1275382 九、發明說明： 【發明所屬之技術領域】 本發明係關於-種超音波影像動態聚焦袭置，特別是指一種可應用於 生物醫學超音波影像及超音波非破壞檢㈣領域之超音波影像動態聚焦裝 • 置。 ‘【先前技術】 „ 超音波影像在生物醫學及工業檢測各領域皆有廣泛之應用。以臨床超 音波為例’影㈣統包括了換㈣、發射裝置、接收裝置、城處理器及 .顯示器等組成部分，而影像之呈現則以二維或是三維格式為主。為了得到 較佳之解析度，成像之方式通常為使用—陣列換能器，並由系統控制每一 陣列通道t«之波形、時間賴料性，以朗聚焦之效果。聚焦分為發 射及接收二部分’其準確度決定了影像品質之好壞及影像資訊之多寡，故 是影像過程中極重要之—環。如圖—所示之二維影像為例，當緖欲聚焦 馨彳於⑥像平面中“ β位置時，會針對各通道至聚焦點之距離(”與陣列中 心至聚焦點距斷)之差㈣做計算，除以聲速，求得延遲，以決定 :此—通道所需之發射（或接收）訊號之相對時間。將每—通道之訊號做一 '樣之處理，便可以去除因行程差所造成之時間差，相聚焦之效果。而使 用陣列之另—伽，是各通道之峨可做動_整，因此在猶平面内之 任點白可以此方式達到聚焦之效果。此外，若將此概念延伸至二維陣列， 則可以對三蝴巾絲—峰鍵聲形編f之三維影像。 上述成像方法之優點為透過陣列系統之架構，提供可程式化之能力， 5 1275382 以在各不同應㈣皆能達到最佳化之影像品質，但其所需付出之代價則為 系統複雜度之增加。舉例來說，-細舰_數之_配—個64 系統通道數之影像⑽，必·配合多4以_系統及換能器之通道連 接，而系統之發職置與接收裝置亦須朗μ組，賴讀制各頻道· 之波形及_«。而乡观多_娜置，例峨之成本，。 亦大幅增加系統之複雜度。1275382 IX. Description of the invention: [Technical field of the invention] The present invention relates to a type of ultrasonic image dynamic focusing attack, in particular to a supersonic wave applicable to biomedical ultrasonic imaging and ultrasonic non-destructive testing (4) Image dynamic focus device. '[Previous technology] „ Ultrasonic imaging has a wide range of applications in biomedical and industrial testing. Taking clinical ultrasound as an example, the image (4) includes the replacement (4), the transmitting device, the receiving device, the city processor and the display. The components are presented in two-dimensional or three-dimensional format. In order to obtain better resolution, the imaging method is usually the use of array transducers, and the system controls the waveform of each array channel t« The time is focused on the effect of focusing on the focus. The focus is divided into two parts: transmission and reception. 'The accuracy determines the quality of the image and the amount of image information, so it is extremely important in the image process. - The two-dimensional image shown is an example. When you want to focus on the "β position in the 6-image plane, the difference between the distance from each channel to the focus point ("distance from the center of the array to the focus point" is made (4). Calculate, divide by the speed of sound, and obtain a delay to determine: this - the relative time of the transmitted (or received) signal required by the channel. By processing each signal of the channel, the difference in stroke can be removed. The resulting time difference, the effect of focusing, and the use of the array of the other - gamma, is the 峨 整 各 各 , , , , , , 各 各 各 各 各 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任 任The concept extends to a two-dimensional array, which can be used to edit the three-dimensional image of the three butterfly-to-peak key shape. The advantage of the above imaging method is that it can provide programmability through the architecture of the array system, 5 1275382 (4) can achieve the optimal image quality, but the cost of the increase is the increase of system complexity. For example, the image of the fine-ship _ number _ with a 64 system channel number (10), must · With more than 4 channels connected to the system and the transducer, the system's service and receiving devices must also be used to read the waveforms of each channel and _«. The cost of the example, also greatly increases the complexity of the system.
