Abstract: A diagnostic ultrasonic imaging system includes a scanhead having a plurality of transducer elements. A signal combiner, such a time-division multiplexer or a frequency-division multiplexer, is coupled to each of the transducer elements. The signal combiner combines the signals from the transducer elements into a composite signal and couples the composite signal to an ultrasonic processor through a wire or other communication link. A signal separator, such as a time-division demultiplexer or a frequency-division demultiplexer, is coupled to the link and recovers from the composite signal each of the signals from the transducer elements.

Abstract: A digital multiline beamformer is provided which produces multiple receive beams in response to a single transmit event. An embodiment of the present invention includes a bulk delay which provides a common steering delay applicable to all of the beams received at one time. The bulk delay is succeeded by parallel filter processing paths which produce finely focused multiple beams simultaneously. In one embodiment a multiphase filter produces the samples for multiple beams, which is advantageous when the number of simultaneously produced beams is greater than the number of phases produced by the fine focus filter.

Abstract: A diagnostic ultrasonic imaging system includes a scanhead having a plurality of transducer elements. A signal combiner, such a time-division multiplexer or a frequency-division multiplexer, is coupled to each of the transducer elements. The signal combiner combines the signals from the transducer elements into a composite signal and couples the composite signal to an ultrasonic processor through a wire or other communication link. A signal separator, such as a time-division demultiplexer or a frequency-division demultiplexer, is coupled to the link and recovers from the composite signal each of the signals from the transducer elements.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system and method are described for more uniformly sector scanning a volumetric or planar image region. The acquired data set comprises raylines extending over the full depth of field and raylines for which near-field image data is omitted. This results in a more uniform spatial sampling of both the near- and far-field regions when scanning with radially steered beams. Processing and storage requirements of the ultrasound system are correspondingly lessened.

Abstract: A digital multiline beamformer is provided which produces multiple receive beams in response to a single transmit event. An embodiment of the present invention includes a bulk delay which provides a common steering delay applicable to all of the beams received at one time. The bulk delay is succeeded by parallel filter processing paths which produce finely focused multiple beams simultaneously. In one embodiment a multiphase filter produces the samples for multiple beams, which is advantageous when the number of simultaneously produced beams is greater than the number of phases produced by the fine focus filter.