Patent ID: 6773399
Filing Date: 2004-08-10
Classification: G01S,G03B

Abstract:
An ultrasound system comprising:a scan head having a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements for producing ultrasound beams; a first subset of the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements for producing a first ultrasound beam; a second subset of the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements, that is displaced by more than one transducer element from the first subset, and for producing a second ultrasound beam; a third subset of the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements, that is displaced by more than one transducer element from the second subset, and for producing a third ultrasound beam; and a transmit switch for coupling the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements to a beam transmitter; wherein, the second subset is the only subset of the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements operative between a time the first subset is operative and a time the third subset is operative.