另外’形成二維或三維影像之另一方法為使用單一換能器之機械掃 描。此類換鮮由於並無進—步_為更多之獨立通道，因此在傳統之成 像方式中僅能使賊片達到固定聚焦，而使得影像品f在聚龍外受到影 響，系統性能亦無法針對各應用做個別之最佳化。 相關專利引證案，如：us Patent Νο· 5,582，177 及 us ρ_ ν〇· 5,976,09卜雖有提及使用不均勻厚度之超音波換能器，唯這些引證案之重 點僅在於換能H頻寬之提升、湘發射頻率來蚊等效換脑之大小及鏡 馨片設計原則等部份，對於如何設計系統發射訊號及接收濾波器，以充分利 用此類換能器之特性，達到陣列換能器之動態聚焦效果，則並未說明。 ' 由此可見，上述習用技術仍有諸多缺失及不足，實非一良善之設計者， 而亟待加以改良。 本案發明人鑑於上述習用技術所衍生的各項缺點及不足，乃亟思加以 改良創新，並經多年苦心孤詣潛心研究後，終於成功研發完成本件一種超 音波影像動態聚焦裝置。 【發明内容】 6 1275382 本發明之目的即在於提供一種超音波影像動態聚焦裴置，係使用頻率 編碼之換能器，在發射端配合系統發射訊號之設計，達到聚焦抻制之效果· 而在接收端，則是配合接收濾波器之使用，達到動態聚焦之目的。 本發明之次—目的即在於提供一種超音波影像動態聚焦裝置係透過 頻率編碼之方式’將換能器各區域做區分及控制，使频碼之換能器，便 可以在系統端以調整發射或是接收轉號之頻率特性達到獨立控制各換铲器 區域之目的，以進行類似陣列換能器系統之成像方式。In addition, another method of forming a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image is mechanical scanning using a single transducer. This type of fresh-keeping is not a further independent channel, so in the traditional imaging mode, only the thief film can be fixedly focused, and the image product f is affected outside the poly-long, and the system performance cannot be Individual optimization for each application. Related patent citations, such as: us Patent Νο· 5,582,177 and us ρ_ ν〇· 5,976,09 Although there are references to the use of ultrasonic transducers of uneven thickness, only the focus of these references is on the transducer H. The improvement of the bandwidth, the emission frequency of Xiang Xiang, the size of the equivalent brain exchange, and the design principle of the mirror, how to design the system to transmit signals and receive filters to make full use of the characteristics of such transducers to reach the array. The dynamic focusing effect of the transducer is not explained. From this, it can be seen that there are still many shortcomings and deficiencies in the above-mentioned conventional technologies. It is not a good designer and needs to be improved. In view of the shortcomings and shortcomings derived from the above-mentioned conventional technologies, the inventors of the present invention have improved and innovated, and after years of painstaking research, finally successfully developed a supersonic image dynamic focusing device. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 6 1275382 The object of the present invention is to provide a supersonic image dynamic focusing device, which uses a frequency-encoded transducer, and cooperates with the system to transmit signals at the transmitting end to achieve the effect of focusing and clamping. At the receiving end, it is used in conjunction with the receiving filter to achieve dynamic focusing. The second objective of the present invention is to provide a method for dynamically focusing a supersonic image by means of frequency encoding to distinguish and control various regions of the transducer, so that the transducer of the frequency code can be adjusted and transmitted at the system end. Or to receive the frequency characteristics of the turn-number to achieve the purpose of independently controlling each of the shoveler areas to perform imaging methods similar to array transducer systems.
本發明之另—目的即在於提供—種超音波影像動態聚焦裝置，若是換 能器以壓電材料製作，則其頻率編碼的方式之—為可透過對於換能器壓電 材料之不均勻厚度設計來決定’此點'《別於傳統換能H之均勻厚度設計 方式。 本發明之又-目的即在於提供—種超音波影像動態聚絲置，係可在 簡化之系統架構下達到動態聚焦之效果，除了可改善使用單—換能器影像 系統雜品質之外，亦可延伸至—維陣列系統在轉描方向之聚焦能:/， 使其達到近似二維陣列之效果，使得影像在各位置皆有均句之影像厚度。 : 可達成上述發明目的之—種超音波影像義聚«置，係刻換朗 頻轉職術，將難料面柯之錄制至不同之頻轉應，若是換 能器以壓電材料製作，則此可由改變壓電材料之厚度來達成；本發明可針 對某-聚焦位置’以計算出換能録面各位置所需之聚焦時間延遲，將個 別訊號配合職之_成分後加歧合，便可科—魏触裝置達到近 似陣列換能器之影像效果，此組合後之訊號即為探頭所需之發射驅動訊 7 1275382 &而在接收知之動崎焦則以類似之方式，以濾波器之頻率響應決定換 把器表面愤制之位置，接收訊肋此方式擷取之後再加上對應之聚焦時Another object of the present invention is to provide a supersonic image dynamic focusing device. If the transducer is made of a piezoelectric material, the frequency encoding method is a non-uniform thickness that can be transmitted through the piezoelectric material of the transducer. Designed to determine 'this point' is different from the traditional thickness of the traditional design of H. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a dynamic optical fiber arrangement for supersonic images, which can achieve dynamic focusing effect under a simplified system architecture, in addition to improving the quality of the single-transducer image system. It can be extended to the focusing energy of the -dimensional array system in the direction of the scanning: /, to achieve the effect of an approximate two-dimensional array, so that the image has a uniform image thickness at each position. : The ultrasonic image can be achieved by the above-mentioned invention. Then, this can be achieved by changing the thickness of the piezoelectric material; the present invention can calculate the focus time delay required for each position of the translucent recording surface for a certain focus position, and the individual signals are combined with the _ component and then disjointed. The Ke-Wei touch device achieves the image effect of the approximate array transducer. The signal after the combination is the transmit drive signal required by the probe 7 1275382 & and the analogy is received in the similar way to filter The frequency response of the device determines the position of the inverter's surface inversion, and the receiving rib is extracted in this way and then the corresponding focus is added.
