Ultrasonic imaging device with programmable anatomy and flow imaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021278530-A1
Application number	US-202117153631-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 20, 2021
Priority date	Mar 5, 2020
Publication date	Sep 9, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

An imaging device includes a transducer that includes an array of piezoelectric elements formed on a substrate. Each piezoelectric element includes at least one membrane suspended from the substrate, at least one bottom electrode disposed on the membrane, at least one piezoelectric layer disposed on the bottom electrode, and at least one top electrode disposed on the at least one piezoelectric layer. Adjacent piezoelectric elements are configured to be isolated acoustically from each other. The device is utilized to measure flow or flow along with imaging anatomy.

First claim

1 . A portable imaging device comprising:
a portable housing; an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) within the housing; a transducer within the housing, the transducer comprising an array of piezoelectric elements formed on a substrate, each piezoelectric element comprising:
at least one membrane suspended from the substrate;
at least one bottom electrode disposed on the membrane;
at least one piezoelectric layer disposed on the bottom electrode; and
at least one top electrode disposed on the at least one piezoelectric layer, wherein adjacent piezoelectric elements are isolated acoustically from each other, and
a controller connectively coupled to the ASIC, wherein the controller is to implement an imaging mode by:
selecting a predetermined first plurality of piezoelectric elements from the array of piezoelectric elements to transmit signals to form a transmit channel associated with the imaging mode;
selecting a predetermined second plurality of piezoelectric elements from the array of piezoelectric elements to receive signals to form a receive channel associated with the imaging mode; and
forming a frame from a plurality of scan lines obtained with the imaging mode, and wherein the imaging mode remains same or is switched to a different mode after the frame is completed.

2 . The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein isolation between piezoelectric elements is achieved by at least one trench positioned between piezoelectric elements to isolate interaction between piezoelectric elements.

3 . The imaging device of claim 2 , wherein isolation between piezoelectric elements is achieved by use of an impedance matching material that covers the substrate and membrane, a material under the membrane being made with a different acoustic impedance compared to a material in the remaining part of the substrate.

4 . The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is thinned to obstruct cross talk between adjacent piezoelectric elements.

5 . The imaging device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a backing layer disposed on a surface of the transducer facing the ASIC.

6 . The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein each piezoelectric element exhibits a plurality of modes of vibration.

7 . The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein each piezoelectric element is first placed into transmit mode and subsequently placed into receive mode to receive echoes from the transmit mode.

8 . The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein a first piezoelectric element of the array is continuously in transmit mode while a second piezoelectric element of the array is continuously in receive mode to enable continuous wave (CW) Doppler imaging.

9 . The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the imaging mode is at least one of an A scan, B scan, C scan, or Doppler imaging.

10 . The imaging device of claim 9 , wherein a same number of power supplies are used for the Doppler modes and B-modes by electronically adjusting acoustic power transmitted from at least a portion of the array of piezoelectric elements.

11 . The imaging device of claim 10 , wherein power from each piezoelectric element is adjusted by using appropriate levels of a multilevel transmit pulsar output.

12 . The imaging device of claim 11 , where acoustic output power is adjusted by electronically adjusting the number of elements participating in the transmission.

13 . The imaging device of claim 9 , wherein the B-modes and Doppler modes maintain a specific acoustic power level and a specific mechanical index while using same power supplies for imaging modes.

14 . The imaging device of claim 1 , further comprising steering structure for beam steering capability in 3D space.

15 . The imaging device of claim 1 , further comprising steering structure for beam steering in 3D space to optimize a Doppler angle for better signal visualization.

16 . The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein at least one piezoelectric element includes at least two sub-elements that are enabled such that a first sub-element can transmit while a second sub-element can receive.

17 . The imaging device of claim 1 , further comprising circuitry to alter one or more of azimuth focus, elevation focus, or aperture size of the imaging device.

18 . (canceled)

19 . An imaging device, comprising:
a transducer; a 2D array of piezoelectric elements arranged in rows and columns on the transducer, each piezoelectric element having at least two terminals,
at least a first column of the piezoelectric elements, each piezoelectric element having a first top electrode connected to a respective receive amplifier or a transmit driver under programmed control, and
at least a second column of the piezoelectric elements, each piezoelectric element having a first top electrode connected to a respective receive amplifier or a transmit driver under programmed control, the piezoelectric elements having sub-elements to be programmed either to transmit and then subsequently receive or programmed to simultaneously transmit and receive; and
at least two trenches, each trench located on opposite sides of the substrate and configured to provide crosstalk isolation.

20 . (canceled)

21 . A method of imaging, comprising:
selecting a first plurality of piezoelectric elements and a second plurality of piezoelectric elements form a two-dimensional (2D) array of piezoelectric elements within a housing, the piezoelectric elements arranged in rows and columns, wherein each piezoelectric element is interconnected with an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that is housed adjacent the piezoelectric elements to control various imaging modes in a portable imaging device, wherein:
piezoelectric elements in a first column of the array comprise a first top electrode connected to a respective receive amplifier, each of the piezoelectric elements to be electronically programmed as if connected together to form a first column, and
piezoelectric elements in a second column of the array comprise a second top electrode connected to a respective transmit driver, each of the piezoelectric elements to be electronically programmed as if connected together to form a second column;
performing ultrasonic imaging by:
transmitting signals with the first plurality of piezoelectric elements;
receiving signals with the second plurality of piezoelectric elements;
adjusting the received signals such that the received signals are in phase;
forming a scan line from the received signals;
forming a frame from a plurality of scan lines obtained during ultrasonic imaging wherein the frame is one of an imaging mode of an A scan, B scan, C scan, or Doppler imaging, and an imaging mode remains the same or is switched to a different imaging mode after the frame is completed.

Assignees

• Exo Imaging Inc

Inventors

• Haque Yusuf
• Akkaraju Sandeep
• Bryzek Janusz
• Bircumshaw Brian

Classifications

• G03B42/06 Primary

  using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves · CPC title

• A61B8/488

  involving Doppler signals · CPC title

• A61B8/4494

  characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements · CPC title

• A61B8/4488

  the transducer being a phased array · CPC title

• A61B8/4427 Primary

  Device being portable or laptop-like · CPC title