Probe, ultrasound imaging apparatus, and control method of the ultrasound imaging apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016157818-A1
Application number	US-201514823108-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 11, 2015
Priority date	Dec 8, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A probe includes a transducer array including a transducer element, the transducer element including cells connected in parallel to each other, and a current detector configured to apply a voltage to the cells of the transducer element, or to output an electrical signal based on currents output from the cells.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A probe comprising:
a transducer array comprising a transducer element, the transducer element comprising cells connected in parallel to each other; and a current detector configured to apply a voltage to the cells of the transducer element, or to output an electrical signal based on currents output from the cells.

2 . The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the transducer element comprises a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (pMUT) element, and the transducer array comprises a pMUT array.

3 . The probe according to claim 1 , wherein one of the cells is made of thin-film lead zirconate titanate (PZT) having a thickness of 2.5 μm or less.

4 . The probe according to claim 1 , wherein one of the cells comprises an upper electrode, a lower electrode, and a thin-film piezoelectric device interposed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode,
the upper electrode of the cell is connected in parallel to upper electrodes of cells comprised in another transducer element, and the lower electrode of the cell is connected in parallel to lower electrodes of other cells comprised in the transducer element.

5 . The probe according to claim 4 , wherein the upper electrodes of the cells of the transducer element and the other transducer element are configured to receive a ground voltage or a direct current voltage applied in common to the upper electrodes of the cells of the transducer element and the other transducer element.

6 . The probe according to claim 4 , wherein the lower electrodes of the cells of the transducer element and the other transducer element are connected to the current detector.

7 . The probe according to claim 4 , wherein the current detector is configured to detect a voltage difference between the upper electrode and the lower electrode of the cell.

8 . The probe according to claim 4 , wherein the cell further comprises a board member provided on a side of the lower electrode opposite a side at which the upper electrode is provided, the board member being configured to support the lower electrode.

9 . The probe according to claim 8 , wherein the board member comprises:
a fixing support part formed along edges of the board member, and a membrane part formed in a center of the board member, the board member comprising silicon (Si), and the thin-film piezoelectric device expands or contracts in a traverse direction according to a voltage applied to the lower electrode to vibrate the membrane part.

10 . The probe according to claim 9 , wherein an area of the upper electrode occupies 70% or less of an area of the membrane part.

11 . The probe according to claim 4 , wherein the transducer element comprises a via configured to connect the upper electrodes of the cells to each other or to connect the lower electrodes of the cells to each other.

12 . The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the transducer element comprises four cells or nine cells.

13 . The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the current detector comprises an amplifier configured to output a voltage that is proportional to a sum of the currents output from the cells.

14 . A method of controlling an ultrasound imaging apparatus, comprising:
receiving, at a transducer element comprising cells connected in parallel to each other, echo ultrasonic waves reflected from an object; generating an electrical signal corresponding to the echo ultrasonic waves; receiving at a current detector, the electrical signal; and outputting a voltage based on a current included in the electrical signal.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the transducer element comprises a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (pMUT) element.

16 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein one of the cells comprises an upper electrode, a lower electrode, and a thin-film piezoelectric device interposed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, and
the method further comprises, before performing the generating of the electrical signal, applying a ground voltage or a direct current voltage to the upper electrode of the cell.

17 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the outputting of the voltage comprises outputting a voltage based on a sum of currents included in a electrical signals received from the cells connected in parallel to each other.

18 . An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising:
a transducer array comprising a transducer element comprising cells connected in parallel to each other; an integrated circuit configured to apply a voltage to the cells, or to output an electrical signal based on currents output from the cells; a signal processor configured to generate ultrasound image data based on the electrical signal output from the integrated circuit; and an image processor configured to generate an ultrasound image based on the ultrasound image data.

19 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein one of the cells comprises an upper electrode, a lower electrode, and a thin-film piezoelectric device interposed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode,
the upper electrode of the cell is connected in parallel to upper electrodes of cells comprised in another transducer element, and the lower electrode of the cell is connected in parallel to lower electrodes of other cells in the transducer element.

20 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the integrated circuit comprises an inverting amplifier configured to output a voltage that is proportional to a sum of the currents output from the plurality of cells.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Kyungil
• Choi Minseog
• Kim Youngil
• Song Jong Keun

Classifications

• A61B8/5207

  involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image · CPC title

• A61B8/4444 Primary

  related to the probe · CPC title

• A61B8/461

  Displaying means of special interest · CPC title

• G01S7/52079

  Constructional features (constructional features of transducers B06B; mounting transducers G10K11/00; constructional features of ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/44) · CPC title

• B06B1/0629

  Square array · CPC title