Abstract: A variable current trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) for an ultrasound device is described. The TIA may be coupled to an ultrasonic transducer to amplify an output signal of the ultrasonic transducer representing an ultrasound signal received by the ultrasonic transducer. During acquisition of the ultrasound signal by the ultrasonic transducer, one or more current sources in the TIA may be varied.

Abstract: CMOS Ultrasonic Transducers and processes for making such devices are described. The processes may include forming cavities on a first wafer and bonding the first wafer to a second wafer. The second wafer may be processed to form a membrane for the cavities. Electrical access to the cavities may be provided.

Abstract: Circuitry for an ultrasound device is described. The ultrasound device may include a symmetric switch positioned between a pulser and an ultrasound transducer. The pulser may produce bipolar pulses. The symmetric switch may selectively isolate a receiver from the pulser and the ultrasound transducer during a transmit mode of the device, when the bipolar pulses are provided by the pulser to the ultrasound transducer for transmission, and may selectively permit the receiver to receive signals from the ultrasound transducer during a receive mode. The symmetric switch may be provided with a well switch to remove well capacitances in a signal path of the device.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein related to controlling, using control circuitry, modulation circuitry to modulate and delay first ultrasound data generated by first ultrasound transducers positioned at a first azimuthal position of an ultrasound transducer array of an ultrasound device and second ultrasound data generated by second ultrasound transducers positioned at a second azimuthal position of the ultrasound transducer array of the ultrasound device, such that the first ultrasound data is delayed by a first delay amount and the second ultrasound data is delayed by a second delay amount that is different from the first delay amount. The first and second ultrasound data received from the modulation circuitry may be filtered and summed. The ultrasound transducer array, the control circuitry, the modulation circuitry, the filtering circuitry, and the summing circuitry may be integrated onto a semiconductor chip or one or more semiconductor chips packaged together.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to ultrasound device circuitry as may form part of a single substrate ultrasound device having integrated ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasound device circuitry may facilitate the generation of ultrasound waveforms in a manner that is power- and data-efficient.

Abstract: An ultrasound device includes: ultrasonic transducer cavities; a membrane comprising a silicon layer that seals the ultrasonic transducer cavities; electrode regions configured to control vibration of the membrane; and a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) substrate including integrated circuitry that is electrically coupled to the electrode regions. The ultrasonic transducer cavities are disposed between the membrane and the integrated circuitry along a vertical direction of the ultrasound device.

Abstract: A variable current trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) for an ultrasound device is described. The TIA may be coupled to an ultrasonic transducer to amplify an output signal of the ultrasonic transducer representing an ultrasound signal received by the ultrasonic transducer. During acquisition of the ultrasound signal by the ultrasonic transducer, one or more current sources in the TIA may be varied.

Abstract: A processing device is coupled to a single ultrasound device having a single array of capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers (CMUTs). The processing device generates a graphical user interface (GUI) having user selectable GUI menu options corresponding to respective ultrasound operating modes for the single ultrasound device having the single ultrasound transducer array. The user-selectable GUI menu options include GUI menu options labeled as representing an ultrasound operating mode for musculoskeletal imaging, breast imaging, carotid imaging, vascular imaging, and abdominal imaging, respectively. The processing device further receives, via the GUI, user input indicating selection of one of the ultrasound operating modes, and in response to receiving the user input, provides an indication to the single ultrasound device having the single array of CMUTs to operate in the selected ultrasound operating mode.

Abstract: CMOS Ultrasonic Transducers and processes for making such devices are described. The processes may include forming cavities on a first wafer and bonding the first wafer to a second wafer. The second wafer may be processed to form a membrane for the cavities. Electrical access to the cavities may be provided.

