Patent ID: 6482160
Filing Date: 2002-11-19
Classification: G01S,G10K,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for multidimensional beamforming sensor time series provided by sensors deployed in a multidimensional array of an ultrasound imaging system comprising the steps of:decomposing the multidimensional beamformer into two coherent subsets of circular array beamformers and/or line array beamformers, a first subset comprising subsequent beamformers in a first coordinate direction of the multidimensional array and a second subset comprising subsequent beamformers in a second other coordinate direction of the multidimensional array; beamforming for a predetermined beam steering direction of data relating to the sensor time series by applying the subsequent beamformers of the first subset, each beamformer producing a beam time series; and, beamforming for the predetermined beam steering direction each beam time series of the first subset of beamformers applying the subsequent beamformers of the second subset for the steered direction producing one beam time series for the beam steering direction.