Ultrasound Imaging Devices

Abstract

The present specification relates to an ultrasound imaging device, the ultrasound imaging device comprising a collection (100) of ultrasound transducers (103) distributed among a plurality of sub-collections (105) of P ultrasound transducers (103), each sub-collection (105) including K transmit / receive circuits (123). k ) and P ultrasonic transducers (103) of the sub-assembly (105) are connected to K transmitting / receiving circuits (123 k ), where P and K are integers greater than or equal to 2, and K is strictly less than P. Each sub-assembly (105) has at least one transducer, called a mobile transducer, which is connected to the K transmit / receive circuits (123) of the sub-assembly. k ) among a predetermined number of transmitting and receiving circuits (123 k ) via a routing circuit (125).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of ultrasonic imaging, and more specifically, aims to provide an ultrasonic imaging device including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers and an electronic circuit for controlling these ultrasonic transducers.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, an ultrasonic imaging device includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers and an electronic control circuit connected to the ultrasonic transducers. During operation, an assembly of transducers is arranged in front of the body of a desired imaging target. The electronic device is configured to apply an electrical excitation signal to the transducers to radiate ultrasonic waves towards the body to be analyzed by the transducers. The ultrasonic waves radiated by the transducers are reflected by the body to be analyzed (internal structure and / or surface structure of the body), and then return to the transducers, which convert them back into electrical signals. The electrical response signal may be read by the electronic control circuit and stored and analyzed to derive information about the body under study from the electrical response signal.

[0003] The ultrasonic transducers may be arranged in a linear array in the case of a two-dimensional image acquisition device, or may be arranged in an array in the case of a three-dimensional image acquisition device. In the case of a two-dimensional image acquisition device, the acquired image represents a cross-section of the body under study on a plane defined by the alignment axis of the transducers arranged in the linear array on one hand and the radiation direction of the transducers on the other hand. In the case of a three-dimensional image acquisition device, the acquired image represents a volume defined by two alignment directions of the transducers arranged in the array and the radiation direction of the transducers.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] More specifically, we are concerned with three-dimensional image acquisition devices, in which the number of ultrasound transducers can be very large, typically ranging from hundreds to thousands or more.

[0005] Three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition devices have already been provided in which the same transmitting and receiving circuitry is shared by several ultrasound transducers via a configurable multiplexing circuit, in order to limit the complexity of the electronic control circuitry. Examples of embodiments and modes of operation of such devices are described in particular in the patent application FR 3 086 063 already filed by the applicant.

[0006] It would be desirable to at least partially improve one or more aspects of known three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To this end, embodiments include a collection of ultrasound transducers distributed into a plurality of sub-collections each containing P ultrasound transducers; For each of the sub-assemblies, K transmitter / receiver circuits; a configurable routing circuit that couples the P ultrasonic transducers of the sub-assembly to K transmit / receive circuits; It is equipped with P and K are integers of 2 or more, and K is smaller than P; An ultrasound imaging device is provided in which each sub-assembly has at least one transducer, referred to as a mobile transducer, that can be disconnected or connected to any one of a predetermined number of transmit / receive circuits out of the K transmit / receive circuits of the sub-assembly via the routing circuit.

[0008] According to an embodiment, each sub-aggregate further comprises at least one transducer, referred to as a fixed transducer, which can be disconnected or connected to a given one of the K transceiver circuits of the sub-aggregate via the routing circuit of the sub-aggregate.

[0009] According to an embodiment, the transducers of the collection are arranged in rows and columns.

[0010] According to an embodiment, the transducers of the collection are arranged in an array.

[0011] According to an embodiment, the transducers of the cluster form a generally circular pattern.

[0012] According to an embodiment, each sub-assembly is an array of adjacent transducers of said assembly.

[0013] According to an embodiment, each sub-assembly includes a number of moving transducers arranged along the diagonals of the array of adjacent transducers forming said sub-assembly.

[0014] According to an embodiment, each sub-assembly includes a number of fixed transducers arranged along different diagonals of the array of adjacent transducers forming said sub-assembly.

[0015] According to an embodiment, each sub-assembly is a sub-array of 2x2 adjacent transducers.

[0016] According to an embodiment, the ultrasound imaging device further comprises a control circuit adapted to control the configurable routing circuits of the various sub-assemblies.

