JP2011087948A - Portable ultrasound imaging system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lightweight ultrasound imaging system including a hand-held scan head connected to a portable processing circuit. <P>SOLUTION: The portable ultrasound imaging system 10 includes a scan head 12 coupled by a cable 16 to a portable battery-powered data processor 14 and a display unit. The outer frame 12 of the scan head houses an array of ultrasonic transducers and a circuit associated therewith, and the circuit includes a pulse synchronizing circuit used in a transmission mode for transmitting ultrasonic pulses and a beam forming circuit used in a receiving mode for dynamically focusing reflected ultrasonic signals returning from the region of interest being imaged. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

Cross-reference of related applications

  This is a continuation-in-part of US application 08/599816 dated February 12, 1996, which is a continuation-in-part of US application 08/49804 dated June 29, 1995. This is incorporated herein by reference.

  A typical ultrasound imaging system typically includes a large rack-mounted console-type processing and hand-held scan head that is cabled to a display device. The scan head typically comprises an array of ultrasonic transducers that transmit ultrasonic energy into the area to be imaged and receive reflected ultrasonic energy back from this area. The transducer converts the received ultrasonic energy into a low potential electrical signal that is sent through the cable to the processor. The processor applies a suitable beamforming technique that dynamically focuses to combine the signals from the transducer to produce an image of the area of interest.

  A typical conventional ultrasound system has an array of transducers consisting of 128 ultrasound transducers. Each transducer is combined with its own processing circuitry located in a console type processing unit. The processing circuit typically includes a driver circuit, which in the transmit mode sends the excitation pulses with precise timing to cause the transducer to begin transmitting an ultrasonic signal. The sent timing pulse is sent from the console processing device to the scan head via a cable. In receive mode, a beamforming circuit consisting of a processing circuit delays the low potential electrical signal from the transducer appropriately and sequentially dynamically focuses the signal to a signal that can produce an accurate image. .

  A schematic block diagram of an imaging array 18 of N piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers 18 (1) -18 (N) as used in an ultrasound imaging system is shown in FIG. An array of piezoelectric transducer elements 18 (1) -18 (N) creates acoustic pulses that propagate within an image target (typically a range of human tissue) or travel through a medium with a narrow beam. The pulse propagates as a constant velocity spherical wave. An acoustic reverberation in the form of an image point P or a signal returning from the reflector is detected by the same transducer element array 18 or by another receiving array, indicating the position of the reflecting structure P. Can be displayed in a manner.

  The echo from point P in the transmission medium reaches each transducer element 18 (1) -18 (N) of the receiving array after various propagation times. The propagation time for each transducer element is different, which depends on the distance between each transducer element and point P. This is true for typical ultrasound transmission media, ie soft body tissue, where the speed of sound is constant (or relatively constant). Thereafter, the received information is displayed in such a way as to indicate the position of the structure that is reflecting.

In a two-dimensional B-mode scan, the pulse is transmitted along a number of lines of sight as shown in FIG. 1A. If the echo is extracted and its amplitude is encoded as luminance, a grayscale image can be displayed on the CRT. Typically, the image scans the lines forming a 90 ° sector image at 0.75 ° angular intervals. Since the speed of sound in water is 1.54 × 10 ⁵ cm / sec, the round trip time for a depth of 16 cm will be 208 μs. Therefore, the total time required for the data to follow 128 lines of sight is 26.6 ms. If another signal processing device in the system is fast enough to maintain this data acquisition rate, a two-dimensional image can be produced at a rate comparable to standard television video. For example, if an ultrasound imaging device is used to observe reflected or backscattered sound through the chest wall between a pair of ribs, the heartbeat can be imaged in real time. .

  An ultrasonic transducer is typically a linear array of piezoelectric transducers 18 (1) -18 (N) (usually at ½ wavelength intervals), its elevation pattern is constant, its orientation The pattern is mainly controlled by delayed steering. A normal array of radial (azimuth) beam patterns, each of which transforms primarily delayed and transmitted pulses in such a way that the energy from all transducers collected at image point P produces the desired beam shape. Controlled by adding to the element 18 (1) -18 (N). Therefore, in order to create the desired transmitted radiation pattern along the intended direction, it is necessary to combine a time delay circuit with each transducer 18 (1) -18 (N).

As can be seen in FIG. 1B, for a given azimuth, two different transmission patterns are possible: a “single focus” pattern and a “zone focus” pattern. The single focus method uses a single pulse focused on the central area of the image line along a particular line of sight. In single pulse mode, the azimuth depth of focus can be changed electronically but remains constant for any planned direction. In zone focus operation, multiple pulses, each focused at a different depth (zone), are transmitted along each line of sight or direction. For multi-pulse operation, the transmitter array is focused on M focal zones along each scan direction, ie, a series of M pulses, P ₀ , P ₁ ,. , P _M-1 and each pulse is focused on its corresponding area R ₀ , R ₁ ,..., R _M−1 . Pulse is made by repeating the sequence, thus after the rise, for each M-th pulse, or start looking down in a new direction, or either corresponds to the first pulse P ₀ to repeat the chain overlooking the current direction It is. For zone focus mode, it is necessary to combine each transducer element with a programmable delay circuit to create a beam pattern that focuses on different focus zones.

  As previously described, the same array 18 of transducer elements 18 (1) -18 (N) can be used for receiving the return signal. The energy waveform of the reflected or reverberating beam that started at the image point reaches each transducer element after a certain time delay, which is the distance from the image point to the transducer element and the assumption of the waveform of the signal in the medium. Equal to the value divided by a constant speed. Similar to the transmission mode, this time delay is different for each transducer element. For each transducer element receiving, this difference in path length must be compensated by converging the reflected energy from a particular image point for a given depth to each receiver. The delay in each receiving element is a function of the distance measured from the element to the array center and the viewing angle direction measured perpendicular to the array. It should be noted that in ultrasound, the acoustic pulses produced by each transducer are not broadband signals and should be expressed in terms of both magnitude and phase.

  The operation of beam formation and convergence involves creating the sum of the scattered waveforms as observed in all transducers, but in this sum, the waveforms appear in sum phase, amplitude, so different delays. It must be. Therefore, there is a need for a beam forming circuit that gives different delays to each channel and that can vary with time. As the echo returns from the deep tissue along a given direction, the receiving array changes its focus continuously with depth. This process is known as dynamic focusing.

2A-2C show a schematic block diagram of three other conventional imaging or beam focusing techniques. A non-programmable physical lens system 50 using an acoustic lens 51 is shown in FIG. 2A. On the other hand, dynamic focusing systems that use combined signal processing electronics to perform time-delay and phase-delay focusing functions in real time are shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, respectively. FIG. 2B shows a time delay system 52 that uses a time delay element 53, and FIG. 2C shows a phase delay system 54 that uses a phase delay element 55.

  In the lensless system of FIGS. 2B and 2C, each is combined with a receiving transducer and processed to provide a time delay to form an image and focus the incident energy from a field point. The signal processing elements 53 and 55 defining the channel are necessary. For this reason, there is a need for a beam forming circuit that gives different delays to each processing channel and that can change this delay with time. Along the planned direction, the echo returns from a distance away from the array of transducer elements, so that the receiving array continuously changes its depth to perform dynamic focusing.

  After the received beam is formed, it is digitized in the usual way. The digital representation of each received pulse is a time sequence corresponding to a scattered section of ultrasonic energy returning from the field point as a function of the range in the orientation formed by the beam. Successive pulses point in different directions and cover the field of view from -45 ° to + 45 °. In some systems, the average time of data from successive observations of the same point (called continuous weighting) is used to improve image quality.

  For example, an ultrasound imaging system operating in the 2-5 MHz frequency range requires an electronic circuit that can provide sub-millisecond temporal resolution up to 10-20 μs to compensate for the desired exact path. . As shown in FIG. 2B, the delay line is inherently compatible with the time delay function required for dynamic focusing in a lensless ultrasound system.

More specifically, in an exemplary ultrasound imaging system having an array of 128 transducer elements at an operating frequency of 5 MHz and a half-wave center, a linear delay facility is used to set the appropriate delay. Either a 480-stage delay line with a programmable clock period with a resolution of 25 ns, or a 480-stage tapped delay line clocked at 40 MHz in conjunction with a programmable 480-to-1 time selection switch Is required for each processing channel / converter block. There are two problems combined with these conventional techniques. First, no simple variable speed clock generator has been developed to date. Second, for an N-stage tapped delay line, the area combined with the selected circuit is proportional to N ² , so such a circuit would require a large chip area to implement an integrated tap configuration. I need.

  Because of the difficulties and complexity associated with creating control circuits in the usual way, only a few time delay structures are integrated on a single microchip, thus performing a multi-element dynamic beamforming function. To do so, a large number of chips will be required. For these reasons, no prior art ultrasound imaging system uses straightforward time delay equipment. Instead, a plane wave mixing approximation is used. In this approximation method, the total delay occurrence is separated into two parts. Analog plane wave mixing techniques are used to approximate the required fine delay time, and coarsely spaced delay lines are used to achieve the coarse delay time.

According to the plane wave approximation, the fine delay is received by each received processing channel by superimposing the received wave of each transducer element and the different phase of the local oscillator, ie creating an analog phase that has moved in each processed channel. This can be achieved by changing the phase of the AC wave. In particular, the formula
_{Ω n (t) = ω (} T n '(t) -T n' (t)) when Ω _n is chosen _{satisfied, cos (ω 0 + Ω n} (t)) the appropriate phase angle of the form T _n (t) is an ideal compensation delay and T _n ′ (t) is a coarse quantified approximation of Tn. When the mixer output is delayed by T _n ′, one phase of its intermediate frequency (IF) sideband provides a phase coherence in all processing channels.

  In a typical implementation of the above technique, tap selection is used that connects any received down-converting mixer output to any tap on delay lines connected in series with coarse spacing. Tap selection is essentially a multi-position switch that connects its input to one of a number of output lines. One output line is provided for each tap of the delay line. Thus, each mixer output can be connected to a coarsely spaced tap on the delay line, and all tap outputs are coherently summed. However, for the exemplary 5 MHz operation, if a single mixer arrangement as described above is used, a delay line with a delay resolution of less than 1 ms is required.

  In summary, the conventional techniques described herein heterodyne the oscillator output and the received signal by selecting the local oscillator frequency to output an intermediate frequency. This converted signal is then added to another mixer. By selecting the appropriate phase angle of the second oscillator, the phase of the intermediate frequency wave produced by the second heterodyne is controlled. The output of the second mixer is then connected to one or several of the coarsely spaced taps of the delay line during a focus scan along each direction by tap selection.

  The approximation technique described above provides a somewhat defocused image, and is used because the image is an economically feasible method through the use of readily available techniques such as analog mixers and RC networks. Is done. Unfortunately, the mixer approximation method results in image misregistration errors and signal loss compared to the ideally focused (full delay) case.

  Current ultrasound systems require many complex signal processing circuits to function. For example, dynamic beamforming requires hundreds of delay and summing circuits. In addition, a pulsed or continuous Doppler processor is required to provide two-dimensional depth and Doppler information in color flow images. Each of these applications requires more than 10,000 MOPS (1 million operations per second). Even the latest CMOS chips can only have a few hundred MOPS per chip, and each chip requires several watts of power. Thus, an ultrasonic machine with a normal execution device requires hundreds of chips and consumes hundreds of watts of power. As a result, normal systems are installed in standard large rack-mounted cabinets.

  Another disadvantage of conventional ultrasound systems is that the cables connecting the scan head to the processing and display unit are required to be very high performance and are therefore expensive. Since all beamforming circuitry is placed in the console, all of the low level electrical signals from the ultrasound transducer must be coupled from the scan head to the processing circuitry. Since the signal is such a low level, it is very sensitive to noise, interference and loss. In a typical transducer array of 128 transducers, the cable between the scan head and the processing and display console requires 128 low noise, low crosstalk, and low loss coaxial cables. To do. Such cables are expensive materials and expensive to assemble, and are therefore very expensive.

  The present invention is directed to a portable ultrasound imaging system and method. The imaging system of the present invention includes a hand-held scan head connected to a portable processing circuit by a cable. The scan head includes a housing, which houses an array of ultrasonic transducers that transmit ultrasonic signals to the target area to be imaged, receives reflected ultrasonic signals from the target area, and further receives the received ultrasonic signals. Convert to electrical signal. The scan head housing also includes a beam forming circuit used in the imaging system of the present invention, which converts the electrical signal from the ultrasonic transducer into an electrical representation of the region of interest. The electrical representation of the target area is sent over the system cable over the interface to the processing and display circuitry, which uses the electrical representation to create an image of the target area.