1(遲在換月b器有效區域内皆做此處理後將訊號加總，便可達到接收聚 焦之效果。 A ， 【實施方式】 ^ 纟發明超音波影像動態聚焦裝置，係由超音波換能器、發射裝置及接 ▲ 收裝置所組成。 (1)超音波換能器： 由於超音波換能器-般使用壓電材料，而其頻率特性由壓電材料之厚 度決定。以壓料賴作之換能厚度拉要解所對絲波波長之 -半，由於聲波在傳遞媒介中之衰減隨著頻率而增加，故在傳遞深度較小 時其訊號頻率範圍較傳遞距離較鱗之頻率翻為高。因此，若換能器壓 電材料中心位置之厚度較薄，外圍之厚度較厚，則可以在距離較近時選擇 參制較小區域之換能器，在遠距離時選擇使職大區域之換能器。此方法 便可以改善非掃描方向之影像均勻度。而本發_是彻不同之換能器厚 :度來對應至不同之頻率範圍，因此，在發射端便可藉由不同頻率範圍之訊1 .號來控制不同之換能器區域，在接收端亦可用渡波器來決定所需使用之換丨 能器區域。如此，動態聚焦便不需使用陣列便可以實現。更進一步來說， 本發明所描述之方法可以應用在單-換能器，便可以達到一維或是二維陣 列之效果，因此系統之發射接收裝置僅需一組即可達到動態聚焦之效果， 也可以大幅降低現有陣列系統之成本與複雜度。 〃 8 1275382 (2)發射裝置： 於每一換能器通道可對應一個發射裝置，或是多個換能器通道可對鹿 至一個發射裝置，該發射裝置之發射波形設計為利用換能器不同區域之不 同頻率響應，將其加以延遲與加總後所進行之聚焦控制，該聚焦控制可同 時為單一位置或多個位置。其發射訊號設計如下所述：1 (After the change in the effective area of the month, the signal is added to the total, the effect of receiving the focus can be achieved. A, [Embodiment] ^ 纟Invented the ultrasonic image dynamic focusing device, which is changed by ultrasonic The energy device, the transmitting device and the receiving device are composed of. (1) Ultrasonic transducer: Since the ultrasonic transducer generally uses a piezoelectric material, its frequency characteristic is determined by the thickness of the piezoelectric material. The thickness of the reciprocating energy is about half of the wavelength of the filament, because the attenuation of the acoustic wave in the transmission medium increases with the frequency. Therefore, when the transmission depth is small, the frequency of the signal is wider than the transmission distance. Therefore, if the thickness of the center position of the transducer piezoelectric material is thinner and the thickness of the outer periphery is thicker, the transducers that are smaller in the area can be selected when the distance is closer, and the distance is selected at a long distance. Transducer in the vocational area. This method can improve the image uniformity in the non-scanning direction. This is a different transducer thickness: the degree corresponds to a different frequency range, so it can be used at the transmitting end. By different frequency ranges The number 1 is used to control different transducer areas, and the ferrite can also be used at the receiving end to determine the area of the transducer to be used. Thus, dynamic focusing can be achieved without using an array. Further, this The method described in the invention can be applied to a single-transducer to achieve the effect of a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array, so that the system's transmitting and receiving device only needs one set to achieve the dynamic focusing effect, and can also greatly reduce the existing The cost and complexity of the array system. 〃 8 1275382 (2) Launcher: Each transducer channel can correspond to one launcher, or multiple transducer channels can be used to deer to a launcher. The transmit waveform is designed to utilize different frequency responses of different regions of the transducer, delaying and summing the focus control, which can be a single location or multiple locations simultaneously. The transmit signal design is as follows:
