JPH04180744A - Ultrasonic diagnostic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute the switching of a probe at a high speed and to obtain the constitution being suitable for the monolithic integration by providing a transmitting/receiving circuit consisting of a driver circuit, a transmission/ reception separating circuit and a receiving analog switch on every vibrator. CONSTITUTION:On a vibrator 1, a transmitting/receiving circuit 2 is provided so as to correspond to one-to-one. Its transmitting/receiving circuit 2 is formed from a driver circuit 5', a transmission/reception separating circuit 3 and a receiving analog switch 4, and to the driver circuit 5', a pulse D having a delay of a transmitting focus is inputted from a transmitting rate pulse generator 6. Also, the transmitting/receiving circuit 2 is provided on every vibrator l, and can be switched at a high speed by making it switchable by a logic level. In such a way, switching of the vibrator and switching of the probe are executed at a high speed, and also, the circuit which is suitable for monolithic integration and can execute satisfactorily transmission and reception and its system constitution are obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a transmitting/receiving circuit in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus or the like, and to a method for configuring the same.

[Conventional technology]

Conventional ultrasonic diagnostic equipment selects a group of elements constituting a transmitting and receiving aperture from a plurality of transducers arranged in an array, and shifts the dry pulses applied to each of these elements by a predetermined period of time to obtain a predetermined pulse. A beam focused at a position is formed, and one screen is formed by scanning the beam by moving the aperture while sequentially moving the element group.

This will be explained with reference to FIG. A pulse group having a transmission focus delay is applied from a pulse generator 6 to the transmission laser 1 to a driver group 5 corresponding to the transmission aperture. The output of the driver group 5 is applied to the element 1 selected by the high-voltage analog switch 13 to generate ultrasonic waves. On the other hand, the signals reflected from the target and received by the above-mentioned elements pass through the high-voltage analog switch 13, are guided to the amplifier group 8, are phased and summed at the receiving phasing section 20, and are sent through the image processing section 30 to the output signal. This is a configuration that is displayed on a spray 40. Regarding the connection of multiple probes, the driver circuit group 5 is provided for one probe, and the probes are switched using a relay switch or a high-voltage analog switch.

Further, regarding providing a transmitter/receiver circuit in one-to-one correspondence with a vibrator, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 52 (1984). ．． There is also a prior art such as 31.679. It consists of a pulse generator, limiter, switching circuit, and its control circuit. The received signal had a configuration in which both the drive circuit and the limiter circuit were loaded.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The above conventional technology uses a diode switch or the like as the analog switch, and cannot perform high-speed switching because it is necessary to turn the switch on and off with a potential difference greater than the transmission voltage. Furthermore, JP-A-56-31679 does not mention a system configuration suitable for monolithic integration. Furthermore, there is no mention of a transmission/reception separation circuit that has the function of reducing the load effect on the receiving side for drive pulses, further reducing the load effect of the drive circuit for received signals, and suppressing noise from the high voltage power supply. In addition, there was a problem in that high-speed switching was not possible when multiple probes were connected.

The present invention aims to provide a circuit and system configuration that enables high-speed transducer switching and probe switching without impairing the functions of conventional devices, is suitable for monolithic integration, and can perform good transmission and reception. purpose.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the vibrator is provided with a pair of transmitter/receiver circuits consisting of a driver, a transmitter/receiver separation circuit (different from a limiter), a wave receiving switch, a high voltage protection circuit, etc. In addition, the circuit configuration and input/output are taken into consideration and the devices are grouped to create a configuration suitable for monolithic integration.

[Effect]

By providing the transmitting/receiving circuit for each vibrator and making it possible to switch at a logic level, high-speed switching is possible. Also,
Providing a transmitter/receiver circuit for each probe that can be connected to the device simultaneously allows high-speed switching of probes. Also,
By grouping according to the number of apertures, it is possible to create a configuration suitable for monolithic integration.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. Transmission/reception circuit 2
is composed of a driver circuit 5', a transmitting/receiving separation circuit 3, and a receiving analog switch 4. A pulse D having a transmission focus delay is input from the transmission rate pulse generator 6 to the driver circuit 5'.

