| 摘要 |
A method and apparatus are provided for utilizing a digital front end (14, 36, 40, 44, 45) in a phased array system such as an ultrasonic scanning system to simultaneously perform both digital beam formation and scan conversion. Echo signals from each of the N channels of the array aperture are sampled at selected points along returning echo signals. The samples are preferably used to determine a value for each channel for each pixel (64) utilized in the display (48) by, for example, determining (136) a transmit time (T) for such point. The values for each pixel (64) for the N channels are then summed (142) to obtain the value for the pixel. Alternatively, the samples may be taken (74) at uniform intervals along each channel line and the sample values interpolated (78) to obtain values at Y-boundary crossings or sampling (100) may be taken at times determined so that each sample is at a Y-boundary crossing. The Y-boundary crossing sample values are stored (102) and are then summed (82) to obtain coherently enhanced sample values at the crossings. The sample values at the Y-boundary crossings may then be interpolated (96) or otherwise utilized to obtain sample values for display pixels. <IMAGE>
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