Planar-array ultrasonic transducer, ultrasound imaging method, and electronic device

Abstract

A planar-array ultrasonic transducer, an ultrasound imaging method, and an electronic device. The planar-array ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of array elements, wherein the distances between adjacent array elements are consistent; the plurality of array elements are divided into a plurality of sub-array regions, and each sub-array region has M rows and N columns of array elements; the array elements at the same row and column position in the sub-array regions can be connected to the same channel line, and the array elements at different row and column positions in the sub-array regions are connected to different channel lines; the channel line is used for inputting an excitation signal of the planar-array ultrasonic transducer and / or transmitting an ultrasonic echo signal; and at the same moment, for any row and column position, at most only one array element at the row and column position in a sub-array region is connected to the channel line. The ultrasonic transducer reduces the number of channels of the ultrasonic transducer, and can realize sub-aperture transmission or reception at any position on an ultrasonic transducer planar array, thereby improving the flexibility of imaging.

Description

Array ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic imaging method, and electronic equipment Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of ultrasonic imaging technology, and in particular to a planar array ultrasonic transducer, an ultrasonic imaging method, and electronic equipment. Background Art

[0002] Three-dimensional ultrasound imaging has significant application value in both clinical medicine and academic research. It elevates traditional two-dimensional ultrasound imaging to three-dimensional volumetric imaging, revealing richer structural information. This allows for the detection of complex lesions or organ conditions that cannot be assessed with two-dimensional ultrasound imaging, enabling more accurate clinical diagnosis and research. Among various three-dimensional ultrasound scanning methods, using a two-dimensional array transducer for three-dimensional data acquisition is the fastest and most accurate.

[0003] Full-sampling, large-aperture, two-dimensional area array ultrasound transducers can achieve excellent imaging quality and high imaging flexibility. However, these array transducers have tens of thousands of elements, requiring the imaging system to have tens of thousands of physical channels. This not only makes wiring difficult but also very costly. Full-sampling, two-dimensional area array ultrasound transducers have an N×N number of elements, and the required number of system channels is the same as the number of elements, so a high-channel-count imaging system is required.

[0004] In order to reduce production costs, the number of system channels, facilitate wiring, and achieve high-quality three-dimensional imaging, the following two-dimensional array transducers have been proposed in this field: two-dimensional sparse array ultrasonic transducer, row-column addressed array ultrasonic transducer, two-dimensional array ultrasonic transducer based on beamforming integrated circuit, and selectable two-dimensional array ultrasonic transducer based on high-voltage switch.

[0005] The two-dimensional sparse array ultrasonic transducer randomly and uniformly selects a small number of activated array elements on a fully sampled two-dimensional array for imaging, reducing the number of system channels required for three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging to the required number of activated array elements. The wiring is simple and easy to implement.

[0006] The row-column addressed array ultrasonic transducer consists of two vertically overlapping one-dimensional arrays. The array in one direction is used for transmission, and the array in the other direction is used for reception, thereby achieving focused imaging. This method reduces the number of array elements of the two-dimensional probe from N×N to N+N, greatly reducing the number of system channels required and wiring costs.

[0007] A two-dimensional array ultrasound transducer based on a beamforming integrated circuit (IC) first feeds the signals received by multiple adjacent array elements into the IC. After beamforming, the signals are output as a single signal, thereby reducing the number of signal paths entering the system. (For example, if the signals from four array elements are output as a single signal path, the number of system channels can be reduced to 1 / 4 of the number of array elements.) However, these transducers have fixed parameters such as delay and focusing, making them inflexible and applicable only to specific imaging needs.

[0008] Compared with a full-sampling area array, the sensitivity and resolution of a two-dimensional sparse array ultrasonic transducer decrease as the number of activated elements decreases, and the calculation of the optimal arrangement of activated elements is time-consuming and parameter-dependent. Since the row-column addressed array ultrasonic transducer is not a true two-dimensional array in structure, it will produce edge effects during imaging, have a larger main lobe width and a stronger sidelobe amplitude, and have a poorer resolution than a full-sampling area array. Since the beamforming delay set in the integrated circuit of a two-dimensional area array ultrasonic transducer based on a beamforming integrated circuit is a fixed value, the imaging parameters of the probe are also fixed and cannot be flexibly adjusted according to the application, and the usage scenarios are limited. Therefore, the full-sampling two-dimensional area array ultrasonic transducer is still the best choice for three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging, with great advantages in signal-to-noise ratio, sensitivity, resolution, and beam control flexibility.

[0009] A selectable full-sampling two-dimensional array ultrasonic transducer based on a high-voltage switch is connected to a programmable high-voltage switch for sub-aperture selection, thereby realizing three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging of a full-sampling thousand-element array ultrasonic transducer by a low-channel ultrasonic imaging system.

[0010] However, existing 1024-element, full-sampling, two-dimensional area array ultrasound transducers divide the 1024 elements into four subarrays (8×32) for interconnection, with a 0.6 mm gap between each subarray. Due to the gaps and the limitations of the wiring scheme, only four fixed subapertures can be selected for imaging, severely limiting the flexibility of imaging method optimization and resulting in poor image quality. Technical issues

[0011] The purpose of this specification is to provide a planar array ultrasonic transducer, an ultrasonic imaging method, and an electronic device to solve the problems of inflexibility and poor imaging quality of existing ultrasonic imaging methods. Technical Solutions

[0012] To solve the above technical problems, the first aspect of the present specification provides a planar array ultrasonic transducer, comprising: a plurality of array elements distributed in an array, wherein the distance between adjacent array elements in a first direction is consistent, and the distance between adjacent array elements in a second direction is consistent, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; the plurality of array elements are divided into a plurality of sub-array regions, each sub-array region having M rows and N columns of array elements; array elements at the same row and column positions in each sub-array region can be connected to the same channel line, and array elements at different row and column positions in each sub-array region are connected to different channel lines; the channel line is used to input excitation signals of the planar array ultrasonic transducer and / or transmit ultrasonic echo signals; wherein M and N are natural numbers; and at the same time, for any row and column position, at most one array element at the row and column position in one sub-array region is connected to the channel line.