[0017] According to an embodiment, the control circuitry controls, during an ultrasound image acquisition phase, each sub-assembly of transducers to: During the ultrasonic emission stage, connect the P transducers of the sub-assembly to the K transceiver circuits of the sub-assembly via the configurable routing circuit of the sub-assembly, and then, During the stage of receiving the echo of the emitted ultrasonic wave, connect one transducer of the sub-assembly to each transceiver circuit of the sub-assembly is configured as follows.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] The foregoing and other features and advantages are described in detail in the remainder of the present disclosure of specific embodiments given as non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Similar features are indicated by similar reference numerals in the various drawings. In particular, structural and / or functional features common to the various embodiments may have the same reference numerals and may have the same structural characteristics, dimensional characteristics, and material characteristics.

[0021] For clarity, only steps and elements useful for understanding the embodiments described herein are shown and described in detail. In particular, various possible applications of the described imaging devices have not been detailed, and the described embodiments are compatible with typical applications of ultrasound imaging devices. Furthermore, the characteristics (frequency, shape, amplitude, etc.) of the electrical excitation signal provided by the control circuitry to the ultrasound transducer have not been detailed, and the described embodiments are compatible with excitation signals currently used in ultrasound imaging systems, which may be selected depending on the intended application, particularly the nature of the body being analyzed and the type of information desired. Similarly, various processing of the electrical signals provided by the ultrasound transducer and read by the control circuitry to extract useful information about the body being analyzed has not been detailed, and the described embodiments are compatible with processing currently used in ultrasound imaging systems. Furthermore, the formation of the ultrasound transducer and control circuitry of the described imaging devices has not been detailed, and the detailed construction of these elements is within the skill of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the disclosure herein, using known ultrasound transducer and electronic circuit fabrication techniques.

[0022] Unless otherwise indicated, when referring to two elements connected together, this refers to a direct connection without any intermediate elements other than conductors, and when referring to two elements coupled together, this refers to the fact that the two elements may be connected or may be coupled via one or more other elements.

[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of an ultrasound image acquisition device according to an embodiment.

[0024] The ultrasound image acquisition device of FIG. 1 comprises an array 100 of elementary ultrasound transducers 103 arranged along M rows Ri and N columns Cj, where i is an integer between 1 and M, j is an integer between 1 and N, and M and N are integers greater than or equal to 2. In the illustrated example, M=N=12. The described embodiment is, of course, not limited to this particular case. It should be particularly noted that the values of M and N may be different from each other. The elementary transducers 103 are all identical, for example, within the range of manufacturing variations. The transducers 103 may be CMUT type transducers (capacitive ultrasonic transducers), piezoelectric transducers, quartz transducers, or any other type of ultrasound transducer.

[0025] In the example of FIG. 1, the array 100 is divided into a plurality of sub-arrays 105 of adjacent transducers, and each sub-array has a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. Here, adjacent transducers mean that the transducers 103 of the sub-array are grouped for each sub-array 105, that is, the transducers 103 of another sub-array 105 are not arranged between the two transducers 103 of the sub-array. In other words, each sub-array 105 is formed by all the transducers 103 arranged at the intersection of a set of a plurality of consecutive rows Ri and a plurality of consecutive columns Cj of the array 100. In the example of FIG. 1, the sub-arrays 105 do not overlap, that is, each transducer 103 belongs to one sub-array 105 of the device. The size of the sub-array 105 is, for example, all the same. Hereinafter, m and n respectively represent the number of rows and columns of each sub-array 105, and are integers of 2 or more. In the illustrated example, m = n = 2. However, the described embodiment is not limited to this specific case. It should be particularly noted that the values of m and n may be different from each other. It is preferable that M is a multiple of m and N is a multiple of n. Therefore, the array 100 is divided into (M / m)×(N / n) sub-arrays 105 arranged in an array configuration. In the example of FIG. 1, the array 100 is divided into 6×6 sub-arrays 105.

