Piezoelectric Transducer Tiles on Flexible Substrate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional piezoelectric transducer systems face challenges in efficiently configuring and operating piezoelectric transducer arrays for advanced imaging applications, particularly in achieving precise control over operational modes and signal processing to effectively image complex volumes and media variations.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a flexible substrate with integrated circuitry and a plurality of tiles, each including piezoelectric transducer elements, control logic, pulse logic, and demultiplexer logic, allowing for reconfigurable operational modes, selective activation of transducer elements, and efficient signal processing to generate and transmit image information, with separate voltage domains for protection and demultiplexing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a fully populated integrated matrix array of transducers is used for ultrasound imaging, then imaging coverage and data acquisition are improved, but device complexity and signal processing requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The transducer array is divided into multiple tiles, each containing a subset of transducer elements. Each tile can be independently controlled and processed, breaking down the complexity of managing a fully populated integrated matrix array into manageable segments while maintaining comprehensive imaging coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between different operational modes (horizontal strip arrays, vertical strip arrays, and fully populated matrix arrays) based on imaging requirements. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the device to adapt its complexity level to match the specific imaging task, reducing unnecessary processing overhead for simpler imaging scenarios.
2Adaptability or versatility
If real-time switching between orthogonal transducer arrays is implemented, then imaging versatility and adaptability are improved, but control complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each tile is designed with universal functionality to operate in multiple operational modes (horizontal scanning, vertical scanning, and matrix array modes). This multi-functionality at the tile level enables the entire system to achieve imaging versatility without requiring separate dedicated hardware for each mode, thereby controlling complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tiles are equipped with integrated circuitry that includes transmit/receive switching capabilities within each tile. This self-service approach allows each tile to autonomously manage its own signal transmission and reception operations, reducing the burden on external control systems and simplifying overall control architecture.
3Productivity
If integrated circuits are directly attached to transducer subarrays for beam forming, then signal processing efficiency is improved, but heat generation and electrical interference increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated circuitry is segmented and distributed across multiple tiles rather than being centralized. Each tile has its own integrated circuits for beam forming and signal processing, which reduces heat concentration and electrical interference by spreading these effects across multiple isolated units rather than one dense central processing area.
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible substrate with signal lines acts as an intermediary between the transducer elements and the external processing systems. This flexible substrate enables efficient signal transmission while providing electrical isolation and reducing direct interference between high-voltage transducer driving circuits and low-voltage processing circuits.
4Device complexity
If high voltage transients from the pulser are allowed to reach low voltage circuits, then simplified circuit design is achieved, but circuit reliability and component protection deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Transmit/receive switching circuitry is integrated within each tile to provide beforehand protection for low voltage circuits from high voltage transients. This protective mechanism is built into the tile architecture itself, allowing simplified overall circuit design while maintaining reliability through pre-configured protection against voltage spikes and transients.
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, reconfigurable imaging of complex volumes and media variations, improving the precision and efficiency of ultrasonic wave generation and signal processing, suitable for applications like medical diagnostics and product defect detection.
Implementation Method 1
A piezoelectric transducer includes a piezoelectric element capable of converting electrical energy into mechanical energy (e.g., sound or ultrasound energy), and vice versa
Implementation Method 2
An ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer device can include a piezoelectric vibrating element that vibrates at a high frequency in response to a time-varying driving voltage, and generates a high frequency pressure wave in a propagation medium
Data Source
Figure 1A~1H
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C
AI summary
A system comprising a probe comprising a flexible substrate including signal lines; and a plurality of tiles each coupled to the flexible substrate, each tile (300) of the plurality of tiles including: a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements (310); and a base (305) supporting the plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements on a first surface of the base. The base includes an integrated circuitry comprising a control logic (350) to configure a respective first operational mode (S1) of a tile; a pulse logic (320) to activate, in response to the control logic, a selected subset of the plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements; and a demultiplexer logic (340) to receive image information based on the activation of the selected subset of the plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements and, based on configuration of the respective first operational mode, to demultiplex the image information for transmission from the tile to the flexible substrate.