[0013] In some embodiments, at the same time, for any row and column position and the channel line corresponding to the row and column position, there is only one array element at the row and column position in a sub-array region connected to the channel line.

[0014] In some embodiments, the array elements connected to each channel line form a continuous sub-aperture region.

[0015] In some embodiments, array elements at the same row and column position in each sub-array region are connected to the channel line via a multiple-select-one controllable switch.

[0016] In some embodiments, the number of the channel lines is the same as the number of array elements in each sub-array region, and the number of movable contacts of the multiple-choice controllable switch is the same as the number of divided sub-array regions.

[0017] In some embodiments, the sub-array regions are arranged in X rows and Y columns, where X and Y are both arbitrary natural numbers.

[0018] According to a second aspect of the present specification, there is provided an ultrasonic imaging method for a planar array ultrasonic transducer, wherein the planar array ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of array elements distributed in an array, wherein the distance between adjacent array elements in a first direction is consistent, and the distance between adjacent array elements in a second direction is consistent, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; the plurality of array elements are divided into a plurality of sub-array regions, each sub-array region having M rows and N columns of array elements; array elements in the same row and column positions in each sub-array region can be connected to the same channel line, and array elements in different row and column positions in each sub-array region are connected to different channel lines; the channel line is used to input an excitation signal of the planar array ultrasonic transducer and / or transmit an ultrasonic echo signal; wherein M and N are natural numbers; at the same time, for any row and column position, there is at most one sub-array region. The array elements at the row and column positions are connected to the channel line; the method includes: determining each sub-aperture area for transmitting ultrasonic signals and each preset area for receiving ultrasonic echo signals; controlling each sub-aperture area to transmit ultrasonic signals in turn, and when each sub-aperture area transmits ultrasonic signals, controlling each preset area to receive ultrasonic echo signals in turn, and using the ultrasonic echo signals received by each array element in each preset area as the ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to the sub-aperture area that transmits ultrasonic signals; wherein, controlling a sub-aperture area to transmit ultrasonic signals means controlling each array element in the sub-aperture area to be connected to the channel line, and controlling a preset area to receive ultrasonic echo signals means controlling each array element in the preset area to be connected to the channel line; processing the ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to each sub-aperture area to obtain an ultrasonic image.

[0019] In some embodiments, when controlling the connection of each array element within the sub-aperture region to a channel line, for any row and column position and the corresponding channel line, only one array element at the row and column position of the sub-array region is controlled to be connected to the corresponding channel line, and the array elements connected to each channel line form a continuous sub-aperture region.

[0020] In some embodiments, when determining the preset areas for receiving ultrasonic echo signals, the set of the preset areas is made to cover the array elements on the area array transducer; and / or, when determining the sub-aperture areas for transmitting ultrasonic signals, the set of the sub-aperture areas is made to cover the array elements on the area array transducer.

[0021] In some embodiments, when determining the preset areas for receiving ultrasonic echo signals, the set of the preset areas at least covers the array element on the area array transducer that is closest to the imaging target, and the set of the preset areas does not include at least one array element on the area array transducer that is farthest from the imaging target; and / or, when determining the sub-aperture areas for transmitting ultrasonic signals, the set of the sub-aperture areas at least covers the array element on the area array transducer that is closest to the imaging target, and the set of the sub-aperture areas does not include at least one array element on the area array transducer that is farthest from the imaging target.

[0022] In some embodiments, each of the sub-aperture areas and each of the preset areas comprises an arbitrary shape.

[0023] In some embodiments, the number of rows and columns of the predetermined area and each divided sub-array area are the same.

[0024] In some embodiments, before controlling each sub-aperture area to transmit an ultrasonic signal, it also includes: determining the emission angle corresponding to each sub-aperture area; controlling a target sub-aperture area to transmit an ultrasonic signal, and controlling a target preset area to receive an ultrasonic echo signal, including: controlling the target sub-aperture area to transmit an ultrasonic signal at each emission angle, and controlling the target preset area to receive the ultrasonic echo signal corresponding to each emission angle; wherein, the ultrasonic echo signal corresponding to an emission angle refers to the ultrasonic echo signal generated when the target sub-aperture area transmits an ultrasonic signal at the emission angle.

[0025] The third aspect of this specification provides an electronic device, comprising: a memory and a processor, wherein the processor and the memory are communicatively connected to each other, the memory stores computer instructions, and the processor implements the steps of any one of the methods described in the second aspect by executing the computer instructions.

[0026] A fourth aspect of this specification provides a computer storage medium, wherein the computer storage medium stores computer program instructions, and when the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, the steps of any one of the methods described in the second aspect are implemented.

[0027] The ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification can reduce the number of channels of the ultrasonic transducer while maintaining consistent distances in the row direction and the column direction, and can realize sub-aperture transmission or reception at any position on the ultrasonic transducer array, and can realize sub-apertures of any shape. Beneficial effects

[0028] The ultrasound imaging method provided in this specification can realize three-dimensional ultrasound imaging of a high-channel full-sampling two-dimensional ultrasound probe using a low-channel, low-cost imaging system. At the same time, by flexibly adjusting the imaging parameters of the three-dimensional sub-aperture ultrasound imaging algorithm, the imaging quality can be optimized and the resolution, contrast and signal-to-noise ratio of three-dimensional ultrasound imaging can be greatly improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the implementation methods of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the implementation methods or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some implementation methods recorded in this application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0030] FIG1 shows a schematic structural diagram of a multiple-choice-one controllable selector;

[0031] Figures 2 to 4 show schematic diagrams of wiring arrangements for a planar array ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification;

[0032] FIG5 shows a schematic diagram of a sub-aperture region;

[0033] FIG6 shows a schematic diagram of a possible wiring method of an ultrasonic transducer in the prior art;

[0034] FIG7 shows a schematic diagram of another wiring method of an area array ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification;

[0035] FIG8 shows a flow chart of the ultrasound imaging method provided in this specification;

[0036] FIG9 shows a schematic diagram of an implementation of step 20 in FIG8 ;

