ADC Driver Duty Cycling for Low-Power Ultrasound Sampling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ultrasound devices face high power consumption due to ADC drivers being constantly active, leading to heating issues and inefficiencies, particularly during the hold phase of ADC operation where the driver is not needed.

Innovation Solution

Implementing control circuitry to selectively turn on and off the ADC driver in synchronization with sampling activity, controlling the duty cycle and current ratios to minimize power consumption and reduce signal distortion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the ADC driver is kept constantly active, then signal integrity is maintained, but power consumption increases and heating occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal integrityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The ADC driver is operated periodically rather than continuously, being activated only during the track phase when sampling occurs and deactivated during the hold phase. This periodic operation maintains signal integrity when needed while reducing power consumption and heating during intervals when the driver is not required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The ADC driver is turned on before the sampling event occurs during the track phase, allowing the driver to settle and reach steady-state operation prior to actual sampling. This preliminary activation ensures signal integrity is established before measurement begins, while the driver remains off during the hold phase to conserve power.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Use of energy by moving object

If the ADC driver is turned off during hold phase, then power consumption is reduced, but signal settling may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsignal settling

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The ADC driver is activated during the track phase before the actual sampling occurs, providing sufficient time for the driver output to settle and reach steady-state conditions. This preliminary action ensures that when sampling begins, the signal has already stabilized, maintaining measurement precision while allowing the driver to be turned off during the subsequent hold phase to reduce power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The ADC driver operates in a dynamic manner, switching between active and inactive states based on the operational phase. During the track phase, the driver is active and allows signals to settle; during the hold phase, the driver is deactivated. This dynamic operation balances power consumption reduction with maintenance of signal settling requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11558062B2Methods and apparatuses for turning on and off an ADC driver in an ultrasound device

Publication Date: 2023.01.17 BFLY OPERATIONS INC

AI summary

Aspects of the technology described herein relate to control circuitry configured to turn on and off the ADC driver. In some embodiments, the control circuitry is configured to turn on and off the ADC driver in synchronization with sampling activity of an ADC, in particular based on when an ADC is sampling. The control circuitry may be configured to turn on the ADC driver during the hold phase of the ADC a time period before the track phase and to turn off the ADC driver during the hold phase a time period after the track phase. In some embodiments, the control circuitry is configured to control a duty cycle of the ADC driver turning on and off. In some embodiments, the control circuitry is configured to control a ratio between an off current and an on current in the ADC driver.