  In one embodiment, the portable processing circuit is implemented in the form of a laptop computer, which is a flip-top such as an integrated keyboard, a PCMCIA standard modem card for image data conversion, and an active matrix LCD. Flat panel display device. The laptop computer, and thus the entire system, is powered by a small and lightweight battery. The entire system including the scan head, cable and computer is very lightweight and portable. The total weight of the system preferably does not exceed 10 pounds. A Faraday shield can be provided inside the scan head to shield the electronic circuitry of the scan head from interference from external high frequency sources.

  In one embodiment, the system also includes an interface unit between the scan head and the laptop computer. The system cable is connected to the interface unit instead of being directly connected to the computer. Another cable connects the interface to the computer. The interface unit performs control and signal / data processing functions not performed by the computer. This reduces the overall processing load on the computer.

  In another embodiment, a high quality image is displayed on a cathode ray tube (CRT) display. In this embodiment, the signal from the scan head is sent over a cable to a processor such as a personal computer or laptop computer. These computers are interfaced to a CRT display. The signal from the scan head is received by the processor, which processes the signal, produces an appropriate display signal, and sends it to the CRT.

  Many of the signal processing circuits combined with the ultrasonic transducer are integrated on a small CMOS chip so that the functions of the ultrasonic imaging system of the present invention can be introduced into the scan head. For example, the beam forming circuit used to introduce individual delays in the received ultrasound signal can be introduced with one chip per array of 64 elements. Therefore, two chips are used for a 128 element system. The pulse synchronization circuit used to create the transducer drive pulse can be implemented on a single chip. Further, a high voltage driver circuit used to drive the converter in the transmit mode and a preamplifier and gain control circuit used to put the electrical signal from the converter in the proper state in the receive mode, It can be integrated on a single chip. Also, a multiplier circuit for selecting a signal from the converter and other similar control circuits can be formed on one chip.

  In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the signal processing circuitry in the scan head is implemented with low power, high speed CMOS technology. Integrated circuits can be operated at lower voltages than normal circuits. As a result, the power consumption in the integrated circuit, and thus the thermal effects caused thereby, is much less than that of the normal circuit. In one embodiment, the total power consumption of the scan head is 2 watts or less. Thereby, the temperature of the scan head can be maintained at 41 ° C. or lower. Because of such low power consumption and temperature, circuits can be provided in the relatively small volume of the scan head housing without any degradation of performance due to thermal effects. Patients undergoing the examination are also not affected by harmful heat. Furthermore, since the system requires relatively little power, it can be powered by a battery located in the data processing and display unit.

  As mentioned above, in an ultrasound system, individual signals are typically introduced into each individually transmitted ultrasound pulse and each signal from each transducer is indicative of the received reflected ultrasound energy. Introduced in. These individual delays are used to ensure that the image of the target area is properly focused.

  The type or pattern of delay introduced into each transducer element is affected by the shape of the array and the scan pattern of the desired area. For example, in a tuned array, different individual beam redirection delays are introduced into each pulse and / or each return signal for each scan line in order to produce a properly focused image of the curved area. Is done.

  Linear or curved linear arrays are typically flat or bent. This array is used to perform linear scanning where a uniform pattern of delay is introduced into all transducers. The delay is the same for each scan line. The curved array has a different delay pattern for each scan line. The present invention can also scan a trapezoidal area.

  In one embodiment, a linear array is used in the sub-aperture method. For example, in this embodiment, the transducer array can include 192 adjacent transducers arranged in a line. During sub-aperture scanning, only a small portion of the transducer, for example 64, is used for signal generation and reception. The transducers at both ends of the linear array are used to perform a tuned array scanning method, creating a curved image area at both ends of the entire trapezoidal scanning area. Since a tuned array method is used at the end of the array, a different delay pattern is necessarily introduced for each individual scan line. Linear scanning is used between the tuned array portions. Thus, in this linear scanning portion of the process, a set of delays is used for all scan lines. Thus, the trapezoidal scanning embodiment of the present invention includes a combination of tuned array scanning at both ends of the region and linear scanning at the center of the region.

  In a typical ultrasound imaging system, an electronic circuit capable of providing a delay of up to 10-20 μs with sub-microsecond resolution is required to provide accurate signal path compensation. In one preferred embodiment, this wide range of delay with small resolution is provided by a two-stage programmable tapped delay line using CCD technology. The first stage introduces a fine delay and the second stage introduces a coarse delay. The delay is controlled by the tapping clock frequency, and the fine delay is controlled by a higher clock frequency than the coarse delay. In one embodiment, the fine delay clock frequency is set to 8 times the ultrasonic signal frequency and the coarse delay clock frequency is set to 1/10 of the fine delay clock frequency. The clock frequency can be controlled separately to facilitate changing the ultrasound signal frequency to change the imaging depth.

  Such an apparatus is described in co-pending application Alice M. Chen, U.S. Application No. 08 / 497,915, "Integrated Beamforming and Focusing Circuit for Use in Ultrasound Systems", June 29, 1995, and This is described in co-pending application Alice M. Chen, US application Ser. No. 08 / 486,463, entitled “Integrated Delay Processing Circuit” dated the same date. All of these patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.

  In one embodiment, the frequency of the ultrasound signal is variable to allow imaging at varying depths. This can be achieved by adjusting the transducer signal drive frequency internally or externally. Alternatively, for a wider variation in frequency, the system of the present invention accommodates different scan heads having arrays operating at different frequencies. Again, the scan head of the present invention can easily change the array based on the desired operating frequency.

  In another embodiment of the invention, the delay processing circuit utilizes a single CCD delay line with a programmable input sampling selection circuit. A programmable input sampling selection circuit allows a non-uniformly sampled imaging signal to be loaded onto a programmable delay line to provide the required variable delay.

  In this embodiment, each delay processing circuit comprises a programmable input sampling circuit and a program delay unit. A programmable sampling circuit converts a continuous time type input waveform into a discrete time type analog sample input according to a selection pattern specified by the user. The latter can be uniformly spaced or non-uniformly spaced and loaded into a programmable delay unit. A control circuit is provided to provide a programmable delay for each selected sampled data. An adder circuit is incorporated that adds the sampled and delayed data from each of the delay units to produce a focused image.

  In one embodiment, the control circuit used to control the delay of each sample comprises a storage circuit which can be a counter and shift register or memory circuit. The shift register can be formed using CCD technology or other logic circuit technology. Prior to each scan line being made, the storage circuit is loaded with a series of data values that define the delay used for each image point along the scan line. Under the control of the sampling circuit, the counter outputs are compared with the values stored in the shift register one at a time. A suitable value is obtained in the sample obtained from the signal. Therefore, the sample delay can be controlled by storing an appropriate value in the storage circuit (shift register).

  In one embodiment, the shift register addresses the appropriate stage of the programmable delay line depending on the delay scheduled for the sample. Preferably, this delay tap value is stored as a chain of data bits with corresponding values used to provide the sampling delay as described above. In one embodiment, two values are combined for one data word. This data word has 9 data bits, 3 as sample delay portions in the delay line and 6 as delay tap portions. Therefore, the shift register is a 512-stage 9-bit shift register. Alternatively, 4 bits can be used for sample delay selection and 7 bits for delay tap selection, and a 512-stage 11-bit shift register is eventually used.

  In another embodiment, 9-bit data words are compressed so that data can be stored more effectively. In this embodiment, instead of storing each individual delay, the difference in delay between adjacent focal points is stored. Each first difference requires fewer bits than storing the actual absolute delay value. In another embodiment, a second difference, i.e., a difference between adjacent first differences, is stored at each register location. This requires only a few bits. To handle each delay, the processor of the present invention reads each difference and integrates it to produce the actual delay value. This is used to control both sampling and tapping of the delay line. In the first difference embodiment, a simple addition stage is used to integrate. In the case of storing the second difference, a two-stage adder is used.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a process called sub-aperture scanning is introduced. Under this process, processing circuits are assigned to the converter so that the total number of processing circuits is less than the number of converter elements. For example, an array may include 128 transducer elements, but only 64 processing circuits. In this embodiment, a multiplication process is performed, whereby only a part of the 128 converters are used, i.e. "sub-apertures" are used at once. A multiplier circuit is used to direct the signal from the operational transducer to the processing circuit. In one embodiment, 64 converters are used at once, and these use 64 channels of processing circuitry. After image data is obtained for the first group of 64 transducers, the next group of transducers is activated to collect more data. Typically, a sliding scanning process is used in which successive groups of 64 elements slide over one element, resulting in overlapping sub-aperture scanning regions. During sub-aperture scanning, spatial windowing is used to reduce the energy in the image through the sub-lobes rather than the image clutter, ie, the main lobe of the array response. Either a dynamically varying spatial window or a truncated non-changing spatial window can be used. However, truncation windows have been found to be easier to install.

  In this embodiment, to set the delay for each group of actuating elements, in linear scanning mode, the same set of delays for the set of elements is downloaded to memory. As the sub-aperture moves to the following group, digital words representing individual delays are effectively routed through the memory to control the memory and control circuitry of each processing channel. That is, for the first group of elements, the delay set numbered 1-64 is loaded into the processing channel 1-64. For the next set, delay set 1-64 is loaded into processing channels 2-64,1. For the next set, delay set 1-64 is loaded into processing channels 3-64, 1-2. The same applies hereinafter. This cyclic multiplication of delay data greatly reduces the amount of memory required to store all delays, thus enhancing the effectiveness of the present invention. The amount of hardware needed is also reduced.

  In another preferred embodiment, an adaptive beamforming circuit is used instead of a dual stage delay line to provide the required delay at the required resolution. In adaptive beamforming circuit technology, a feedback circuit senses the summed received signal from the tapped delay line and creates a modified signal. The correction signal controls the weights of the individual multipliers in the beam forming circuit, adjusts the summed signal, and eliminates clutter and interference effects from the image.

  As described above, after the beam forming circuit converges and adds the signals from the ultrasonic transducer, the summed signal is sent over the system cable to the data processing and display subsystem of the imaging system. The data processing system includes, among other things, scan conversion circuitry for converting the polar coordinates of the received ultrasound signal to demodulation, log comparison, and rectangular coordinates suitable for further processing such as display. The scan conversion process of the present invention provides a higher quality image and the required circuitry is simpler than conventional systems.

  In normal system scan conversion, the value of each point on the (x, y) coordinate system is calculated from the four nearest values on the polar (r, θ) array by a simple linear interpolation method. This is achieved through the use of a finite state machine that produces (x, y) transverse patterns, a two-way shift register that holds (r, θ) sample data, and multiple digital logic circuits and memory units. Is done. The last one is that (x, y) data points are received asynchronously, so the processing is controlled for each (X, Y) point and the exact sample of (r, θ) data is accurate for interpolation. To ensure that you arrive.

  In the present invention, the hardware complexity and cost is to ensure that (x, y) lattice traversal paths are made in a natural order, ie, using the order in which (r, θ) samples were acquired. Reduced by the use of a number theoretic scheme. This method provides greater flexibility and better fidelity to actual medical data because it allows for array traversals that are considered to be such that actual medical data is not forced into an unnatural image reconstruction scheme. This method of the present invention provides great flexibility and allows multiple effective paths through the (x, y) array. As a result, there is a great advantage of being able to take different ultrasonic scan frequencies and thus imaging paths.

  After the image data is scan converted, it is post-processed according to its final intended representation format. For example, the data can be digitized or formatted to provide a display. Alternatively, the (x, y) data value can be provided to a video compression subsystem that compresses the data so that it can be sent to a remote location by a modem or other known communication means.

  The ultrasound imaging system of the present invention also allows imaging of moving objects by including a pulsed Doppler processing subsystem. Data from the beam forming circuit is sent to a pulsed Doppler processor to produce data that is used to image a moving target. For example, a pulsed Doppler processor can be used to create a color hood map of blood flowing through tissue.

  In another preferred embodiment, the data processing and display device can be a single small battery operated unit. It can be hand-held or mounted in the user or user pocket. This makes the ultrasound system of the present invention completely portable in connection with the handheld scan head of the present invention.

  The ultrasound imaging system of the present invention has several advantages over conventional conventional systems. Many of the signal processing circuits can be integrated on a small chip, and signal processing can be performed by a scan head. Since the converter can be placed in the vicinity of the processing circuit, signal loss is significantly reduced. This provides a significant improvement in system performance for high resolution high image quality. Also, since signal addition is performed within the scan head, only one or very few cable conductors are required to send the image signal to the data processing circuit. The required cables are much less complex and expensive than those used in normal systems.

  The portability of the imaging system of the present invention is also a very important support. As mentioned above, the system is designed for general data such as laptop computers or handheld computers with small handheld scan heads, small cables and integrated liquid crystal or other flat panel display devices and keyboards. A processing and display unit is provided. This can also be battery powered, so it is easy to make quick diagnostic evaluations for people who need direct attention in remote locations. By using the video data compression of the present invention, remotely collected image data can be sent to the hospital for evaluation by modem or wireless cellular link or other known means. The treatment instructions are then sent back to the operator and the patient can immediately receive treatment.

