Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system includes a scan conversion process for converting ultrasound data into a standard display format conversion and can be performed on a personal computer by programming the computer to convert data from polar coordinates to Cartesian coordinates suitable for display on a computer monitor. The data is provided from scan head enclosure that houses an array of ultrasonic transducers and the circuitry associated therewith, including pulse synchronizer circuitry used in the transmit mode for transmission of ultrasonic pulses and beam forming circuitry used in the receive mode to dynamically focus reflected ultrasonic signals returning from the region of interest being imaged.

Abstract: A portable ultrasound imaging system includes a hand-held scan head coupled by a cable to a portable battery-powered data processor and display unit, preferably in the form of a lap-top computer. The scan head enclosure houses an array of ultrasonic transducers and the circuitry associated therewith, including pulse synchronizer circuitry used in the transmit mode to time transmission of ultrasonic pulses and beam forming circuitry used in the receive mode to dynamically focus reflected ultrasonic signals returning from the region of interest being imaged. Because the pulse synchronizer and beam forming circuits are integrated on small chips, they can be included in the scan head, resulting in a portable low-power system. Also, since the beam forming and summation functions are performed in the scan head in proximity to the transducer elements, signal loss is substantially reduced, resulting in much higher image quality.

Abstract: A portable ultrasound imaging system includes a hand-held scan head coupled by a cable to a portable battery-powered data processor and display unit, preferably in the form of a lap-top computer. The scan head enclosure houses an array of ultrasonic transducers and the circuitry associated therewith, including pulse synchronizer circuitry used in the transmit mode to time transmission of ultrasonic pulses and beam forming circuitry used in the receive mode to dynamically focus reflected ultrasonic signals returning from the region of interest being imaged. Because the pulse synchronizer and beam forming circuits are integrated on small chips, they can be included in the scan head, resulting in a portable low-power system. Also, since the beam forming and summation functions are performed in the scan head in proximity to the transducer elements, signal loss is substantially reduced, resulting in much higher image quality.

Abstract: A portable ultrasound imaging system includes a handheld scan head coupled by a cable to a portable battery-powered data processor and display unit, preferably in the form of a lap-top computer. The scan head enclosure houses an array of ultrasonic transducers and the circuitry associated therewith, including pulse synchronizer circuitry used in the transmit mode to time transmission of ultrasonic pulses and beam forming circuitry used in the receive mode to dynamically focus reflected ultrasonic signals returning from the region of interest being imaged. Because the pulse synchronizer and beam forming circuits are integrated on small chips, they can be included in the scan head, resulting in a portable low-power system. Also, since the beam forming and summation functions are performed in the scan head in proximity to the transducer elements, signal loss is substantially reduced, resulting in much higher image quality.

Abstract: A hybrid filter bank analog-to-digital converter includes continuous-time analysis filters and discrete-time synthesis filters. The continuous-time analysis filters partition a continuous-time wideband input signal into continuous-time subband signals. An analog-to-digital converter bank quantizes the subband signals at a low data rate. A bank of upsamplers increases the data rate of the quantized subband signals. A bank of discrete-time synthesis filters processes the upsampled subband signals, generating signals which are the discrete-time approximation of the continuous-time subband signals. The subband signals may be recombined into a discrete-time wideband signal which is the discrete-time approximation of the continuous-time wideband input signal. The linearity errors, analog-to-digital converter mismatches and quantization noise are not compounded between the frequency bands, thereby increasing resolution.