By inputting this pulse, a drive pulse is output from the driver circuit 5'. This first live pulse is applied to the transducer 1 by the transmission/reception separation circuit 3, and an ultrasonic wave is emitted. The signal received by the vibrator 1 is outputted to the receiving terminal R by the transmitting/receiving separation circuit 3 through the receiving analog switch 4. Further, the wave receiving switch is turned on and off by the control signal C.

Further, by providing a transmitting/receiving circuit 2 for each vibrator of the vibrator group 1 as shown in FIG. 1(b), the aperture control function is provided. The output of the pulse generator 6 to the transmitter 1 corresponds one-to-one to the D terminal of the transmitter/receiver circuit 2, but the output of the transmitter rate pulse generator 6 is for the maximum aperture, and the D input is for each maximum aperture. may be made common.

FIG. 2 shows a common embodiment. By grouping transducers that are not used simultaneously, the reception output and transmission rate pulse can be made common. The two groups of transmitting/receiving circuits are connected to vibrators that are not used simultaneously, and the selection is made by the decoder 10. The transmission rate pulse is applied only to the desired transmission/reception circuit 2 by setting the AND circuit 9 of the selected channel to the I-I level.

At the time of reception, only one channel is similarly selected by turning on and off the reception analog switch and is output to R and input to the amplifier 8'. A buffer or an amplifier may be provided at the R output of each channel and the outputs thereof may be commonly connected.

Alternatively, a reception-only pulse S may be added in the same manner as the transmission pulse, and a channel may be selected using an AND circuit.

According to this method, even if a channel is selected, D
, and S input, the transducer is inactive and is easily adaptable to variable apertures, etc. Furthermore, selection can be made using logic, and switching can be performed much faster than conventional switching, which involves voltage switching of 200 VIW degrees. Therefore, it is easy to switch between rasters or between rasters.

FIG. 3 shows an example of grouping. If the maximum diameter number of transducers is N, and the total number of transducers is L=MN (L, M, N: integers), then the order of the transducers], (], :l≦l≦N), then i
, i+N, i+2N, --, i+(M.)N can be a common block. Also, the maximum diameter number of oscillators N=mn
(m, n: integer), total number of oscillators L = M (N
10n ) holds, then if the order of the oscillators is i, then i,
i+ (N+n), j+2 (N+n), --,
i + (M.) (N + n) can be shared. If simultaneous operation is allowed within a group and commonization is not required, groups are divided into multiples of n or divisors of the total number of oscillators. The total number of transducers refers to the maximum number of transducers of each type of probe. The number of transducers of each type of probe,
If configured to fit this grouping, they can be used in common. In addition, in the case of a probe in which B mode and continuous wave Doppler coexist, the continuous wave Doppler has a different transmission voltage. Therefore, the power supply line that determines the launching voltage of the wave transmitting circuit is separated only for the channels used for Doppler in one group. Alternatively, in the latter grouping, it is necessary to provide separate power supplies only for some necessary groups.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the first driver circuit. FIG. 7 shows an example of a transmitting/receiving circuit having the functions of a driver circuit, a transmitting/receiving separation circuit, and a receiving analog switch.

Although it is composed of MOSFETs, it is not limited thereto. Also, although the totem pole type is used, a complementary type may also be used. A buffer, a voltage amplifier, and a current amplifier may be provided at the receiving terminal. The operation will be explained with reference to FIG. When the gate I- of N2 goes from H to L, N2 turns off and N1 turns on. When N1 is turned on, a charging current flows from the VH power source to the vibrator 1, and the vibrator end becomes approximately at the VH potential. N2 gate is L
When it goes from H to H, N2 turns on and N1 turns off. At this time, the charge from the vibrator 1 is sucked in from N2, and as a result, V H
The vibrator 1 is driven by the rectangular pulse. The transmitting voltage is separated from the receiving terminal R by the diode 1, nl, and n2. (nl-on, n2 off) Since N1 is off during wave reception, the received signal is separated from the power supply. This effect allows efficient transmission and reception. This is nothing but a sending/receiving separation function.

Also, when receiving, N2 is on and n1 is off.

It becomes conductive when n2 is on, and non-conductive when N2 is off, n1 is on, and n2 is off. This is the receiving analog switch function.

