公开(公告)号：US11275161B2

公开(公告)日：2022-03-15

申请号：US16178871

申请日：2018-11-02

Applicant: BFLY Operations, Inc.

Inventor： Kailiang Chen ,  Keith G. Fife ,  Tyler S. Ralston ,  Nevada J. Sanchez ,  Andrew J. Casper

IPC: G01S7/52 ,  G01S7/527 ,  B06B1/02 ,  G01S15/89

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for implementing a coding scheme on ultrasound signals received by a plurality of ultrasonic transducers. The coding, and subsequent decoding, may allow for multiple ultrasonic transducers to be operated in a receive mode simultaneously while still differentiating the contribution of the individual ultrasonic transducers. Improved signal characteristics may result, including improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

公开(公告)号：US20250057505A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-20

申请号：US18938614

申请日：2024-11-06

Applicant: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.

Inventor： Hamid Soleimani ,  Nevada J. Sanchez

IPC: A61B8/12 ,  A61B8/00 ,  A61B8/08

Abstract: Ultrasound devices are described. The ultrasound devices may be flexibly configured to output a certain number of multilines per channel of ultrasound data and to process certain channels of ultrasound data per processing cycle. The ultrasound device may then be configured to either output more multilines per channel and process fewer channels per processing cycle, or output fewer multilines per channel and process more channels per processing cycle. In other words, the circuitry may be configured to change to a configuration with increased resolution and increased processing time or to a configuration with decreased resolution and decreased processing time.

公开(公告)号：US12231097B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-18

申请号：US18389875

申请日：2023-12-20

Applicant: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.

Inventor： Kailiang Chen ,  Keith G. Fife ,  Nevada J. Sanchez ,  Andrew J. Casper ,  Tyler S. Ralston

IPC: G01S7/52 ,  A61B5/00 ,  A61B8/00 ,  H03F1/08 ,  H03F3/16 ,  H03F3/45

Abstract: A variable current trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) for an ultrasound device is described. The TIA may be coupled to an ultrasonic transducer to amplify an output signal of the ultrasonic transducer representing an ultrasound signal received by the ultrasonic transducer. During acquisition of the ultrasound signal by the ultrasonic transducer, one or more current sources in the TIA may be varied.

公开(公告)号：US20250044431A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-06

申请号：US18922575

申请日：2024-10-22

Applicant: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.

Inventor： Nevada J. Sanchez ,  Liewei Bao ,  Tyler S. Ralston

IPC: G01S7/52 ,  A61B8/00 ,  A61B8/08 ,  G01S15/89

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein related to controlling, using control circuitry, modulation circuitry to modulate and delay first ultrasound data generated by first ultrasound transducers positioned at a first azimuthal position of an ultrasound transducer array of an ultrasound device and second ultrasound data generated by second ultrasound transducers positioned at a second azimuthal position of the ultrasound transducer array of the ultrasound device, such that the first ultrasound data is delayed by a first delay amount and the second ultrasound data is delayed by a second delay amount that is different from the first delay amount. The first and second ultrasound data received from the modulation circuitry may be filtered and summed. The ultrasound transducer array, the control circuitry, the modulation circuitry, the filtering circuitry, and the summing circuitry may be integrated onto a semiconductor chip or one or more semiconductor chips packaged together.

公开(公告)号：US11914079B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-27

申请号：US17890099

申请日：2022-08-17

Applicant: BFLY Operations, Inc.

Inventor： Jonathan M. Rothberg ,  Tyler S. Ralston ,  Nevada J. Sanchez ,  Andrew J. Casper

IPC: G01S7/52 ,  B06B1/06 ,  G10K11/34 ,  H03K5/13 ,  B06B1/02 ,  H03K5/00

CPC classification number: G01S7/52019 ,  B06B1/0292 ,  B06B1/0607 ,  G01S7/52017 ,  G10K11/346 ,  H03K5/13 ,  G01S7/5202 ,  H03K2005/00019

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to ultrasound device circuitry as may form part of a single substrate ultrasound device having integrated ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasound device circuitry may facilitate the generation of ultrasound waveforms in a manner that is power- and data-efficient.

公开(公告)号：US11863133B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-02

申请号：US17331538

申请日：2021-05-26

Applicant: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.

Inventor： Kailiang Chen ,  Keith G. Fife ,  Nevada J. Sanchez ,  Andrew J. Casper ,  Tyler S. Ralston

IPC: H03F3/16 ,  H03F1/08 ,  H03F3/45 ,  G01S7/52 ,  A61B5/00 ,  A61B8/00 ,  A61B8/08

CPC classification number: H03F3/16 ,  A61B5/6801 ,  A61B8/4444 ,  G01S7/52025 ,  H03F1/086 ,  H03F3/45183 ,  A61B8/5207 ,  H03F2200/408 ,  H03F2200/555 ,  H03F2203/45471 ,  H03F2203/45504 ,  H03F2203/45631 ,  H03F2203/45634 ,  H03F2203/45646 ,  H03F2203/45648 ,  H03F2203/45674 ,  H03F2203/45686 ,  H03F2203/45692 ,  H03F2203/45726

Abstract: A variable current trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) for an ultrasound device is described. The TIA may be coupled to an ultrasonic transducer to amplify an output signal of the ultrasonic transducer representing an ultrasound signal received by the ultrasonic transducer. During acquisition of the ultrasound signal by the ultrasonic transducer, one or more current sources in the TIA may be varied.

公开(公告)号：US11828729B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-28

申请号：US16986067

申请日：2020-08-05

Applicant: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.

