Abstract: A transducer array (802) includes at least one 1D array of transducing elements (804). The at least one 1D array of transducing elements includes a plurality of transducing elements (904). A first of the plurality of transducing elements has a first apodization and a second of the plurality of transducing elements has a second apodization. The first apodization and the second apodization are different. The transducer array further includes at least one electrically conductive element (910) in electrical communication with each of the plurality of transducing elements. The transducer array further includes at least one electrical contact (906) in electrical communication with the at least one electrically conductive element. The at least one electrical contact concurrently addresses the plurality of transducing elements through the at least one electrically conductive element.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system (100) includes a 2-D transducer array (102) with a first 1-D array (104, 204) of one or more rows of transducing elements (106, 2041, . . . 2046) configured to produce first ultrasound data and a second 1-D array (104, 206) of one or more columns of transducing elements (106, 2061, . . . 2066) configured to produce second ultrasound data. The first and second 1-D arrays are configured for row-column addressing. The ultrasound imaging system further includes a controller (112) configured to control transmission and reception of the first and second 1-D arrays, and a beamformer (114) configured to beamform the received first and second echoes to produce ultrasound data, and an image processor (116) configured to process the ultrasound data to generate an image, which is displayed via a display (224).

Abstract: A transducer array (802) includes at least one 1D array of transducing elements (804). The at least one 1D array of transducing elements includes a plurality of transducing elements (904). A first of the plurality of transducing elements has a first apodization and a second of the plurality of transducing elements has a second apodization. The first apodization and the second apodization are different. The transducer array further includes at least one electrically conductive element (910) in electrical communication with each of the plurality of transducing elements. The transducer array further includes at least one electrical contact (906) in electrical communication with the at least one electrically conductive element. The at least one electrical contact concurrently addresses the plurality of transducing elements through the at least one electrically conductive element.

Abstract: A transducer array (802) includes at least one 1D array of transducing elements (804). The at least one 1D array of transducing elements includes a plurality of transducing elements (904). A first of the plurality of transducing elements has a first apodization and a second of the plurality of transducing elements has a second apodization. The first apodization and the second apodization are different. The transducer array further includes at least one electrically conductive element (910) in electrical communication with each of the plurality of transducing elements. The transducer array further includes at least one electrical contact (906) in electrical communication with the at least one electrically conductive element. The at least one electrical contact concurrently addresses the plurality of transducing elements through the at least one electrically conductive element.

Abstract: A transducer array (302) for an ultrasound imaging system (300) includes a row-column addressed 2-D array of transducer elements (304). The row-column addressed 2-D includes a first array of 1-D arrays of elements, a second array of 1-D arrays of elements, which is orthogonal to the first array, and a double-curved surface (306). In another aspect, an apparatus includes a transducer array with an array-wise addressable 2-D array with a curved surface. The 2-D array includes a set of 1-D column array elements and a set of 1-D row array elements. The apparatus further includes transmit circuitry (308) that conveys an excitation pulse to the transducer array, receive circuitry (308) that receives a signal indicative of an ultrasound echo from the transducer array, and a beamformer (314) that processes the received signal, generating ultrasound image data.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system includes a transducer array. The array is configured for row-column addressing. The array of transducer elements includes a plurality of first 1-D arrays and a plurality of second 1-D arrays, which is orthogonal to the plurality of first 1-D arrays. The array of transducer elements further includes a plurality of front-end circuits. A single front-end circuit of the front-end circuits is in electrical communication with a single pair of 1-D arrays, which consists of a first 1-D array of the plurality of first 1-D arrays and a second 1-D array of the plurality of second 1-D arrays. The first and second 1-D arrays are either separate sets of 1-D arrays or part of a same 2-D array. In one instance, for N rows and N columns, a number of electrical connections between the elements and front-end electronics are less than 2N.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system (100) includes a 2-D transducer array (102) with a first 1-D array (104, 204) of one or more rows of transducing elements (106, 2041, . . . 2046) configured to produce first ultrasound data and a second 1-D array (104, 206) of one or more columns of transducing elements (106, 2061, . . . 2066) configured to produce second ultrasound data. The first and second 1-D arrays are configured for row-column addressing. The ultrasound imaging system further includes a controller (112) configured to control transmission and reception of the first and second 1-D arrays, and a beamformer (114) configured to beamform the received first and second echoes to produce ultrasound data, and an image processor (116) configured to process the ultrasound data to generate an image, which is displayed via a display (224).