[0037] FIG10 is a schematic diagram showing an ultrasonic imaging method proposed based on the ultrasonic transducer wiring method shown in FIG2 to FIG4;

[0038] FIG11 is a schematic diagram showing a sub-aperture region transmitting an ultrasonic signal at different transmission angles;

[0039] FIG12 is a schematic diagram showing another ultrasonic imaging method proposed based on the ultrasonic transducer wiring method shown in FIG2 to FIG4;

[0040] FIG13 is a schematic diagram showing three possible working modes of an ultrasonic transducer in the prior art;

[0041] FIG14 shows a principle block diagram of an electronic device provided in this specification. Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0042] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in this application, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts should fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0043] This specification provides a planar array ultrasonic transducer comprising a plurality of array elements arranged in an array, wherein the plurality of array elements are uniformly spaced in a first direction and uniformly spaced in a second direction, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. The first direction may be the direction along which a row of array elements in the array extends (hereinafter referred to as the row direction), and the second direction may be the direction along which a column of array elements in the array extends (hereinafter referred to as the column direction).

[0044] These array elements are divided into multiple subarray regions, each with M rows and N columns of array elements. Array elements in the same row and column within each subarray region can be connected to the same channel line, while array elements in different rows and columns within each subarray region are connected to different channel lines. The channel lines are used to input excitation signals for the area array ultrasonic transducer and / or transmit ultrasonic echo signals. M and N are natural numbers. At any given row and column position, at most one array element in that subarray region can be connected to a channel line at any given time.

[0045] The ultrasonic transducer mentioned in this specification may be at least one of the following: a piezoelectric transducer, a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT), or a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT).

[0046] The “consistent distances” of “adjacent array elements” may mean that the distances between adjacent array elements are equal, or that the difference in distances between adjacent array elements is so small that the influence on the imaging result can be ignored.

[0047] The term "row and column position" used in this specification refers to a position identified by row and column. Because each subarray region consists of M rows and N columns of elements, the shape and layout of each subarray region are identical. Any element in any subarray region can be identified by row and column number.

[0048] “Different row and column positions” means that the two positions have different numbers of rows and / or different numbers of columns.

[0049] "At any given row and column position, at most one array element in the row and column of the subarray region is connected to a channel line at the same time." This means that for a position m rows and n columns (m is any natural number from 1 to M, and n is any natural number from 1 to N), no array element in the m rows and n columns of the subarray region is connected to the corresponding channel line, or that one array element in the m rows and n columns of the subarray region is connected to the corresponding channel line. Channel lines correspond one-to-one to row and column positions.

[0050] The phrase "array elements in the same row and column positions in each sub-array region can be connected to the same channel line" means that array elements in the same row and column positions in each sub-array region can be controlled to be connected to the same channel line. That is, array elements in the same row and column positions in each sub-array region can be connected to the same controllable device, which is connected to the channel line corresponding to that row and column position. By controlling this controllable device, one or more array elements (among the array elements connected to it) can be selected to be electrically connected to that channel line.

[0051] In some embodiments, the controllable device may include multiple controllable switches, each corresponding to an array element. One end of the controllable switch is electrically connected to the corresponding array element, and the other end is electrically connected to a channel line. Whether each array element is connected to the channel line is controlled by controlling whether the controllable switch is closed. These multiple controllable switches may be integrated into the same chip.

[0052] In other embodiments, the controllable device may be a multiple-choice controllable selector. As shown in Figure 1, the multiple-choice controllable selector includes a static contact, multiple movable contacts, and a contact head. The static contact is electrically connected to a channel line, and each movable contact is electrically connected to an array element. The first end of the contact head is electrically connected to the static contact, and the other end can be controlled to electrically connect to any movable contact, thereby controlling the array element corresponding to the movable contact to be electrically connected to the channel line.

[0053] The number of movable contacts is not less than the number of divided sub-array regions. In some embodiments, the number of movable contacts is the same as the number of divided sub-array regions. That is, at the same time, for any row and column position (for example, an array element with m rows and n columns), there is only one array element in that row and column position in the sub-array region connected to the channel line. In other embodiments, the number of movable contacts can also be one more than the number of divided sub-array regions. For example, the extra movable contact is left floating (that is, it is not connected to anything). Then, when the contact is connected to the movable contact, it means that at the same time, for a row and column position (for example, an array element with m rows and n columns), there is no array element in that row and column position in the sub-array region connected to the channel line.

[0054] The “multi-select one controllable selector” in this specification may specifically be a multiplexed high-voltage switch.

[0055] The "channel lines" in this specification are used to input excitation signals and / or transmit ultrasonic echo signals for a planar array ultrasonic transducer. All the channel lines of a planar array ultrasonic transducer can be used to input excitation signals, or can all be used to transmit ultrasonic echo signals. It is also possible that a part of the channel lines in a planar array ultrasonic transducer are used to input excitation signals, and another part of the channel lines are used to transmit ultrasonic echo signals. Whether the channel lines are specifically used to input excitation signals or to transmit ultrasonic echo signals can be determined according to the specific usage mode of the planar array ultrasonic transducer.

[0056] Figures 2 to 4 show schematic diagrams of a planar array ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification. The planar array ultrasonic transducer includes 1024 array elements, and these array elements are arranged in a 32×32 manner. These array elements are divided into the following four sub-array regions: Ap1, Ap2, Ap3, Ap4. In these four sub-array regions, each sub-array region is arranged in a 16×16 manner. These four sub-array regions are arranged in a "field" shape.

[0057] The array elements at the same row and same column positions in each sub-array region can be connected to the same channel line, and the array elements in different rows or different columns are connected to different channel lines. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the array elements at the 1st row and 1st column positions in the sub-array regions Ap1, Ap2, Ap3, Ap4 are connected to the controllable switch Switch 1, and this controllable switch Switch 1 is connected to the "1st channel line"; as shown in Figure 4, the array elements at the 16th row and 16th column positions in the sub-array regions Ap1, Ap2, Ap3, Ap4 are connected to the controllable switch Switch 256, and this controllable switch Switch 256 is connected to the "256th channel line". The planar array ultrasonic transducer shown in Figure 2 can correspond to 256 Switches and 256 channel lines. Figures 3 and 4 only show the connection modes of 2 array elements in the sub-array regions Ap1, Ap2, Ap3, Ap4, and the connection modes of the remaining array elements can be obtained by analogy based on the connection modes in Figures 2 and 3.

