: a plurality of controllable delays coupled to elements of the matrix array to produce differently delayed transducer signals; and a plurality of controllable switches coupled to combine differently delayed transducer signals to form a plurality of patch signals, wherein the microbeamformer can produce a maximum number of patch signals; a microbeamformer controller coupled to control the controllable delays and controllable switches; a probe connector which connects the matrix array probe to a system beamformer of an ultrasound system, the system beamformer having a given number of beamformer channels; and a probe cable coupled to the microbeamformer and the probe connector which couples the plurality of patch signals to the system beamformer, wherein the microbeamformer controller controls the delays and switches to produce the maximum number of patch signals when the given number of system beamformer channels equals or exceeds the maximum number, and to produce a number of patch signals which is less than the maximum number when the given number of system beamformer channels is less than the maximum number.