Patent ID: 7775112
Filing Date: 2010-08-17
Classification: A61B,B06B,G01S,G10K

Abstract:
1. A method of driving a sector probe using a system comprising a transmitter/receiver for a convex probe and a linear probe, the transmitter/receiver having N number of channels, the sector probe having vibration elements of L in number, wherein L is larger than N, said method comprising: coupling the transmitter/receiver to a switch system including M number of switches corresponding to M number of vibration elements in at least one of the convex probe and the linear probe, wherein M is larger than N; coupling the sector probe to the switch system; selecting (N/2) number of vibration elements at random out of a first switch group including (L/2) switches; selecting (N/2) number of vibration elements out of a second switch group including (L/2) switches, the selected (N/2) number of vibration elements of the second switch group are nearly symmetrical to the (N/2) number of vibration elements selected at random out of the first switch group including (L/2) switches; and driving the selected (N/2) vibration elements.