Patent ID: 8848482
Filing Date: 2014-09-30
Classification: G01S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An ultrasound probe connected to an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus configured to transmit an ultrasound beam to a target object, the ultrasound probe comprising: a switching unit comprising N/2 channels, each channel configured to switch between a first pole and a second pole, wherein N is a natural number; N/2 first transducer elements connected to the first pole and placed in two-dimensions, wherein a placement is defined in an x-axis direction and a y-axis direction; and N/2 second transducer elements connected to the second pole and placed in two-dimensions, wherein the placement is defined in the x-axis and y-axis directions, wherein a placement of a channel number of the first transducer elements and a placement of a channel number of the second transducer elements differ in the x-axis and y-axis directions, wherein when N transducer elements are selected on the x-axis and N transducer elements are selected on the y-axis, a first square-shaped aperture is formed, wherein when 2N transducer elements are selected on the x-axis and N/2 transducer elements are selected on the y-axis, a second square-shaped aperture different in size than the first square-shaped aperture is formed.