Abstract: In accordance with the principles of the present invention, advantage is taken by the inventors of the fact that the speed of operation of the digital hardware in a digital beamformer can be reduced by providing, for example, multiple phases of the data signals and then processing the multi-phase data in N parallel summing paths. An interpolation-decimation filter receives the multi-phase data from the N parallel summing paths and provides at its output a signal having a reduced data rate (1/N). In accordance with this technique, the speed of operation of the individual digital circuits for forming the required beamforming delays is not increased as compared to conventional post-beamforming interpolation schemes, so that hereby the effective data rate is increased by a factor N and results in a decrease of the delay quantization error by a factor N. In accordance with the principles of the invention, the interpolation-decimation filter is incorporated into the beamformer at a most advantageous place.

Abstract: Time-of-flight calculations may be simplified by performing them on the fly at selected intervals and then interpolating the results to obtain a comprehensive set of values. The method and apparatus offer improved accuracy, speed, and hardware savings.

Abstract: A Doppler medical ultrasound apparatus, comprising means for transmitting ultrasound energy into a body, a plurality of parallel channels for receiving echoes of the ultrasound energy, digitizing the echoes, and digitally forming a received beam signal therefrom, means for processing the beam signals to produce a Doppler signal representing movement in a target volume within the body, and means for displaying the Doppler signal, and further including a summing circuit for summing a common dither signal with each of the received echoes and an A/D converter for digitizing the received echo in each parallel channel having the common dither signal added thereto.

Abstract: In accordance with the principles of the present invention, advantage is taken by the inventors of the fact that the speed of operation of the digital hardware in a digital beamformer can be reduced by providing, for example, multiple phases of the data signals and then processing the multi-phase data in N parallel summing paths. An interpolation-decimation filter receives the multi-phase data from the N parallel summing paths and provides at its output a signal having a reduced data rate (1/N). In accordance with this technique, the speed of operation of the individual digital circuits for forming the required beamforming delays is not increased as compared to conventional post-beamforming interpolation schemes, so that hereby the effective data rate is increased by a factor N and results in a decrease of the delay quantization error by a factor N. In accordance with the principles of the invention, the interpolation-decimation filter is incorporated into the beamformer at a most advantageous place.

Abstract: In accordance with the principles of the present invention, advantage is taken by the inventors of the fact that the speed of operation of the digital hardware in a digital beamformer having a plurality of parallel receiving channels can be reduced by providing multiple phases for the data signals supplied by each receiving channel and then processing the multi-phase data in N parallel summing paths. An interpolation-decimation filter receives the multi-phase data from the N parallel summing paths and provides at its output a signal having a reduced data rate (1/N). In accordance with this technique, the speed of operation of the individual digital circuits for forming the required beamforming delays are not increased as compared to conventional post-beamforming interpolation schemes, so that hereby the effective data rate is increased by a factor N and the delay quantization error is reduced by a factor N.