Further, the parasitic diode N2 and the diode D1 serve as high voltage protection. Although this embodiment uses a circuit configuration that has each function, a combination of circuits that independently realize each function may be used.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment in which a plurality of probes can be connected to the device. For simplicity, let us assume that two probes A and B can be connected, each having its own transmitter/receiver circuit 2 for each transducer 1, and the transmitting rate pulse that delays the transmitting focus using a switch. The signal is applied to the transmitting circuit of the probe selected by 60. As for the reception signal, the reception signal of the probe selected by the wave reception switch 70 is also input to the amplifier.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment in which two probes can be connected to the device. This is an example in which each transducer 1 has its own transmitter/receiver circuit 2 for probe A and probe B, and the amplifier group 8, wave receiving phasing section 20, etc. have the same configuration as the conventional one. Depending on which transmitter/receiver circuit is selected, select the same probe diameter. Furthermore, the probe can be selected simply by selecting the transmitter/receiver circuit. Of course, a transmitter/receiver circuit for each probe must be installed with a relay switch or
A high-voltage analog switch may be provided to switch the probe.

In FIG. 4, analog switches 13 are provided in one-to-one correspondence to the vibrators, as in the conventional case, and the vibrators that do not operate simultaneously (or the maximum [number of aperture vibrators)] are bundled, and the driver, transmission/reception separation circuit 3 ．． A configuration in which a receiving amplifier group 8 is provided is shown. 6th
The driver circuit output shown in the figure is connected to the D terminal.

The circuit in FIG. 7 may be replaced with 1 (tie bar 5, transmission/reception separation 3). Also, a driver may be added to the group unit 12. FIG. 5 shows an embodiment configured by the group unit 12. This is a configuration in which group units 12 are provided for the maximum number of diameters.

The transmitting/receiving circuit grouping units 11, 12, etc. are the basic units for semiconductor integration.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, the system for transmitting and receiving waves in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus can be simplified, and grouping that is useful in semiconductor integration can be provided. Furthermore, since it has an aperture control function, high-speed switching is possible, allowing for the development of new imaging methods.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the main parts of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a block diagram of the main part of another embodiment, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the grouping of transducers in another embodiment, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are the transducers and wave transmission/reception of different embodiments. Figures 6 and 7 are circuit diagrams showing examples of the driver circuit and transmitter/receiver circuit used in each embodiment, and Figures 8, 9, and 10 are diagrams showing connections in circuit units, respectively. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of yet another embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Vibrator, 2 - Transmission/reception circuit, 3 Transmission/reception separation circuit, 4... Reception analog switch, 5'... 1 ~ Raiha, 6... Transmission rate pulse generator, 7... Wave reception Multiplexer, 8'...amplifier, 9-A N D circuit,
10. Decoder, 11. Wave transmitting/receiving circuit grouping unit 1
．． 12 Wave transmitting/receiving circuit grouping unit 2.13... Analog switch, 5... Driver circuit group, 8... Amplifier nL20 Wave receiving phasing circuit, 30... Image processing unit,
40...Monitor, 50-Analog switch control section, Fig. 1 (and) Whisper 2 Fig. 109 No. Sool i) 1.1% 3 Figure

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. In an ultrasonic diagnostic device that transmits and receives tomographic images and Doppler signals using multiple ultrasonic transducers arranged in a strip shape, a driver that drives the elements, a transmitting/receiving separation circuit that separates the transmitting circuit and the receiving circuit, and a receiving analog are used. An ultrasonic diagnostic device characterized in that each transducer is equipped with a transmitter/receiver circuit consisting of a switch. 2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a buffer circuit or an amplification circuit is added to the transmitting/receiving circuit. 3. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the output of the wave receiving analog switch is bundled for each of the number of transducers constituting the maximum aperture or more. 4. An ultrasonic diagnostic device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a transmitting/receiving circuit having the above configuration is provided for each probe that can be connected to the diagnostic device. 5. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a means for rapidly selecting an aperture and switching a probe at the same time by selecting the transmitter/receiver circuit. 6. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the output stage of the driver circuit has a complementary configuration. 7. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the output stage of the driver circuit has a totem pole configuration.