Dynamic Delay and Gain Beamforming With Piecewise Profiles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current beamforming technologies face challenges in efficiently generating high-quality images with increasing imaging speeds and resolutions, due to the complexity of determining and managing large numbers of delay and gain values across multiple transducer channels.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of piecewise delay and gain profiles, where delay values are calculated based on initial values and slopes across segments, and gain values are adjusted using reference apodization profiles and expansion factors, reduces data complexity and external connections by representing delay and gain variations in a more manageable form.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If complex beamforming operations are implemented to support higher quality imaging and higher operating speeds, then image quality and imaging speed are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the beamforming process into discrete stages: ADC conversion, delay application, gain adjustment, and summation. Each stage is handled by separate circuitry blocks, allowing independent optimization and management of complexity at each step while maintaining high imaging speeds through efficient staged processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic delay and gain values that can be adjusted in real-time based on imaging requirements. The beamforming circuitry accepts variable delay values and gain values for each transducer channel, enabling adaptive optimization of image quality and imaging speed without requiring a completely redesign of the system architecture.
2Manufacturing precision
If dynamic delay and gain values are calculated for each transducer channel to enhance image quality, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-calculates delay values and gain values based on transducer geometry and desired focus points before the actual imaging operation. This preliminary computation allows the beamforming circuitry to simply apply predetermined values during imaging, achieving high precision without requiring complex real-time calculation capabilities in the imaging path.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate control stage that receives imaging parameters and generates the corresponding delay and gain value sets. This intermediary layer separates the complex calculation logic from the beamforming execution, allowing high precision beamforming while keeping the main imaging circuitry relatively simple and focused on its core function.
Data Source
AI summary
An example apparatus includes: analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuitry having an output terminal; beamforming circuitry including: delay circuitry having a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal, the first input terminal of the delay circuitry coupled to the output terminal of the ADC circuitry; amplifier circuitry having an input terminal and an output terminal, the input terminal of the amplifier circuitry coupled to the output terminal of the delay circuitry; and summation circuitry having an input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the amplifier circuitry; beamforming control circuitry coupled to the second input terminal of the delay circuitry, the beamforming control circuitry configured to calculate a delay value based on a piecewise delay profile.