Medical diagnostic ultrasound method and system for element switching
US6174286A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 25, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jan 16, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 25, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B8/00
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and system for obtaining ultrasound data is provided. Two or more transducer elements are shorted or connected to the same transmit or receive channel for a single transmit or receive event. The affect of any grating lobes generated from shorting the transducer elements are minimized by receiving acoustic energy and then obtaining ultrasound data at a harmonic of a fundamental transmit frequency. No contrast agent is added during imaging. A multiplexer with a limited number of switches is used to short pairs of transducer elements together. Alternatively, a multiplexer with a limited number of switches is used to transmit or receive from spaced apertures, such as by connecting a channel to every second transducer element.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.