  Another preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises the circuit and method described above for a two-dimensional transducer array device. This transducer device provides focusing in two dimensions and can use coarse gaps between rows of multiple linear arrays, for example.

  Another preferred embodiment of the present invention involves the use of an ultrasonic transducer device in an electric stethoscope. This system provides both acoustic information to the user as well as ultrasound imaging capabilities.

  Another preferred embodiment of the present invention involves the use of an ultrasonic transducer device in a patch to the skin. This can be used for cardiac monitoring by placing the transducer device to transmit and receive between the patient's ribs.

  Another preferred embodiment of the present invention incorporates the processing and control circuitry described above into an ultrasound body probe or imaging catheter end. This provides a more flexible and less expensive imaging probe useful for both diagnosis and treatment.

  The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more specific description with reference to the preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like numerals refer to like parts throughout the drawings. The drawings are not scaled, but on the contrary, emphasis is placed on illustrating the principles of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an ultrasound imaging system 10 of the present invention. The system comprises a hand-held scan head 12 combined with a portable data processing and display unit 14 which can be a laptop computer. Alternatively, the data processing and display unit 14 can include a personal computer or other computer connected to a cathode ray tube (CRT) for displaying ultrasound images. The data processing display unit 14 can also be a small, lightweight integrated unit that is small enough to be hand-held or worn or carried by the user. The hand-held display unit has a volume of 1000 cm ³ or less, preferably 500 cm ³ or less. Although FIG. 3 shows an external scan head, the scan head of the present invention can also be an internal scan head adapted to be inserted into the body through a lumen for internal imaging. For example, the head can be a transesophogeal probe used for cardiac imaging.

  The scan head 12 is connected to the data processor 14 by a cable 16. In another embodiment, the system 10 includes an interface unit 13 (shown in phantom) that is combined between the scan head 12 and the data processing display unit 14. The interface unit 13 preferably has a processing circuit having a control device and a digital signal processor (DSP). The interface unit 13 performs a required signal processing operation and gives a signal output to the digital processing unit 14 and / or the scan head 12.

Handheld housing 12 includes a transducer portion 15A and a handle portion 15B. The transducer portion 15A is maintained at a temperature below 41 ° C. and the portion of the housing that contacts the patient's skin will not exceed this temperature. The handle portion 15B does not exceed the higher second temperature, preferably 50 ° C. The hand-held scan head has a volume of 1000 cm ³ or less, preferably 500 cm ³ or less, and a length along the major axis of 20 cm ³ or less.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic functional block diagram of an embodiment of the ultrasonic imaging system 10 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the scan head 12 includes an array 18 of ultrasonic transducers that send an ultrasound signal into a target region or imaging target 11 such as a region of human tissue and return from the imaging target. The incoming reflected ultrasonic signal is received. The scan head 12 also includes a converter drive circuit 20 and a pulse synchronization circuit 22. The pulse synchronizer 22 sends a series of pulses delayed at the correct timing to the high voltage driver circuit of the driver 20. When the driver 20 receives each pulse, the high-voltage driver circuit is activated to send a high-voltage drive signal to each transducer in the transducer array 18, and the transducer is activated to ultrasonically enter the imaging target 11. Send a signal.

  The echo of the ultrasonic wave reflected by the imaging target 11 is detected by an ultrasonic transducer in the array 18. Each converter converts the received ultrasonic signal into a corresponding electrical signal and sends it to a preamplifier circuit 24 and a time gain change control (TGC) circuit 25. The preamplifier circuit 24 sets the level of the electrical signal from the transducer array 18 to a level suitable for the next stage processing, and the TGC circuit 25 is used to compensate for attenuation when the acoustic pulse penetrates the human tissue. Further, a beam forming circuit 26 (described later) is driven so as to create a line image. The conditioned electrical signal is sent to the beam forming circuit 26, which provides a different delay appropriate to each received signal to dynamically converge the signal so that an accurate image can be produced. The signals delayed by the beam forming circuit 26 are added to form one signal, which is sent to the data processing display unit 14 through the cable 16. The beam forming circuit 26 and the delay circuit used to provide different delays for the received signal and the pulses produced by the pulse synchronizer 22 will be described in detail below.

In a preferred embodiment, the dynamically focused and summed signal is sent to an A / D converter 27 that digitizes the summed signal. Next, the digitized signal data is sent from the A / D 27 to the buffer memories 29 and 31 via the cable 16. It should be noted that the A / D converter 27 is not used in another embodiment where the analog signal is sent directly through the cable 16. The A / D converter 27 is omitted for simplicity in the following drawings.

  Data from the buffer memory 31 is sent to the scan conversion circuit 28 in the data processing unit 14 via the display and log compression circuit 40A. The scan conversion circuit 28 converts the digital signal data from the beam forming circuit 26 from polar coordinates (r, θ) to rectangular coordinates (x, y). After conversion, the rectangular coordinate data is sent to a post signal processing stage 30 where it is formatted for display on display device 32 and / or for compression by video compression circuit 34. The video compression circuit 34 will be described in detail later.

  Digital signal data is sent from the buffer memory 29 to a pulsed or continuous Doppler processor 36 in the data processing unit 14. A pulsed or continuous Doppler processor 36 creates data used to image a moving target tissue 11 such as blood flow. In a preferred embodiment with pulsed Doppler processing, a color flow map is created. The pulsed Doppler processor 36 sends the processed data to the scan conversion circuit 28 where the polar coordinates of the data are changed to rectangular coordinates suitable for display or video compression.

  A control circuit, preferably in the form of a microprocessor 38, controls the operation of the ultrasound imaging system 10. The control circuit 38 controls the different delays induced to both the pulse synchronizer 22 and the beam forming circuit 26 via the memory 42 and the control line 33. In one embodiment, it is induced by a programmable tapped CCD delay line, described in detail below. The delay line is tapped as described for data stored in memory 42. The microprocessor 38 controls the downloading of the coarse delay line tap data from the memory 42 to both the pulse synchronizer 22 and the beam forming circuit 26. In another embodiment, the delay is controlled by a delay processing circuit. The circuit comprises a programmable input sampling circuit coupled to a programmable delay unit as described in detail below.

  The microprocessor 38 also controls a memory 40 that stores data used by the pulsed Doppler processor 36 and the scan conversion circuit 28. It will be appreciated that the memories 40 and 42 may be a single memory or a plurality of memory circuits. The microprocessor 38 interfaces the post signal processing circuit 30 and the video compression circuit 34 and controls their individual functions. As will be described in detail below, the video compression circuit 34 compresses the data so that the image data can be transmitted via the communication circuit to a remote station for display and analysis. The communication channel can be a modem or a wireless cellular communication channel or other known communication means.

  The portable ultrasonic imaging system 10 of the present invention can preferably be supplied with power by a battery 44. The raw battery voltage of battery 44 is driven to a regulated power supply 46, which regulates the power of all subsystems of imaging system 10, including the subsystem located within scan head 12. give. Power to the scan head is provided from the data processing display unit 14 through the cable 16.

FIG. 5 is a detailed schematic functional block diagram of one embodiment of the scan head 12 used in the ultrasound imaging system 10 of the present invention. As described above, the scan head 12 includes an array of ultrasonic transducers labeled 18- (1), 18- (2),..., 18- (N) in FIG. Where N is the total number of transducers in the array, typically 128. Each converter 18 (1) -18 (N) is combined with a processing channel 17 (1) -17 (N), respectively.

  Each processing channel 17 (1) -17 (N) has a pulse synchronizer 22 (1) -22 (N), respectively, which is timed to the high voltage driver circuit 20 (1) -20 (N), respectively. These driver circuits provide drive signals to the respective transducers 18 (1) -18 (N) in the transmit mode. Each processing channel 17 (1) -17 (N) also includes a preamplifier circuit 24 (1) -24 (N) that has been waved, and these circuits in the receive mode are converters 18 (1) -18 ( A voltage clamping circuit for amplifying and clamping the signal from N) to an appropriate potential. A time changing gain control circuit (TGC) 25 (1) -25 (N) controls the level of the signal, and a beam forming circuit 26 (1) -26 (N) applies to each signal as will be described in detail later. Dynamic focusing of the signal is performed by introducing different delays. The outputs from beam forming circuits 26 (1) -26 (N) are summed at summing node 19 to produce the final focused signal. This signal is sent through cable 16 to data processing display unit 14 for subsequent processing.

  In the present invention, one embodiment of the beam forming and focusing circuit 26 can be integrated on a single microchip, and further utilizes a cascaded charge coupled device (CCD) tapped on a delay line to provide individual A wide range of delays can be obtained with fine time resolution, providing coarse and fine delays. This embodiment of the beam forming system of the present invention is referred to herein as charge region processing (CDP), which has a plurality of processing circuits, which, in receive mode, produce a focused image. The signal is delayed in response to the image waveform received as reflected ultrasonic energy from the target object. In transmit mode, the processing circuitry differentially delays the signal so that the signal produces a focused beam, and the array 18 of transducers 18 (1) -18 (N) provides ultrasonic energy to the target target. Send as.

  Each of the processing circuits comprises a first delay line having a number of delay units, which in the receive mode receive the image waveform and convert it into sampled data such as charge packets. In the transmission mode, the selection control circuit accepts the fine delay resolution of the image waveform or the imaging signal, so that the selection control circuit selects the selected first delay line so as to correspond to the selected first time delay. Can be operated to read sample data from a plurality of delay units. A second delay line having a plurality of delay units is operable to detect sample data from the selected first delay unit. The control circuit further accepts a coarse delay resolution of the image waveform or the imaging signal so as to correspond to the selected second time delay, the selected second delay unit of the second delay line. Can operate to read sample data from.

  In the receive mode, an adder circuit is provided to add sample data from each of the selected second delay units of each processing circuit to produce a focused image. In the transmission mode, an output circuit is provided to convert the sample data from the selected second delay unit of each processing circuit into a signal that reproduces the focused directional beam.

  Beam forming and focusing operations include the formation of the sum of the waveforms observed by all transducer elements. However, in this summation, the waveforms must be differentially delayed, so they must all arrive in phase in the adder circuit 19 (see FIG. 5). Therefore, each beam forming circuit 26 according to the present invention gives a different time delay to each processing channel, and further varies this delay with time. The signal applied in phase to produce a converged signal is then sent to the data processing display unit 14.

For normal scan direction, the differential delay with respect to the first element 18 (1) required for the transducer element 18 (K) of the array to receive information varies significantly with respect to K and is relative to depth. The correction as a function of time to correct the focus is small. The overall control of the delay can include a very fine time resolution as well as a large range of delays. However, for the selected beamforming direction, this setting of delay is a combination of coarse delays in each channel to nearly compensate for the direction, as well as features that refine the focusing function and the original coarse correction. This is achieved in combination with a close delay for the channel.

  In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the beam forming circuit 26 shown in functional block diagram form in FIG. 6, each beam forming circuit 26 has one for each of the transducer elements 18 (1) -18 (N). , Arranged in the outstanding of N parallel processing channels 17 (1) -17 (N). Each beamforming circuit 26 has cascaded delay lines 56 (1) -56 (N), 58 (1) -58 (N). Each circuit 26 receives a signal from the TGC circuit as an input (see FIG. 3). Each channel's first delay line 56 provides a fine time delay for its accepted signal, while the cascaded second delay line 58 provides a coarse time delay. Each first delay line has a combined programmable tap selection circuit 57 (1) -57 (N), and each coarse delay line has a programmable tap selection circuit 59 (1) -59 (N). Have. Both of these will be further described below. The tapped selection circuit functions to change the delay time as a function of the tap position.

  During operation of circuit 26, the signal received by each transducer element 18 is continuously applied to the input of the corresponding processing channel 17. The input signal to each processing channel is converted into a chain of sample data and begins to propagate through each dense tapped delay line 56. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, both the dense tapped delay line 56 and the coarse tapped delay line 58 are charge coupled devices (CCD) tapped on the delay line. Exemplary programmable CCD tap delay lines are described, for example, in Baynon et al., Charge-coupled Dvices and Their Applications, McGraw Hill (1980), incorporated herein by reference. Thus, in the exemplary form of processing circuitry using CCD delay lines, the input signal to each processing channel is converted into a series of charge packages that are subsequently transmitted through coarse and fine delay lines.

  Delayed samples are perceived destructively or non-destructively from selected taps on the dense delay line 56 at scheduled times depending on the tap location selected by the system 10. The delay sample is on the one hand the input to the front end of the corresponding coarse delay line 58. The selected delay samples are then propagated through a coarse delay line and again destructive or non-destructive at a properly selected tap position corresponding to a predetermined time delay determined in accordance with the operation of the ultrasound imaging system 10. Perceived. Sample data sensed from the coarse delay line of each processing channel is summed simultaneously by the adder circuit 19 to form an output beam.

