公开(公告)号：US07963919B2

公开(公告)日：2011-06-21

申请号：US11295794

申请日：2005-12-07

申请人： Timothy L. Proulx ,  Christopher M. Daft ,  J. Paul Mohr ,  Walter T. Wilser ,  Charles E. Bradley ,  Paul A. Wagner ,  Igal Ladabaum

发明人： Timothy L. Proulx ,  Christopher M. Daft ,  J. Paul Mohr ,  Walter T. Wilser ,  Charles E. Bradley ,  Paul A. Wagner ,  Igal Ladabaum

IPC分类号： A61B8/00

CPC分类号： G01S7/52095 ,  A61B8/483 ,  G01S15/892 ,  G01S15/8925 ,  G01S15/8927 ,  G01S15/8959 ,  G01S15/8995 ,  G01S15/8997

摘要： Synthetic transmit aperture is provided for three-dimensional ultrasound imaging. A transducer may have separate transmit and receive elements. Broad beams are transmitted, allowing fewer transmit elements and/or more rapid scanning. A multidimensional receive array generates data in response to sequential transmissions, such as transmissions from different angles. The data is combined to increase resolution. A transducer array with offset transmit elements for forming a transmit line source may be used.

摘要翻译： 为三维超声成像提供合成发射孔径。 传感器可以具有单独的发射和接收元件。 传输宽波束，允许更少的发射元件和/或更快速的扫描。 多维接收阵列响应于顺序传输产生数据，例如来自不同角度的传输。 数据被组合以提高分辨率。 可以使用具有用于形成发射线源的偏移发射元件的换能器阵列。

公开(公告)号：US07780597B2

公开(公告)日：2010-08-24

申请号：US10819094

申请日：2004-04-05

申请人： Satchi Panda ,  Paul A Wagner ,  Christopher M Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

发明人： Satchi Panda ,  Paul A Wagner ,  Christopher M Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

IPC分类号： A61B8/00

CPC分类号： G01S15/8959 ,  B06B1/0292 ,  G01S7/52038 ,  G01S7/52047 ,  G01S7/52077 ,  G01S15/8909 ,  G01S15/8995

摘要： Presented is a method of operating a capacitive microfabricated ultrasonic transducer (cMUT) array with multiple firings of varying bias voltage polarity patterns to improve its performance in imaging non-linear media, such as in contrast agent imaging or tissue harmonic imaging. Additionally, transducers incorporating the method are provided. The method of cMUT operation and the corresponding cMUT does not require pre-distortion or phase inversion of the transmit signal and can achieve an improvement in the elevation focus of the cMUT, as compared to the elevation focus that a single firing can achieve. Further, the method of operating the cMUT minimizes the deleterious effects that result from insulators being subjected to high electric fields.

摘要翻译： 提出了一种操作具有改变的偏置电压极性图案的多次发射的电容微型超声波换能器（cMUT）阵列的方法，以提高其在成像非线性介质中的性能，例如对比剂成像或组织谐波成像。 另外，提供了包含该方法的换能器。 与单次点火可以实现的高程焦点相比，cMUT操作的方法和相应的cMUT不需要发射信号的预失真或相位反转，并且可以实现cMUT的高程焦点的改善。 此外，操作cMUT的方法使由绝缘子经受高电场导致的有害影响最小化。

公开(公告)号：US20090105590A1

公开(公告)日：2009-04-23

申请号：US12233376

申请日：2008-09-18

申请人： Christopher M. Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

发明人： Christopher M. Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

IPC分类号： A61B8/00

CPC分类号： G01S15/8925 ,  G01S7/52023 ,  G01S15/8993

摘要： A single chip transducer apparatus that includes on-chip electronic circuitry which, when connected properly to a two-dimensional matrix of ultrasonic transducer elements, provides enough information to an external imaging system to form three-dimensional images of the subject of interest. In a preferred embodiment, the circuitry provides an amplifier for each transducer element, and then conditions the output of the amplifier in several ways. In one embodiment of the invention, the elements' analog voltages are stored in a sample and hold circuit, and time multiplexed into a high speed line driver that sends many elements data down the interconnect to the system's high speed Analog to Digital converters. In another embodiment, the gain of the amplifiers can be controlled in time to provide aperture translation and time based expansion for translating and focusing image slices in the elevation direction.

摘要翻译： 一种单芯片换能器装置，其包括片上电子电路，当与外部成像系统的二维矩阵正确连接时，其提供足够的信息以形成感兴趣对象的三维图像。 在优选实施例中，电路为每个换能器元件提供放大器，然后以多种方式调节放大器的输出。 在本发明的一个实施例中，元件的模拟电压被存储在采样和保持电路中，并且被时分复用到高速线路驱动器中，该高速线路驱动器将互连处的许多元件数据发送到系统的高速模数转换器。 在另一个实施例中，可以及时控制放大器的增益以提供孔径平移和基于时间的扩展，用于在高程方向上平移和聚焦图像切片。