[0026] The device of FIG. 1 further includes an electronic control circuit 120 connected to the transducers 103 of the array 100. For each sub-array 105 of the array 100, the electronic control circuit 120 - a set 122 of K transceiver circuits 123 dedicated to the m×n transducers of the sub-array 105 (K is an integer of 2 or more and smaller than the number P = m×n of transducers of the sub-array 105, and k is an integer in the range of 1 to K), and k and a configurable routing circuit 125 dedicated to the transducers 103 of the subarray 105, which connects the m×n transducers 103 of the subarray 105 to the K transmit / receive circuits of the corresponding cluster 122; It has the following characteristics.

[0027] Therefore, the electronic control circuit 120 includes K transmitter / receiver circuits 123, which may be identical or similar. k (M / m)×(N / n) sets 122 each including k and (M / m) x (N / n) routing circuits 125, which may be identical or similar. For simplicity, one routing circuit 125 is shown in FIG. 1. In the example of FIG. 1, the control circuit 120 controls K=2 transmitter / receiver circuits 1231, 1232 per subarray 105, for a total of 6 x 6 x 2 = 72 transmitter / receiver circuits 1231, 1232. k It has the following characteristics.

[0028] In the example of FIG. 1, each transducer 103 is routed via a corresponding routing circuit 125 to one or more of the transceiver circuits 123 of the collection of transceiver circuits 122 associated with the subarray 105 to which each transducer belongs. k In other words, a transducer 103 of a subarray 105 can only be coupled to a transmitter / receiver circuit 123 of an assembly 122 associated with another subarray 105. k cannot be linked to

[0029] According to aspects of the embodiment of FIG. 1, each subarray 105 is configured to route a predetermined number of the K transceiver circuits 123 of the corresponding collection 122 via a routing circuit 125 associated with the subarray 105. k Each sub-array 105 has at least one transducer 103, hereinafter referred to as the moving transducer, which may be disconnected or connected to only one of the sub-arrays 105. Each sub-array 105 may have multiple moving transducers.

[0030] Each sub - array 105 may further include one or more other transducers 103 hereinafter referred to as fixed transducers. Each fixed transducer is connected to a predetermined one of the K transceiver circuits of the corresponding assembly 122 via a route - specifying circuit 125 associated with the sub - array 105 k which may be disconnected or connected.

[0031] (M / m)×(N / n) route - specifying circuits 125 are, for example, individually controllable. For this purpose, the electronic control circuit 120 may have one control circuit CTRL connected to the control terminals of the various route - specifying circuits 125 (not shown in detail in FIG. 1).

[0032] FIG. 2 shows in more detail an example of an embodiment of the configurable route - specifying circuit 125 of the device of FIG. 1. For clarity, one route - specifying circuit 125, and the sub - array 105 of transducers 103 and the assembly 122 of transceiver circuits 123 k associated with this route - specifying circuit are shown in FIG. 2.

[0033] In this example, the configuration shown in FIG. 1 (m = n = 2 and K = 2) is considered. Thus, each route - specifying circuit 125 connects four basic transducers 103 to two transceiver circuits 1231, 1232.

[0034] In the example of FIG. 2, two transducers 103 per sub - array 105 are fixed transducers and the other two transducers 103 are movable transducers. The fixed transducers are arranged on the first diagonal of the sub - array, and the movable transducers are arranged on the second diagonal of the sub - array. In the example shown, the two fixed transducers respectively correspond to the transducers arranged at the upper left (position (a)) and lower right (position (d)) of the sub - array 105, and the two movable transducers respectively correspond to the transducers arranged at the upper right (position (b)) and lower left (position (c)) of the sub - array 105.

[0035] The transducer 103 of the subarray 105 is connected to the transceiver circuit 123 of the assembly 122 via a configurable routing circuit 125 k and various possibilities are described.

[0036] The first fixed transducer (position (a)) may be disconnected from the transceiver circuit 123 k of the device, i.e., electrically insulated, or may be connected to the transceiver circuit 1231 of the assembly 122. However, this transducer, hereinafter referred to as transducer 103(a), cannot be connected to other transceiver circuits 123 k of the device.

[0037] The second fixed transducer (position (d)) may be disconnected or connected to the transceiver circuit 1232 of the assembly 122. However, this transducer, hereinafter referred to as transducer 103(d), cannot be connected to other transceiver circuits 123 k of the device.

[0038] The first movable transducer (position (b)) may be disconnected or connected to only one of the transceiver circuits 1231, 1232 of the assembly 122. However, this transducer, hereinafter referred to as transducer 103(b), cannot be connected to other transceiver circuits 123 k of the device.