  Referring now to FIG. 7, a more detailed functional block diagram of the beam forming circuits 26 (1) -26 (N) of FIGS. 5 and 6 is shown. As shown, the dense delay line programmable tap selection circuits 57 (1) -57 (N) each have a dense tap selection circuit 60 (1) -60 (N) and a dense tap selection, respectively. Memory units 62 (1) -62 (N) are provided. On the other hand, the programmable tap selection circuits 59 (1) -59 (N) of the coarse delay line are respectively the coarse tap selection circuits 64 (1) -64 (N) and the coarse tap selection memory unit 66 (1). -66 (N).

According to a preferred embodiment of the beam forming circuit, the fine and coarse delay lines have different clock speeds. The fine delay line is clocked at a faster rate than the coarse delay line, and thus can provide a finer delay time than the coarse delay line. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, each circuit 26 has a 32 stage dense tapped delay line clocked at 40 MHz and a 32 stage coarse tapped delay line clocked at 2 MHz. Circuits formed in this way can provide delays up to 16 μs with programmable 25 ns delay resolution. In contrast, it will be appreciated that if a single delay line is used, approximately 640 stages of delay are required. In addition, with the cascaded delay line structure of the beamforming circuit of the present invention, a 5-bit wide local memory in 64 steps is appropriate to provide a dynamic focusing function for depths up to 15 cm. However, if a single delay structure is used, 640 bits of local memory are required in 1280 steps.

  During the operation of the individual bit forming circuit 26, the fine delay line taps are continuously changed by the microprocessor 38 (see FIG. 4) via the memory 42 during each echo reception time (see FIG. 4). provide. A dense tap selection circuit 60 in the form of a digital demodulator and a local dense tap selection memory 62 select the desired tap position of the dense delay line 56. For example, the microprocessor instructs the memory 42 to download the data word to the memory 62 and provides the digital address representing the selected tap position to the circuit 60 selected for demodulation. On the other hand, the selected circuit 60 samples data from the selected tap. In the illustrated embodiment, a 5-bit decoder is used to provide 32 tap positions.

  The tap position of the coarse delay line 58 is set before each echo returns, and is not changed during direction observation in each direction. Similar to the operation of a fine delay line, a digital decoder type coarse tap selection circuit 64 is used in conjunction with a local coarse tap selection memory 66 to select a desired tap position for the coarse delay line.

  FIG. 8 shows a functional block diagram of another embodiment of the beam forming circuit 26 of the present invention in which each circuit 26 is connected to each of the dense tap selection circuits 60 (1) -60 (N). Respective latch circuits 70 (1) -70 (N) for generating tap setting signals are provided. When the tap setting signal is applied to the dense tap selection circuit, the tap selection is fixed to the last tap (ie, focus) of the dense tap delay line, so the dynamic focusing function will not work. This operation is controlled by the imaging system, for example, in situations where the image point is at a distance from the transducer element that does not require an accurate fine delay time. In this way, the size of the dense tap selection memory 62 is reduced.

  An exemplary embodiment of a latch circuit 70 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. In operation, when the latch is set high by the microprocessor 38, the digital data from the memory 62 passes through the CMOS pass transistor and the determined transistor inverter provides input to the appropriate tap selection circuit (decoder) 60. And satisfy the dynamic focusing function. In contrast, when the latch is set low, the pass transistor is disabled, so the output of the inverter will be latched at the last data address of the memory, i.e., the last tap selected location.

  A prototype 10-channel beamforming microchip was designed based on the fine / coarse delay configuration described above using the 1.2 μm CCD / CMOS manufacturing method provided by the well-known silicon factory, Orbit Semiconductor, Inc. And produced. Because each fine and coarse delay line is small and its corresponding control circuit is simplified, the beam forming electrons of a 64 element receiver array integrated in this way on one microchip. A circuit could be formed.

In the prototype beamforming microchip of the present invention, each processing circuit consists of two cascaded programmable tapped delay lines (each 16 steps long), two 4-bit CMOS decoders, And a 4 × 64 bit local memory for storing the tap position. This prototype is formed with 10 passage channels, each with the processing circuitry of the present invention made on a single silicon microchip. Each processing circuit can provide a programmable delay of up to 10 μs with a delay resolution of 25 ns. The beamforming tip operates at each azimuth viewing angle such that the echo return signal from the image point of the given range of resolution received by the transducer element is sampled by the corresponding processing channel. Each processing circuit provides an ideally compensated delay for each received return signal. The delayed outputs are then summed to form a single beam or focused image point. The chip area combined with each processing channel is only 500 × 2000 μm ² . This allows dynamic beamforming electronics for a 64-element receiver array to be integrated on a single microchip with a chip area as small as 64 mm ² . This magnitude corresponds to a reduction of at least 3/4 compared to a normal device.

  The fine / coarse tapped configuration according to the present invention is a two cascaded CCD tapped delay line that accepts a delay of 12 μs with a resolution of 25 ns. In particular, the structure comprises a first 16 stage length delay line clocked at 40 MHz and a second 32 stage length delay line clocked at 2 MHz. The simplicity of the shorter delay line and associated tap circuit allows the integration of all imaging electronics on a single chip. One chip, which performs electronic focusing functions for an array of 128 elements with a reduction in chip area, power consumption and weight by more than two orders of magnitude compared to normal introduction.

  A functional block diagram of another embodiment of the beamforming circuit 26 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 10, in which the selected output of each coarse delay line 58 (1) -58 (N) Before being added to each multiplier circuit 80 (1) -80 (N). An exemplary multiplier for use in the foregoing embodiment of the beamforming circuit is described in co-pending application Alice Yi Chen, filed on Feb. 10, 1995, 08/388170 “Updateable”, which is incorporated herein by reference. Single-chip filter using a simple weighting scheme ".

  The multiplier 80 configuration would accept the use of an apodization technique that incorporates known Hamming weights or codes in the receive array to reduce the sidelobe levels and produce a better quality image. . Similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the latch circuits 70 (1) -70 (N) control the latching of the tap selection positions of the dense delay lines 56 (1) -56 (N). This can be combined with each of the beam forming circuits 26 (1) -26 (N). Conventional abposition and humming weighting techniques are described, for example, in Gordon S. Kino's “Acoustic Waves: Devices, Imaging, and Analog Signal Prosessing, Plenty's Hall, Inc. (1987), incorporated herein by reference. The

  FIG. 11 illustrates a cascaded duplex used in pulse synchronizers 22 (1) -22 (N) to introduce delays into individual transmitted signals in the transmission mode of the ultrasound system 10 of the present invention. 2 shows a functional block diagram of a tapped CCD delay line. FIG. Each pulse synchronizer 22 (1) -22 (N) includes two cascaded tapped delay lines 56 (1) '-56 (N)' and 58 (1) '-58 (N)'. . The first delay line 56 'in each processing channel provides a fine time delay for the transmitted signal, while the cascaded second delay line 58' provides a coarse time delay. Each dense delay line has a combined programmable dense tap selection circuit 60 (1) '-60 (N)', which is associated with a respective dense tap selection memory unit 62 (1) '-62 ( N) 'receives the tap selection address. Each coarse delay line has a combined programmable coarse tap selection circuit 64 (1) '-64 (N)', which is associated with a respective fine tap selection memory unit 66 (1) '-66 (N). Receive tap selection address from '. The tap selection circuit is operable to produce a variable delay time as a function of the tap position.

  When the pulse synchronizer 22 is operating in the transmit mode, a signal (see FIG. 4) provided from the microprocessor 38 via the memory 42 is continuously input to the input of each processing channel 17 (1) -17 (N). Applies to An input signal to each processing channel is converted into a chain of sample data for starting propagation through a dense tapped delay line 56. In the exemplary form of pulse synchronization circuits 22 (1) -22 (N) using CCD delay lines, the input signal to each of the processing channels is electrified for subsequent propagation through the fine and coarse delay lines. Converted to a chain of packets.

  A delay sample is sensed destructively or non-destructively from selected taps on the dense delay line 56 at a scheduled time depending on the tap position selected by the imaging system. The delay sample is on the one hand the input to the front end of the corresponding coarse delay line 58. The selected delay samples are then transmitted via a coarse delay line and again sensed at a properly selected tap location corresponding to a predetermined time delay determined in accordance with the operation of the microprocessor 38 of the ultrasound imaging system 10. The Sample data sensed from each of each coarse delay line 58 (1) -58 (N) is converted and transmitted as an ultrasonic pulse signal by the corresponding transducer element 18 (1) -18 (N). . In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fine and coarse delay lines of each pulse synchronization circuit have different clock speeds. In the transmit mode, the dense delay line is clocked faster or slower than the coarse delay line to achieve the desired beamforming and focusing.

  In another embodiment of the invention, adaptive beamforming imaging (ABI) technology is used in both the beamforming circuit and the pulse synchronization circuit 22 to introduce appropriate delays to produce a focused image. The Adaptive beamforming imaging techniques improve image quality and spatial resolution by suppressing the effects of clutter in the sidelobes of light source scattering and transducer element response. This adaptive beamforming circuit can also be placed on a single chip.

  ABI is a model-based method for image reconstruction derived from super-resolution techniques. ABI provides improved resolution and reduced sidelobes, clutter and speckle. Super-resolution algorithms modified for imaging include two-dimensional maximum likelihood (MLM) and two-dimensional multiple signal classification (MUSIC). ABI incorporates a model (amplitude and phase) for the desired backscatter that provides better detection performance than conventional imaging methods.

  FIG. 12 is a schematic functional block diagram illustrating one embodiment of an adaptive beamforming circuit 426 located within a scan head 412 according to the present invention. In adaptive beamforming circuit 426, the weighting of this multiplier of the finite impulse response (FIR) filter is controlled by the feedback loop in a manner that reduces clutter and interference or finite impulse response (FIR) filters. In either case, an adaptive circuit is used to remove clutter and interference generated due to the ultrasound signals in the side lobes of the array pattern in order to produce an image with higher accuracy and higher resolution.

Each processing channel 428 (1) -428 (N) of beam forming circuit 426 receives a signal from a respective time varying gain control (TGC) circuit 25 on a respective tapped delay line 430. Beam forming circuit 426 includes N processing channels 428, one for each transducer in array 18. The tapped off signal of each tapped delay line 430 is received by a set of D / A converters 432 performing weighted multiplication. Each processing channel K comprises a multiplier 432 (denoted 432 _k1 -432 _kM ) with a weight M. The weighting of multiplier 432 is set to produce an output signal from each processing channel that is summed at summing node 419. The summed signal is sent through the system cable 416 to a system control circuit such as the microprocessor 438 of the data processing display unit 414. Microprocessor 438 analyzes the signal to know the characteristics of influences such as clutter, side lobes and interference. In response to detecting such effects, the microprocessor 438 creates control signals that are used to derive the multiplier weights 432, removes these effects from the output signal, and transmits the control signals to the system cable 416. To the multiplier on line 440. Therefore, the adaptive beam forming circuit includes a feedback circuit that changes the signal received from the tapped delay line of each channel before the addition of the signals. The summed signal is sent to the multiplier in a feedback loop to correct this.

  With ABI, an image with higher resolution and overall higher quality than that obtained in the conventional system can be obtained. ABI technology provides a resolution that is at least 2 to 3 times better than that provided by conventional imaging technology. As an example, a resolution of about 1 mm can be obtained with normal ultrasonic waves having a frequency of 5 MHz. Using ABI technology, a lateral resolution of about 300 μm is obtained.

  FIG. 13 is a detailed block diagram of another embodiment of the beamforming circuit of the present invention in FIGS. Referring to FIG. 13, the beam forming circuit 226 can use this for dynamic beam forming and scanning in the receive mode.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the beam forming circuit 226 includes N parallel processing channels 217 (1) -217 (N), one for each element of the ultrasonic transducer array. Each channel 217 (1) -217 (N) has a related delay unit 202 (1) -202 (N), programmable input sampling circuit 204 (1) -204 (N), sampling circuit 204 (1), respectively. ) -204 (N) for the storage and creation of appropriate timing, and for the image data sampled from the sampling circuits 204 (1) -204 (N), for the delay circuits 202 (1) -202 (N). It includes local memory and control circuits 206 (1) -206 (N) for storing and creating appropriate delays.