[0058] Although Figures 2 to 4 show schematic diagrams of four sub-array regions arranged in a field shape, the planar array ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification can also be divided into other numbers of array regions. For example, it can be 6 sub-array regions, and these 6 sub-array regions are arranged in a 2-row and 3-column manner; it can also be 9 sub-array regions, and these 9 sub-array regions are arranged in a 3×3 manner. That is, the planar array ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification can be divided into X×Y sub-array regions, and these X×Y regions are arranged in X rows and Y columns. X and Y can both be any natural numbers. In some examples, X≥2, Y≥2, that is to say, the planar array ultrasonic transducer has at least 2 rows and at least 2 columns.

[0059] In some embodiments, at the same time, for any row and column position and the channel line corresponding to the row and column position, there is one and only one array element at the row and column position in the sub-array area connected to the channel line; and the array elements connected to each channel line form a continuous sub-aperture area.

[0060] For example, array elements in the same row and column position in each sub-array region are connected to a channel line via K-select-one controllable switches. This achieves the aforementioned "one and only one array element in that row and column position in a sub-array region is connected to that channel line." The number of channel lines is the same as the number of array elements in a sub-array region, and the value of K is the same as the number of sub-array regions.

[0061] In the setting where "only one array element in the row or column of the subarray region is connected to the channel line," the array elements connected to the channel line can be dispersed across the area array transducer. Controlling the array elements connected to the channel line to form a continuous subaperture region allows for more concentrated ultrasound signals during subaperture imaging, resulting in higher signal strength and better imaging.

[0062] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of subaperture regions, where each thick solid square box represents a subaperture region. For example, at time t1, all array elements within the upper thick solid square box are connected to the channel lines, while array elements outside the thick solid square box are not connected to the channel lines due to wiring restrictions. In other words, if the array elements within the thick solid square box are selected to transmit ultrasonic signals or receive ultrasonic echo signals, then the area circled by the thick solid square box is the subaperture region corresponding to time t1. At time t2, all array elements within the lower thick solid square box are connected to the channel lines, while array elements outside the thick solid square box are not connected to the channel lines due to wiring restrictions. In other words, if the array elements within the thick solid square box are selected to transmit ultrasonic signals or receive ultrasonic echo signals, then the area circled by the thick solid square box is the subaperture region corresponding to time t2. Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of the positions of two subaperture regions. In practice, subaperture regions can have multiple locations, and any subarray region among regions Ap1, Ap2, Ap3, and Ap4 can also form a subaperture.

[0063] The continuous sub-aperture area formed can be as large as the divided sub-array area at most. The number and arrangement of array elements contained in the largest continuous sub-aperture area are the same as those of the divided sub-array area.

[0064] It should be noted that, when "at the same time, for a row and column position and the channel line corresponding to the row and column position, no array element at the row and column position of a sub-array area is connected to the channel line", the number of rows and columns of the continuous sub-aperture area formed are both smaller than the divided sub-array area.

[0065] Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of the array element arrangement of a possible planar array ultrasonic transducer in the prior art, in which 1024 array elements are divided into four subarray regions, each region having 256 subarray elements. These 256 array elements are arranged in a rectangular pattern of 8 rows and 32 columns. The distance between adjacent array regions is greater than the distance between array elements within a subarray region. Array elements in the same row and column position in each subarray region are also connected to channel lines via a multi-select controllable switch. The number of channel lines is also the same as the number of array elements in each subarray region, that is, there are 256 channel lines.

[0066] The difference between the area array ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification and the area array ultrasonic transducer shown in Figure 6 is that: 1. The distance between each array element of the area array ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification is consistent, that is, the distance between each subarray area is equal to the distance between each array element in the subarray area, while in Figure 6, the distance between adjacent subarray areas is greater than the distance between each array element in the subarray area, that is, the distance between each array element is not consistent; 2. The number of rows and columns of the subarray area of ​​the area array ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification can be arbitrarily selected, while the number of columns of the subarray area in Figure 6 can only be 1 column; 3. The area array ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification can form a sub-aperture area for transmitting ultrasound or receiving ultrasonic echoes at any position on the area array of the area array ultrasonic transducer (sub-aperture of any shape can be realized), while the area array ultrasonic transducer shown in Figure 6 cannot form a sub-aperture area across areas.

[0067] Regarding point 3 above, since the distance between each subarray region in FIG6 is greater than the distance between each array element within a subarray region, the planar array ultrasonic transducer shown in FIG6 can only control one of the subarray regions Ap1, Ap2, Ap3, and Ap4 as a subaperture region at a time. When a subaperture region spans two subarray regions, the ultrasonic imaging effect will be affected by the spacing between the subarray regions, resulting in poor ultrasonic imaging. As shown in FIG7, in the ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification, the subaperture region formed across regions (as shown by the large black solid line rectangle in FIG7) has the same imaging effect as the subaperture region formed by any subarray region. As shown by the small black solid line rectangle in FIG7, in the ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification, the size of the subaperture region can be arbitrarily selected. In fact, the shape of the subaperture region can also be arbitrarily selected, for example, the subaperture shape can also be approximately circular.

[0068] It should be noted that prior to this application, planar array ultrasonic transducers with uniform distances between array elements typically had each element connected to a channel line, meaning the number of channel lines equaled the number of array elements. Consequently, the planar array ultrasonic transducer had a large number of channels. The planar array ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification reduces the number of channels through multiplexing, and this element wiring method is a prerequisite for achieving sub-aperture transmission or reception at any location on the planar array ultrasonic transducer (even allowing for sub-apertures of arbitrary shapes).

[0069] From the above analysis, it can be seen that the planar array ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification can reduce the number of channels of the planar array ultrasonic transducer while maintaining the consistency of the distance between each array element, and can realize sub-aperture transmission or reception at any position on the planar array of the planar array ultrasonic transducer, and even realize sub-aperture of any shape.

