US 11,841,425 B2
Ultrasound probe with multiline digital microbeamformer
Bernard Savord, Andover, MA (US); Antonia van Rens, Nuenen (NL); Sotir Ouzounov, Eindhoven (NL); McKee Poland, Andover, MA (US); and Nik Ledoux, Merrimack, NH (US)
Assigned to KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., Eindhoven (NL)
Appl. No. 16/329,433
Filed by KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., Eindhoven (NL)
PCT Filed Aug. 17, 2017, PCT No. PCT/EP2017/070804
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 28, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/041636, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 8, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/382,811, filed on Sep. 2, 2016.
Claims priority of application No. 16193675 (EP), filed on Oct. 13, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2019/0227165 A1, Jul. 25, 2019
Int. Cl. G01S 15/89 (2006.01); G01S 7/52 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 15/8918 (2013.01) [G01S 7/5208 (2013.01); G01S 7/52095 (2013.01); G01S 7/52096 (2013.01); G01S 15/8915 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ultrasound probe comprising:
a digital microbeamformer; and
an array transducer adapted to scan a target region with elements of the array under the control of the digital microbeamformer;
wherein the digital microbeamformer comprises:
a plurality of amplifiers coupled to the elements of the array and arranged to receive analog echo signals from elements of the array during a receive period, said amplifiers arranged to provide a plurality of amplified analog echo signals;
a plurality of ADCs coupled to the amplifiers and adapted to receive the amplified analog echo signals and convert the amplified analog echo signals to digital echo signals;
a plurality of digital delay circuits that are coupled to the ADCs and adapted to produce a plurality of selectably delayed digital echo signals; and
a plurality of digital summers that are coupled to the plurality of digital delay circuits, adapted to receive the plurality of selectably delayed digital echo signals, and
wherein:
the plurality of selectably delayed digital echo signals are multiline signals; and
the plurality of digital summers are adapted to produce a plurality of digital multiline echo signals in response to a single transmit event, and
wherein:
the digital microbeamformer is further configured as a plurality of digital channels, each digital channel comprising a low power ADC of the plurality of ADCs, a digital delay circuit of the plurality of digital delay circuits, and at least some of the plurality of digital summers, wherein each digital channel is adapted to produce a plurality of digital multiline echo signals.