Patent ID: 7901358
Filing Date: 2011-03-08
Classification: A61B,G01S,G10K

Abstract:
1. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising: an arrayed ultrasonic transducer having a plurality of elements for transmitting into a subject a transmitted ultrasound signal at a transmit center frequency of up to 55 megahertz (MHz); a signal processing unit operatively connected with said arrayed ultrasonic transducer and comprising wherein said signal processing unit is configured to acquire a received ultrasound signal having a frequency of at least 15 MHz from said arrayed ultrasound transducer, and wherein said digital transmit beamformer subsystem is configured to transmit an ultrasound signal having said transmit center frequency by encoding a fine delay and half-cycle sections of said transmitted ultrasound signal into bit words that are converted to a serial bit stream by said parallel to serial converter, wherein said transmitted ultrasound signal comprises a positive transmit pulse having a positive pulse width and a negative transmit pulse having a negative pulse width, and said positive pulse width and said negative pulse width are independently adjustable.