[0070] The sub-aperture imaging scheme selects only a portion of the sub-apertures in the full aperture for each transmission and reception, and then coherently combines the imaging results of multiple sub-apertures to achieve high-quality ultrasound imaging while maintaining a high imaging frame rate. When the number of channel lines in the hardware system is limited, only sub-aperture array elements that are less than or equal to the number of system channels are selected for transmission each time, and then the signals are coherently combined to achieve image quality comparable to full-aperture transmission. Due to the limitations of the process level, the wiring of the area array ultrasonic transducer needs to leave some space for the channel lines connecting the array elements. Therefore, the area array ultrasonic transducer shown in Figure 6 divides the full aperture into four sub-apertures, and there are gaps between the sub-apertures, which seriously affects the imaging quality and the flexibility of the imaging method.

[0071] Based on the sub-aperture imaging principle, this specification provides an ultrasonic imaging method based on the planar array ultrasonic transducer provided above. As shown in FIG8 , the ultrasonic imaging method includes the following steps:

[0072] S10: Determine each sub-aperture area for transmitting an ultrasonic signal and each preset area for receiving an ultrasonic echo signal.

[0073] The wiring structure of a planar array ultrasonic transducer has the following characteristics: 1. At any given row and column position, at most one array element at that row and column position in a subarray region is connected to a channel line at any given time. 2. Array elements at the same row and column position in each subarray region can be connected to the same channel line, while array elements at different row and column positions in each subarray region are connected to different channel lines.

[0074] Due to the limitations of the above-mentioned wiring structure of the area array ultrasonic transducer, the number of array elements in a sub-aperture area or a preset area must be less than or equal to the number of array elements in a divided sub-array area, and the array elements in a sub-aperture area or a preset area can be distributed continuously or dispersedly.

[0075] In some embodiments, each sub-aperture area and each preset area can be of any shape.

[0076] In other embodiments, when controlling the connection of each array element within the sub-aperture region to a channel line, for any row or column position and the corresponding channel line, only one array element at that row or column position in the sub-array region is controlled to be connected to the corresponding channel line, and the array elements connected to each channel line form a continuous sub-aperture region, i.e., forming a sub-aperture region represented by any square thick solid line frame as shown in FIG5 .

[0077] As can be seen from FIG. 5 , based on the limitations of the aforementioned wiring structure of the area array ultrasonic transducer, when a sub-aperture region is continuous, the number of array elements, number of rows, number of columns, and so forth contained in the formed sub-aperture region should be the same as those of the divided sub-array region (the array elements corresponding to the row and column positions of one and only one sub-array region are connected to the corresponding channel lines), or the number of array elements, number of rows, number of columns, and so forth contained in the formed sub-aperture region should be smaller than those of the divided sub-array region in at least one of the following aspects: the number of array elements, the number of rows, and the number of columns.

[0078] Similarly, based on the limitations of the above-mentioned wiring structure of the area array ultrasonic transducer, when a preset area is continuous, the number of array elements, number of rows, number of columns, etc. contained in the preset area should be the same as those of the divided sub-array area (corresponding to the array elements at the row and column positions of one and only one sub-array area being connected to the corresponding channel lines), or the number of array elements, number of rows, number of columns, etc. contained in the preset area should be smaller than those of the divided sub-array area (corresponding to at least one row and column position, no array element at that row and column position in any sub-array area is connected to the corresponding channel line at that row and column position).

[0079] The preset areas may be non-intersecting or intersecting with each other. In theory, the preset areas may be at any position.

[0080] In some embodiments, when determining the preset areas for receiving ultrasonic echo signals, the set of preset areas is configured to cover all array elements on the area array transducer. With this configuration, when an ultrasonic signal is transmitted in a sub-aperture area, each preset area can sequentially receive the ultrasonic echo signal. The ultrasonic echo signals received by the array elements within these preset areas are then coherently combined to produce an ultrasonic image. The resulting ultrasonic image has an imaging effect comparable to that of full-aperture reception, i.e., a superior imaging effect.

[0081] The sub-aperture regions may or may not intersect with each other. In theory, the sub-aperture regions may be located at any position.

[0082] In some embodiments, when determining the sub-aperture regions for each ultrasound signal, the set of sub-aperture regions is configured to cover all array elements on the area array transducer. This configuration allows each sub-aperture region to sequentially transmit an ultrasound signal, and then the ultrasound echo signals corresponding to these sub-aperture regions are coherently composited to produce an ultrasound image. The resulting ultrasound image has an imaging effect comparable to that of a full-aperture transmission, i.e., a superior imaging effect.

[0083] The phrase "covering each element on the area array transducer" may refer to covering all elements on the area array transducer. In some cases (e.g., partial element failure), not all elements on the ultrasonic transducer may be capable of transmitting ultrasonic signals or receiving ultrasonic echoes for ultrasonic imaging. In such cases, "covering each element on the area array transducer" does not necessarily mean covering all elements.

[0084] In other embodiments, when determining the preset areas for receiving ultrasonic echo signals, the set of preset areas is configured to cover at least the array elements on the area array transducer closest to the imaging target, and exclude at least one array element on the area array transducer farthest from the imaging target. In other words, the set of preset areas may only include some array elements on the ultrasonic transducer, and array elements on the ultrasonic transducer farther from the imaging target may not be covered by the set. For example, array elements on the ultrasonic transducer closer to the imaging target may be used to receive ultrasonic echo signals, while array elements farther from the imaging target may not be used to receive ultrasonic echo signals. Because ultrasonic echo signals received by array elements farther from the imaging target are susceptible to interference and lack high accuracy, the above-mentioned configuration can improve the quality of ultrasonic imaging.

[0085] In some embodiments, when determining the sub-aperture regions for transmitting ultrasonic signals, the set of sub-aperture regions is configured to cover at least the array element closest to the imaging target on the area array transducer, and the set of sub-aperture regions does not include at least one array element farthest from the imaging target on the area array transducer. In other words, the set of sub-aperture regions may only include some array elements on the ultrasonic transducer, and array elements farther from the imaging target may not be covered by the set. For example, array elements of the ultrasonic transducer that are closer to the imaging target are used to transmit ultrasonic signals, while array elements farther from the imaging target are not used to transmit ultrasonic signals. Because ultrasonic signals transmitted by array elements farther from the imaging target are easily interfered with and have low accuracy, the above-mentioned configuration can improve the quality of ultrasonic imaging.