[0039] Similarly, the second movable transducer (position (d)) may be disconnected or connected to only one of the transceiver circuits 1231, 1232 of the assembly 122. However, this transducer, hereinafter referred to as transducer 103(d), cannot be connected to other transceiver circuits 123 k of the device.

[0040] In FIG. 2, the route designating circuit 125 is schematically shown in the form of four switches SW1, SW2, SW3, and SW4.

[0041] Switch SW1 is a two-state switch having a first conductive terminal n1, which is connected, for example, to the electrode of the transducer 103(a), and a second conductive terminal n2, which is connected, for example, to the input or output terminal of the transceiver circuit 1231. In the first state, referred to as the off state of switch SW1, the terminals n1 and n2 of switch SW1 are electrically insulated from each other. In the second state, referred to as the on state of switch SW1, the terminals n1 and n2 of switch SW1 are electrically connected to each other.

[0042] Switch SW2 is a three-state switch having a first conductive terminal n1, which is connected, for example, to the electrode of the transducer 103(b), a second conductive terminal n2, which is connected, for example, to the input or output terminal of the transceiver circuit 1231, and a third conductive terminal n3, which is electrically insulated from the second conductive terminal n2 and is connected, for example, to the input or output terminal of the transceiver circuit 1232. In the first state, referred to as the off state of switch SW2, the terminal n1 of switch SW2 is electrically insulated from the terminals n2 and n3. In the second state of switch SW2, the terminals n1 and n2 of switch SW2 are electrically connected to each other. In the third state of switch SW2, the terminals n1 and n3 of switch SW2 are electrically connected to each other.

[0043] Switch SW3 is a three-state switch having a first conductive terminal n1, which is connected to, for example, the electrode of transducer 103(c), a second conductive terminal n2, which is connected to, for example, the input or output terminal of transceiver circuit 1231, and a third conductive terminal n3, which is electrically insulated from the second conductive terminal n2 and is connected to, for example, the input or output terminal of transceiver circuit 1232. In a first state called the off state of switch SW3, terminal n1 of switch SW3 is electrically insulated from terminal n2 and terminal n3. In a second state of switch SW3, terminal n1 and terminal n2 of switch SW3 are electrically connected to each other. In a third state of switch SW3, terminal n1 and terminal n3 of switch SW3 are electrically connected to each other.

[0044] Switch SW4 is a two-state switch having a first conductive terminal n1, which is connected to, for example, the electrode of transducer 103(d), and a second conductive terminal n2, which is connected to, for example, the input or output terminal of transceiver circuit 1232. In a first state called the off state of switch SW4, terminal n1 and terminal n2 of switch SW4 are electrically insulated from each other. In a second state called the on state of switch SW4, terminal n1 and terminal n2 of switch SW4 are electrically connected to each other.

[0045] Therefore, in this example, any two transducers 103 of subarray 105 may be individually controlled in parallel via their respective transceiver circuits 1231, 1232 associated with subarray 105. As a variant, any two transducers, excluding the two fixed transducers 103(a) and 103(d), may be simultaneously controlled via the same transceiver circuit 1231 or transceiver circuit 1232.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows an example of a method for acquiring an ultrasonic image by the device described in relation to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0047] In this example, the acquisition method comprises emitting ultrasound waves and subsequently receiving echoes of the emitted ultrasound waves.

[0048] During the radiation phase, for each subarray 105, all transducers 103 of the subarray 105 are routed through corresponding routing circuits 125 to the transmit / receive circuits 123 associated with the subarray. k This configuration is shown in Figure 3A, which corresponds to a front view of the array 100 of Figure 1, and shows the transducers 103 active in the radiation mode, i.e., the transmit / receive circuitry 123 during the radiation phase. k 2, in each subarray 105, two transducers 103, e.g., fixed transducer 103(a) and mobile transducer 103(b), may be simultaneously connected to the same output terminal of the subarray's transceiver circuit 1231, and the other two transducers 103, e.g., mobile transducer 103(c) and fixed transducer 103(d), may be simultaneously connected to the output terminal of the subarray's transceiver circuit 1232. Alternatively, transducers 103(a) and 103(c) may be simultaneously connected to the transceiver circuit 1231, and transducers 103(b) and 103(d) may be simultaneously connected to the transceiver circuit 1232. Then, for each transceiver circuit 123, k The different transceiver circuits 123 of the same subarray 105 apply the same electrical excitation signal to the transducers 103 to which each transceiver circuit is connected, causing these transducers to emit ultrasound waves. k The excitation signals provided by the transmitter and receiver circuits 123 of the different subarrays 105 may be the same or may be distinct. k The excitation signals given by may be identical or distinct.

