公开(公告)号：US09116229B2

公开(公告)日：2015-08-25

申请号：US11675517

申请日：2007-02-15

申请人： Lazar A. Shifrin

发明人： Lazar A. Shifrin

IPC分类号： H03K7/08 ,  H04J7/00 ,  G01S15/10 ,  G10K11/34 ,  G01S7/52 ,  A61B8/00

CPC分类号： G01S15/102 ,  A61B8/00 ,  G01S7/5202 ,  G10K11/346

摘要： The invention provides a novel method of transmit beamforming, which allows compact analog implementation of complex digital algorithms without compromising their features. It is aimed to support envelope shaping, apodization, and phase rotation per channel and per firing. Each of three embodiments represents a complete transmit channel driven by pulse-width modulated (PWM) waveforms stored in a conventional sequence memory. PWM signals controls the transmit pulse envelope (shape) by changing the duty cycle of the carrier. Beamformation data are loaded prior to a firing via serial interface. Under the direction of a controller, the circuitry allows high precision (beyond sampling rate) phase rotation of the carrier. It also provides transmit apodization (aperture weighting), which maintains an optimal trade-off among low sidelobe level and widening of the mainlobe. Implementing such an IC, the manufacturing cost of a high-end ultrasound system can be reduced. Equally, the proposed solution makes the benefits of digital transmit beamformers available to midrange and entry-level machines since it merely requires a modified programming of the sequence memory.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了一种发射波束形成的新颖方法，其允许复杂数字算法的紧凑模拟实现而不损害其特征。 其目的是支持每个通道和每次点火的包络整形，变迹和相位旋转。 三个实施例中的每一个表示由存储在常规序列存储器中的脉冲宽度调制（PWM）波形驱动的完整的发送信道。 PWM信号通过改变载波的占空比来控制发射脉冲包络（形状）。 在通过串行接口触发之前加载信息数据。 在控制器的指导下，电路允许载体的高精度（超过采样率）的相位旋转。 它还提供发射变迹（光圈加权），其保持低旁瓣水平和主瓣变宽之间的最佳权衡。 实现这样的IC，可以降低高端超声系统的制造成本。 同样，所提出的解决方案使数字传输波束形成器的优点可用于中端和入门级机器，因为它只需要对序列存储器进行修改编程。

公开(公告)号：US07948315B2

公开(公告)日：2011-05-24

申请号：US12618450

申请日：2009-11-13

申请人： Lazar A. Shifrin

发明人： Lazar A. Shifrin

IPC分类号： H03F3/45

CPC分类号： H03F3/45183

摘要： A low noise variable gain amplifier and method for processing received signals in an ultrasound medical imaging system is disclosed. Unlike solutions known from the prior art, the signals are amplified by a binary-coded gain amplifier having its amplification factor progressively increased during the penetration of the transmitted pulse into a patient's body. This allows enhancing both the system dynamic range and Signal to Noise Ratio.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种用于处理超声医学成像系统中的接收信号的低噪声可变增益放大器和方法。 与现有技术中已知的解决方案不同，这些信号被二进制编码的增益放大器放大，其中放大系数在穿透到患者体内的脉冲中逐渐增加。 这样可以增强系统的动态范围和信噪比。

公开(公告)号：US07513873B2

公开(公告)日：2009-04-07

申请号：US11243775

申请日：2005-10-04

申请人： Lazar A. Shifrin

发明人： Lazar A. Shifrin

IPC分类号： A61B8/14

CPC分类号： A61B8/06 ,  G01S15/8979

摘要： An ultrasonic low-noise analog beamformer for Doppler acquisition achieves high sensitivity by translating the frequency of the ultrasound echoes to an intermediate frequency, which is well above of the 1/f corner. This is accomplished by beamforming the downconverted RF signals instead of using their baseband representation. The baseband conversion, succeeding the beamformation, also incorporates the steps of clutter filtering and anti-aliasing. The invention is particularly suitable for low-voltage process technologies that support broadband applications.

摘要翻译： 用于多普勒采集的超声波低噪声模拟波束形成器通过将超声回波的频率转换到远高于1 / f角的中间频率来实现高灵敏度。 这是通过波束成形下变频RF信号而不是使用其基带表示来实现的。 在波束形成之后的基带转换还包括杂波滤波和抗锯齿的步骤。 本发明特别适用于支持宽带应用的低压工艺技术。