[0086] S20: Controlling each sub-aperture area to transmit an ultrasonic signal in turn, and when each sub-aperture area transmits an ultrasonic signal, controlling each preset area to receive an ultrasonic echo signal in turn, and using the ultrasonic echo signal received by each array element in each preset area as the ultrasonic echo signal corresponding to the sub-aperture area that transmits the ultrasonic signal; wherein, controlling a sub-aperture area to transmit an ultrasonic signal means controlling each array element in the sub-aperture area to be connected to a channel line, and controlling a preset area to receive an ultrasonic echo signal means controlling each array element in the preset area to be connected to a channel line.

[0087] Specifically, as shown in FIG9 , step S20 may include the following steps:

[0088] S21: Control the array elements in the current sub-aperture area to be connected to the channel lines so that the array elements in the current sub-aperture area transmit ultrasonic signals, and control the array elements in the current preset area to be connected to the channel lines so that the current preset area receives ultrasonic echo signals; obtain the ultrasonic echo signals received by each array element in the current preset area.

[0089] S22: Determine whether there is a next preset area. If the determination result is yes, execute step S23; otherwise, jump to step S24 to continue execution.

[0090] S23: Set the next preset area of ​​the current preset area as the current preset area, and jump to S21 to continue execution.

[0091] S24: When the current sub-aperture area transmits the ultrasonic signal, the ultrasonic echo signal received by each array element in each preset area is used as the ultrasonic echo signal corresponding to the current sub-aperture area.

[0092] The above steps S21 to S27 are described below using the area array ultrasonic transducer shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 5 .

[0093] As shown in FIG10 , sub-aperture region 1 can be first controlled to transmit an ultrasonic signal and preset region Ap1 can be controlled to receive an ultrasonic echo signal. Then, sub-aperture region 1 can be controlled to transmit an ultrasonic signal and preset region Ap2 can be controlled to receive an ultrasonic echo signal. Then, sub-aperture region 1 can be controlled to transmit an ultrasonic signal and preset region Ap3 can be controlled to receive an ultrasonic echo signal. Finally, sub-aperture region 1 can be controlled to transmit an ultrasonic signal and preset region Ap4 can be controlled to receive an ultrasonic echo signal. The ultrasonic echo signals received by each array element in the preset regions Ap1, Ap2, Ap3, and Ap4 are used as the ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to sub-aperture region 1.

[0094] S25: Determine whether there is a next sub-aperture area. If the determination result is yes, execute step S26; otherwise, jump to step S27 to continue execution.

[0095] S26: The next sub-aperture region of the current sub-aperture region is used as the current sub-aperture region, and the process jumps to S21 to continue the execution.

[0096] Continuing with the above example, as shown in FIG10 , a method similar to that of “obtaining the ultrasonic echo signal corresponding to sub-aperture region 1” can be used to obtain the ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to sub-aperture region 2, sub-aperture region 3…sub-aperture region k-1, and sub-aperture region k, respectively.

[0097] S27: After acquiring the ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to the sub-aperture regions, the ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to the sub-aperture regions are coherently combined to obtain an ultrasonic image.

[0098] S30: Processing the ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to each sub-aperture region to obtain an ultrasonic image.

[0099] In some embodiments, the transmission angle of each sub-aperture region when transmitting an ultrasonic signal can be controlled. Figure 11 shows a schematic diagram of the transmitted wave formed when a sub-aperture region transmits an ultrasonic signal at different angles. The transmission path of the diverging wave can generally be viewed as emanating from a virtual source.

[0100] Correspondingly, controlling a target sub-aperture area to transmit an ultrasonic signal and controlling a target preset area to receive an ultrasonic echo signal can be as follows: controlling the target sub-aperture area to transmit an ultrasonic signal at each transmission angle, and controlling the target preset area to receive the ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to each transmission angle respectively; wherein, the ultrasonic echo signal corresponding to an transmission angle refers to the ultrasonic echo signal generated when the target sub-aperture area transmits an ultrasonic signal at the transmission angle.

[0101] Figure 12 shows a schematic diagram of this technical solution. As shown in Figure 12, assuming that the target subaperture area is subaperture area 1 and the target preset area is preset area Ap1, then subaperture area 1 can be controlled to transmit ultrasonic signals at transmission angle 1, and preset area Ap1 can be controlled to receive ultrasonic echo signals. Then, subaperture area 1 can be controlled to transmit ultrasonic signals at transmission angle 2, and preset area Ap1 can be controlled to receive ultrasonic echo signals. ... Subaperture area 1 can be controlled to transmit ultrasonic signals at transmission angle a-1, and preset area Ap1 can be controlled to receive ultrasonic echo signals. Finally, subaperture area 1 can be controlled to transmit ultrasonic signals at transmission angle a, and preset area Ap1 can be controlled to receive ultrasonic echo signals. Where a is the number of transmission angles corresponding to subaperture area 1.

[0102] The ultrasonic imaging method provided in this specification transmits at a different angles for each sub-aperture area. Each transmission is received by four preset areas Ap1, Ap2, Ap3, and Ap4 respectively. The data of k×a×4 (where 4 represents the number of preset areas, and of course, 4 can also be changed to other natural numbers) transmission and reception pairs are coherently composited to form a frame of B-mode image. Compared with traditional three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging methods, this method can significantly improve the contrast and signal-to-noise ratio of imaging.

[0103] Figure 13 shows a schematic diagram of three possible operating modes of a conventional area array ultrasonic transducer: Full, Light, and Direct. The regions shown in the upper layer of Figure 13 correspond to the subarray regions in Figure 6 , and the regions shown in the lower layer of Figure 12 also correspond to the subarray regions in Figure 6 . Regions in the same vertical direction are essentially the same subarray region in Figure 6 .