[0049] During the receiving phase, in each sub-array 105, only the K distinct transducers 103 are routed via corresponding routing circuits 125 to the K transmit / receive circuits 123 associated with the sub-array. k The other transducers 103 are disconnected. In other words, each of the transmitting and receiving circuits 123 k One transducer 103 is connected to the k This configuration is shown in Figure 3B, which corresponds to the front view of the array 100 of Figure 1, with the transducer 103 active in receive mode, i.e., the transmit / receive circuitry 123 during the receive phase. k The transducers connected to the input terminals of the transmitter / receiver circuit 123 are shown in black and are inactive in the receiving mode, i.e., during the receiving phase, the transducers 103 are inactive in the receiving mode. k 2, in each subarray 105, one transducer 103, for example transducer 103(a), is connected to an input terminal of the transceiver circuit 1231, and one other transducer 103, for example transducer 103(d), is simultaneously connected to an input terminal of the transceiver circuit 1232. Alternatively, only transducers 103(b) and 103(d) are simultaneously connected to the transceiver circuit 1231 and the transceiver circuit 1232, respectively. Preferably, the transducers activated in the receiving mode are regularly distributed so that the distance between two adjacent transducers 103 activated in the receiving mode is substantially the same in the row and column directions and is substantially constant across the entire surface of the array 100. This is particularly the case in the example of FIG. 3B, where only the transducers on the same diagonal of each subarray 105 (in this example, transducers 103(a) and 103(d)) are activated in receive mode. During the receive phase, each transmit / receive circuit 123 kIt reads an electrical signal representing an ultrasonic echo received by the transducer 103 to which each transceiver circuit is connected.

[0050] The advantage of the method of FIG. 3 is that during the reception phase, each of the (M / m)×(N / n)×K transducers 103 activated in the reception mode is individually read by a specific transceiver circuit 123 k so that a relatively high-resolution image can be obtained. Furthermore, by activating all the transducers 103 simultaneously during the emission phase, a relatively high mechanical energy can be sent to the medium to be analyzed, and thus an image with a relatively high signal-to-noise ratio can be obtained.

[0051] As a variant, in at least some sub-arrays 105 of the assembly 100, only some of the transducers 103 of the sub-array are activated during the emission phase. Furthermore, as a variant, in at least some sub-arrays 105 of the assembly 100, a plurality of transducers 103 of the sub-array are connected to the same transceiver circuit 123 k during the reception phase. In this case, the received signals are summed at the input of the transceiver circuit 123, for example, as described in French Patent Application Publication No. 3086063, the above-mentioned patent application. k

[0052] Therefore, the above-described solution of giving the ratio of K transceiver circuits to m×n transducers is, from the viewpoints of image quality and the complexity of the control circuit, - On the one hand, a device that is said to be impossible to set in a full implementation where each transducer is associated with a dedicated transceiver circuit (the ratio of the transceiver circuit to the transducer is 1:1), and - On the other hand, a device of the type described in French Patent Application Publication No. 3086063, the above-mentioned patent application, having one transceiver circuit per sub-array 105 (the ratio of the transceiver circuit to the transducer is 1:m×n) is an advantageous compromise.

[0053] ​ This compromise, combined with the use of mobile transducers, which may be connected to different transmit / receive circuits via the routing circuitry 125 if desired, allows for a wide variety of acquisition strategies and therefore highly accurate analysis. Optionally, fixed transducers may be provided for each subarray 105, advantageously reducing the complexity of the routing circuitry 125.

[0054] Tests carried out by the inventors have shown in particular that for the same number and arrangement of elementary transducers 103, the quality of images acquired using a device of the type described in connection with Figures 1 and 2 and according to the control method of Figure 3 is substantially identical to that of a fully implemented device (one transmit / receive circuit per elementary transducer), particularly in terms of contrast-to-noise ratio.

