Patent ID: 7785260
Filing Date: 2010-08-31
Classification: A61B,G01S,G10K

Abstract:
1. A method of obtaining an image of the inside of a subject by transmitting/receiving an ultrasonic pulse to/from the subject, the method comprising: transmitting an ultrasonic pulse from a transmit aperture of a transducer array, the ultrasonic pulse having a short focal length in a center portion of the transmit aperture, a long focal length in a peripheral portion of the transmit aperture of said transducer array of the transmit aperture, and a non-cylindrical wavefront continued smoothly over an entirety of the transmit aperture; and forming a transmission beam having a propagation distance range of substantially uniform widths each perpendicular to an ultrasound propagation direction of the ultrasonic pulse by one transmission of the ultrasonic pulse, the propagation distance range being variable in the ultrasound propagation direction.