Sub-beamforming apparatus and method for a portable ultrasound imaging system

US6491634B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV · NL

Inventors

• Steven C. Leavitt · Hampstead, US
• Bernard Joseph Savord · Andover, US
• Benjamin M Herrick · Boxborough, US
• Joseph R. Fallon · Pickerington, US
• Matthew Mooney · Westford, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 13, 2000
• Grant date: Dec 10, 2002
• Expiry date: Nov 26, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G10K11/346
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A sub-beamforming method and apparatus are applied to a portable, one-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system. The sub-beamforming circuitry may be included in the probe s assembly housing the ultrasonic transducer, thus minimizing the number of signals that are communicated between the probe assembly and the portable processor included in the imaging system. Including the sub-beamformer in the probe assembly also relieves the portable processor of some of the signal processing tasks. The sub-beamforming apparatus may be implemented digitally or may be implemented using analog components.