Inventor： Jonathan M. Rothberg ,  Susan A. Alie ,  Keith G. Fife ,  Nevada J. Sanchez ,  Tyler S. Ralston

IPC: G01N29/24 ,  B81C1/00 ,  B06B1/02 ,  A61B8/00 ,  B81B7/00

CPC classification number: G01N29/2406 ,  A61B8/4483 ,  B06B1/0292 ,  B81B7/007 ,  B81C1/00238 ,  B81C1/00301 ,  B81B2201/0271 ,  B81C2201/019 ,  B81C2203/036 ,  B81C2203/0792 ,  H01L2224/4813 ,  H01L2924/0002 ,  H01L2924/146 ,  H01L2924/1461

Abstract: Micromachined ultrasonic transducers integrated with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) substrates are described, as well as methods of fabricating such devices. Fabrication may involve two separate wafer bonding steps. Wafer bonding may be used to fabricate sealed cavities in a substrate. Wafer bonding may also be used to bond the substrate to another substrate, such as a CMOS wafer. At least the second wafer bonding may be performed at a low temperature.

公开(公告)号：US11815492B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-14

申请号：US17232100

申请日：2021-04-15

Applicant: BFLY Operations, Inc.

Inventor： Chao Chen ,  Youn-Jae Kook ,  Jihee Lee ,  Kailiang Chen ,  Leung Kin Chiu ,  Joseph Lutsky ,  Nevada J. Sanchez ,  Sebastian Schaetz ,  Hamid Soleimani

IPC: G01N29/24 ,  A61B8/00 ,  H03F1/32 ,  H03K5/24 ,  H03M3/00 ,  G01N29/30 ,  G01S7/52 ,  B06B1/02 ,  G01S15/89 ,  H03F3/45

CPC classification number: G01N29/2406 ,  A61B8/58 ,  G01N29/30 ,  G01S7/5205 ,  H03F1/3211 ,  H03F3/45475 ,  H03K5/24 ,  H03M3/458 ,  B06B1/0292 ,  G01N2291/02475 ,  G01S15/8915 ,  H03F2200/129 ,  H03F2203/45116

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to built-in self-testing (BIST) of circuitry (e.g., a pulser or receive circuitry) and/or transducers in an ultrasound device. A BIST circuit may include a transconductance amplifier coupled between a pulser and receive circuitry, a capacitor network coupled between a pulser and receive circuitry, and/or a current source couplable to the input terminal of receive circuitry to which a transducer is also couplable. The collapse voltages of transducers may be characterized using BIST circuitry, and a bias voltage may be applied to the membranes of the transducers based at least in part on their collapse voltages. The capacitances of transducers may also be measured using BIST circuitry and a notification may be generated based on the sets of measurements.

公开(公告)号：US11684949B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-27

申请号：US17086311

申请日：2020-10-30

Applicant: BFLY Operations, Inc.

Inventor： Jonathan M. Rothberg ,  Keith G. Fife ,  Tyler S. Ralston ,  Gregory L. Charvat ,  Nevada J. Sanchez

IPC: B06B1/02 ,  B81B3/00 ,  B81C1/00 ,  G10K11/18 ,  G10K9/12 ,  B81B7/00

CPC classification number: B06B1/02 ,  B06B1/0292 ,  B81B3/0021 ,  B81B7/0077 ,  B81C1/00158 ,  G10K9/12 ,  G10K11/18 ,  B81B2203/0127 ,  B81B2203/0315 ,  B81B2207/015 ,  B81C2201/013 ,  B81C2203/0118 ,  B81C2203/0735 ,  B81C2203/0771

Abstract: CMOS Ultrasonic Transducers and processes for making such devices are described. The processes may include forming cavities on a first wafer and bonding the first wafer to a second wafer. The second wafer may be processed to form a membrane for the cavities. Electrical access to the cavities may be provided.

公开(公告)号：US20230172582A1

公开(公告)日：2023-06-08

申请号：US18104063

申请日：2023-01-31

Applicant: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.

Inventor： Jonathan M. Rothberg ,  Susan A. Alie ,  Nevada J. Sanchez ,  Tyler S. Ralston ,  Christopher Thomas McNulty ,  Jaime Scott Zahorian ,  Paul Francis Cristman ,  Matthew de Jonge ,  Keith G. Fife

IPC: A61B8/00 ,  B06B1/02 ,  A61B8/08 ,  A61B8/12 ,  B06B1/06

CPC classification number: A61B8/4477 ,  A61B8/12 ,  A61B8/54 ,  A61B8/56 ,  A61B8/465 ,  A61B8/467 ,  A61B8/483 ,  A61B8/485 ,  A61B8/488 ,  A61B8/0883 ,  A61B8/0891 ,  A61B8/4236 ,  A61B8/4427 ,  A61B8/4444 ,  A61B8/4472 ,  A61B8/4494 ,  A61B8/5207 ,  B06B1/0292 ,  B06B1/0622

Abstract: A processing device is coupled to a single ultrasound device having a single array of capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers (CMUTs). The processing device generates a graphical user interface (GUI) having user selectable GUI menu options corresponding to respective ultrasound operating modes for the single ultrasound device having the single ultrasound transducer array. The user-selectable GUI menu options include GUI menu options labeled as representing an ultrasound operating mode for musculoskeletal imaging, breast imaging, carotid imaging, vascular imaging, and abdominal imaging, respectively. The processing device further receives, via the GUI, user input indicating selection of one of the ultrasound operating modes, and in response to receiving the user input, provides an indication to the single ultrasound device having the single array of CMUTs to operate in the selected ultrasound operating mode.