Abstract: Micromachined ultrasonic transducers integrated with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) substrates are described, as well as methods of fabricating such devices. Fabrication may involve two separate wafer bonding steps. Wafer bonding may be used to fabricate sealed cavities in a substrate. Wafer bonding may also be used to bond the substrate to another substrate, such as a CMOS wafer. At least the second wafer bonding may be performed at a low temperature.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to built-in self-testing (BIST) of circuitry (e.g., a pulser or receive circuitry) and/or transducers in an ultrasound device. A BIST circuit may include a transconductance amplifier coupled between a pulser and receive circuitry, a capacitor network coupled between a pulser and receive circuitry, and/or a current source couplable to the input terminal of receive circuitry to which a transducer is also couplable. The collapse voltages of transducers may be characterized using BIST circuitry, and a bias voltage may be applied to the membranes of the transducers based at least in part on their collapse voltages. The capacitances of transducers may also be measured using BIST circuitry and a notification may be generated based on the sets of measurements.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein related to controlling, using control circuitry, modulation circuitry to modulate and delay first ultrasound data generated by first ultrasound transducers positioned at a first azimuthal position of an ultrasound transducer array of an ultrasound device and second ultrasound data generated by second ultrasound transducers positioned at a second azimuthal position of the ultrasound transducer array of the ultrasound device, such that the first ultrasound data is delayed by a first delay amount and the second ultrasound data is delayed by a second delay amount that is different from the first delay amount. The first and second ultrasound data received from the modulation circuitry may be filtered and summed. The ultrasound transducer array, the control circuitry, the modulation circuitry, the filtering circuitry, and the summing circuitry may be integrated onto a semiconductor chip or one or more semiconductor chips packaged together.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for implementing a coding scheme on ultrasound signals received by a plurality of ultrasonic transducers. The coding, and subsequent decoding, may allow for multiple ultrasonic transducers to be operated in a receive mode simultaneously while still differentiating the contribution of the individual ultrasonic transducers. Improved signal characteristics may result, including improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

Abstract: Programmable ultrasound probes and methods of operation are described. The ultrasound probe may include memory storing parameter data and may also include a parameter loader which loads the parameter data into programmable circuitry of the ultrasound probe. In some instances, the ultrasound probe may include circuitry grouped into modules which may be repeatable and which may be coupled together to allow data to be exchanged between the modules.

Abstract: A system comprising a multi-modal ultrasound probe configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes associated with a respective plurality of configuration profiles; and a computing device coupled to the handheld multi-modal ultrasound probe and configured to, in response to receiving input indicating an operating mode selected by a user, cause the multi-modal ultrasound probe to operate in the selected operating mode.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to wirelessly offloading, from a wearable ultrasound device, ultrasound data sufficient for forming one or more ultrasound images therefrom. The wearable ultrasound device may include an ultrasound patch. Indications that may be monitored with such a device, and therapeutic uses that may be provided by such a device, are also described. Methods and apparatuses are also described for compounding multilines of ultrasound data on an ultrasound device configured to collect the ultrasound data. Additionally, certain aspects of the technology relate to non-uniform grouping of ultrasound transducers that share a transmit/receive circuit in an ultrasound device.

Abstract: CMOS Ultrasonic Transducers and processes for making such devices are described. The processes may include forming cavities on a first wafer and bonding the first wafer to a second wafer. The second wafer may be processed to form a membrane for the cavities. Electrical access to the cavities may be provided.

Abstract: A processing device is coupled to a single ultrasound device having a single array of capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers (CMUTs). The processing device generates a graphical user interface (GUI) having user selectable GUI menu options corresponding to respective ultrasound operating modes for the single ultrasound device having the single ultrasound transducer array. The user-selectable GUI menu options include GUI menu options labeled as representing an ultrasound operating mode for musculoskeletal imaging, breast imaging, carotid imaging, vascular imaging, and abdominal imaging, respectively. The processing device further receives, via the GUI, user input indicating selection of one of the ultrasound operating modes, and in response to receiving the user input, provides an indication to the single ultrasound device having the single array of CMUTs to operate in the selected ultrasound operating mode.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to apparatuses and methods for performing elevational beamforming of ultrasound data. Elevational beamforming may be implemented by different types of control circuitry. Certain control circuitry may be configured to control memory such that ultrasound data from different elevational channels is summed with stored ultrasound data in the memory that was collected at different times. Certain control circuitry may be configured to control a decimator to decimate ultrasound data from different elevational channels with different phases. Certain control circuitry may be configured to control direct digital synthesis circuitry to add a different phase offset to complex signals generated by the DDS circuitry for multiplying with ultrasound data from different elevational channels.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for automatically updating scan patterns used during ultrasound imaging. A handheld ultrasound system may include an ultrasound device with a two-dimensional array of ultrasound transducers, and a smartphone or tablet that configures the ultrasound device to obtain a first ultrasound image frame using a scan pattern defining an acoustic beam. The system then updates the scan pattern to optimize a view of the desired anatomy. When the system is operating in cardiac imaging mode, the scan pattern may be updated by adjusting the azimuthal tilt and/or the elevational tilt of the acoustic beam. When the system is operating in lung imaging mode, the scan pattern may be updated by adjusting the elevational tilt and/or the translation of the aperture of the array of ultrasound transducers. The system then configures the ultrasound device to obtain a second ultrasound image frame using the updated scan pattern.