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging method includes identifying a two-level pulse coding scheme (519), which includes a positive voltage value and a negative voltage value, for harmonic imaging. The method further includes driving a pulse generator (510) with the two-level pulse coding scheme. The method further includes producing, with the pulse generator, an excitation pulse. The method further includes routing the excitation pulse through a switch (518) to an ultrasonic transducer array (504), which transmits a first ultrasound signal in response thereto. The method further includes receiving first echoes generated in response to the excitation pulse. The method further includes processing the first echoes to extract a harmonic signal. The method further includes beamforming the harmonic signal to produce an image.

Abstract: A transducer array (302) for an ultrasound imaging system (300) includes a row-column addressed 2-D array of transducer elements (304). The row-column addressed 2-D includes a first array of 1-D arrays of elements, a second array of 1-D arrays of elements, which is orthogonal to the first array, and a double-curved surface (306). In another aspect, an apparatus includes a transducer array with an array-wise addressable 2-D array with a curved surface. The 2-D array includes a set of 1-D column array elements and a set of 1-D row array elements. The apparatus further includes transmit circuitry (308) that conveys an excitation pulse to the transducer array, receive circuitry (308) that receives a signal indicative of an ultrasound echo from the transducer array, and a beamformer (314) that processes the received signal, generating ultrasound image data.

Abstract: A transducer array (802) includes at least one 1D array of transducing elements (804). The at least one 1D array of transducing elements includes a plurality of transducing elements (904). A first of the plurality of transducing elements has a first apodization and a second of the plurality of transducing elements has a second apodization. The first apodization and the second apodization are different. The transducer array further includes at least one electrically conductive element (910) in electrical communication with each of the plurality of transducing elements. The transducer array further includes at least one electrical contact (906) in electrical communication with the at least one electrically conductive element. The at least one electrical contact concurrently addresses the plurality of transducing elements through the at least one electrically conductive element.

Abstract: A transducer array (802) includes at least one 1D array of transducing elements (804). The at least one 1D array of transducing elements includes a plurality of transducing elements (904). A first of the plurality of transducing elements has a first apodization and a second of the plurality of transducing elements has a second apodization. The first apodization and the second apodization are different. The transducer array further includes at least one electrically conductive element (910) in electrical communication with each of the plurality of transducing elements. The transducer array further includes at least one electrical contact (906) in electrical communication with the at least one electrically conductive element. The at least one electrical contact concurrently addresses the plurality of transducing elements through the at least one electrically conductive element.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system includes a transducer array. The array is configured for row-column addressing. The array of transducer elements includes a plurality of first 1-D arrays and a plurality of second 1-D arrays, which is orthogonal to the plurality of first 1-D arrays. The array of transducer elements further includes a plurality of front-end circuits. A single front-end circuit of the front-end circuits is in electrical communication with a single pair of 1-D arrays, which consists of a first 1-D array of the plurality of first 1-D arrays and a second 1-D array of the plurality of second 1-D arrays. The first and second 1-D arrays are either separate sets of 1-D arrays or part of a same 2-D array. In one instance, for N rows and N columns, a number of electrical connections between the elements and front-end electronics are less than 2N.

