CMUT Hexagonal Array Offset Regulator for Beamforming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultrasound transducer arrays, particularly capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers (CMUTs) with hexagonal patterns, face challenges in efficient beamforming due to geometrical offsets between alternate columns, which affect image quality and require specialized components and design for each column, increasing production costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
An integrated circuit arrangement with an offset regulator that separates the beamforming control for even and odd columns using standard components, eliminating geometrical offsets by providing different beamforming delays via separate hardware units and bus systems, allowing for efficient microbeamforming in hexagonal CMUT arrays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a hexagonal pattern of CMUT cells is used to maximize area utilization, then area utilization is improved, but geometrical offsets between alternate columns cause beamforming complexity and image quality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The beamforming control is segmented into separate hardware units for even and odd columns. The offset regulator divides the column addressing into two independent sets (even columns 0,2,4... and odd columns 1,3,5...), with separate delay control paths for each set. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex unified beamforming control by treating each column type independently, resolving the contradiction between hexagonal packing and beamforming complexity.
2Measurement precision
If specialized components are designed for each column to account for geometrical offsets, then image quality is maintained, but production costs and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The offset regulator uses universal standard components that serve multiple functions. The same delay control circuitry and address decoding logic are used for both even and odd columns, with the only difference being the address mapping. This universal approach maintains image quality through proper offset compensation while using identical standard components for all columns, thereby reducing production costs and simplifying manufacturing.
3Manufacturing precision
If separate hardware units with separate bus systems are used for even and odd columns, then beamforming delays are accurately provided, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separate hardware units for even and odd columns are merged at the implementation level using a single unified offset regulator module. The address decoder combines both even and odd column addressing schemes, and the delay control logic integrates both column types into a single coherent system. This merging approach provides accurate beamforming delays for all columns while avoiding the proliferation of discrete separate hardware units, thus reducing overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances image resolution by maximizing area utilization, simplifies fabrication, and reduces production costs by using standard components for beamforming delays, while maintaining image quality by accounting for vertical offsets in the hexagonal array configuration.
Implementation Method 1
A CMUT comprises a membrane (or diaphragm), a cavity underneath the membrane, and electrodes forming a capacitor. Conversely, an electrical signal applied to the electrodes cause the membrane to move or vibrate and thereby transmitting ultrasound waves.
Implementation Method 2
For receiving ultrasound waves, ultrasound waves cause the membrane to move or vibrate, wherein the variation in capacitance between the electrodes can be detected. Thereby, the ultrasound waves are transformed into a corresponding electrical signal.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The present invention relates to an integrated circuit arrangement comprising: - a plurality of capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (CMUT) cells (40) arranged in a hexagonal array, wherein said hexagonal array comprises a plurality of alternating even and odd columns (56, 56') of CMUT cells (40) being parallel to a column direction (y), wherein the odd columns (56') are arranged offset to the even columns (56) by one-half of a dimension of a CMUT cell (40) in said column direction (y), - an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) (52) comprising a plurality of transmit-receive (TR) cells (54), wherein each CMUT cell (40) overlays a respective TR cell (54) in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein the ASIC (52) further comprises an offset regulator (60) for providing different beamforming delays to even and odd columns (56, 56') of the hexagonal array of CMUT cells (40) to account for the offset in the column direction (y).