Ultrasound Microbeamformer for Dual-Frequency Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultrasound systems face limitations in imaging both shallow and deep depths without compromising frame rate, as higher frequencies provide better resolution but are rapidly attenuated, requiring dual-frequency zone focusing that doubles acquisition time and halves frame rate.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasound probe with a microbeamformer ASIC that integrates high and low frequency transducer arrays, allowing simultaneous or sequential transmission and reception of ultrasound signals from multiple arrays, enabling high-resolution imaging over full depth with a single transmit-receive cycle and maintaining high frame rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If higher frequency ultrasound is used for imaging, then image resolution is improved, but penetration depth deteriorates due to rapid attenuation
Solution Approach 1:
The transducer array is segmented into multiple sub-arrays, each operating at different frequency bands. The beamformer selectively activates specific sub-arrays based on the imaging depth requirement, allowing high-frequency elements for shallow imaging and low-frequency elements for deep imaging within the same transducer device.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operating frequency by selectively activating different transducer elements based on real-time imaging depth requirements. The beamformer can switch between high-frequency and low-frequency sub-arrays during the imaging process to optimize both resolution and penetration depth.
2Length of stationary object
If zone focusing with dual-frequency imaging is used to image both shallow and deep depths, then full depth coverage is improved, but frame rate deteriorates due to doubled acquisition time
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple transducer sub-arrays operating at different frequencies are merged into a single integrated array. The beamformer simultaneously or sequentially activates different sub-arrays within one transmit-receive cycle to acquire both shallow and deep zone images, eliminating the need for separate acquisition passes and maintaining high frame rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging process continues without interruption by using multiple sub-arrays within a single transmit-receive cycle. While one sub-array images the shallow zone, another sub-array images the deep zone, ensuring continuous data acquisition and maintaining real-time imaging capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple transducer arrays are used for multi-frequency imaging, then imaging versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single transducer array is designed to perform multiple functions by incorporating different frequency sub-arrays within one device. The same physical transducer can operate as a high-frequency array for shallow imaging or as a low-frequency array for deep imaging, eliminating the need for multiple separate transducer devices.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple frequency sub-arrays are nested within a single transducer housing, with different frequency elements arranged in specific patterns. The high-frequency and low-frequency sub-arrays are integrated into one unified transducer structure, reducing the number of separate components and simplifying the overall system architecture.
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
Enables high-resolution imaging over the full depth field with the same probe, achieving well-resolved images at both shallow and deep depths without the frame rate penalty of multi-zone focused imaging, by dynamically switching and processing echo signals from high and low frequency transducer elements.
Implementation Method 1
Each channel can include a first transmitter coupled to a transducer element of the first array, a second transmitter coupled to a transducer element of the second array
Implementation Method 2
The ultrasonic energy of the pulse and its echoes are constantly attenuated and scattered by the tissue through which they travel, which requires good sensitivity for the reception of low-level echo signals. The attenuation is not uniform for all ultrasound signals, however. Higher frequencies are attenuated more rapidly with their passage through tissue.
Implementation Method 3
The images made by pulse-echo ultrasound systems are formed using the echoes returned from the transmission of ultrasonic pulses or waves into the body. The time of the round-trip provides the spatial location of the echo signal in the image.
Data Source
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AI summary
An ultrasound microbeamformer for one or more transducer arrays includes a plurality of channels, each of which has two transmitters and a receiver which is selectively coupled to two or more transducer elements by T/R switches and dynamically switchable receive switches (RXSW). The transmitters enable different transducers to be actuated differently, such as transmitting a high frequency pulse or waveform with one transmitter and a low frequency pulse or waveform with the other transmitter. The transmitters may both be used during the same transmit-receive cycle to simultaneously transmit and receive both high and low frequency signals for the formation of a common image.