  The beam forming circuit 226 also includes a central memory 203 that stores all of the required delay values for all processing channels 217 (1) -217 (N). In one embodiment, for each scan line, the central memory 203 sends delayed data values to the memory and control circuits 206 (1) -206 (N) for all processing channels 217 (1) -217 (N). to download. The delay values stored in each local memory 206 (1) -206 (N) are the sample selection performed by each relationship sample selection circuit 204 (1) -204 (N) and each relationship programmable delay unit. Used to control the sample delay performed by 202 (1) -202 (N). In one preferred embodiment, each imaging scan line requires a specific set of delays for all of the processing channels as in the case of phased array beamforming. In this embodiment, a new set of delay values is downloaded to local memory 206 (1) -206 (N) before each scan line is executed. Each delay unit 202 (1) -202 (N) is small and the corresponding sample and control circuit circuits 204 (1) -204 (N) and 206 (1) -206 (N) are simple In this way, all 128-element receive array beamforming electronics can be integrated on a single chip.

Now, the operation of the beam forming circuit 226 will be described. The return echo received by converters 18 (1) -18 (N) is first amplified by amplifier circuits 24 (1) -24 (N) and TGC circuits 25 (1) -25 (N) (FIG. 5). And then applied to the input of each corresponding sampling circuit 204 (1) -204 (N). Sampling rate _{f s} of the circuit 204 (1) -204 (N), as faster than the clock rate _{f c} of the delay corresponds units 202 (1) -202 (N), i.e., the delay unit 202 (1 ) -202 is _f s / _{f c} number of possible samples within one clock cycle of the (N) is selected to be. In the present invention, one of these f _s / f _c possible samples is selected and then loaded into delay units 202 (1) -202 (N). Thus, it will be appreciated that uniformly or non-uniformly sampled data is selected from the return echoes and loaded into the delay units 202 (1) -202 (N).

For example, if the sampling rate is 8 times faster than the delay clock rate, f _s = 8f _c is selected and 8 sample data points are created during one cycle of the delay line clock. Selection circuitry 204 (1) -204 (N) is used to select one of the eight possible samples and load it into the associated delay unit 202 (1) -202 (N). Furthermore, as programmable delay of the maximum delay is M / f _c may be provided to each sample data loaded in the delay unit, the control circuit is incorporated in each delay unit 202 (1) -202 (N) . Where M is the number of delay stages in the delay line of delay units 202 (1) -202 (N) as described below in connection with FIG.

  In each clock period of the delay unit clock, the outputs from each processing channel 217 (1) -217 (N) are summed together in summing circuit 219 to provide a focused image point. The sum signal produced by the adder circuit 219 is sent to an A / D converter where it is digitized for transmission to the data processing display 14 or directly sent to the processing display 14 in analog form.

FIG. 14A is a schematic block diagram of the memory-controlled programmable sample selection circuit 204 of the present invention, and FIG. 14B shows a timing diagram of the sampling process. In this example, the sampling rate f _s was 8 times faster than the clock rate f _c of the delay 202. That is, it is possible to take the eight sample data items from the input waveform during a given clock period 1 / f _c of the delay line 202. In this state, it drilled timing window of eight intervals by the sampling frequency f _s during the 1 / f _c of the delay clock is determined. Under the control of the memory and control circuit 206, during each cycle of f _c, 1 samples is obtained in one of the timing windows.

Memory and control circuit 206 includes a 3-bit BCD counters 216 are clocked to count at the sampling frequency _{f s.} Three outputs 218 from counter 216 provide inputs to 3 to 8 decoder 220. This decoder provides a high potential output on one of its eight output lines 222 to indicate the demodulated decimal value of the BCD input when available. The 8-to-1 MUX selects one of the decoder outputs and provides a sample select signal on line 1126 to the sampling NMOS transistor 214.

  The line selected by MUX 224 is controlled at that selected line by the three data outputs 228 of memory 210. As shown in FIG. 14B, if the memory output word is (0, 0, 0), one pulse is applied to the sample select signal on line 226 in the first sampling window. If the memory word is (0, 0, 1), one pulse is provided to the second sampling window. The same applies hereinafter. The gate of the NMOS transistor 214 is connected to the sample selection signal. A drain is connected to the input waveform (return echo), and a source is connected to the delay line 202 to provide sample signal data.

Eight 3-bit selected memory words are stored in memory 210 at addressable locations. During each cycle of the delay line, the location of memory 210 is addressed via address line 232 and outputs a selected 3-bit word selected on line 228 according to the desired sampling window. The control circuit 230 sets the address line to an appropriate address according to the requested sampling window position. When the address line is set, the control circuit 230 also sends an enable signal to the line 234 for each period of the delayed clock, enabling the outputs of the decoder 220, MUX 224 and memory 210, thereby selecting the sample on the line 1126. A pulse of the signal is placed in the appropriate window. Since the control circuit 230 can select a memory address for each cycle of delay, the interval between samples can be accurately controlled to be uniform or non-uniform or to an appropriate desired pattern.

In one embodiment, control circuit 230 has its own internal storage circuit, which maintains a chain of address outputs by control circuit 230 and generates sample pulses during the appropriate timing window. The address chain is downloaded from the central memory 230 of the beam forming circuit 226 to the storage circuit before each scan line is executed. The memory circuit can be a memory such as a RAM or can be a shift register. In either case, the memory circuit is clocked by the delay line clock rate f _c, and outputs the address required to sample the data during precise timing window.

FIG. 15 is a detailed schematic block diagram of a preferred alternative form of memory and storage circuit 206A for what is shown in FIG. 14A. This replaceable form of memory and control circuit 206A comprises a storage circuit of the form such as shift register 205. In this embodiment, shift register 205 shifts out the initial setting word of 3 bits for each cycle of the clock of the delay unit in the clock rate f _c of the delay units. The output word on output line 209 shifted out of shift register 205 is stored in register 205 before each scan line is introduced. This word is downloaded from the central memory 203 according to the delay used for the scan line. In one embodiment, the number of words stored in the shift register 205 for each scan line is equal to the number of focal points along each scan line. In one preferred embodiment, there are 512 focal points, so there are 512 3-bit words. That is, the shift register 205 is a 512-bit 3-bit register.

Memory and control circuit 206A includes a 3-bit BCD counters 207 clocked at selected sampling rate _{f s.} Counter 207, when clocked with the clock signal of the speed _{f s,} and outputs the 3-bit BCD words in order. In the above example, the sampling rate _{f s} is 8 times of the delayed clock rate _{f c,} Thus, for each word on the output line 209 of the shift register 205, eight 3-bit BCD word 0 ₁₀ to _{7 10} It is output to the output line 211.

  The output 209 from the shift register 205 and the output 211 from the counter 207 are sent to a comparison circuit 213 that compares two 3-bit words to determine if they are the same. When both are the same, the comparison circuit 213 outputs a positive pulse to the output line 1115 to indicate conformity. This pulse is applied to the sampling NMOS transistor 214 to sample the return echo signal from the appropriate acoustic transducer 18. Analog data sampled at discrete times is sent to the appropriate corresponding delay unit 202.

A positive pulse on line 1115 occurs when one of the 3-bit BCD words from counter 207 matches the 3-bit word from shift register 205. This occurs during one of the eight possible timing window delay line clock rate f _c is divided. The 3-bit word stored in shift register 205 determines the window from which the return echo data will be sampled. Thus, to control the delay, a 3-bit word of a predetermined pattern is stored in the shift register 205 prior to execution of a particular scan line by downloading from the central memory 203.

  FIG. 16 illustrates a preferred implementation of the processing channels 217 (1) -217 (N) of the bit formation circuit 226 of FIGS. 13-15 showing details of a preferred embodiment of the programmable delay unit 202 (1) -202 (N). FIG. 3 is a schematic detailed block diagram of an example. In this embodiment, each delay unit 202 (1) -202 (N) comprises an M stage programmable tapped CCD delay line 221 (1) -221 (N). An output is provided at each stage of delay, so there are M parallel outputs for each delay line 221 (1) -221 (N).

In this embodiment, the tapping of each delay line 221 (1) -221 (N) is controlled by a digital parallel decoder 237 (1) -237 (N) having M outputs. One of the M selectable outputs is selected by the demodulated decimal value on the BCD input line 239 from the memory and control circuit 206. For example, the 6-to-64 decoder 237 (1) -237 (N) can use this for output selection for the 64-stage CCD delay line 221 (1) -221 (N). Every clock of the delay clock _{f c,} discrete time analog sample from the sample selection circuit 204 (1) -204 (N) is delayed by the delay line 221 (1) -221 (N), then the decoder 237 (1 ) -237 (N) at the output of the stage selected. The delay time for each sample data encoded in the delay line can be continuously changed to dynamically focus it. Sampled and delayed data from all channels 217 (1) -217 (N) are summed in adder circuit 219.

  In FIG. 16, an input line 239 to the decoder 237 is shown coming from the memory and control circuit 206. FIG. 17 is a detailed schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the memory and control circuit 206B that makes the decoder input line 239. FIG. The circuit of FIG. 17 is the same as that of FIG. 15 except that the decoder input line signal 239 is generated. In FIG. 17, the preferred 512-stage 9-bit parallel shift register 205A is used in a manner similar to that of the register 205 of FIG. 15, creating a 3-bit word on line 209 used by the comparison circuit 213, and the desired timing. Create a sampling pulse in the window. Preferably, a 6 bit word is also output simultaneously on line 239 and sent to delay unit 202. As described above, this 6-bit word is used as an input to the decoder 237 described above to select the appropriate stage of the tapped CCD delay line 221 and introduce an appropriate delay in the sample signal.

As in the memory and control circuit 206A of FIG. 15, the sampling and delay control words are downloaded from the central memory 203 to the shift register 205A prior to execution of each scan line. In the case of FIG. 17 where 512 focal points are introduced, 512 9-bit digital words are downloaded prior to the introduction of each scan line. Since the register 205A is clocked at a clock rate _{f c} of the delay unit, the lines 239 and 209, one 9-bit word is output continuously at a time. The 3-bit word on line 209 controls the timing window in which the return echo is sampled, and the 6-bit word on line 239 controls the amount of delay introduced into the sample by the programmable delay unit 202.

  FIG. 18 is a detailed block diagram of a modification of the circuit shown in FIG. The alternative memory and control circuit 206C of FIG. 18 reduces the amount of memory space required for the circuit 206C. Instead of storing 512 9-bit words, 2-bit words can be used. In this embodiment, instead of storing the actual absolute delay for each focus, the difference between adjacent delays and / or the second difference between the first differences is stored. If the second difference is stored, only 2 bits are required to store the required delay information. Thus, only two bit words are required to be downloaded from the central memory 203 and stored by the shift register 205B. In this case, the 512 stage shift register is only 2 bits wide.

Again, register 205B is clocked by the delayed clock rate _{f c.} Register 205B outputs a 2-bit word to integrator circuit 225, which includes a two-stage adder circuit to recover the actual delay from the stored first and second differences. The integration stage creates a 6-bit word on line 239A, which is used as a control input to the decoder 237 of the programmable delay unit 202. Three additional bits made on line 209A are used in the comparison circuit 213 as described above to produce a sampling pulse in the appropriate timing window.

  Another embodiment of the delay processing circuit is shown in FIG. FIG. 19 is a schematic block diagram of a modification of the circuit of FIG. 13, in which multipliers 250 (1) -250 (N) output the outputs of each programmable delay unit 202 (1) -202 (N). Prepared for. This introduction allows the use of apodization such as by incorporating Hamming weights in the receiver array to reduce sidelobes and to produce good image quality. A weighting function for each multiplier multiplicand is provided by a one-chip buffer memory included in the memory and control circuits 206 (1) -206 (N). The outputs of all multipliers 250 (1) -250 (N) are summed together in adder circuit 219 to form the beam output. It is important to note that apodization can be performed at either the input or output of delay unit 202 (1) -202 (N). FIG. 20 shows the input weighting delay structure.

In all implementations described above in connection with FIGS. 13-20, the minimum delay resolution is determined by the sampling rate f _s . Another device that provides an effective delay time shorter than t _c is shown in FIG. As seen in FIG. 21, a finite impulse response (FIR) filter 252 (1) -252 (N) is added to the output of the programmable delay circuit 202 (1) -202 (N). FIR filter 252 (1) -252 (N) can be used to create time-domain interpolated image sampling and to effectively achieve delay resolution less than t _c . For example, if four interpolated samples are created by FIR filters 252 (1) -252 (N), the delay resolution is less than t _c / 4.

  FIG. 22 is a detailed schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an interpolating FIR filter 252 according to the present invention having a constant weighted multiplier 254. In general, a multiplier requires two inputs, and the output of the multiplier is the product of these two inputs. However, in a constant weighted multiplier 254, the multiplicand is constant and only one input is required. Its output is the product of the same multiplicand and its input.