Abstract: An ultrasound system includes a 2-D transducer array and a velocity processor. The 2-D transducer array includes a first 1-D array of one or more rows of transducing elements configured to produce first ultrasound data. The 2-D transducer array further includes a second 1-D array of one or more columns of transducing elements configured to produce second ultrasound data. The first and second 1-D arrays are configured for row-column addressing. The velocity processor processes the first and the second ultrasound data, producing 3-D vector flow data. The 3-D vector flow data includes an axial component, a first lateral component transverse to the axial component, and a second lateral component transverse to the axial component and the first lateral component.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an all-optical pressure sensor comprising a waveguide accommodating a distributed Bragg reflector. Pressure sensing can then be provided by utilizing effective index modulation of the waveguide and detection of a wavelength shift of light reflected from the Bragg reflector. Sound sensing may also be provided thereby having an all-optical microphone. One embodiment of the invention relates to an optical pressure sensor comprising at least one outer membrane and a waveguide, the waveguide comprising at least one core for confining and guiding light, at least one distributed Bragg reflector located in said at least one core, and at least one inner deflecting element forming at least a part of the core, wherein the pressure sensor is configured such that the geometry and/or dimension of the at least one core is changed when the at least one outer membrane is submitted to pressure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an all-optical sensor utilizing effective index modulation of a waveguide and detection of a wavelength shift of reflected light and a force sensing system accommodating said optical sensor. One embodiment of the invention relates to a sensor system comprising at least one multimode light source, one or more optical sensors comprising a multimode sensor optical waveguide accommodating a distributed Bragg reflector, at least one transmitting optical waveguide for guiding light from said at least one light source to said one or more multimode sensor optical waveguides, a detector for measuring light reflected from said Bragg reflector in said one or more multimode sensor optical waveguides, and a data processor adapted for analyzing variations in the Bragg wavelength of at least one higher order mode of the reflected light.

Abstract: A transducer array (802) includes at least one 1D array of transducing elements (804). The at least one 1D array of transducing elements includes a plurality of transducing elements (904). A first of the plurality of transducing elements has a first apodization and a second of the plurality of transducing elements has a second apodization. The first apodization and the second apodization are different. The transducer array further includes at least one electrically conductive element (910) in electrical communication with each of the plurality of transducing elements. The transducer array further includes at least one electrical contact (906) in electrical communication with the at least one electrically conductive element. The at least one electrical contact concurrently addresses the plurality of transducing elements through the at least one electrically conductive element.

Abstract: An ultrasound system includes a 2-D transducer array and a velocity processor. The 2-D transducer array includes a first 1-D array of one or more rows of transducing elements configured to produce first ultrasound data. The 2-D transducer array further includes a second 1-D array of one or more columns of transducing elements configured to produce second ultrasound data. The first and second 1-D arrays are configured for row-column addressing. The velocity processor processes the first and the second ultrasound data, producing 3-D vector flow data. The 3-D vector flow data includes an axial component, a first lateral component transverse to the axial component, and a second lateral component transverse to the axial component and the first lateral component.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an all-optical pressure sensor comprising a waveguide accommodating a distributed Bragg reflector. Pressure sensing can then be provided by utilizing effective index modulation of the waveguide and detection of a wavelength shift of light reflected from the Bragg reflector. Sound sensing may also be provided thereby having an all-optical microphone. One embodiment of the invention relates to an optical pressure sensor comprising at least one outer membrane and a waveguide, the waveguide comprising at least one core for confining and guiding light, at least one distributed Bragg reflector located in said at least one core, and at least one inner deflecting element forming at least a part of the core, wherein the pressure sensor is configured such that the geometry and/or dimension of the at least one core is changed when the at least one outer membrane is submitted to pressure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an all-optical sensor utilizing effective index modulation of a waveguide and detection of a wavelength shift of reflected light and a force sensing system accommodating said optical sensor. One embodiment of the invention relates to a sensor system comprising at least one multimode light source, one or more optical sensors comprising a multimode sensor optical waveguide accommodating a distributed Bragg reflector, at least one transmitting optical waveguide for guiding light from said at least one light source to said one or more multimode sensor optical waveguides, a detector for measuring light reflected from said Bragg reflector in said one or more multimode sensor optical waveguides, and a data processor adapted for analyzing variations in the Bragg wavelength of at least one higher order mode of the reflected light.