Abstract: A transducer probe includes a transducer array with rows of transducer elements that each extend in an elevation direction and is transverse to an azimuth direction, a matching layer disposed adjacent to the transducer array, and a focusing layer disposed adjacent to the matching layer. The focusing layer includes a first material with a first refractive index and a second material with a second refractive index, and the first refractive index is less than the second refractive index. The first and second materials are distributed in an alternating pattern with the first material at edges of the rows. First widths of the first material decrease from the edges towards a center of the rows, and second widths of the second material increase from the edges towards the center.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system (102) includes a transducer array (108) with a two-dimensional array of rows (110) of transducer elements (114). The transducer elements of each row extend along a long axis (116). The rows are parallel to each other. The transducer array includes a non-rectangular set of active transducer elements. The ultrasound imaging system further includes transmit circuitry (118) that actuates the transducer elements to transmit an ultrasound signal. The ultrasound imaging system further includes receive circuitry (120) that receives echoes produced in response to an interaction between the ultrasound signal and a structure and received by the transducer elements. The ultrasound imaging system further includes a beamformer that processes the echoes and generates one or more scan lines indicative of the structure.

Abstract: A transducer probe includes a transducer array with rows of transducer elements that each extend in an elevation direction and is transverse to an azimuth direction, a matching layer disposed adjacent to the transducer array, and a focusing layer disposed adjacent to the matching layer. The focusing layer includes a first material with a first refractive index and a second material with a second refractive index, and the first refractive index is less than the second refractive index. The first and second materials are distributed in an alternating pattern with the first material at edges of the rows. First widths of the first material decrease from the edges towards a center of the rows, and second widths of the second material increase from the edges towards the center.

Abstract: A transducer array for an ultrasound imaging system includes a substrate and a single array comprising individual sub-sets of transducer elements disposed on the substrate, wherein the individual sub-sets are physically separate from each other and spatially arranged contiguous to each other. An apparatus includes a transducer array with a substrate and a single array comprising individual sub-sets of transducer elements disposed on the substrate, wherein the individual sub-sets are not in physical contact with each other and are serially arranged with respect to each other. The apparatus further includes transmit circuitry that conveys an excitation pulse to the transducer array, receive circuitry that receives a signal indicative of an ultrasound echo from the transducer array, and a beamformer that processes the received signal, generating ultrasound image data.

Abstract: A transducer probe includes a transducer array with rows of transducer elements that each extend in an elevation direction and is transverse to an azimuth direction, a matching layer disposed adjacent to the transducer array, and a focusing layer disposed adjacent to the matching layer. The focusing layer includes a first material with a first refractive index and a second material with a second refractive index, and the first refractive index is less than the second refractive index. The first and second materials are distributed in an alternating pattern with the first material at edges of the rows. First widths of the first material decrease from the edges towards a center of the rows, and second widths of the second material increase from the edges towards the center.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) comprises a probe (102) including a transducer array (108) with a plurality of elements (110), a communications interface (112), and an interconnect (114) configured to route electrical signals between the plurality of elements and the communications interface. The interconnect includes a flexible printed circuit with a first surface with a first metal layer (406, 12101), a second opposing surface with a second metal layer (408, 12102), a first end (432, 1305), and a second opposing end (434, 1307). The apparatus further includes traces (430, 440, 1304, 1306, 1502, 1804) configured to readout signals from at least one of the first and second opposing ends.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) comprises a probe (102) including a transducer array (108) with a plurality of elements (110), a communications interface (112), and an interconnect (114) configured to route electrical signals between the plurality of elements and the communications interface. The interconnect includes a flexible printed circuit with a first surface with a first metal layer (406, 12101), a second opposing surface with a second metal layer (408, 12102), a first end (432, 1305), and a second opposing end (434, 1307). The apparatus further includes traces (430, 440, 1304, 1306, 1502, 1804) configured to readout signals from at least one of the first and second opposing ends.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system (102) includes a transducer array (108) with a two-dimensional array of rows (110) of transducer elements (114). The transducer elements of each row extend along a long axis (116). The rows are parallel to each other. The transducer array includes a non-rectangular set of active transducer elements. The ultrasound imaging system further includes transmit circuitry (118) that actuates the transducer elements to transmit an ultrasound signal. The ultrasound imaging system further includes receive circuitry (120) that receives echoes produced in response to an interaction between the ultrasound signal and a structure and received by the transducer elements. The ultrasound imaging system further includes a beamformer that processes the echoes and generates one or more scan lines indicative of the structure.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system (102) includes a transducer array (108) with a two-dimensional array of rows (110) of transducer elements (114). The transducer elements of each row extend along a long axis (116). The rows are parallel to each other. The transducer array includes a non-rectangular set of active transducer elements. The ultrasound imaging system further includes transmit circuitry (118) that actuates the transducer elements to transmit an ultrasound signal. The ultrasound imaging system further includes receive circuitry (120) that receives echoes produced in response to an interaction between the ultrasound signal and a structure and received by the transducer elements. The ultrasound imaging system further includes a beamformer that processes the echoes and generates one or more scan lines indicative of the structure.