[0055] FIG. 4 shows a variation of the acquisition device described in relation to FIGS. 1 and 2 and the acquisition method described in relation to FIG.

[0056] The variation of FIG. 4 primarily focuses on the subarrays 105, which in this variation are located at the four corners of the array 100 of the device of FIG. 1, and the corresponding routing circuits 125 and transmit / receive circuits 123. k 4 differs from those previously described in that the elements "a", "b", "c", "d" and "e" are omitted. Thus, instead of having a substantially square general shape in the example of Figure 1, the collection 100 of elementary transducers 103 of the acquisition device of Figure 4 has a substantially circular general shape. In other respects, the arrangement and operation of the device is the same as or similar to that described above in connection with Figures 1 to 3.

[0057] Tests conducted by the inventors have shown that the degradation in image quality associated with omitting transducers from the corners of the array is negligible in exchange for the significant cost and complexity benefits associated with the reduction in the number of transducers, the number of configurable routing circuits, the number of transmit and receive circuits, and even the amount of signals processed at the input of the transmit path and the output of the receive path of the device.

[0058] Various embodiments and variants have been described. Those skilled in the art will understand that certain features of these various embodiments and variants can be combined, and other variants will occur to those skilled in the art. In particular, the described embodiments are not limited to the above example in which the elementary transducers 103 of the acquisition device are arranged in rows and columns. More generally, the collection 100 of elementary transducers 103 of the acquisition device may be arranged in any other way than the arrangement described above. Furthermore, the described embodiments may be implemented in a multi-layered system with K transceiver circuits 123. k The above-mentioned specific example is not limited to the array of adjacent transducers in the sub-assemblies 105 of elementary transducers 103 of the assembly 100 that share the same assembly 122. More generally, the number P of transducers 103 in each sub-assembly 105 is the same as the number P of the transmitter / receiver circuits 123 of the corresponding assembly 122. k may be arranged according to any other arrangement, provided that the number of elements is greater than the number K, where K is 2 or greater.

[0059] This patent application claims priority from French Patent Application No. 20 / 04326, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic transducer assembly is provided, which is dispersed in a plurality of sub-assemblies each including P ultrasonic transducers, For each of the sub-assemblies, K transmitting and receiving circuits, A routable route specifying circuit for connecting the P ultrasonic transducers of the sub-assembly to the K transmitting and receiving circuits are provided, P and K are integers of 2 or more, and K is smaller than P, Each sub-assembly has at least one transducer called a movable transducer that is disconnected or connected to any one of a predetermined plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits among the K transmitting and receiving circuits of the sub-assembly via the route specifying circuit, Each sub-assembly further has at least one transducer called a fixed transducer that is disconnected or connected only to a predetermined one of the K transmitting and receiving circuits of the sub-assembly via the route specifying circuit of the sub-assembly. An ultrasonic imaging device.

2. The ultrasonic transducer of the assembly is arranged in rows and columns. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 1.

3. The transducer of the assembly is arranged in an array. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 2.

4. The transducer of the assembly forms a general circular pattern. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 3.

5. Each sub-assembly is an array of adjacent transducers of the assembly. The ultrasonic imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. Each sub-assembly includes a plurality of movable transducers arranged along the diagonal of an array of adjacent transducers forming the sub-assembly. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 5.

7. Each sub-assembly includes a plurality of fixed transducers arranged along another diagonal of an array of adjacent transducers forming the sub-assembly. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 6, which depends on claim 2.

8. Each sub-assembly is a sub-array of 2×2 adjacent transducers. The ultrasonic imaging device according to any one of claims 5 to 7.

9. The ultrasonic imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 further includes a control circuit adapted to control the routable route specifying circuits of various sub-assemblies.

10. During the acquisition stage of the ultrasonic image, in each sub - assembly of the transducer, During the ultrasonic emission stage, connect the P transducers of the sub - assembly to the K transceiver circuits of the sub - assembly via the routable circuit settable for the sub - assembly, and then, During the stage of receiving the echo of the emitted ultrasonic wave, connect one transducer of the sub - assembly to each transceiver circuit of the sub - assembly The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 9, which is configured as such.

Images