公开(公告)号：US20110133841A1

公开(公告)日：2011-06-09

申请号：US13016733

申请日：2011-01-28

申请人： Lazar A. Shifrin

发明人： Lazar A. Shifrin

IPC分类号： H03G3/10

CPC分类号： H03F3/45183

摘要： A low noise variable gain amplifier and method for processing received signals in an ultrasound medical imaging system is disclosed. Unlike solutions known from the prior art, the signals are amplified by a binary-coded gain amplifier having its amplification factor progressively increased during the penetration of the transmitted pulse into a patient's body. This allows enhancing both the system dynamic range and Signal to Noise Ratio.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种用于处理超声医学成像系统中的接收信号的低噪声可变增益放大器和方法。 与现有技术中已知的解决方案不同，这些信号被二进制编码的增益放大器放大，其中放大系数在穿透到患者体内的脉冲中逐渐增加。 这样可以增强系统的动态范围和信噪比。

公开(公告)号：US20080242987A1

公开(公告)日：2008-10-02

申请号：US12053235

申请日：2008-03-21

申请人： Lazar A. Shifrin

发明人： Lazar A. Shifrin

IPC分类号： A61B8/00

CPC分类号： G01S7/52046 ,  G01S15/895 ,  G10K11/346

摘要： A method of transducer excitation in medical ultrasound imaging. Based on a stepped approximation of Gaussian modulated cosines, the transmit waveform provides bandlimited spectrum and low level of second order harmonics while retaining the duration of the transmitting within two carrier cycles. The waveform is constructed as a linear composition of four unipolar, rectangle pulses of unity amplitude. Furthermore, the described embodiment supports digitally controlled transmit apodization and focusing.

摘要翻译： 一种医学超声成像中换能器激发的方法。 基于高斯调制余弦的阶梯近似，发送波形提供带通频谱和低电平的二阶谐波，同时保持在两个载波周期内的发送持续时间。 该波形被构造为具有单位幅度的四个单极矩形脉冲的线性组合。 此外，所描述的实施例支持数字控制的发送变迹和聚焦。

公开(公告)号：US08147409B2

公开(公告)日：2012-04-03

申请号：US12053235

申请日：2008-03-21

申请人： Lazar A. Shifrin

发明人： Lazar A. Shifrin

IPC分类号： A61B8/00

CPC分类号： G01S7/52046 ,  G01S15/895 ,  G10K11/346

摘要： A method of transducer excitation in medical ultrasound imaging. Based on a stepped approximation of Gaussian modulated cosines, the transmit waveform provides bandlimited spectrum and low level of second order harmonics while retaining the duration of the transmitting within two carrier cycles. The waveform is constructed as a linear composition of four unipolar, rectangle pulses of unity amplitude. Furthermore, the described embodiment supports digitally controlled transmit apodization and focusing.

摘要翻译： 一种医学超声成像中换能器激发的方法。 基于高斯调制余弦的阶梯近似，发射波形提供带通频谱和低电平二阶谐波，同时保持在两个载波周期内的发射持续时间。 该波形被构造为具有单位幅度的四个单极矩形脉冲的线性组合。 此外，所描述的实施例支持数字控制的发送变迹和聚焦。

公开(公告)号：US07889787B2

公开(公告)日：2011-02-15

申请号：US10886438

申请日：2004-07-06

申请人： Lazar A. Shifrin

发明人： Lazar A. Shifrin

IPC分类号： H03K7/08 ,  H04J7/00

CPC分类号： G01S7/52079 ,  G01S7/52017 ,  G01S7/5202 ,  G10K11/34 ,  H03F3/217

摘要： The invention provides a novel method of transmit beamforming, which allows compact analog implementation of complex digital algorithms without compromising their features. It is aimed to support envelope shaping, apodization, and phase rotation per channel and per firing. Each of three embodiments represents a complete transmit channel driven by pulse-width modulated (PWM) waveforms stored in a conventional sequence memory. PWM signals controls the transmit pulse envelope (shape) by changing the duty cycle of the carrier. Beamformation data are loaded prior to a firing via serial interface. Under the direction of a controller, the circuitry allows high precision (beyond sampling rate) phase rotation of the carrier. It also provides transmit apodization (aperture weighting), which maintains an optimal trade-off among low sidelobe level and widening of the mainlobe. Implementing such an IC, the manufacturing cost of a high-end ultrasound system can be reduced. Equally, the proposed solution makes the benefits of digital transmit beamformers available to midrange and entry-level machines since it merely requires a modified programming of the sequence memory.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了一种发射波束形成的新颖方法，其允许复杂数字算法的紧凑模拟实现而不损害其特征。 其目的是支持每个通道和每次点火的包络整形，变迹和相位旋转。 三个实施例中的每一个表示由存储在常规序列存储器中的脉冲宽度调制（PWM）波形驱动的完整的发送信道。 PWM信号通过改变载波的占空比来控制发射脉冲包络（形状）。 在通过串行接口触发之前加载信息数据。 在控制器的指导下，电路允许载体的高精度（超过采样率）的相位旋转。 它还提供发射变迹（光圈加权），其保持低旁瓣水平和主瓣变宽之间的最佳权衡。 实现这样的IC，可以降低高端超声系统的制造成本。 同样，所提出的解决方案使数字传输波束形成器的优点可用于中端和入门级机器，因为它只需要对序列存储器进行修改编程。