[0104] Full mode means: the array elements in subarray area Ap1 transmit ultrasonic signals, and the array elements in subarray areas Ap1, Ap2, Ap3, and Ap4 receive ultrasonic echo signals; the array elements in subarray area Ap2 transmit ultrasonic signals, and subarray areas Ap1, Ap2, Ap3, and Ap4 receive ultrasonic echo signals; the array elements in subarray area Ap3 transmit ultrasonic signals, and subarray areas Ap1, Ap2, Ap3, and Ap4 receive ultrasonic echo signals; the array elements in subarray area Ap4 transmit ultrasonic signals, and subarray areas Ap1, Ap2, Ap3, and Ap4 receive ultrasonic echo signals. In other words, in Full mode, 16 transmit-receive pairs are formed, and the 16 results (the ultrasonic echo signal received once in a subarray area is called a result) are coherently composited into a single image.

[0105] Light mode means: the array elements in subarray areas Ap1 and Ap2 transmit ultrasonic signals, and the array elements in subarray areas Ap1, Ap2, and Ap3 receive ultrasonic echo signals; the array elements in subarray area Ap3 transmit ultrasonic signals, and the array elements in subarray areas Ap2, Ap3, and Ap4 receive ultrasonic echo signals; the array elements in subarray area Ap4 transmit ultrasonic signals, and the array elements in subarray areas Ap3 and Ap4 receive ultrasonic echo signals. In other words, in Light mode, 10 transmitting and receiving pairs are formed, and finally the 10 results (the ultrasonic echo signal received once in a subarray area is called a result) are coherently composited into a single image.

[0106] Direct mode means that: the array elements in subarray area Ap1 transmit ultrasonic signals, and the array elements in subarray area Ap1 receive ultrasonic signals; the array elements in subarray area Ap2 transmit ultrasonic signals, and the array elements in subarray area Ap2 receive ultrasonic signals; the array elements in subarray area Ap3 transmit ultrasonic signals, and the array elements in subarray area Ap3 receive ultrasonic signals; the array elements in subarray area Ap4 transmit ultrasonic signals, and the array elements in subarray area Ap4 receive ultrasonic signals. In other words, in Direct mode, four transmitting and receiving pairs are formed, and the four results (the ultrasonic echo signal received once in a subarray area is called a result) are coherently composited into a single image.

[0107] It can be seen that the area array ultrasonic transducer shown in FIG6 can form a maximum of 16 transmitting and receiving pairs, obtaining 16 results, and using these 16 results to synthesize an ultrasonic image.

[0108] However, as shown in Figure 12, the planar array ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification can form k×a×4 transmit-receive pairs (k is the number of subaperture regions, and a is the number of transmission angles corresponding to each subaperture region). The number of subaperture regions can be any natural number, and the number of transmission angles can also be any natural number. Therefore, the planar array ultrasonic transducer provided in this specification can form far more transmit-receive pairs than the 16 transmit-receive pairs of the transducer shown in Figure 6, allowing for flexible setting of imaging parameters, thereby improving imaging quality. Therefore, the ultrasonic imaging method provided in this specification produces ultrasonic images of higher quality.

[0109] The ultrasound imaging method provided in this specification can select any sub-aperture area and any transmission angle to transmit ultrasound signals, and select any preset area to receive ultrasound signals. The number, size, and location of the preset areas can also be arbitrarily selected. Therefore, the ultrasound imaging method provided in this specification is more flexible. In contrast, the area array ultrasound transducer shown in Figure 6 can only select one of the three operating modes described above, resulting in less flexibility.

[0110] The ultrasonic imaging method provided in this specification, when the number of channel lines of the hardware system is limited, only selects sub-aperture array elements that are less than or equal to the number of channel lines for transmission each time, and then coherently combines the ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to multiple sub-aperture areas, which can achieve image quality equivalent to full-aperture transmission.

[0111] The ultrasound imaging method provided in this specification allows for flexible control of the number of transmissions and the shape of the sound field, thereby improving imaging quality, by adjusting imaging parameters such as the number and arrangement of subaperture regions, deflection angles and their number, field of view angle, and subaperture size. Combining the ultrasonic transducer wiring scheme provided in this specification with the structural advantages of a planar array transducer, flexible and arbitrary selection and control of a two-dimensional planar array transducer is possible, exploring its subaperture imaging scheme, and achieving high-contrast, high-signal-to-noise ratio, and wide-field-of-view three-dimensional ultrasound imaging at a low system cost.

[0112] An embodiment of the present invention further provides an electronic device, as shown in FIG14 , which may include a processor 1401 and a memory 1402 , wherein the processor 1401 and the memory 1402 may be connected via a bus or other means, with FIG14 taking the bus connection as an example.

[0113] The processor 1401 may be a central processing unit (CPU). The processor 1401 may also be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, or a combination of these chips.

[0114] Memory 1402, as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store non-transitory software programs, non-transitory computer executable programs, and modules, such as the program instructions / modules corresponding to the ultrasound imaging method in the embodiments of the present invention. Processor 1401 executes the non-transitory software programs, instructions, and modules stored in memory 1402 to perform various processor functions and data classification, thereby implementing the ultrasound imaging method in the above-mentioned method embodiments.

[0115] The memory 1402 may include a program storage area and a data storage area, wherein the program storage area may store an operating system and application programs required for at least one function; the data storage area may store data created by the processor 1401, etc. In addition, the memory 1402 may include a high-speed random access memory, and may also include a non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, a flash memory device, or other non-volatile solid-state storage device. In some embodiments, the memory 1402 may optionally include a memory remotely located relative to the processor 1401, and these remote memories may be connected to the processor 1401 via a network. Examples of the above-mentioned network include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and combinations thereof.

[0116] The one or more modules are stored in the memory 1402 and, when executed by the processor 1401 , perform the above-mentioned ultrasound imaging method.

[0117] The specific details of the above electronic device can be understood by referring to the relevant descriptions and effects in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0118] This specification provides a computer storage medium storing computer program instructions. When the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, the steps of any one of the above-mentioned ultrasound imaging methods are implemented.