An M stage delay line 202 is used to hold and shift the sampled and delayed return response. At each stage of delay, there are a sequence of Q fixed weighting multipliers 254, ie, there are M × Q multipliers 254. That is, as shown in FIG. 22, the multiplier 254 can be observed to form a two-dimensional array having Q columns and M rows. Each multiplier 254 _ij can be determined by coordinates i, j. Where i is the multiplier row and j is the delay stage of the delay line 202 or the column of the array.

  As seen in FIG. 22, all multipliers 254 on the same column have a common input corresponding to one of the input samples. All multipliers 254 on the same column have a common input corresponding to one of the interpolated samples. There are Q interpolated samples for each clock. A sample selection circuit 256 is placed at the parallel output port to select one of the interpolated samples and add it to the summing unit 219.

FIG. 23 shows a schematic block diagram of another exemplary embodiment of an interpolating FIR filter 352 with a programmable multiplier 354. Again, an M stage delay line 202 is used to preserve and shift the sampled and delayed return response. There is a programmable multiplier 354 _k at each stage of the delay. Here, k = 1, 2,..., M. As can be seen in FIG. 20, all multipliers 354 _k have a common output corresponding to the interpolated samples of the input. Samples interpolated in the time domain can be made based on the programmed weights.

  As described above, the ultrasound signal is digitized in its original polar form (r, θ). For display, this representation is inconvenient, where it is converted to a rectangular representation (x, y) for further processing. The rectangular representation is digitally modified for the dynamic range and brightness of various display and hardcopy devices. The data can also be stored and retrieved for redisplay. To convert between polar and orthogonal coordinates, the points on the (r, θ) array and the orthogonal (x, y) grid do not match, so the (x, y) value from the (r, θ) value. Must be calculated.

  A conventional scan conversion system asks each point on the (x, y) grid and calculates its value from the nearest four values in the (r, θ) array by sample linear interpolation. This is a finite state machine that produces (x, y) transverse patterns, a two-way shift register to hold (r, θ) data samples in a number of digital logic circuits, and a control and each (x, y) achieved by the use of a memory unit that ensures the arrival of the correctly synchronized received (r, θ) data sample at the correct time to interpolate about the points. This conventional method of execution may lack flexibility and be more complex than necessary. Despite expensive control hardware, only one pass through the (x, y) array is possible. This means that the full benefits of different ultrasound scan frequencies and hence different imaging depths cannot be obtained. That is, different data can be focused on the same format despite physical reality.

  In the scan conversion circuit 28 of the present invention (see FIG. 4), the (x, y) grid crossing paths are made in natural order, ie, using (r, θ) samples when they are acquired. The use of a number theoretic scheme has dramatically reduced hardware complexity and cost. This method provides greater flexibility and better fidelity to actual medical data because it allows for array traversals that are considered to be such that actual medical data is not forced into an unnatural image reconstruction scheme. The scan conversion circuit 28 of the present invention uses a Faley chain generation method that generates (x, y) coordinates in the order in which they were scanned.

Assume that the system receives the first two scan beams. It is desirable to check all pairs of (x, y) integers placed in the wedge for 0 <y ≦ L. Described herein is a method that uses a Faley chain to make all (x, y) pairs in two consecutive arrays with 0 <y ≦ L in increasing order of angles. This method takes advantage of the following facts. That is, several (x, y) pairs are along the same angle, so they make (a, b) pairs with no common divisor, then (x, y) = n (a, b )
Where n = 1, 2,..., (N + 1) b> L,
To set the remainder of the (x, y) pair. In order to better understand how this method is achieved, we define the Faley sequence as follows:
Definition: A rational chain whose numbers are arranged in ascending order and whose denominator does not exceed L is called an L-th order Falay chain.
If u / v is an irreducible fraction and v ≦ L, u / v is referred to as the L-th order Falei fraction. Therefore, the Faley fraction is an irreducible fraction, where its numerator and denominator have no common divisor. The theory of the Faley series is incorporated by reference herein, by EE Hardy and EM Wright, An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers, Oxford University Press, London, 1938, pp.23- 24.

  The following relational expressions are relevant to the present invention.

Let a / b, c / d, and e / f be three consecutive Lth order Fale fractions, and
z = [(L + c) / d] (1)
And However, [] is the maximum integer function.
At this time, e = Zc-a, f = Cd-b (2)
Equations (1) and (2) allow starting with the appropriate two consecutive faley fractions and repeating all over the remainder in this part.

An example using 10th order Fale fractions to create all (x, y) display points within a 46 ° -54 ° arc on a 10 × 10 grid is shown in FIG. If the first two consecutive fractional fractions of the 10th order, a = 1, b = 1 and c = L−1 = 9, d = L = 0, are put into equations (1) and (2), the next Fractions e = 8 and f = 9 are obtained. a = 9, b = 10 and c = 8,
The same calculation is repeated using d = 9, and the next Fale fraction with e = 7 and f = 8 is obtained. Creating all (x, y) pairs within a given arc is simple. If it is desired to map the same ray to a finer display grid (for example, a grid with 20 × 20 display points), the same method is used but L = 20 is used. That is, a 20th-order Faley function is used to create all (x, y) display points. A simple calculation will show that the (x, y) pairs are (19, 20), (18, 19), (17, 18),. As can be seen in FIG. 21, all grid points in two consecutive scan lines are in ascending order of angle, ie
atan (10/9) <atan (9/8) <atan (8/7) <atan (7/6) <atan (6/5) <atan (5/4) <
atan (9/7) <atan (4/3)
Made with. This feature allows the scan conversion system to automatically adapt to variations in the scan angle φ. A system with a programmable, non-uniformly spaced scan array is possible by implementing a Faley series. In one embodiment of the invention, the data processing and display unit 14 is programmed to perform a scan conversion method.

  As described above, the ultrasound imaging system 10 of the present invention also includes a continuous or pulsed Doppler processor 36 that allows the creation of a color flow map. Thus, moving targets can be displayed and the physician can observe the functions in the body without any surgical procedure.

  A typical waveform 111 for pulsed Doppler ultrasound imaging is shown in FIG. This waveform consists of a burst of N pulses with many samples of depth J collected for each pulse of beating. FIG. 25 also shows a block diagram of a pulsed Doppler signal processor 36 for this imaging technique. The return echo received by each transducer is sampled and added coherently before being phased at 113 and demodulated into a rectangle. The demodulated return is converted to a digital representation in the sample and hold circuit 115 and A / D converter 117 and stored in the buffer memory 119 until all of the pulse returns having a coherent time interval are received. N pulse returns collected for each depth are read from memory, a weighting sequence is added to control the Doppler sidelobe, and an N-point FFT is calculated at 121. During the time to sample depth from one coherent interval, a return from the next coherent interval is reached and stored in the second input buffer.

The integrated Doppler processor described herein performs all the functions shown in the dashed box in FIG. 25 except for A / D conversion. D / D conversion is not necessary for this device to provide an analog sample data function. The remaining circuit and its function are described in US Pat. No. 446, Aug. 7, 1984, by Alice M. Chen, incorporated herein by reference.
No. 4726 “Charge Domain Parallel Processing Network”. This pulsed Doppler processor (PDP) device has the ability to calculate the matrix-matrix product and thus has a large capacity. The apparatus calculates the product of two real-valued matrices by adding the outer product formed by pairing the rows of the first matrix and the corresponding columns of the second matrix.

  In order to explain the application of PDP to the Doppler wave problem, first the Doppler wave equation is put into the sum of real-valued matrix operations. Doppler swell is achieved by calculating a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of the weighted pulse return for each depth of the object. When k is the Doppler index, 0 ≦ k ≦ N−1, and j is the depth index, the depth Doppler sample g (k, j) is

It is.

w (k, n) = w _kn = v (n) exp (-j2πkn / N) (4)
The DFT kernel and the weighting function can be combined to obtain a matrix of Doppler harmonic conversion coefficients having elements given by: The real and imaginary elements of the Doppler-waved signal can be written as

  In equations (5) and (6), the indices of the double index variable can all be viewed as matrix indices. Therefore, in the matrix representation, the Doppler wave can be expressed as a matrix product operation. The PDP device can be used to perform the integration of each of the four matrices, thereby performing a Doppler wave calculation.

  The PDP device 36 of the present invention includes a J stage CCD tapped delay line 110, J CCD multiplying D / A converters (MDAC) 112, J × k accumulators 114, J × k Doppler sample buffers 517. , And a parallel input serial output (PISO) output shift register 118. The MDAC shares a common 8-bit digital input on which elements from the coefficient matrix are supplied. The tapped delay line 110 performs a sample and hold function and converts a time continuous analog input signal into a sampled analog signal.

In operation, the device 36 functions as follows. That is, the real or imaginary component of the returned echo is added to the input of the tapped delay line 110. At the beginning of the deep window, the video is sampled at the appropriate rate and the subsequent depth samples are shifted into the tapped delay line 110. When the first pulse is also loaded with depth samples from the return interval (PRI), each element in the first column of the conversion factor matrix W is in turn added to the common input of the MDAC 112. The product formed at the output of each MDAC 112 is loaded into a serial input parallel output (SIPO) shift register 521. A group of J × K products calculated in this manner represents an outer product matrix. These products are sent from the SIPO to a CCD summing well that accumulates the outer product elements from the next PRI. This process is repeated until all the pulse returns (column F) have been processed.

  In this regard, each group of K accumulators 114 holds K Doppler samples for a particular depth cell. Doppler samples are clocked into the accumulator output PISO shift register 519 at the same time. These registers act as a buffer to hold J × K depth Doppler samples, so that processing of the next data coherent interval can be started immediately. Finally, accumulator shift register 512 is clocked in parallel and sends all depth samples for a given Doppler cell into device output PISO shift register 118. Samples are read in series from the PDP device in the desired order for flow map display.

  A prototype PDP-A for 16 depth samples was made. PDP-A can be used to manage the return of a burst waveform with 16-range samples collected for each pulse of the burst. The ability to detect weak targets moving in the presence of powerful DC clutter has been successfully demonstrated by a prototype PDP device.

The introduction of two PDPs for color flow mapping in an ultrasound imaging system is shown in FIG. In this device, during one PRI, the above PDP element 120 calculates all terms of the form w _r f _r and w _i f _r as shown in equations (5) and (6), while , PDP element 122 below computes a term of the form _-w i _{f i} and _w r _{f i.} The outputs of each element are then added to obtain g _r and g _i alternately.

  As described above, the imaging system of the present invention also includes the video compression circuit 34. This converts the data into a compressed form so that it can be sent to a remote location. In the preferred embodiment, the video data compression circuit is a U.S. Pat. No. 5,126,962, "Discrete Cosine Conversion Processing System" dated 30 June 1992, and Alice M. Chen, July 9, 1991. Described in dated US Pat. No. 5,030,952, “Charged Domain Block Matching Processor” These patents are hereby incorporated by reference.

  FIG. 27 is a schematic functional block diagram of another preferred embodiment of the ultrasound imaging system of the present invention. In the embodiment of FIG. 27, a multiplier 319 is added to the scan head 312 between the ultrasonic transducer array 318, the driver 20, and the preamplifier circuit 24. In this embodiment, the signal is processed by only a portion of the transducer array 318 at the appropriate given time. For example, a 128-element array 318 in one embodiment would only process 64 elements at a time. Multiplier 319 is used to send 64 signals to preamplifier 24 and subsequent circuitry. Multiplier 319 is also used to send driver pulses from driver 20 to the 64 elements of array 38 being driven at that time. In this embodiment, referred to herein as the sub-aperture scanning embodiment, the processing channel only needs to be provided for the number of elements being processed, here 64, so that the circuit complexity is considerably reduced. In this embodiment, the image is formed by scanning across the transducer array 318 and selective actuation of a group of adjacent elements for transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals.

During sub-aperture scanning, image quality is degraded by the introduction of image clutter caused by energy in the image due to the side lobes rather than the main lobe of the array response.
To solve this problem, a spatial window filter is added to the array to eliminate or reduce energy from the side lobes. Some types of windows dynamically change in width according to the number of actuating elements. The other window is a trapezoidal window that does not change.

  FIG. 28 is a graph showing both types of responses. In the portable ultrasound system of the present invention, the spatial window is designed to fit the maximum number of sub-aperture array elements and there are no dynamic changes due to changes in the number of actuating elements. The reason for this introduction is as follows. That is, the reduction in received (or transmitted) energy using a dynamic spatial window is to produce an image with inferior image quality compared to an image obtained using a truncated non-variable spatial window. In both cases, the image clutter is almost equal. Therefore, a truncation type non-variable space window is easy to introduce and a high quality image can be obtained. In the example shown in FIG. 28 (using a 64 element sub-aperture and a Blackman Harris window), the dynamic window is less than half (42%) of the energy in transmitting or receiving a non-variable truncated window. I will provide a.

