Ultrasonic transducer drive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9244160-B2
Application number	US-16091405-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2005
Priority date	Jan 14, 2003
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

In some illustrative embodiments, an ultrasonic transducer drive includes a signal generator for producing an outgoing signal and a transducer for converting the outgoing signal to outgoing ultrasound. The transducer may also convert at least a portion of ultrasound reflected by an object to an incoming signal. The transducer may have a transmit side connected conductably to the signal generator during at least a first predetermined period of time and a receive side connected conductably to a signal receiver during at least a second predetermined period of time. A shunt may be connectable between the receive side and a reference potential. The signal generator may generate the outgoing signal during at least substantially the first predetermined period of time while the shunt connects the receive side to the reference potential. The signal receiver may receive the incoming signal during substantially the second predetermined period of time while the shunt is substantially open.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ultrasonic transducer drive, comprising:
a signal generator for producing an outgoing signal;
a transducer for converting said outgoing signal to outgoing ultrasound and for converting at least a portion of reflected ultrasound to an incoming signal, said transducer having a transmit side and a receive side;
said transmit side connected conductably to said signal generator during a first predetermined period of time;
said receive side connected conductably to a signal receiver during a second predetermined period of time; and
a shunt connectable between said receive side and a first reference potential;
wherein said signal generator is configured to generate said outgoing signal during said first predetermined period of time while said shunt is configured to connect said receive side to said first reference potential during said first predetermined period of time;
wherein said signal receiver is configured to receive said incoming signal during said second predetermined period of time while said shunt is configured to be open during said second predetermined period of time and while said transmit side is configured to connect to a second reference potential during said second predetermined period of time;
wherein said receive side is connected operably to a receive switch;
wherein said receive switch is connectable switchably to said signal receiver; and
wherein said receive switch is configured to connect said receive side to said signal receiver for said second predetermined period of time;
wherein said transmit side is connected operably to a transmit switch;
wherein said transmit switch is connectable switchably to said signal generator and to said second reference potential;
wherein said transmit switch is configured to connect said transmit side to said signal generator for said first predetermined period of time and said transmit switch is configured to connect said transmit side to said second reference potential for said second predetermined period of time;
wherein said reflected ultrasound is elicited by said outgoing ultrasound; and
wherein said receive side is conductively isolated from said transmit side.

2. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , comprising further:
a second transducer having a second transmit side configured to convert said outgoing signal to a second ultrasound and a second receive side configured to convert at least a portion of said reflected ultrasound and at least a portion of second reflected ultrasound to a second incoming signal;
said second transmit side configured to connect conductably to said signal generator during said first predetermined period of time;
said second receive side configured to connect conductably to said signal receiver during said second predetermined period of time; and
a second shunt connectable between said second receive side and said first reference potential;
wherein said second shunt is configured to connect said receive side to said first reference potential during said first predetermined period of time; and
wherein said signal receiver is configured to receive said second incoming signal during said second predetermined period of time.

3. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , wherein said signal generator comprises a generator amplifier for amplifying said outgoing signal.

4. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , wherein said transmit switch is selected from the group consisting of:
an electronic switch, a micro-mechanical switch, a transistor, a field-effect transistor, a bi-polar transistor, a MOS transistor, a CMOS transistor, and a MOS FET.

5. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , wherein said receive switch is selected from the group consisting of:
an electronic switch, a micro-mechanical switch, a transistor, a field-effect transistor, a bi-polar transistor, a MOS transistor, a CMOS transistor, and a MOS FET.

6. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , wherein said signal receiver comprises a receiver amplifier for amplifying said incoming signal.

7. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , wherein said signal receiver comprises a receiver pre-amplifier for amplifying said incoming signal.

8. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , wherein said signal receiver comprises a sample-and-hold for discretizing an amplitude of said incoming signal.

9. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , wherein said signal receiver comprises an A/D converter for converting said incoming signal to a digital signal.

10. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , wherein said signal receiver comprises a register for storing said incoming signal.

11. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , wherein said signal receiver comprises a digital signal processor for processing said incoming signal.

12. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , wherein said outgoing signal is selected from the group consisting of: an electro-magnetic signal and an electrical signal.

13. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , wherein said incoming signal is selected from the group consisting of:
an electro-magnetic signal and an electrical signal.

14. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , wherein said transducer is selected from the group consisting of: a piezoelectric element, a voice coil, a crystal oscillator, and a Hall effect transducer.

15. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , wherein said signal receive switch and said signal receiver are implemented as an integrated circuit.

16. The ultrasonic transducer drive of claim 1 , wherein the first reference potential and the second reference potential are the same reference potential.

17. A method of driving an ultrasonic transducer, comprising:
generating an outgoing signal during a first predetermined period of time;
switching a transmit side of said transducer to transmit said outgoing signal while said outgoing signal is being generated;
switching a receive side of a transducer to a first reference potential during said predetermined first period of time;
transducing said outgoing signal to outgoing ultrasound with said transducer during said predetermined first period of time;
switching said receive side of said transducer from said first reference potential to signal receiver while said reflected ultrasound is being received during a predetermined second period of time;
receiving at least a portion of reflected ultrasound at said transducer during said predetermined second period of time using said signal receiver;
switching a transmit side of said transducer to a second reference potential during said predetermined second period of time;
transducing said reflected ultrasound to an incoming signal with said transducer during said predetermined second period of time; and
converting said incoming signal to an image;
wherein said reflected ultrasound is elicited by said outgoing ultrasound; and
wherein said receive side is conductively isolated from said transmit side.

18. The method of driving an ultrasonic transducer of claim 17 , comprising further:
connecting a second receive side of a second transducer to said first reference potential;
transducing said outgoing signal to a second outgoing ultrasound with said second transducer;
disconnecting said second receive side of said second transducer from said first reference potential;
receiving at least a portion of said reflected ultrasound and a portion of said second reflected ultrasound at said second transducer;
transducing said reflected ultrasound and said second re

Assignees

• Blalock Travis N
• Walker William F
• Hossack John A
• Univ Virginia Patent Found

Inventors

• Blalock Travis N
• Walker William F
• Hossack John A

Classifications

• A61B8/4427

  Device being portable or laptop-like · CPC title

• G01S7/5208

  with integration of processing functions inside probe or scanhead · CPC title

• G01S7/52017 Primary

  particularly adapted to short-range imaging (G01S7/53 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B8/4483

  characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer · CPC title