US 12,257,107 B2
Ultrasound transducer probe based analog to digital conversion for continuous wave doppler, and associated devices, systems, and methods
Bernard Joseph Savord, Andover, MA (US)
Assigned to KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., Eindhoven (NL)
Appl. No. 18/010,018
Filed by KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., Eindhoven (NL)
PCT Filed Jun. 16, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/066166
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 13, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/259714, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 30, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/042,601, filed on Jun. 23, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0225707 A1, Jul. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 8/00 (2006.01); A61B 8/06 (2006.01); A61B 8/08 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 8/4488 (2013.01) [A61B 8/06 (2013.01); A61B 8/463 (2013.01); A61B 8/488 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ultrasound system, comprising:
a transducer array comprising:
a first acoustic element configured to generate analog electrical signals; and
a second acoustic element;
a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC) associated with the first acoustic element and configured to:
receive the analog electrical signals generated by the first acoustic element; and
convert the analog electrical signals to first digital electrical signals;
a second ADC associated with the second acoustic element;
a switch configured to establish communication between the second ADC and the first acoustic element such that the second ADC is configured to:
receive the same analog electrical signals generated by the first acoustic element; and
convert the same analog electrical signals to second digital electrical signals; and
a processor circuit in communication with the first ADC and the second ADC, wherein the processor circuit comprises digital in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) mixers configured to generate digital continuous wave (CW) Doppler signals based on the first and second digital electrical signals, and wherein the processor circuit is configured to:
process the digital CW Doppler signals;
generate a graphical representation of a distribution of blood flow velocities; and
output the graphical representation to a display in communication with the processor circuit.