Abstract: A delay processor includes a plurality of delay units and individually delays reception signals which are respectively output from a plurality of transducers. A signal combiner combines the delayed reception signals to generate a phase-aligned reception signal. An evaluation value computing unit finds a noise evaluation value for the phase-aligned reception signal based on the delayed reception signals. A noise reducing unit includes an adjustment unit which performs a smoothing operation using a morphological operation on the noise evaluation value to convert the noise the evaluation value into a weight, and multiplies the phase-aligned reception signal by the weight, to perform a noise reducing process. An image generator generates ultrasound image data based on reception signals obtained by performing the noise reducing process, and displays an ultrasound image based on the ultrasound image data.

Abstract: Receive signals generated by ultrasound waves propagating in completed manner in a depth direction of a subject, are efficiently subjected to delay-and-sum processing, whereby a higher resolution image is generated with reducing a circuit size. Receive signals outputted from multiple ultrasound probe elements are delayed by predetermined delay amounts in association with the depths of receive focal points, respectively, and the delayed receive signal is branched. The phase of the branched receive signal is shifted by a predetermined phase shift amount to generate a phase-compensated signal, and then the phase-compensated signal is added to the receive signal before branched, thereby generating a beamformed signal.

Abstract: A first synthesis unit generates a first synthetic image by applying a first weight distribution to a plurality of sub-images and then synthesizing the sub-images. A second synthesis unit generates a second synthetic image by applying a second weight distribution to the plurality of sub-images and then synthesizing the sub-images. A generation unit generates a display image based on the first synthetic image and the second synthetic image.

Abstract: To generate a higher resolution image by efficiently performing delay-and-sum processing of receive signals generated by ultrasound waves transmitted from a plurality of ultrasound probe elements and propagating in a depth direction of a subject in a complicated manner. The receive signals are obtained by the plurality of ultrasound probe elements receiving ultrasound waves that reached an ultrasound element array from the subject that reflect the transmitted ultrasound waves. The receive signals are received. One or two or more beamformed signals are generated according to a depth range of the subject by delaying and adding the receive signals by delay times the number of which differs according to the depth range. Two or more beamformed signals are synthesized in a depth range where the two or more beamformed signals are generated.

Abstract: A clutter reduction effect using adaptive beam forming is uniformly obtained with respect to the entire image even in an imaging condition in which the number of bundled signals is greatly distributed in an ultrasonic image. A received signal processing unit includes a summing unit that bundles the plurality of received signals for a predetermined imaging point or a plurality of signals obtained by processing the received signals, and a weighting unit that obtains a coherence value among the plurality of signals summed in the summing unit, and weights the plurality of signals before being summed in the summing unit or a signal obtained through summing in the summing unit, with a weight corresponding to the coherence value. The weighting unit weights the coherence value nonlinearly in a predetermined direction in the subject, and weights the plurality of signals before being summed in the summing unit or the signal obtained through summing in the summing unit by using the nonlinearly weighted coherence value.

Abstract: A clutter reduction effect using adaptive beam forming is uniformly obtained with respect to the entire image even in an imaging condition in which the number of bundled signals is greatly distributed in an ultrasonic image. A received signal processing unit includes a summing unit that bundles the plurality of received signals for a predetermined imaging point or a plurality of signals obtained by processing the received signals, and a weighting unit that obtains a coherence value among the plurality of signals summed in the summing unit, and weights the plurality of signals before being summed in the summing unit or a signal obtained through summing in the summing unit, with a weight corresponding to the coherence value. The weighting unit weights the coherence value nonlinearly in a predetermined direction in the subject, and weights the plurality of signals before being summed in the summing unit or the signal obtained through summing in the summing unit by using the nonlinearly weighted coherence value.

Abstract: A plurality of transmit foci (a plurality of virtual sources) (F1-F7) are formed upon a scan plane with a two-dimensional pattern. Specifically, first transmission beams having first transmission foci and second transmission beams having second transmission foci are formed alternately in a scan direction. A plurality of first sub-images (LRI1, LRI3, LRI7) are formed by the forming of the plurality of first transmission beams, and a plurality of second sub-images (LRI2, LRI4, LRI6) are formed by the forming of the plurality of second transmission beams. At time of reception, a parallel reception technology is applied.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrasonic diagnostic device in which a transmission unit outputs a transmission signal to a probe such that an ultrasonic wave is transmitted a plurality of times while the position of a sound source is changed. A reception unit obtains the received ultrasonic wave signal from the probe for each of the plurality of times that the transmission signal is transmitted. A synthesis processing unit synthesizes the received ultrasonic wave signals that are obtained over the plurality of times. A higher harmonic extraction unit extracts a higher harmonic component from the synthesized received ultrasonic wave signal. An image forming unit forms an ultrasonic wave image on the basis of the extracted higher harmonic component. A control unit adjusts the time interval of the plurality of times that the ultrasonic wave is transmitted and controls the transmission voltage of the transmission signal.