  29A and 29B are schematic diagrams of display formats that may be provided to the display device 32 of the present invention. Rather than a single display format as is done with conventional ultrasound imaging systems, the system of the present invention has multiple user-selectable window display formats. FIG. 29A shows a selectable multiple window display device in which three information windows exist simultaneously on the display device. Window A shows a standard B-scan image, and window B shows an M-scan image of a Doppler two-dimensional color flow map. Window C is a user information window that communicates command selection to the user and facilitates manual user selection. FIG. 29B is a single window selection display device, where the entire display is used to give only B-scan images. Optionally, the display device can show both B-mode and color Doppler scan simultaneously by using a split screen to display two displays up and down or side by side.

  30A-30D are schematic diagrams illustrating the relationship between various transducer array shapes used in the present invention and their corresponding scanned image regions. FIG. 30A shows a linear array 18A that creates a rectangular scan image region 307A. Such an array typically comprises 128 transducers. A set of delays is introduced for each scan line, which defines the focus for the image. Since the array is linear and the area is rectangular, the delay for each scan line is typically the same. Thus, according to the present invention, the delay value need only be downloaded from the central memory 203 to the local memory and control circuits 206 (1) -206 (N) once for all images. Alternatively, the linear array 18A can be used as a tuning array in which different beam steering delay values are introduced for each scan line.

  FIG. 30B shows the relationship between the curved transducer array 18B and the resulting partially curved image scan region 307B. Again, array 18B typically comprises 128 adjacent transducers. Further, the delay introduced for each scan line is the same or can be varied to perform a tuned array scanning process.

FIG. 30C shows the relationship between the linear transducer array 18C and the trapezoidal image region 307C. In this embodiment, array 18C is typically formed from 192 adjacent transducers rather than 128. The linear array is used to create a trapezoidal scanning region 307C by a combination of linear scanning and tuned array scanning as shown in FIG. 30A. In one embodiment, 64 transducers at both ends of array 18C are used to obtain a curved corner portion at the end of region 307C in a tuned array configuration. The center 64 transducers are used in linear scanning mode to complete the rectangular portion of region 307C. Thus, the trapezoidal region 307C is obtained using the above-described sub-aperture scanning method in which only 64 transducers always operate at one time. In one embodiment, adjacent groups of 64 transducers operate alternately. That is, first, the converter 1-64 is activated. Next, the converters 64-128 are activated. In the next stage, transducer 2-65 is activated and then transducers 65-129 are activated. This pattern continues until transducers 128-192 are activated. The scanning process is then resumed at converter 1-64.

  FIG. 30D shows a short linear array of transducers 18D used to perform tuned array imaging according to the present invention. The linear array 18D is used through a tuned array beam steering process to produce the angular slice portion 307D shown in FIG. 30D.

  FIG. 31 is a schematic functional block diagram of a circuit board according to the present invention. The circuit board 1000 is preferably a multilayer circuit board having dimensions of about 20.8 inches (50.8 × 101.6 mm). This is preferably double-sided and uses a surface mounting method to mount the part. The circuit is functionally divided into a transmitter circuit 1010 and a receiver circuit 1020. Transmitter circuit 1010 includes a pulse synchronization circuit 1022 coupled to a high voltage driver / pulser circuit 1024. The driver / pulser 1024 is connected to the multiplier module 1018 via a transmit / receive (T / R) switch 1016.

  The pulser 1024 creates a chain of high voltage pulses under the control of the delay processing circuit of the pulse synchronization circuit 1022. The pulses are sent through a T / R switch 1016 and a multiplier 1018 to the transducer array 18 to produce an ultrasonic signal. The T / R switch 1016 acts to ensure that the high voltage pulse of the pulsar 1024 does not reach the sensitive receiving circuit 1020. This provides overvoltage protection for the preamplifier TGC circuit in the receiver circuit 1020 via a diode protection structure. T / R switch 1016 is used during sub-aperture scanning to isolate unused transducer elements from the used elements. This circuit also prevents interference between processing channels caused by unwanted signals.

  The receiving circuit 1020 includes a preamplifier and TGC circuit module 1022, a beam forming module 1026 and a selective A / D converter 1027. As shown, the preamplifier and TGC circuit module 1022 is represented by two chips 1022-1 and 1022-2. Each of the preamplifier and the TGC chip processes half of the channels used at a given time. The actual number of chips with pre-amplifier and TGC circuit 1022 is determined by the manufacturing process. The preamplifier and TGC circuit 1022 is preferably made as a single chip.

  The beam forming module 1026 comprises the beam forming circuit described above for any embodiment. Module 1026 is preferably formed on one chip and includes all the circuitry necessary to perform the beamforming function described above.

  The transmitter circuit 1010 and the low voltage receiver circuit 1020 can each be made as one chip. By reducing the number of chips in the circuit, the size of the circuit board 1000 can be reduced. The circuit board 1000 includes a surface for mounting discrete components such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, or the like or integrated equivalents thereof.

FIG. 32 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional display of one embodiment of a linear scan head, a portion of which is shown in cross-section. Scan head 1030 is surrounded by plastic housing 1032. As illustrated, the circuit board 1000A is held in place in the housing 1032 by the support member 1034. Circuit board 1000A connects to bus connector 1036, which is connected to a linear array of transducers 1038 by a flexible ribbon cable or printed flexible cable 1037. A coaxial cable connector 1035 connects the scan head 1030 to an external electronic circuit. Alternatively, a twisted pair connector can be used.

  FIG. 33 is another cross-sectional view of the scan head 1030 of FIG. As illustrated, the support member 1034 holds the two double-sided circuit boards 1000A and 1000B. Depending on the specific application, two or more plates can be single-sided or double-sided and placed side by side or stacked or staggered to maximize the available space. The circuit boards are separated by a heat transfer layer 1045 that acts as a circuit heat sink. It is also possible to insert a filler for heat conduction into the housing. The support member 1034 is preferably made of a low friction material such as Teflon (registered trademark) to facilitate attachment / detachment of the circuit boards 100A and 1000B. Each side of the circuit board is preferably capable of processing 64 channels of information from the transducer. Therefore, as shown in the drawing, the two double-sided circuit boards 1000A and 100B can bind 256 converters.

  FIG. 34 is a preferred embodiment of a curved transducer scan head shown partially in cross section. The scan head 1040 is formed by a plastic housing 1042. Note that the handle portion can have outer ribs to provide a good gripping surface and can optionally be used for heat dissipation from the housing. The circuit board 1000 </ b> A is held by a Teflon (registered trademark) support member 1044. The circuit board 1000A is connected to a coaxial connector 1035 (or a twisted pair connector) and a bus connector 1046. The bus connector 1046 is connected to the transducer curved array 1048 by a printed flexible cable 1047.

  FIG. 35 is a schematic drawing of an insertion type ultrasonic probe partially shown in cross section. The probe 1060 is defined by a plastic housing 1062, which is divided into an elongate probe for insertion into a cavity or body cavity and a handle portion that is grasped by the scanner. Circuit board 1064 is secured within the handle of probe 1060 and is connected to coaxial connector 1065 and transducer array 1068. The circuit board 1064 is functionally the same as the circuit board 1000 of FIG. 30 except that it is small in size to fit within the handle. There are preferably 128 transducers in array 1068. In this case, a double-sided circuit board 1064 having 64 channels of processing circuits on each side is sufficient to operate the probe.

  FIG. 36 is a block diagram of software required to operate the ultrasonic apparatus described herein. An ultrasonic scanner 1072 and a user display device 1078 are shown. A single processing module 1074 provides special control of hardware such as digital signal processing, custom chip and system timing. The user display 1078 is driven by a graphical user interface (GUI) 1076 that can be substituted for a windowing system. Virtual control panel 1075 provides an interface between graphic user interface 1076 and hardware interface 1074.

  A typical display device provides the user with the ability to fix data frames, print data frames, or record data frames on a disc. The user can also highlight areas of color Doppler image or acoustic Doppler processing. The user can also manually change the received depth as a function of depth. Preferably there are 8 depth bands. The user can change the transmission focal band (from 1-8 band) to change the contrast of the image and the brightness of the image.

More specifically, the user can change the imaging mode. B mode is provided for adjustment of brightness or normal image display. The C mode is provided to control either color top or side color Doppler flow. The M mode is provided to control the time-varying Doppler image in the independent image mode. The acoustic Doppler mode can be set to turn on and off the display supplement of the B mode and C mode.

  The user can also set the transducer array to determine the size and shape of the image display. The choice depends on whether the transducer array is a curved-linear array, a linear array, or a tuning array.

  The user can also input and display patient information. The patient information is then used for display labeling. The computer used to provide the image display can be programmed with a software module to display patient management and image data in a window format. The user is given various pull-down menus operated with the mouse.

  The user can also set the imaging mode based on the special application of the scanner. The user can automatically adjust the image depth and transmit power based on whether the imaging is for heart, radiology, obstetrics, gynecology or peripheral blood vessels. The user can also set the image depth and send it manually for special applications.

  Another preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging device having two or more adjacent transducers to form a two-dimensional transducer array. As shown in the hand-held device 600 of FIG. 37, the transducer portion 606 of the housing 600 comprises three rows of transducers 608, 610, and 612. The columns 608, 610 and 612 can be of different lengths. For example, columns 608 and 612 can be shorter than center column 610 (eg, the center column can be 1.5 times the length of the short column). The space between adjacent columns can be the same as the spacing between transducers in any given column, or can be larger. The wider spacing between rows can provide effective focusing of the ultrasound signal sent by the transducer array. As described in connection with the previous embodiments, each row of transducers can be connected to a chip carrier or circuit board using one or more flexible cables.

  Another preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to the portable ultrasonic stethoscope shown in FIG. The system incorporates a transducer array, synchronization and driver circuitry for the array, and beamforming circuitry within an acoustic sensor housing 704 or a stethoscope chestpiece.

  A stethoscope sensor housing 704 is coupled to the two earpieces 712 to provide acoustic information to the user. A central tube 705 connects the housing 704 to a Y-shaped connector. Earpiece 712 is connected to tubes 706 and 708 extending from the Y-shaped connector. Connector housing 702 couples the stethoscope to cable 710. The connector housing 702 can be integrally formed with or attached to the Y-shaped connector 707, or it can be attached to the housing 704. A transducer attached to the Y-shaped connector 707 can be used to generate sound that is sent along the tubes 706, 708 to the earpiece 712. A stethoscope can be used to provide standard acoustic information, electronic sound information, and / or ultrasound information.

Beam forming circuitry within the stethoscope's sensor housing 704 can create a spatial representation of the area of interest, such as a personal digital assistant, and send it along the cable 710 to the handheld display 714. Display device housing 714 houses a processor for producing ultrasound images as described hereinabove, preferably with an M-mode display or Doppler display. The user can simultaneously generate sound and image data of the target area. This data can be stored in memory or sent to another system by modem along cable 720. Power can be provided by a battery in the display device housing 714, sensor housing 704, or connector housing 702. The housing 714 can include a thin panel display 716 such as a liquid crystal display and a user interface 718 such as a keypad or mouse.

  Another preferred embodiment of the present invention is the ultrasound system 800 shown in connection with FIGS. 39A and 39B. In this embodiment, the transducer element or array 802 is attached to the patient's skin 810 by a patch 805. The patch 805 can have a surrounding adhesive 806 to secure it to the patient's skin. The array 802 is connected to a body-mounted housing 804 by cable 808 or wirelessly, which records data and / or transmits it to another receiving location. The patch may have one transducer element, or one or more linear arrays as described above, or an annular array 812 as illustrated by patch 814 in FIG. 39B. . The patch can include beam forming and focusing circuitry as described earlier herein. Power to the converter system and the combined circuit can be provided using a battery that can be placed in the housing 804.

  Another preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to a flexible ultrasound probe or catheter system that plugs into a body lumen or cavity. Such a system 900 is shown in FIGS. 40A and 40B. System 900 includes a flexible shaft 902 having a proximal end 905 and a distal end 907 coupled to housing 904. Processing circuitry as described above is placed in the housing 904. The housing 904 is connected to the user interface 906 and the display device 908 by a cable 910. The distal end 907 of the probe shaft has a terminal portion 912 in which a transducer array 918 and a chip carrier or circuit board assembly 916 are placed. The chip carrier 916 is connected to the cable 920, which sends control signals to the pulse synchronizer, driver circuit, and beam forming and focusing circuit as previously described herein, and also provides a summed electrical representation of the area of interest. Send to processing circuitry in housing 904. The shaft outer wall 922 is sealed to insulate the internal components from the work environment. The transducer array can be oriented radially or can be directed to the end along the catheter axis. Tube 914 may optionally contain a fiber optic observation system, a guide wire, or other treatment or surgical instrument.

  Although the invention has been particularly illustrated and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims. It will be understood by engineers.