[0119] This specification provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the steps of any one of the above-mentioned ultrasound imaging methods are implemented.

[0120] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that all or part of the processes in the above-described method embodiments can be implemented by instructing related hardware through a computer program. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the program can include the processes in the above-described method embodiments. The storage medium can be a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), or a solid-state drive (SSD). The storage medium can also include a combination of the above-mentioned types of memory.

[0121] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments.

[0122] The systems, devices, modules or units described in the above embodiments may be implemented by computer chips or entities, or by products with certain functions.

[0123] For the convenience of description, the above devices are described as being divided into various units according to their functions. Of course, when implementing this application, the functions of each unit can be implemented in the same or multiple software and / or hardware.

[0124] From the above description of the embodiments, it can be seen that those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the present application can be implemented by means of software plus the necessary general-purpose hardware platform. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application, or the portion that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, etc., and includes a number of instructions for causing a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute certain parts of the methods of various embodiments of the present application.

[0125] The present application can be used in a wide variety of general-purpose or specialized computer system environments or configurations, such as personal computers, server computers, handheld or portable devices, tablet devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set-top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and distributed computing environments that include any of the above.

[0126] The present application may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions executed by a computer, such as program modules. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types. The present application may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices connected through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in local and remote computer storage media, including storage devices.

[0127] Although the present application has been described through embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are many modifications and variations to the present application without departing from the spirit of the present application. It is intended that the appended claims include these modifications and variations without departing from the spirit of the present application.

Claims

1. A planar array ultrasonic transducer, characterized in that: include: A plurality of array elements distributed in an array, wherein the distance between adjacent array elements in a first direction is consistent, and the distance between adjacent array elements in a second direction is consistent, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; The plurality of array elements are divided into a plurality of sub-array regions, each of which has M rows and N columns of array elements; array elements at the same row and column positions in each sub-array region can be connected to the same channel line, and array elements at different row and column positions in each sub-array region are connected to different channel lines; the channel line is used to input the excitation signal of the planar array ultrasonic transducer and / or transmit the ultrasonic echo signal; wherein M and N are natural numbers; At the same time, for any row and column position, at most one array element at the row and column position in a sub-array region is connected to the channel line.

2. The area array ultrasonic transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that: At the same time, for any row and column position and the channel line corresponding to the row and column position, there is one and only one array element at the row and column position in a sub-array region connected to the channel line.

3. The area array ultrasonic transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The array elements connected to each channel line form a continuous sub-aperture area.

4. The area array ultrasonic transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The array elements in the same row and column position in each sub-array area are connected to the channel line through a multi-select controllable switch; the number of the channel lines is the same as the number of array elements in each sub-array area, and the number of moving contacts of the multi-select controllable switch is the same as the number of divided sub-array areas.

5. The area array ultrasonic transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each sub-array region is arranged in X rows and Y columns, where X and Y are both arbitrary natural numbers.

6. An ultrasonic imaging method, characterized in that: For the area array ultrasonic transducer according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the method comprises: Determining each sub-aperture area for transmitting an ultrasonic signal and each preset area for receiving an ultrasonic echo signal; Controlling each sub-aperture area to transmit an ultrasonic signal in sequence, and when each sub-aperture area transmits an ultrasonic signal, controlling each preset area to receive an ultrasonic echo signal in sequence, and using the ultrasonic echo signal received by each array element in each preset area as the ultrasonic echo signal corresponding to the sub-aperture area transmitting the ultrasonic signal; wherein, controlling a sub-aperture area to transmit an ultrasonic signal means controlling each array element in the sub-aperture area to be connected to a channel line, and controlling a preset area to receive an ultrasonic echo signal means controlling each array element in the preset area to be connected to a channel line; The ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to each sub-aperture area are processed to obtain an ultrasonic image.

7. The ultrasonic imaging method according to claim 6, characterized in that: When controlling each array element in the sub-aperture area to be connected to the channel line, for any row and column position and the corresponding channel line, only the array element at the row and column position of the sub-array area is controlled to be connected to the corresponding channel line, and the array elements connected to each channel line form a continuous sub-aperture area.

8. The ultrasonic imaging method according to claim 6, characterized in that: When determining the preset areas for receiving ultrasonic echo signals, the set of the preset areas is made to cover the array elements on the area array transducer; and / or, When determining each sub-aperture area for transmitting an ultrasonic signal, a set of each sub-aperture area is made to cover each array element on the area array transducer.

9. The ultrasonic imaging method according to claim 6, characterized in that: When determining the preset areas for receiving ultrasonic echo signals, the set of the preset areas at least covers the array element on the area array transducer that is closest to the imaging target, and the set of the preset areas does not include at least one array element on the area array transducer that is farthest from the imaging target; and / or, When determining each sub-aperture area for transmitting an ultrasonic signal, the set of each sub-aperture area at least covers the array element on the area array transducer that is closest to the imaging target, and the set of each sub-aperture area does not include at least one array element on the area array transducer that is farthest from the imaging target.

10. The ultrasonic imaging method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The sub-aperture areas and the preset areas may have any shape.

11. The ultrasonic imaging method according to claim 10, characterized in that: Before controlling each sub-aperture area to transmit an ultrasonic signal, the method further includes: determining a transmission angle corresponding to each sub-aperture area; Controlling a target sub-aperture area to transmit an ultrasonic signal, and controlling a target preset area to receive an ultrasonic echo signal, including: The target sub-aperture area is controlled to transmit ultrasonic signals at various transmission angles, and the target preset area is controlled to receive ultrasonic echo signals corresponding to each transmission angle respectively; wherein, an ultrasonic echo signal corresponding to an emission angle refers to an ultrasonic echo signal generated when the target sub-aperture area transmits an ultrasonic signal at the emission angle.

12. An electronic device, characterized in that: include: A memory and a processor, wherein the processor and the memory are communicatively connected to each other, the memory stores computer instructions, and the processor implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 6 to 11 by executing the computer instructions.

13. A computer storage medium, characterized in that: The computer storage medium stores computer program instructions, and when the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, the steps of the method according to any one of claims 6 to 11 are implemented.

Images