公开(公告)号：US07824338B2

公开(公告)日：2010-11-02

申请号：US12233403

申请日：2008-09-18

申请人： Christopher M. Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

发明人： Christopher M. Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

IPC分类号： A61B8/00 ,  H01L41/113

CPC分类号： G01S15/8925 ,  G01S7/52023 ,  G01S15/8993

摘要： A single chip transducer apparatus that includes on-chip electronic circuitry which, when connected properly to a two-dimensional matrix of ultrasonic transducer elements, provides enough information to an external imaging system to form three-dimensional images of the subject of interest. In a preferred embodiment, the circuitry provides an amplifier for each transducer element, and then conditions the output of the amplifier in several ways. In one embodiment of the invention, the elements' analog voltages are stored in a sample and hold circuit, and time multiplexed into a high speed line driver that sends many elements data down the interconnect to the system's high speed Analog to Digital converters. In another embodiment, the gain of the amplifiers can be controlled in time to provide aperture translation and time based expansion for translating and focusing image slices in the elevation direction.

摘要翻译： 一种单芯片换能器装置，其包括片上电子电路，当与外部成像系统的二维矩阵正确连接时，其提供足够的信息以形成感兴趣对象的三维图像。 在优选实施例中，电路为每个换能器元件提供放大器，然后以多种方式调节放大器的输出。 在本发明的一个实施例中，元件的模拟电压被存储在采样和保持电路中，并且被时分复用到高速线路驱动器中，该高速线路驱动器将互连处的许多元件数据发送到系统的高速模数转换器。 在另一个实施例中，可以及时控制放大器的增益以提供孔径平移和基于时间的扩展，用于在高程方向上平移和聚焦图像切片。

公开(公告)号：US07618373B2

公开(公告)日：2009-11-17

申请号：US10959665

申请日：2004-10-04

申请人： Igal Ladabaum ,  Satchi Panda ,  Christopher M Daft

发明人： Igal Ladabaum ,  Satchi Panda ,  Christopher M Daft

IPC分类号： A61B8/14

CPC分类号： B06B1/0292 ,  G01S15/8925 ,  G01S15/8993

摘要： A capacitive microfabricated transducer array used for 3-D imaging, with a relatively large elevation dimension and a bias control of the elevation aperture in space and time, confers the same benefits of mechanical translation, except that image cross-sections are electronically rather than mechanically scanned, and are registered very accurately in space. The 3-D cMUT, when combined with elevation bias control and convex curvature in elevation, increases the volume interrogated by the electronic scanning, thus improving field of view. Further still, the 3-D cMUT can be combined Fresnel focusing of the elevation section to improve the elevation focus.

摘要翻译： 用于3-D成像的电容微制造传感器阵列具有相对较大的仰角尺寸和空间和时间上的高程孔径的偏置控制，赋予机械平移同样的优点，除了图像横截面是电子的而不是机械的 扫描，并在太空中非常准确地注册。 3-D cMUT与高程偏置控制和仰角凸曲线组合时，增加了电子扫描询问的音量，从而改善了视野。 此外，3-D cMUT可以组合海拔部分的菲涅耳聚焦以提高仰角。

公开(公告)号：US20090105586A1

公开(公告)日：2009-04-23

申请号：US12233403

申请日：2008-09-18

申请人： Christopher M. Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

发明人： Christopher M. Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

IPC分类号： A61B8/00

CPC分类号： G01S15/8925 ,  G01S7/52023 ,  G01S15/8993

摘要： A single chip transducer apparatus that includes on-chip electronic circuitry which, when connected properly to a two-dimensional matrix of ultrasonic transducer elements, provides enough information to an external imaging system to form three-dimensional images of the subject of interest. In a preferred embodiment, the circuitry provides an amplifier for each transducer element, and then conditions the output of the amplifier in several ways. In one embodiment of the invention, the elements' analog voltages are stored in a sample and hold circuit, and time multiplexed into a high speed line driver that sends many elements data down the interconnect to the system's high speed Analog to Digital converters. In another embodiment, the gain of the amplifiers can be controlled in time to provide aperture translation and time based expansion for translating and focusing image slices in the elevation direction.

公开(公告)号：US07508113B2

公开(公告)日：2009-03-24

申请号：US10982693

申请日：2004-11-05

申请人： Christopher M. Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

发明人： Christopher M. Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

IPC分类号： B06B1/06 ,  A61B8/14 ,  H01L41/08 ,  H04R17/00

CPC分类号： G01S15/8925 ,  G01S7/52023 ,  G01S15/8993

摘要： A single chip transducer apparatus that includes on-chip electronic circuitry which, when connected properly to a two-dimensional matrix of ultrasonic transducer elements, provides enough information to an external imaging system to form three-dimensional images of the subject of interest. In a preferred embodiment, the circuitry provides an amplifier for each transducer element, and then conditions the output of the amplifier in several ways. In one embodiment of the invention, the elements' analog voltages are stored in a sample and hold circuit, and time multiplexed into a high speed line driver that sends many elements data down the interconnect to the system's high speed Analog to Digital converters. In another embodiment, the gain of the amplifiers can be controlled in time to provide aperture translation and time based expansion for translating and focusing image slices in the elevation direction.

