Patent ID: 6293912
Filing Date: 2001-09-25
Classification: G01S,G10K

Abstract:
A method of operation of an apparatus for examining an object by means of ultrasound, wherein the apparatus comprises:a receiving transducer having a plurality of receiving transducer elements, each receiving transducer element being adapted to output an electrical signal in response to a received ultrasound echo from a structure in the object,a single delay line with a plurality of input taps and an output tap, each of the plurality of input taps having an individual delay associated therewith, so that the electrical signals input to individual input taps are individually delayed and output on the output tap, andmeans for selectively connecting the electrical signals from the receiving transducer elements to respective ones of the input taps of the delay line;and the method comprises:inputting the electrical signals from the receiving transducer elements to respective ones of selected input taps of the single delay line, the electrical signals representing received echoes from a first selected structure in the object, andoutputting on the output tap the delayed electrical signals representing received ultrasound echoes from the first selected structure in the object according to the condition that the maximum difference in time of output between the delayed signals is not greater than the greatest difference in delay between any two neighboring input taps on the delay line, andfor subsequently received electrical signals representing received echoes from a second selected structure in the object, shifting, as necessary, the subsequent signals from the receiving transducer elements to other selected input taps of the single delay line, so that the delayed electrical signals representing received echoes from the second selected structure in the object also fulfill the aforesaid condition that the maximum difference in time of output between the delayed signals is not greater than the greatest difference in delay between any two neighboring input taps on the delay line.