US 11,690,598 B2
Ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and non-transitory storage medium
Tomohisa Imamura, Kawasaki (JP)
Assigned to Canon Medical Systems Corporation, Otawara (JP)
Filed by Canon Medical Systems Corporation, Otawara (JP)
Filed on Jul. 18, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/515,229.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-137258 (JP), filed on Jul. 20, 2018; and application No. 2019-131939 (JP), filed on Jul. 17, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0022679 A1, Jan. 23, 2020
Int. Cl. A61B 8/08 (2006.01); H04B 11/00 (2006.01); G01S 7/52 (2006.01); A61B 8/00 (2006.01); G01S 15/89 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 8/483 (2013.01) [A61B 8/4483 (2013.01); A61B 8/5207 (2013.01); A61B 8/54 (2013.01); G01S 7/5209 (2013.01); G01S 7/52085 (2013.01); G01S 15/8925 (2013.01); H04B 11/00 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, comprising:
a transmitter/receiver configured to sequentially transmit a first group of transmission beams and a second group of transmission beams and receive, as a plurality of reception beams, at least one reception beam for each transmission beam of the first and second groups of transmission beams, via an ultrasound probe having a plurality of transducers arranged along an azimuth direction and an elevation direction; and
processing circuitry configured to combine a first reception beam of the plurality of reception beams based on a first transmission beam included in the first group of transmission beams and a second reception beam of the plurality of reception beams based on a second transmission beam included in the second group of transmission beams,
wherein transmission beams that are adjacent to each other in the azimuth direction or the elevation direction belong to groups of transmission beams that are different from each other,
the transmitter/receiver is further configured to sequentially transmit the first group of transmission beams, the second group of transmission beams, and a third group of transmission beams, and form at least a third reception beam for the third group of transmission beams,
the processing circuitry is further configured to combine the first reception beam, the second reception beam, and the third reception beam,
the transmitter/receiver is further configured to form the first, second, and third groups of transmission beams such that beam formation positions form a staggered pattern along the azimuth direction or the elevation direction,
when forming each group of the first, second, and third groups of transmission beams, the transmitter/receiver is further configured to move a beam formation position, from an initial position, in the elevation direction, and thereafter in the azimuth direction, within the group, and
the processing circuitry is further configured to generate new volume data every time a reception beam is formed for one group of transmission beams.