摘要翻译： 一种单芯片换能器装置，其包括片上电子电路，当与外部成像系统的二维矩阵正确连接时，其提供足够的信息以形成感兴趣对象的三维图像。 在优选实施例中，电路为每个换能器元件提供放大器，然后以多种方式调节放大器的输出。 在本发明的一个实施例中，元件的模拟电压被存储在采样和保持电路中，并且被时分复用到高速线路驱动器中，该高速线路驱动器将互连处的许多元件数据发送到系统的高速模数转换器。 在另一个实施例中，可以及时控制放大器的增益以提供孔径平移和基于时间的扩展，用于在高程方向上平移和聚焦图像切片。

公开(公告)号：US07719166B2

公开(公告)日：2010-05-18

申请号：US12233435

申请日：2008-09-18

申请人： Christopher M. Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

发明人： Christopher M. Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

IPC分类号： B06B1/06 ,  A61B8/14 ,  H01L41/08 ,  H04R17/00

CPC分类号： G01S15/8925 ,  G01S7/52023 ,  G01S15/8993

摘要： A single chip transducer apparatus that includes on-chip electronic circuitry which, when connected properly to a two-dimensional matrix of ultrasonic transducer elements, provides enough information to an external imaging system to form three-dimensional images of the subject of interest. In a preferred embodiment, the circuitry provides an amplifier for each transducer element, and then conditions the output of the amplifier in several ways. In one embodiment of the invention, the elements' analog voltages are stored in a sample and hold circuit, and time multiplexed into a high speed line driver that sends many elements data down the interconnect to the system's high speed Analog to Digital converters. In another embodiment, the gain of the amplifiers can be controlled in time to provide aperture translation and time based expansion for translating and focusing image slices in the elevation direction.

摘要翻译： 一种单芯片换能器装置，其包括片上电子电路，当与外部成像系统的二维矩阵正确连接时，其提供足够的信息以形成感兴趣对象的三维图像。 在优选实施例中，电路为每个换能器元件提供放大器，然后以多种方式调节放大器的输出。 在本发明的一个实施例中，元件的模拟电压被存储在采样和保持电路中，并且被时分复用到高速线路驱动器中，该高速线路驱动器将互连处的许多元件数据发送到系统的高速模数转换器。 在另一个实施例中，可以及时控制放大器的增益以提供孔径平移和基于时间的扩展，用于在高程方向上平移和聚焦图像切片。

公开(公告)号：US07679263B2

公开(公告)日：2010-03-16

申请号：US12233376

申请日：2008-09-18

申请人： Christopher M. Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

发明人： Christopher M. Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

IPC分类号： H01L41/08 ,  B06B1/06 ,  A61B8/14 ,  H04R17/00

CPC分类号： G01S15/8925 ,  G01S7/52023 ,  G01S15/8993

摘要： A single chip transducer apparatus that includes on-chip electronic circuitry which, when connected properly to a two-dimensional matrix of ultrasonic transducer elements, provides enough information to an external imaging system to form three-dimensional images of the subject of interest. In a preferred embodiment, the circuitry provides an amplifier for each transducer element, and then conditions the output of the amplifier in several ways. In one embodiment of the invention, the elements' analog voltages are stored in a sample and hold circuit, and time multiplexed into a high speed line driver that sends many elements data down the interconnect to the system's high speed Analog to Digital converters. In another embodiment, the gain of the amplifiers can be controlled in time to provide aperture translation and time based expansion for translating and focusing image slices in the elevation direction.

公开(公告)号：US20090092306A1

公开(公告)日：2009-04-09

申请号：US12233435

申请日：2008-09-18

申请人： Christopher M. Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

发明人： Christopher M. Daft ,  Igal Ladabaum

IPC分类号： G06K9/00

CPC分类号： G01S15/8925 ,  G01S7/52023 ,  G01S15/8993

摘要： A single chip transducer apparatus that includes on-chip electronic circuitry which, when connected properly to a two-dimensional matrix of ultrasonic transducer elements, provides enough information to an external imaging system to form three-dimensional images of the subject of interest. In a preferred embodiment, the circuitry provides an amplifier for each transducer element, and then conditions the output of the amplifier in several ways. In one embodiment of the invention, the elements' analog voltages are stored in a sample and hold circuit, and time multiplexed into a high speed line driver that sends many elements data down the interconnect to the system's high speed Analog to Digital converters. In another embodiment, the gain of the amplifiers can be controlled in time to provide aperture translation and time based expansion for translating and focusing image slices in the elevation direction.

摘要翻译： 一种单芯片换能器装置，其包括片上电子电路，当与外部成像系统的二维矩阵正确连接时，其提供足够的信息以形成感兴趣对象的三维图像。 在优选实施例中，电路为每个换能器元件提供放大器，然后以多种方式调节放大器的输出。 在本发明的一个实施例中，元件的模拟电压被存储在采样和保持电路中，并且被时分复用到高速线路驱动器中，该高速线路驱动器将互连处的许多元件数据发送到系统的高速模数转换器。 在另一个实施例中，可以及时控制放大器的增益以提供孔径平移和基于时间的扩展，用于在高程方向上平移和聚焦图像切片。