Duplexer including a field-effect transistor for use in an ultrasound imaging system

US5603324A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Ralph Oppelt · Uttenreuth, DE
• Markus Vester · Koblenzer Straße, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 21, 1995
• Grant date: Feb 18, 1997
• Expiry date: Apr 21, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H03K17/687
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A duplexer for an ultrasound imaging system is capable of selectively coupling a transducer element to either a transmitter or a receiver, depending on whether the imaging system is in the transmit mode or receive mode. The duplexer contains a field-effect transistor whose source and drain are connected between the transducer element and the receiver. The gate of the field effect transistor may either be driven with a control voltage or short-circuited to the source. In this manner, one obtains an improved duplexer that operates with virtually no power loss, without drive circuits, without leakage currents, and with low noise.