  Preferred embodiments of the present invention are as follows.

1. An ultrasonic transducer device that receives a reflected ultrasonic signal from a target region, wherein the transducer device converts the received ultrasonic signal into an electrical signal;
A processing circuit that receives this electrical signal and creates an electrical representation of the target area,
A housing in which the ultrasonic transducer device and the processing circuit are placed,
And an ultrasound imaging system having an interface over which electrical representation is transferred.

2. The processing circuit includes a beam forming circuit, which is a programmable sample selection circuit for the transducer device, wherein the electrical signal is sampled so that each electrical signal is sampled during one of a plurality of preset timing windows. And a delay circuit for each converter for delaying the sampled electrical signal from the sample selection circuit so that the electrical signal can be used to create an electrical representation of the region of interest. 1 Ultrasonic imaging system.

  3. The ultrasonic imaging system according to 1 above, further comprising a portable battery-powered flat panel display device connected to the interface.

  4). 3. The ultrasonic imaging system according to 2 above, wherein the delay circuit includes a tapped CCD delay line that can be programmed.

  5. 3. The ultrasonic imaging system according to 2 above, wherein the sampled electrical signal is a discrete-time analog signal.

  6). The ultrasonic imaging system of claim 1, further comprising a pulse synchronization circuit that provides a timing signal to the array of ultrasonic transducers for timing the ultrasonic signals sent by the ultrasonic transducers into the region of interest.

  7. Said 1 ultrasonic imaging system further provided with the amplifier circuit which amplifies the electric signal from an ultrasonic transducer apparatus.

  8). The ultrasonic imaging system according to 1 above, further comprising a driver circuit that generates a signal for exciting the ultrasonic transducer device to transmit an ultrasonic signal.

  9. 3. The ultrasonic imaging system according to 2 above, further comprising a memory circuit for storing data used for controlling the beam forming circuit.

  10. The ultrasonic imaging system according to 1 above, further comprising a gain control circuit for controlling a potential of an electric signal from the ultrasonic transducer device.

  11. The ultrasonic imaging system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer device comprises a linear array of ultrasonic transducers.

  12 The ultrasonic imaging system according to 1 above, wherein the target area is a trapezoidal target area.

  13. The ultrasonic imaging system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer device is a curved array of ultrasonic transducers.

  14 The ultrasonic imaging system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer device is a tuned array of ultrasonic transducers.

  15. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 2, wherein the programmable sample selection circuit comprises a storage circuit that stores a series of values used by the programmable sampling selection circuit to control the sampling of the electrical signal within the timing window.

  16. 15. The ultrasonic imaging system according to 15 above, wherein the storage circuit is a parallel shift register.

17. 15. The counter of claim 15, wherein the programmable sample selection circuit further comprises a counter that outputs a chain of BCD words, and a comparison circuit that compares each BCD word with a value stored in the storage circuit to control sampling of the electrical signal. Sound imaging system.

  18. The ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, further comprising a memory for downloading a delay value used to delay an electric signal from the ultrasonic transducer to the beam forming circuit.

19. An array of ultrasonic transducers for receiving reflected ultrasonic signals from a target area, the transducers for converting received ultrasonic signals into electrical signals,
A beam forming circuit for receiving the electrical signal, a programmable sample selection circuit for each transducer, wherein the electrical signal is sampled during one of a plurality of preset timing windows. A delay circuit for each converter that delays the sampled electrical signal from the sample selection circuit so that the electrical signal can be used to create an electrical representation of the region of interest. ,
The beam forming circuit comprising:
A scan head for an ultrasonic imaging system, comprising a housing in which an ultrasonic transducer and a beam forming circuit are accommodated, and an interface through which an electrical expression is advanced from the housing.

  20. 19. The nineteen scan head comprising a tapped CCD delay line with a programmable delay circuit.

  21. The nineteenth scan head described above, wherein the sampled electrical signal is a discrete-time analog signal.

  22. 19. The 19 scan head of claim 19, further comprising a pulse synchronization circuit that provides a timing signal to the array of ultrasonic transducers for timing the ultrasonic signals sent into the region of interest by the ultrasonic transducers.

  23. The nineteenth scan head further comprising an amplifier circuit for amplifying an electric signal from the ultrasonic transducer.

  24. 19. The 19 scan head according to claim 19, further comprising a driver circuit for generating a signal for exciting the ultrasonic transducer to transmit an ultrasonic signal.

  25. 20. The 19 scan head of claim 19, further comprising a memory circuit for storing data used to control the beam forming circuit.

  26. 20. The 19 scan head further comprising a gain control circuit for controlling an electric signal potential from the ultrasonic transducer.

  27. 19. The 19 scan head as described above, wherein the array of ultrasonic transducers is a linear array.

  28. 27. The scan head according to 27, wherein the target area is a trapezoidal target area.

  29. The nineteenth scan head described above, wherein the array of ultrasonic transducers is a curved array.

  30. 19. The scan head as described in 19 above, wherein the array of ultrasonic transducers is a tuning array.

  31. 20. The 19 scan head of claim 19, further comprising a memory for downloading a delay value used to delay the electrical signal from the ultrasonic transducer to the beam forming circuit.

32. A method of scanning a target area with ultrasonic energy,
An ultrasonic transducer device,
The reflected ultrasonic signal from the target area is received by the ultrasonic transducer device, the ultrasonic signal received by the ultrasonic transducer device is converted into an electrical signal,
A method comprising providing a processing circuit for receiving an electrical signal and creating an electrical representation of a region of interest, and further providing an interface for sending the electrical representation to another housing.

  33. Sample each electrical signal within one of several preset timing windows, delay the sampled electrical signal, and use the sampled electrical signal and the delayed electrical signal to provide an electrical representation of the area of interest 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising sampling the electrical signal with a beam forming circuit to form

  34. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising providing a beamforming circuit having a programmable tapped CCD delay line for each transducer to delay the sampled electrical signal.

  35. 34. The method according to 33, wherein the sampled electrical signal is a discrete-time analog sample.

  36. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising providing a pulse synchronization circuit for providing timing signals to the array of ultrasonic transducers for timing the ultrasonic signals sent into the region of interest by the ultrasonic transducers.

37. Amplifies the electrical signal from the array of ultrasonic transducers,
33. The method of claim 32, further comprising coupling the amplified signal to a beam forming circuit.

  38. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising storing data used to control the beam forming circuit in a memory, said memory further downloading the data to a local memory associated with each beam forming circuit.

  39. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising controlling a voltage level of an electrical signal from the ultrasonic transducer device with a gain control circuit.

  40. 33. The method of 32, further comprising creating an image of the target area.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a typical imaging array used in an ultrasound imaging system and combined with a single pulse transmit pulse pattern and a multiple pulse pattern in band-focus mode, respectively. FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a typical imaging array used in an ultrasound imaging system and combined with a single pulse transmit pulse pattern and a multiple pulse pattern in band-focus mode, respectively. 2A-2C show block diagrams of three different conventional imaging or beam focusing techniques including optical lenses, time lag and phase lag actuation. 1 shows a schematic drawing of a preferred embodiment of the ultrasound imaging system of the present invention. 1 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the ultrasound imaging system of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the ultrasound imaging system of the present invention. FIG. Figure 2 shows a functional block diagram of an array of beamforming and focusing circuits according to the present invention. Figure 2 shows a more detailed functional block diagram of an array of beamforming and focusing circuits according to the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a functional block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention in which each of the beam forming and focusing circuits incorporates a latch circuit. FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a latch circuit used in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a functional block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention in which selected outputs of each beamforming and focusing circuit are each applied to a multiplier circuit. Figure 3 shows a functional block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention in which a number of beamforming and focusing circuits of the present invention are arranged to operate in a transmit mode. 1 is a schematic functional block diagram of a preferred embodiment of an applied beamforming circuit according to the present invention. FIG. Figure 3 shows a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an array of beamforming and focusing circuits according to the present invention using a programmable sample selection circuit and a programmable delay unit. Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a memory-controlled programmable sample selection circuit used in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 14B shows a timing diagram of the sample selection circuit of FIG. 14A. FIG. 3 is a schematic detailed block diagram of another preferred embodiment of a memory and control circuit according to the present invention. FIG. 14 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the beam forming circuit of FIG. 13 in which a CCD programmable delay line is used. FIG. 6 is a schematic detailed block diagram of yet another preferred embodiment of a memory and control circuit according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic detailed block diagram of yet another preferred embodiment of a memory and control circuit according to the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of another multiplication of the present invention in which each selected output of the beamforming and focusing circuits is respectively applied to a multiplication weighting circuit. Fig. 4 shows a block diagram of another multiplication of the present invention in which a multiplication weighting circuit is placed at the input of the delay unit. FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of another implementation of the present invention in which a finite impulse response (FIP) filter for time domain interpolation is placed following the chain unit. FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of an FIP filter introduction in which a fixed weight multiplier is used for interpolation of input samples. FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of another FIP filter implementation where a programmable multiplier is used to interpolate input samples. It is a schematic diagram showing a scan conversion process of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic functional block diagram of a pulse Doppler processing unit according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a color flow map chip introduction using a dual pulse Doppler processor according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic functional block diagram of another preferred embodiment of the ultrasound imaging system of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a comparison view of a truncated unchanged space window and a dynamic space window used during a sub-aperture scan according to the present invention. 2 is a schematic diagram of two user-selectable display formats used in the ultrasound imaging system of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of two user-selectable display formats used in the ultrasound imaging system of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the relationship between a linear ultrasonic transducer array according to the present invention and a rectangular scan region. 2 is a schematic illustration of the relationship between a curved ultrasound transducer array and a curved scan area according to the present invention. 2 is a schematic illustration of the relationship between a linear ultrasonic transducer array and a trapezoidal scan area according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of a tuned array scan region. FIG. 2 is a schematic functional block diagram of a circuit board according to the present invention. 1 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a linear scan head according to the present invention. FIG. FIG. 32 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of FIG. 31. FIG. 3 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a scan head using a curved transducer array according to the present invention. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an internal ultrasonic probe according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a top level flow diagram illustrating the software logic flow used to control the operation of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a two-dimensional transducer array according to the present invention. It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the electronic ultrasonic stethoscope by this invention. 1 illustrates an ultrasonic transducer patch system according to the present invention. 1 illustrates an ultrasonic transducer patch system according to the present invention. 1 illustrates an ultrasound probe or catheter according to the present invention. 1 illustrates an ultrasound probe or catheter according to the present invention.

Claims (17)

An ultrasound imaging system,
An ultrasonic transducer array connected to an imaging system having a processing system for receiving beamforming image data from a programmable beamforming integrated circuit;
Wherein the beamforming integrated circuit comprises a plurality of channels, each channel having a delay device connected to a memory and a control circuit located on the programmable beamforming integrated circuit, the memory and the control The circuit controls a variable time delay that is stored and set for each channel of the delay device.
And a programmable transmission integrated circuit having a plurality of variable delay channels for controlling transmission of ultrasonic pulses by the transducer array, wherein the programmable transmission integrated circuit includes a memory and a delay selection circuit;
Including system.   The system of claim 1, further comprising a sample selection circuit.   The system of claim 1, wherein the transducer array comprises at least 64 element arrays, at least 128 element arrays, or at least 256 element arrays.   And further including a second beamforming integrated circuit, wherein the first beamforming integrated circuit processes the channels of the first plurality of transducer arrays, and wherein the second beamforming integrated circuit comprises the second plurality of transducer arrays. The system of claim 1 for processing a channel.   The system of claim 4 further comprising a first circuit board for the first beamforming integrated circuit and a second circuit board for the second beamforming integrated circuit.   The system of claim 1, wherein the programmable transmit integrated circuit further comprises a pulse synchronous integrated circuit with a plurality of delay settings for each transmit channel.   The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of beamforming integrated circuits, each circuit having a plurality of programmable delay channels, each channel having a selectable delay in the range of at least up to 10 microseconds.   The system of claim 1 having at least 10 channels or at least 64 channels.   The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory formed in the beam forming integrated circuit. A hand-held display device in communication with an ultrasonic probe associated with the transducer array;
Here, the display device includes an ultrasonic image flat panel display, a user interface, a processing system for processing beam forming image data, and a memory for storing image data in the display device.
The system of claim 1 further comprising:   The system of claim 10, wherein the handheld display device includes personal digital assistance.   The system of claim 10, further comprising display processing software running on the processing system.   The system of claim 10, further comprising a second memory in the handheld display for storing beamformer control data. The system of claim 10, wherein the handheld display device has a volume of less than 1000 cm ³ .   The system of claim 10 further comprising a Doppler processor.   The system of claim 10 further comprising a scan conversion computer program.   The system of claim 10, further comprising a battery for supplying power in the handheld device.

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