Ultrasound beamformation integrated circuit and method

摘要

A method and system for an ultrasound beamformer with an integrated circuit is provided. Both digital transmit and digital receive beam formation are processed on a single integrated circuit receiver is provided. The transmit beamformer includes transmit logic and a digital to analog converter. The receive beamformer includes receive logic and an analog to digital converter. In one preferred embodiment, the integrated circuit includes a generic gate array with a designed logic metal layer for implementing the transmit and receive logic. The converters allow analog inputs and outputs, reducing the pin count. Reduction in pin count may permit cost reductions as process geometries become smaller. By placing both logic functions on one IC, fewer ICs are required in each system and the volume for that particular IC may increase, reducing the cost.