Abstract: In FIG. 2 (A), a reception beam (102) is formed using a weighting function (112). A position of a peak of the weighting function (112) is set at the position of the reception beam (102). A reception beam (104) is formed using a weighting function (114), and a position of a peak of the weighting function (114) is set at the position of the reception beam (104). A reception beam (106) is formed using a weighting function (116) and a position of a peak of the weighting function (116) is set at a position of the reception beam (106). In this manner, the positions of the peaks of the weighting functions (112, 114, 116) are shifted in the receive aperture, to follow movements of the reception beams (102, 104, 106) caused by electrical scanning.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic device comprises a coefficient computation unit. The coefficient computation unit computes a coefficient on the basis of phase scattering in a plurality of received signals arranged in an element array direction. Beam data to which a phasing has been added is multiplied by the coefficient. A correction unit ensures that the coefficient does not get smaller than necessary on the basis of a transmission frequency. Excessive suppression of a main lobe component is thus eliminated or reduced.

Abstract: There is provided an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus capable of reducing an unnecessary signal component in a reception signal. A plurality of sign bits arranged in the channel direction are extracted from a plurality of element reception signals. A binarization circuit applies binarization processing to the plurality of sign bits to thereby generate a sign data array. An evaluation value computing unit computes an evaluation value (GSCF) based on a DC vicinity component contained in the sign data array on the frequency axis. This evaluation value is used to adjust the gain of the reception signal in a multiplier. With application of the binarization processing, excessive reduction of the reception signal can be prevented. Further, as the DC vicinity component is referenced, the side-lobe component can be appropriately reduced even if a certain degree of fluctuation exists in the main-lobe component.

Abstract: An evaluation value calculation unit evaluates a degree of phasing on the basis of a plurality of received-wave signals obtained from a delay processing unit to thereby calculate a two-dimensional evaluation value related to a two-dimensional array of a plurality of oscillating elements. The evaluation value calculation unit obtains a two-dimensional evaluation value of an xy plane from a one-dimensional evaluation value in the x direction and a one-dimensional evaluation value in the y direction. A multiplication unit multiplies the two-dimensional evaluation value and the received beam outputted from an addition processing unit to adjust the gain of the received beam. Unnecessary signal components are thereby reduced.

Abstract: There is provided an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus capable of reducing an unnecessary signal component in a reception signal. A sign data array formed of a plurality of sign data items arranged in an element arranging direction is extracted from a plurality of element reception signals having been subjected to delay processing but having not been subjected to summing processing. A factor computing unit computes a first factor indicating a level of sign coherence in the sign data array and a second factor indicating a sign transit density in the sign data array. The factor computing unit then computes a factor (evaluation value) for adjusting gain of the reception signal, based on the first factor and the second factor.

Abstract: There is provided an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus capable of reducing an unnecessary signal component in a reception signal. A plurality of sign bits arranged in the channel direction are extracted from a plurality of element reception signals. A binarization circuit applies binarization processing to the plurality of sign bits to thereby generate a sign data array. An evaluation value computing unit computes an evaluation value (GSCF) based on a DC vicinity component contained in the sign data array on the frequency axis. This evaluation value is used to adjust the gain of the reception signal in a multiplier. With application of the binarization processing, excessive reduction of the reception signal can be prevented. Further, as the DC vicinity component is referenced, the side-lobe component can be appropriately reduced even if a certain degree of fluctuation exists in the main-lobe component.

Abstract: There is provided an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus capable of reducing an unnecessary signal component in a reception signal. A sign data array formed of a plurality of sign data items arranged in an element arranging direction is extracted from a plurality of element reception signals having been subjected to delay processing but having not been subjected to summing processing. A factor computing unit computes a first factor indicating a level of sign coherence in the sign data array and a second factor indicating a sign transit density in the sign data array. The factor computing unit then computes a factor (evaluation value) for adjusting gain of the reception signal, based on the first factor and the second factor.

Abstract: In FIG. 2 (A), a reception beam (102) is formed using a weighting function (112). A position of a peak of the weighting function (112) is set at the position of the reception beam (102). A reception beam (104) is formed using a weighting function (114), and a position of a peak of the weighting function (114) is set at the position of the reception beam (104). A reception beam (106) is formed using a weighting function (116) and a position of a peak of the weighting function (116) is set at a position of the reception beam (106). In this manner, the positions of the peaks of the weighting functions (112, 114, 116) are shifted in the receive aperture, to follow movements of the reception beams (102, 104, 106) caused by electrical scanning.