公开(公告)号：US06572546B1

公开(公告)日：2003-06-03

申请号：US09898199

申请日：2001-07-03

申请人： Ronald F. Bax ,  Lazar A. Shifrin

发明人： Ronald F. Bax ,  Lazar A. Shifrin

IPC分类号： A61B800

CPC分类号： G01S7/52023 ,  G01S7/5202

摘要： A two level power supply and method are provided for ultrasound transmission. A coupling capacitor is provided between a high voltage source and a low voltage source. The coupling capacitor provides direct current restoration for a two level power supply selector connected with an ultrasound transmit array. For example, a clamping circuit, including a capacitor and a diode, is provided between the high voltage and the low voltage sources. The high voltage source connects as a power supply to a pulser. Control signals are provided to the pulser to switch the output between the high voltage and ground depending on the type of ultrasound signal being transmitted. A voltage rail of the transmit array connects with the clamp circuit and receives a low voltage for CW Doppler mode imaging and a high voltage for B-mode imaging. This low cost circuitry may simplify and improve the delivery of high voltage in a two or more level power supply selection in ultrasound imaging.

摘要翻译： 为超声波传输提供了两级电源和方法。 在高电压源和低电压源之间提供耦合电容器。 耦合电容为与超声波发射阵列连接的两级电源选择器提供直流恢复。 例如，在高压和低电压源之间提供包括电容器和二极管的钳位电路。 高电压源作为脉冲发生器的电源连接。 控制信号被提供给脉冲发生器，以根据所传输的超声信号的类型在高电压和地之间切换输出。 发射阵列的电压轨与钳位电路连接并接收低电压，用于CW多普勒模式成像和高电压用于B模式成像。 这种低成本电路可以简化和改善在超声成像中的两级或更多级电源选择中的高电压传递。

公开(公告)号：US06537216B1

公开(公告)日：2003-03-25

申请号：US09846942

申请日：2001-04-30

申请人： Lazar A. Shifrin

发明人： Lazar A. Shifrin

IPC分类号： A61B800

CPC分类号： H03F3/265 ,  B06B1/0215 ,  G01S7/5202 ,  H03F3/26

摘要： A digital-to-analog converter that outputs positive and negative portions of the desired bi-polar waveform as a representative unipolar waveform (e.g. absolute value of the bi-polar waveform) is connected to a switch. The switch selects between current driver paths as a function of the positive or negative polarity of the desired bi-polar waveform. The current drivers feed a push-pull output amplifier to generate the bi-polar ultrasound waveform. Alternatively, a digital-to-analog converter with differential outputs is connected to two difference amplifiers. The difference amplifiers provide current signals to the push-pull output amplifier through their supply nodes. A single scaling resistor connects between the conventional outputs of two differential amplifiers to reduce mismatching between the positive and negative waveform paths. As a result of the feedback between the two difference amplifiers, a lower level of even harmonic distortion products is achieved.

摘要翻译： 输出作为代表性单极波形（例如双极波形的绝对值）的期望双极波形的正和负部分的数模转换器连接到开关。 开关选择电流驱动器路径作为所需双极波形的正或负极性的函数。 当前的驱动器提供推挽输出放大器以产生双极超声波波形。 或者，具有差分输出的数模转换器连接到两个差分放大器。 差分放大器通过其供电节点向推挽输出放大器提供电流信号。 单个缩放电阻连接在两个差分放大器的常规输出之间，以减少正和负波形路径之间的失配。 作为两个差分放大器之间的反馈的结果，实现了较低水平的均匀谐波失真产物。

公开(公告)号：US20100123520A1

公开(公告)日：2010-05-20

申请号：US12618450

申请日：2009-11-13

申请人： Lazar A. Shifrin

发明人： Lazar A. Shifrin

IPC分类号： H03F3/45

CPC分类号： H03F3/45183

摘要： A low noise variable gain amplifier and method for processing received signals in an ultrasound medical imaging system is disclosed. Unlike solutions known from the prior art, the signals are amplified by a binary-coded gain amplifier having its amplification factor progressively increased during the penetration of the transmitted pulse into a patient's body. This allows enhancing both the system dynamic range and Signal to Noise Ratio.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种用于处理超声医学成像系统中的接收信号的低噪声可变增益放大器和方法。 与现有技术中已知的解决方案不同，这些信号被二进制编码的增益放大器放大，其中放大系数在穿透到患者体内的脉冲中逐渐增加。 这样可以增强系统的动态范围和信噪比。