Patent ID: 8647259
Filing Date: 2014-02-11
Classification: A61B,G01S

Abstract:
1. An ultrasound scanning capsule endoscope, comprising: a housing configured to have a size that is ingestible; an ultrasonic transducer array wrapped around a circumference of the housing, each transducer in the ultrasonic transducer array being configured to transmit an ultrasonic signal and to receive an echo signal; a timing circuit configured to induce transmission of a respective ultrasonic signal by each transducer according to a phased array sequence, wherein the phased array sequence configures the ultrasonic transducer array into consecutive phased arrays around the circumference of the housing for sequentially imaging one or more voxels at a time around the circumference, and wherein the consecutive phased arrays utilize a number of transducers when configured for transmission of their respective ultrasonic signals that is greater than a number of transducers when configured for reception of their respective echo signals.