Abstract: Various embodiments of a method and apparatus for attaching a die to a transducer array are disclosed. In some embodiments, multiple dies are provided. The dies communicatively connect to a redistribution layer, which communicates with the transducer array. The redistribution layer also communicates with a substrate holding the die, and the substrate communicates with off-chip components. The redistribution layer and substrate sandwich the die. As a result, the die can be connected as a layer backing the transducer array while allowing the die to communicate with both the transducer array and off-chip components, with electrical connections (or other communication connections) on only one side of the die. Multiple transducer packages can be combined to form arbitrarily large transducer arrays.

Abstract: An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and a corresponding system for ultrasonic wave transmission and reception. The ASIC includes a two-dimensional pulser matrix, each pulser designed to produce pulses for an ultrasonic transducer element and associated receive switches for conducting echo signals received from these elements. Integral to the ASIC is at least one multiplexer stage, communicatively coupled to the receive switches, which selectively allows subsets of echo signals to be output in response to a selection signal. This configuration allows for a dense deployment of pulsers on an ASIC, facilitating higher resolution in ultrasonic applications.

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 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: A portable ultrasound imaging system includes a mobile computing device; a detachable front end component configured for attachment to and communication with the mobile computing device, and configured to transmit and receive ultrasound signals; and programming, when installed on the mobile computing device, being executable by the mobile computing device to cause the mobile computing device to send signals to the front end component causing the front end component to transmit the ultrasound signals, and to receive signals from the front end component resulting from the front end component receiving the receive ultrasound signals, and process the receive signal and display an ultrasound image resulting from the processing. The front end component is configured to be directly joined with the mobile computing device and directly connected, without the use of an external wire or cable.

Abstract: In some illustrative embodiments, an incoming signal from a transducer in an ultrasound imaging beam-former apparatus is applied to an in-phase sample-and-hold and a quadrature sample-and-hold. The quadrature sample-and-hold may be clocked a quarter period behind the in-phase sample-and-hold. The output of the sample-and-holds are applied to in-phase and quadrature analog-to-digital converters. A magnitude calculator receives the in-phase and quadrature digital values, and outputs a magnitude. A phase calculator receives the in-phase and quadrature digital values, and outputs a phase. An apodizer applies a difference between an amplitude of the outgoing signal and the magnitude and applies a first illumination to a image point in substantial proportion to the difference, and a phase rotator applies a second illumination to the image point in substantial proportion to the phase.

Abstract: In some illustrative embodiments, an incoming signal from a transducer in an ultrasound imaging beam-former apparatus is applied to an in-phase sample-and-hold and a quadrature sample-and-hold. The quadrature sample-and-hold may be clocked a quarter period behind the in-phase sample-and-hold. The output of the sample-and-holds are applied to in-phase and quadrature analog-to-digital converters. A magnitude calculator receives the in-phase and quadrature digital values, and outputs a magnitude. A phase calculator receives the in-phase and quadrature digital values, and outputs a phase. An apodizer applies a difference between an amplitude of the outgoing signal and the magnitude and applies a first illumination to a image point in substantial proportion to the difference, and a phase rotator applies a second illumination to the image point in substantial proportion to the phase.

Abstract: In some illustrative embodiments, an ultrasonic transducer drive includes a signal generator for producing an outgoing signal and a transducer for converting the outgoing signal to outgoing ultrasound. The transducer may also convert at least a portion of ultrasound reflected by an object to an incoming signal. The transducer may have a transmit side connected conductably to the signal generator during at least a first predetermined period of time and a receive side connected conductably to a signal receiver during at least a second predetermined period of time. A shunt may be connectable between the receive side and a reference potential. The signal generator may generate the outgoing signal during at least substantially the first predetermined period of time while the shunt connects the receive side to the reference potential. The signal receiver may receive the incoming signal during substantially the second predetermined period of time while the shunt is substantially open.

Abstract: An improved device and method for collecting data used for ultrasonic imaging. The data is gathered over numerous transmit and echo receive cycles, or iterations and combined into a synthetic acquisition representing a complete echo characteristic acquisition. At each iteration, only a portion, or subset, of the echo characteristic is sampled and stored. During the iterations, the portion of the echo characteristic that is measured and sampled is varied by changing the relative sampling instants. That is, the time offset from the transmission to the respective sampling instant is varied. The sample sets representative of the entire echo characteristic are then compiled from the multiple subsets of the ultrasonic transmissions.

Abstract: An ultrasound system and related method for forming 2D C-scan images and/or collecting 3D image data from 2D transducer arrays. The system including in part a 2D transducer array of elements, transmit voltage generation means for each element, a memory buffer with or part of channels for each element, and a receive beamformer. On a time serial or sequential basis, several times for each line of firing, the contents of the per element memory buffer are read into the beamformer with different focusing values for each buffer reading cycle. In this way, the beamformer can calculate beamformed image values for multiple points per line firing cycle—or per each line of signals between the transducer array and receive beamformer.

Abstract: A hand held ultrasonic instrument (10) is provided in a portable unit that performs C-Mode imaging and collects 3D image data. In a preferred embodiment a transducer array (60), display unit (20), beamformer (40), power system, and image processor are integrated in one enclosure weighing less than three pounds. In operation, the portable unit is scanned across a target and the displayed image is conveniently presented to the operator whereby the displayed image corresponds exactly to the target, or a scaled fashion if desired.