Ultrasonic Beamforming Architecture for Multi-Line Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasonic imaging systems face complexity and difficulty in miniaturization due to the need for increased micro-beamformers to improve frame rate in multi-beam imaging, leading to increased hardware complexity.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic imaging system that combines a single common fine delay beamformer with multiple coarse delay beamformers, allowing for simultaneous generation of multiple output beam signals by adjusting a common fine delay set and assigning compensated coarse delays, thereby reducing architecture complexity without adding more micro-beamformers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If more micro-beamformers are added to achieve parallel processing for multi-line imaging, then the frame rate is improved, but the hardware complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the beamforming process into two distinct stages: a first beamforming stage that processes signals from all transducer elements to generate intermediate beam signals, and a second beamforming stage that processes these intermediate signals to generate final multi-line beam signals. This segmentation allows frame rate improvement without proportionally increasing hardware complexity, as the first stage uses a single beamformer while the second stage efficiently reuses its outputs across multiple scan lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The first beamforming stage performs preliminary processing by generating intermediate beam signals that are common to multiple scan lines. These intermediate signals are prepared in advance and can be reused by multiple second-stage beamformers, eliminating the need to process raw channel data multiple times and thereby improving frame rate without linearly increasing hardware requirements.
2Productivity
If more micro-beamformers are added for multi-line imaging, then parallel processing capability is improved, but miniaturization becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the processing of multiple scan lines by having multiple second-stage beamformers share common intermediate beam signals from the first stage. This combining approach allows parallel processing of multiple lines while avoiding the need for completely separate processing chains, thereby improving parallel capability without proportionally increasing system size.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate beam signals generated in the first stage serve multiple functions: they are used as inputs for multiple second-stage beamformers that generate different scan lines. This multi-functionality allows a single set of intermediate signals to support parallel processing of multiple lines, improving productivity while minimizing the increase in system volume.
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 approach enables miniaturization of the multi-beam beamforming system while maintaining high frame rates, reducing hardware complexity and costs.
Implementation Method 1
the controller circuit is configured to control the transmitting beamformer to transmit a plurality of ultrasonic sound signals that focus at scan depths through the transducer elements
Implementation Method 2
echo signals of the ultrasonic sound signal are received at the transducer elements
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic imaging system and an ultrasonic imaging method are provided. The ultrasonic imaging system includes a transmitting beamformer, a receiving beamformer, transducer elements and a controller unit. In a transmitting process, the controller circuit controls the transmitting beamformer to transmit ultrasonic sound signals. In a receiving process, echo signals are received at the transducer elements, the controller unit applies a common fine delay set to the echo signals by controlling a common fine delay beamformer of the receiving beamformer, the delayed echo signals are summed to generate first summation signals, the controller unit further applies compensated coarse delay sets to the first summation signals by controlling coarse delay beamformers of the receiving beamformer, and the delayed first summation signals are summed to generate output beam signals.