Abstract: A transducer probe includes a transducer array with rows of transducer elements that each extend in an elevation direction and is transverse to an azimuth direction, a matching layer disposed adjacent to the transducer array, and a focusing layer disposed adjacent to the matching layer. The focusing layer includes a first material with a first refractive index and a second material with a second refractive index, and the first refractive index is less than the second refractive index. The first and second materials are distributed in an alternating pattern with the first material at edges of the rows. First widths of the first material decrease from the edges towards a center of the rows, and second widths of the second material increase from the edges towards the center.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) comprises a probe (102) including a transducer array (108) with a plurality of elements (110), a communications interface (112), and an interconnect (114) configured to route electrical signals between the plurality of elements and the communications interface. The interconnect includes a flexible printed circuit with a first surface with a first metal layer (406, 12101), a second opposing surface with a second metal layer (408, 12102), a first end (432, 1305), and a second opposing end (434, 1307). The apparatus further includes traces (430, 440, 1304, 1306, 1502, 1804) configured to readout signals from at least one of the first and second opposing ends.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system includes a plurality of processing chains (2061, . . . , 206K) for a plurality of transducer element channels (1081, . . . , 108K). A processing chain of the plurality of processing chains, includes: a phase rotation processor (1141, . . . , 114K) that focuses an N-bit digital representation, of an analog RF signal received on the corresponding transducer element channel, through phase rotation through phase additions or subtractions, and outputs a focused N-bit quantized value, where N is a predetermined positive integer.

Abstract: An ultrasound system (100) includes an ultrasound transducer array and a component (108) with electronics (110) embedded in a material (112) with at least one redistribution layer (114) electrically coupled to the embedded electronics, wherein the at least one redistribution layer electrically couples the ultrasound transducer array and the electronics.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer cover (100) includes a base (202), including an acoustically transmissive membrane (110) with first and second opposing sides. The cover further includes walls (204, 206) protruding from the base in a same direction away from the first side of the base, forming a cavity about the acoustically transmissive membrane with a geometry that conforms to a geometry of a probe head of an ultrasound apparatus housing a transducer array and a corresponding acoustic window. The cover further includes an acoustically transmissive adhesive (108) disposed on the membrane in the cavity, wherein the acoustically transmissive adhesive maintains the cover on the ultrasound apparatus in response to installing the cover on the ultrasound apparatus.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system (102) includes a transducer array (108) with a two-dimensional array of rows (110) of transducer elements (114). The transducer elements of each row extend along a long axis (116). The rows are parallel to each other. The transducer array includes a non-rectangular set of active transducer elements. The ultrasound imaging system further includes transmit circuitry (118) that actuates the transducer elements to transmit an ultrasound signal. The ultrasound imaging system further includes receive circuitry (120) that receives echoes produced in response to an interaction between the ultrasound signal and a structure and received by the transducer elements. The ultrasound imaging system further includes a beamformer that processes the echoes and generates one or more scan lines indicative of the structure.

Abstract: The systems, devices, and methods provided herein can be used with an audio source to automatically attenuate a signal from the audio source in response to information about a local environment. In an example, an attenuation network circuit can be used to provide automatic or “hands-free” adjustment of a headphone or headset volume level to compensate for changing background sound or noise levels. In relatively noisy environments, the attenuation network can provide little or no attenuation of an audio source signal, and in less noisy environments, the attenuation network can provide greater attenuation of the audio source signal.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer cover (100) includes a base (202), including an acoustically transmissive membrane (110) with first and second opposing sides. The cover further includes walls (204, 206) protruding from the base in a same direction away from the first side of the base, forming a cavity about the acoustically transmissive membrane with a geometry that conforms to a geometry of a probe head of an ultrasound apparatus housing a transducer array and a corresponding acoustic window. The cover further includes an acoustically transmissive adhesive (108) disposed on the membrane in the cavity, wherein the acoustically transmissive adhesive maintains the cover on the ultrasound apparatus in response to installing the cover on the ultrasound apparatus.

Abstract: A method and device for transforming ambient audio are provided. Example embodiments may include monitoring ambient audio proximate to a sound processing device located in an environment. The device may receive a selection from a user interface. The selection may comprise one of a number of available first selections, each available first selection identifying one of multiple transformation modes. The device may access memory to obtain transformation audio and process the transformation audio, based on the ambient audio and the selection. The device may also use the transformation audio to provide modified output audio for propagation into the environment.

Abstract: A method and device for transforming ambient audio are provided. Example embodiments may include monitoring ambient audio proximate to a sound processing device located in an environment. The device may access memory to obtain transformation audio and generate output transformation audio based on the transformation audio and the ambient audio to provide modified output audio for propagation into the environment. The device may at least reduce feedback of the modified output audio received by the sound processing device from the environment.

Abstract: A method and device for transforming ambient audio are provided. Example embodiments may include monitoring ambient audio proximate to a sound processing device located in an environment. The device may analyze the ambient audio to derive one or more first characteristics. Memory may be accessed to obtain at least one transformation audio from a number of stored transformation audio. Each stored transformation audio may have one or more associated characteristics. A characteristic associated with the transformation audio may match one or more of the first characteristics. The device may generate output transformation audio based on the one or more transformation audio to provide modified output audio for propagation into the environment.