Ultrasonic Imaging Virtual Apex Beam Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultrasonic imaging apparatuses face limitations in generating high-resolution images due to the trade-off between beam spread angle and sensitivity, where widening the beam spread improves resolution but reduces sensitivity, and vice versa, making it difficult to efficiently produce both wide and narrow angle beam spreads.
Innovation Solution
The ultrasonic imaging apparatus controls the transmission timings of multiple piezoelectric elements to synthesize ultrasonic waves that mimic a virtual point source, allowing for adjustable beam spread by varying the distance between the virtual transmission points and the transducer, enabling efficient generation of images with both wide and narrow beam spreads without compromising sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the beam spread angle of ultrasonic waves is widened to improve resolution, then the resolution of the ultrasonic image is improved, but the sensitivity of the piezoelectric elements decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual transmission point as an intermediary concept between the physical piezoelectric elements and the image reconstruction process. By controlling the transmission timings of multiple piezoelectric elements to synthesize waves from a virtual point source, the system achieves narrow beam spread (high resolution) without requiring physically small piezoelectric elements, thus maintaining sensitivity while improving resolution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temporal parameter (transmission timing) of the piezoelectric elements to achieve beam focusing. By adjusting the transmission timings of multiple elements, the system creates constructive interference at the virtual transmission point, effectively narrowing the beam spread angle without altering the physical size of the piezoelectric elements, thereby maintaining sensitivity while improving resolution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the piezoelectric elements are made smaller to widen the beam spread angle, then the beam spread angle is widened, but the sensitivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual transmission point serves as an intermediary that allows the system to achieve variable beam spread angles through timing control rather than physical size changes. This mediator enables the same piezoelectric elements to produce both wide and narrow beam spreads by adjusting transmission timings, eliminating the need to physically resize elements and preserving sensitivity across different beam spread configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the beam spread angle dynamic and adjustable through temporal control of transmission timings. By varying the transmission timings of the piezoelectric elements relative to a virtual transmission point, the system can dynamically change the effective beam spread angle without any physical changes to the piezoelectric elements themselves, maintaining sensitivity while achieving adaptability.
3Measurement precision
If ultrasonic waves are transmitted from multiple piezoelectric elements with different timings to create a virtual source, then resolution is improved, but it becomes difficult to generate beams with narrow angle of beam spread
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the piezoelectric element array universal by enabling it to perform multiple functions: generating both wide beam spreads and narrow beam spreads using the same physical elements. By controlling transmission timings relative to a virtual transmission point, the system achieves narrow beam generation (high resolution) without requiring separate dedicated elements, making the system versatile and easy to operate across different imaging requirements.
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 allows for high-resolution imaging with adjustable beam spread, improving visualization efficiency by effectively utilizing a smaller number of piezoelectric elements while maintaining sensitivity, enabling precise visualization of both wide and narrow areas.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic imaging apparatus imaging an inspection target by using an ultrasonic wave... two-dimensional or three-dimensional scanning of a microscopic piezoelectric element
Implementation Method 2
an ultrasonic wave is transmitted from one of the piezoelectric elements as a transmission point and is received by the other piezoelectric elements
Implementation Method 3
transmits ultrasonic waves to an inspection target 20 and receives the ultrasonic waves reflected by a surface 22 and an inner part of inspection target 20
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
There is provided an ultrasonic imaging apparatus capable of efficiently generating an image both by musing a transmission ultrasonic wave with a wide angle of beam spread and by using a transmission ultrasonic wave with a narrow angle of beam spread. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus includes: a transmission control part controlling transmission timings of a plurality of first piezoelectric elements so as to make a synthesized wave of ultrasonic waves transmitted from the plural first piezoelectric elements match an ultrasonic wave transmitted from a predetermined virtual transmission point; a signal detecting circuit detecting an electric signal corresponding to an ultrasonic echo transmitted from the plural first piezoelectric elements, reflected by an inspection target, and received by a plurality of second piezoeletric elements; and a generating part an image corresponding to the inspection target based on the electric signal.