假設換能器之各部分以頻率響應做區分，可分為ΛΜ固區域，區域/所 對應之主要X作頻料> 進—步假設聚焦點之位置為㈣，且換能器之各 區域聚焦至此《、輯需之雜日销輯騎以。若魏域之基本形式 為〆ί)，則以下訊號可以自動聚焦至所需之聚焦點： Ν 冲) = [〆/ —Γ(/·，χ，外 /=1 舉例來說’若此舰器之頻率㈣具有環形分佈之形式，則此方法之 工作原理’如圖二Α所示，該圓形換能器i中，各環形區域U可對應至不 同之頻率響應，而由圖 B可知，呤圆於认仏即 " 了知韻形換能器1中心區域的壓電材料厚 度較薄，可對應至較高的頻率細。圖二B中之圓形換能器i中，各 環Γ域11之厚度變化林連叙形式，但此僅為—示意圖。實際之換能 器製作其厚度亦可為連續變化，以利製程之簡化。 本發明並不紐於上述之換能器_，其他之換能器辭編碼方式， 亦可使用本方法。舉例來說，本發明亦可等效產生二維陣列之形式，邱 二所不，即綱·2之糊，其巾各描 可對應至不同之頻率響應。 A 1 (3)接收裝置： 9 1275382 . 本發明接收裝置之原理與發射裝置相同，在麟上為—組不同頻帶之 帶通漉波器，在實際實現時此組據波n則可整合為—單—濾波器。由圖四 可知’在接收裝置3中，各濾波器31選擇不同之換能器區域，再加以各區 域所對應之時間延遲(推，便可以加總得到聚紐之訊號。 又因濾、波器為-線性運算，故圖四中之濾波器組可以整合而成一單〆 •聚波H 32之實現方式，而系統_可如圖五所示。上述運算以數學式 表示如下： 其中*為旋積(co—n)運算符號，呦為換能器之接收訊號，屻)及 &為對應至換能器區域/所需之頻率響應及聚焦延遲，⑽為圖五所示聚焦 濾波器之等效頻率響應。 本發明所提供之-種具有可靠性以及終性的—種超音波影像動態聚 焦裝置，與其他習用技術及引證案相互比較時，更具備下列優點： • .本《明之超θ波景彡像動態聚焦裝置，係使用頻率編碼之換能器，在 發射端配合系統發射訊號之設計，達到聚焦控制之效果；而在接收 : 端’败配合接收舰器之使用，_動態聚焦之目的。 ' 2.本發明之超音波影像祕聚絲置’係透過鮮編狀方式，將換 能器各區域做區分及控制，使用編碼之換能器，便可以在系統端以 調整發射或是接收訊號之解雜達_立控制各難器區域之 目的，以進行類似陣列換能器系統之成像方式。 3.本發明之超音波影像動態聚焦裝置，其頻率編碼的方式之—為可透 10 1275382 過對於換能益壓電材料之不均勻厚度設計來決定，此點亦有別於傳 統換能器之均砵度設計方式。 、 本發月之超日波影像動態聚焦裝置，係可在簡化之系統架構下達到 動〜' t焦之效果，除了可改善使用單一換能器影像系統聚焦品質之 • 夕卜’亦可延伸至—維陣列系統在非掃描方向之聚焦能力，使其達到 _ 近似二維_之效果，使得影像在各位置皆有均勻之影像厚度。 上__說_針對本發明之—可行實補之具體說明，惟該實施例 並非用以限制本發明之專利範圍，凡未脫離本發明技藝精神所為之等效實 施或變更，均應包含於本案之專利範圍中。 綜上所述，本財但在技術思紅確屬鑛，並能較㈣物品增進上 述多項功效，應以充分符合新雛及進步性之法定發明專利要件，麦依法 提出申凊，懇請貴局核准本件發明專利申請案，以勵發明，至感德便。 【圖式簡單說明】 | 圖一為習用二維影像聚焦示意圖； 圖二A為本發明超音波影像動態聚焦裝置以圓形換能器實施之正視 ^ 圖； _ 圖二B為該超音波影像動態聚焦裝置以圓形換能器實施之側視圖； 圖二為該超音波影像動態聚焦裝置以矩形換能器實施之正視圖；It is assumed that each part of the transducer is distinguished by frequency response and can be divided into a tamping area, and the corresponding main X is used as the frequency material. The position of the focus point is (4), and the regions of the transducer are Focus on this, and the daily needs of the series. If the basic form of the Wei domain is 〆ί), the following signals can be automatically focused to the desired focus point: Ν 冲) = [〆/ -Γ(/·,χ,外/=1 For example, if this ship The frequency (4) of the device has the form of a circular distribution, and the working principle of the method is as shown in FIG. 2A. In the circular transducer i, each annular region U can correspond to a different frequency response, and FIG. B shows that The roundness of the piezoelectric material in the central region of the circular transducer 1 is thinner and can be correspondingly higher to the higher frequency. In the circular transducer i in Fig. 2B, each The thickness of the ring-shaped field 11 is changed in the form of Lin Lian, but this is only a schematic diagram. The thickness of the actual transducer can be continuously changed to facilitate the simplification of the process. The present invention is not related to the above-mentioned transducer _, For other transducer coding methods, the method can also be used. For example, the invention can also be equivalently produced in the form of a two-dimensional array, and Qiu Er does not, that is, the paste of the class 2, and the drawings can correspond to each other. Response to different frequencies A 1 (3) Receiving device: 9 1275382 . Principle and transmission of the receiving device of the present invention In the same way, on the lining is a set of bandpass choppers of different frequency bands. In actual implementation, the group of data waves n can be integrated into a single-filter. As shown in Fig. 4, in the receiving device 3, each filtering The device 31 selects different transducer regions, and then adds the time delay corresponding to each region (push, it can add the signal of the clustering. Since the filter and the waver are linear operations, the filter in FIG. 4 The group can be integrated into a single 〆•聚波H 32 implementation, and the system _ can be as shown in Figure 5. The above operation is expressed mathematically as follows: where * is the convolution (co-n) operation symbol, 呦 is for The receiving signal of the energy detector, 屻) and & corresponds to the transducer region/desired frequency response and focus delay, and (10) is the equivalent frequency response of the focusing filter shown in Fig. 5. The ultra-sonic image dynamic focusing device with reliability and finality has the following advantages when compared with other conventional techniques and citations: • The “Super-θ Wave Image Dynamic Focusing Device” of the Ming Dynasty Coded transducer, matched at the transmitter The system transmits the signal design to achieve the effect of focus control; and in the reception: the end of the 'failure to match the use of the receiving ship, _ dynamic focus. ' 2. The ultrasonic image of the present invention is set by the mystery In the mode, the transducers are divided and controlled. Using the coded transducer, the purpose of adjusting the transmission or receiving signals can be adjusted at the system side to control the various difficult areas. The imaging method of the array transducer system. 3. The ultrasonic image dynamic focusing device of the present invention, the frequency encoding method is determined by the permeable design of the transparent thickness of the piezoelectric material of 10 1275382. The point is also different from the uniform design of the traditional transducer. The super-wave image dynamic focusing device of this month can achieve the effect of moving the 't-focus under the simplified system architecture, in addition to improving the use. The focus quality of a single transducer image system can also be extended to the ability of the dimensional array system to focus in the non-scanning direction, so that it achieves the effect of _ approximately two-dimensional, making the image in various positions. The image has a uniform thickness. The detailed description of the present invention is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, and equivalent implementations or alterations of the present invention should be included in the present invention. The patent scope of this case. In summary, this financial but the technical thinking is indeed a mine, and can improve the above-mentioned multiple functions compared with (4) articles, should be in full compliance with the new and progressive statutory invention patent requirements, Mai filed a lawsuit, please ask your bureau Approved this invention patent application, in order to invent invention, to the sense of virtue. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional two-dimensional image focusing; FIG. 2A is a front view of a supersonic image dynamic focusing device implemented by a circular transducer; _ FIG. 2B is the ultrasonic image A side view of the dynamic focusing device implemented by a circular transducer; FIG. 2 is a front view of the ultrasonic image dynamic focusing device implemented by a rectangular transducer;
圖四為該超音波影像動態聚焦裴置之接收裝置示意圖；以及 圖五為該超音波影像動態聚焦裝置之另一接收裝置示意圖U 要部分代表符號】 1275382 1圓形換能器 11環形區域 2矩形換能器 21小矩形區域 3接收裝置 31濾波器 32聚焦濾波器4 is a schematic diagram of a receiving device of the ultrasonic image dynamic focusing device; and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of another receiving device of the ultrasonic image dynamic focusing device. U is a partial representative symbol] 1275382 1 circular transducer 11 annular region 2 Rectangular transducer 21 small rectangular area 3 receiving device 31 filter 32 focusing filter