Patent ID: 6059728
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: A61B,G01S

Abstract:
A method of ultrasonic imaging comprising the steps of:(a) disposing first, second and third ultrasonic transducers in a single linear array on a rod;(b) disposing fourth, fifth, and sixth ultrasonic transducers in said linear array on said rod;(c) phasing transmit trigger signals from said first, second, third, fourth, and fifth ultrasonic transducers such that in a transmit trigger instance said first, third, and fifth ultrasonic transducers are triggered first, and said second and fourth transducers are triggered next; and(d) indexing the phase of the transmit trigger signals from said first, second, third, fourth, and fifth ultrasonic transducers such that in the next transmit trigger instance said second, fourth, and sixth transducers are triggered first, and said third and fifth transducers are triggered next;(e) non-manually rotating said linear array a fixed angular distance; and(f) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) until said linear array has rotated a fixed angular distances(g) receiving the transmitted signals reflected back towards the transducer array;(h) converting the information in the detected reflected signals to distance measurements, positional coordinates, and echo amplitudes: and(i) acquiring real-time three-dimensional information from the use of said single linear array.