Patent ID: 6506160
Filing Date: 2003-01-14
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
An ultrasound probe comprising first through N-th cables, an array of first through (MÃ—N )-th ultrasonic transducer elements, and first through N-th frequency division multiplexing circuits for multiplexing output signals from a respective set of M transducer elements to a respective one of said first through N-th cables, where N and M are positive integers greater than unity,wherein said first frequency division multiplexing circuit comprises: a first mixer having a first input connected to receive a signal derived from an output signal of said first transducer element and a second input connected to receive a first waveform having a first carrier frequency; a second mixer having a first input connected to receive a signal derived from an output signal of said second transducer element and a second input connected to receive a second waveform having a second carrier frequency different than said first carrier frequency; and a first summer for summing first and second signals derived from the outputs of said first and second mixers respectively.